Follow up!

[sarah]

I had written in about four months ago about having a bilateral babinski with no explanation. Headaches led me to the neurologist. It turned into a virus and I had intermitant fever for six weeks and leg pain.
The fever went away but I still have terrible leg pain. Lower leg ankle, foot, lower shins. It is worse in the morning but sometimes bad at night. I followed up with the neurologist in may and still had the babinski. He concluded that it is probably due to the lightening strike and it was still the only abnormality I have. I have seen my G.P. three times and had many tests. Sed rate, thyroid, lyme, Rh factor. All were negative. I now had an ANA but have not gotten the results. My doctor says the babinski is gone(not the neuro) and that this whole thing may be a virus. He says the pain definitely seems arthritic not neurological and all my reflexes
and sensation is intact. He does not know what to make of it except post-viral, and that even
the bainski could have been part of it. He tried me on one of the new anti-inflammatories
bu oddly it didn't work. I was bitten by a tick last year and live in one of the highest areas but the lyme was negative 8 months after
the bite. I am very confused and not sure how
this fits together. The leg pain is seriously
affecting my life. Any ideas would help. (I am
34 and mri's of head and cervical spine were normal) THANKS!

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Sarah:

Sorry to hear about your problem.  I am not sure what to tell you.  Yes, things might be related to a post-viral syndrome, but also things might be related in some way to the lightning event. Not that the lightning caused the leg pain, but the event probably changed the neuronal sensitivity to various stimuli, and the viral problem just upset things enough to induce some of the symptoms your experiencing.  Although many would say that your problem might be lyme, with a negative test (I am assuming that it was the ELISA) I would think you might want to have the western blot analysis performed.  If your pain is neurogenic I would think that neurontin should help.  Just for your information, the ANA would have to have a very high titer to mean anything, and if the titer is low (dilution of 1/16 for example) then it is likely not worrisome.

Sorry I am not much help.  

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[Sarah-Thank You!]

The lightening theory makes alot of sense. When I actually had the virus I had aching all over but severe in the legs. And strangely, anti-inflammatories didn't work and even codeine did not work. Now all that's left is the leg pain. I work on my feet without sitting many days and since the virus I can't tolerate it as though my legs and feet have suddenly become more sensitive to pain. Interestingly, the site of the pain is exactly the area of the strike; through the feet and up into the legs. It was excruciatingly painful for 30 seconds and I couldn't move and then fell backwards on the ground(or was lifted). I was very,very lucky and I know it. This was years ago but I did read once that lightening can cause neuralgia later. There isn't a whole lot of research. I am going to see about the western blot to make sure lyme was not the initiating virus. It had to have been a nasty one. I am hoping that it is just post-viral or even if it is lightening related, maybe I'll get off my legs for awhile and see if I can break the cycle. Thank you very much, your ideas were very helpful!

[sarah]

this could very well be lymes disease. Blood tests for lymes are inconclusive. My whole family has lymes. I had a huge target on my leg and didn't know it. I had a blood test done because of the way i felt and it came up negative. Then i discovered the ring and they trated me for lymes. I have had relapses or reinfections, who knows. My husband went through hell and was finally diagnosed with lymes by a neuro who specialized in it. Try having a lymes antigen test and a brain spect. They diagnosed him clinically first and then these tests came up positive. Fond a tick in my son, sent the tick away to be tested and it came up poositve for lymes yet my son came up neg. The doc trated him anyway to be on the safe side. Sure enough he developed symptoms.Lymes is very tricky and i and too many doctors don't know enough about it. They think if you don't get joint pain or fever or rash then you couldn't have it.

[Sarah-Thank You!]

Is your name Sarah too or were you just responding to my post? Anyway, this lyme thing is frustrating! My doctor says a negative ELISA, 8 months after a bite is sensitive enough, but many don't agree. I will speak to him again, but I cetainly want to be careful to not be treated for something I don't have. There are alot of people out there, unlike your family, who believe they have lyme and do not. It is so tricky and I hope that the tests can become more definitive so that those who have it can be treated promptly and those who don't will not get unnecessary treatment and anxiety. Good luck and I hope you and your family get well quickly. Thanks for the comment!