Does this sound like some kind of seizures?

[alee520]

Hi to all, I have been having these symptoms for about 10 years now... For 4-5 years in between, the symptoms subsided and I was able to live normally...Since June 2009, my symptoms have gotten worse and I almost can't function normally now...Basically I feel a very strong kind of shaking in my head, as if there was a force pulling me inside.. The muscles seem to be all clenched up inside and there seems to be convulsions of some sort.. I feel unstable even doing simple tasks, something seems to be tossing me around non stop throughout my waking hours... I can distinctly feel something inside my head... It feels like some kind of tremors... I feel giddy and feel like falling over.. I have completely no focus.... My whole being is consumed trying to get some kind of focus.... The shaking makes it almost impossible to focus doing any work..I have balance problems and I can't function normally.. Thus, I have not worked for more than 1 year... I am wondering whether I have seizures?

I have seen many doctors before and taken many pills... The only drug that seems to work is Klonopin... However, Iive in a country where doctors are hesistant to prescribe this drug and I can't get a long term supply.... The tremors,servere shaking seems to subside after taking this drug, all be it a low dose...

Someone has suggested that I could be having dystonia.. However, I don't have my head tilted to one side or other symptoms... I am struggling from day to day and I feel terrible....What can I do??

[alee520]

There are like weights inside my head... Feel so heavy and shaky.... Feel so dumb... Lack basic focus....

[alee520]

Sometimes I feel it could be a dental problem but is it possible?? The tremors seems to emanate from the jaw at times but I am unsure.... Is there such a thing as tooth cancer??? Or jaw cancer?? Sometimes I feel the problem comes from the area above my neck, in between my jwa inside the lower part of my face...

I have been dabbling in some contra trading in shares... Need to make some money to live and fight on.. I pray I can make some money.....

[ggreg]

You will get over it when you walk into the right doctor's office one day.  And in the meantime, go to some of the websites furnished you, some have forums by people who have your identical or near-identical problem, and commune with them, maybe THEY will have the magic words to get thee some help.  Best regards, GG

[alee520]

I accept my fate in life.. Actually in 2007 I finished my accountancy degree... I wanted to marry my girlfriend of 5 years... But I had a relapse of this sickness... Well, I guess the big man up there doesn't like me so much... I am contented eating 2 dollars meals everyday and hoping for miracle....

I hold on till now... Because death solves nothing.... You told me that good times will only return if I stay alive... That stuck inside my dumb head...

So I live on bravely.... Day and night passes... Such a strange problem.... When will I ever get over it... God bless me.... And you....

[ggreg]

You won't know if the doc will understand your lack of funds or not, until you go yourself and ask him politely.  In addition, I know he will at the very least give you a long-term supply and increase in dose for your Klonopin, which you shall bring to him, so at least that part of the problem will be resolved for now, until you can get your finances in order and revisit the doc in six months (the usual lapse in time for followup).  You can even tell him you still experience lots of problems at the dose of Klonopin you're at, so perhaps he will increase dose, and you'll feel even better than you have recently.  See, Klonopin is typically one of the milder and safer drugs given to people with all sorts of tremor and seizure problems, so he will know there is no harm in at least giving you a goodly supply until you two can arrive at a cost plan, and diagnositic and treatment plan.

I would send you the $80 myself if I thought you would go to the doc, and I'm what you call poor.  You could even go to a church and ask for assistance with the $80, or you could sell something of value for that money.  I've sold lots of things to get by.  You are being stubborn, if I can characterize it that way, because from my end of the road and looking back at where you're about to go, which I'm almost 60 years old, you CAN talk to a doctor as a human being and they WILL respond.  Oh, well, just consider giving ONE visit a shot, just think about it, get your $80 together and get up the desire to make this tremor stop or at least quit bothering you so much.  No human being should have to suffer, and a good doctor will recognize this, if only you will.  God speed, kid, and I'll be sharing in your prayers, but prayer that you go to the doc.  GG    

[alee520]

I don't think that pressing the doctor to give a quick diagnosis will work, not in the country where I live... Private neurologists cost about $80US to see.... And they will want you to come back a few times before they do something for you... In that way, they can earn money from you....

In the country where I live, public doctors discharge people very fast because they have many patients on the list... And without a diagnosis, they don't have to do anything... They can just say nothing is wrong... Its safer than trying to make a diagnosis... Thats the culture here...

The problem might not go away totally but it has the propensity to subside.. Because it did for a period of 5 years or so.... So I am praying for miracle,,,

[ggreg]

It will NOT take a neuro doc much time to come up with a diagnosis, particularly if you give him the list that we rounded up for you, and it won't cost a lot just to go see him once or twice, and HE will give you the proper medicines for what is wrong on a long-term basis.  I feel sorry for you too, becuz if I had what you had, I'd go to a neuro with that list, becuz the time and cost will NOT expend all your resources.  And I think you're kidding yourself if you think this might just go away in time.

You are in control of whether you see the doc once or ten times, and thus it would behoove you to tell the neuro up front that you have limited funds and therefore if he could please jump on SOMEthing that is likely wrong with you and help you as quickly and as inexpensively as he can.  I wish I could support you while you go out of your mind, but I would be remiss if I didn't instead try to get thee to a physician who has the extensive training, experience, and means to help you the best.  You also have a list of diagnoses here, as well as first-hand stories in your posts, that will further help the doc help you.

[alee520]

Hi ggreg, I am concerned that the process to find a diagnosis will take too long and expend all my resources.. Its not that I am unwilling to call a neuro, just that I feel that there are too many things that could be wrong...

My head feels like there is a ball bouncing inside... A force pulling... I feel like a freak... I feel so sorry for myself...

Also part of me hopes it will subside itself and I can get better slowly... I am taking half a tablet of Klonopin a day... And panadol with vitamins....

[ggreg]

Alee,
Are you going to call the neuro?
GG

[ggreg]

You may not need a scan!  You really just need to see a neurologist!  They don't necessarily need a scan to figure you out!  Nearly all the suggestions we've given you on what's wrong with you do NOT need a scan.  So, there must be plenty of neuros in your health care system in your town or nearby.  I do not understand your train of thought.  Help has always been within your grasp, but for some reason, you do not hear what everyone has been telling you, all the way back since last summer, which is go to a neurologist, give him the list we've put together for you, and get well.

[alee520]

My tremors can't be seen... I feel it inside me shaking, pulling me but people around me can't see it... I have been seeing the psychatrist just because he can give me Klonopin... Hes willing to give 1 tablet a day....I am contemplating going to a neighbouring country because I think the scans could be cheaper...

Just trying to work out the details like getting my passport, finding out how to get there etc...

[ggreg]

One more thing, Alee, I re-read your previous thread, in which I also participated, and I want to list off all the things that other posters have suggested you have, along with what I also suggested in that previous thread:

Tourettes Syndrome
TMJ
Spasmodic Torticollis (www.spasmodictorticollis.org, www.torticollis.org)
Hypoglycemia
Vitamin deficiency
Cervical dystonia
Dystonia and Torticollis (www.dystonia-foundation.org)

Now, go to a neurologist, give him this list, and let him evaluate you.  He will come up with a diagnosis and treatment plan, to include medication.  Do not put this off, pick up the telephone today and make an appointment.  I expect you to respond to all of us by posting back that you have done this.  

So many people in the last thread have not only described what might be the problem and that you should go to a neuro, but some have also told you they have the same identical symptoms as you (tikibar and warden63), and the websites I've cited in the above list were also given to you in that previous thread.  But you keep avoiding going to a neurologist, you keep asking us what is wrong.  We've told you, so get thee to a neuro, give him the list I've put together here.  A neuro is not just going to appear at your door; YOU have to call one and make an appointment.  The government health care system in your country has 50 million neurologists, and any of them, with the above list in hand, ought to be able to MAKE YOU WELL.  God speed, child, and post back when you've got the appointment set up.  
GG

[ggreg]

I don't think anybody here said you needed an MRI.  I did suggest a neurologist may want to do an EMG, which is a simple measure of electrical impulses to the muscles.  If you were having tremors or a sensation that your muscles are shaking, but the doc could not see it, he might want to measure it.  A good neurologist can diagnose tremors or seizures or whatever it is you have without a brain scan, altho sometimes THEY will want one to make sure you don't have brain damage or something like that.

You might want to enlighten us a little as to a few more particulars:  Can your tremors be seen?  What parts of your body are affected by this neuromuscular problem?  Can  you still go back to the doc who gave you the Klonopin?  

On your Klonopin, at least that doc gave you SOMEthing that helped, so if he won't give you anymore Klonopin, he may be willing to give you a different drug, like several other nonaddictive anti-spasm type medicine that will give you a lot of relief.  I know, you want somebody to examine your brain and see why it's feeling wierd, but you've already said the docs don't want to do that.  So, if you can at least get some medicine, and see a neurologist who specializes in seizures and tremors who can at least give you a tentative diagnosis and treatment plan, looks to me like you wouldn't have to keep living this way.

I wish I could identify a little more definitively what you DO have that is causing you so much trouble, but really and truly, other than what I've already said, I cannot imagine what it is you have.  This is why you gotta go back to see a neurologist or at least the doc who prescribed the Klonopin.  Seems to me if that drug helped, then SOMEthing is going on with you that needs treatment, and it's going to take a doc to decide what you got.  I've offered a few ideas of what's wrong, you can do a few online searches of those things, like tremors, seizures, maybe at the wikipedia website, and you might learn about all sorts of stuff that might fit into your list of symptoms.  But in the end, you need to see a neuro!

[alee520]

The govt doctors are not very keen to order expensive scans like MRI for subsidised patients... 10 years ago, I begged the govt neurologist to allow me to do an MRI but he refused and discharged me after 2 sessions... So I don't really have faith in govt doctors...

[opinmin]

Is there a teaching hospital nearby where you can be seen?  Sounds like you been going down hill slowly.  Meanwhile, like ggreg said, keep seeing the physician who is prescribing the klonopin for you.  If you can get to a nearby city/town where you can get the proper care, do it.  I know you had mentioned to get decent medical care there is costly.    

Secondly, only prescribing herbs, vitamins, etc. is not "real medicine" to me.  Make sure whoever you see is competent.  

Keep us posted.    

[ggreg]

I'm sorry, I shouldn't have answered your post without knowing for certain what you have, or I should have given you more possibilities of what you may have.  A couple alternatives that can happen constantly are tremors (there are several kinds) or Parkinson's.  You mentioned convulsions, tremor, shaking, clenched inside, so it's hard to be sure, but if a doc can SEE any of these symptoms or can measure them with an EMG, you should have no trouble getting treatments.  There are many seizure-like neuromuscular conditions, so whatever you have, you'll need to be diagnosed by a neurologist so you can get the right medicine, as I mentioned in my previous post.

I can suggest that whomever prescribed your Klonopin, simply go back to that doctor, even if you have to go on a regular basis, and at least keep that stuff on board or ask for another type medicine.  In the meantime, you can also go to a health food store and ask the clerk what is good for spasms or tremors, and there should be some bottled herbs that you can try out, see if one of them helps.  But be careful what you take, because some herbs or unprescribed treatments can actually make neuromuscular problems worse.

[alee520]

Can seizures be a constant throughout the day thing?? I feel it constantly... Its like a pounding inside my head of sorts, feels like my brain is not supported properly... Specialists in government hospitals do nothing much in my country... They just prescribe some vitamins(like gingko) and send you packing.... Private specialists are very expensive here... So I am thinking of going to neighbouring country.... Much cheaper...

[ggreg]

Yes, it sounds like seizures, and there are many anti-seizure drugs besides the Klonopin you take that a doc should be perfectly willing to give you.  So many people have some sort of seizure disorder, that they make a slew of medicines to control seizures, and they are not the kind of thing that are addictive or anything.  So, if you'll just go to a neurologist who understands seizures, he should be able to give you the right medicine for your type of seizure, and you should take it regularly so you don't have anymore problems with it, because it is not good to have seizures.  You say you have seen many doctors for this, but I cannot understand why one of them hasn't given you a proper, regular, long-term anti-seizure type medicine before, so if you've been to a neuro, then go to a different one, preferably one who works with a group of neurologists, or you could go to a hospital in a university setting and be seen by a neurologist there, they are usually the very best docs.

[alee520]

Anyone can comment??