Mysterious symptoms

[Kirklin]

Hi I was wondering if you could tell me if it sounds like I may have a neuro problem like MS. Or if not which way I should go.

My symptoms are rather vague, but I've had this strange general pressure in my head for months now with no relief not even for a minute. I would also describe what I would define as a mild dementia (moving objects and sudden, unexpected events cause mentally blurred vision and increased pain). These symptoms NEVER subside or go away not even for a moment.  Also, most recently I've developed fairly intense spasms around my eyes (eyelids, eyebrows, etc) in random locations around my eyes this is present literally at least 70% of the day and is very highly annoying.

Something that I think is a major clue is sometimes when I stand up, or walk up stairs, my heart will start palpitating hard, and the SAME EXACT pressure in my head (which is usually dull and boring), will pulsate MUCH, MUCH more intensly along with the rhythm of my heart, to the point to where I feel like something is going to rupture in my head. Imagine, if you will, an extention of my cervical spine strait up into my brain, THAT is where the intense pulsations are focused, up the extention of my c-spine.

One doc gives me a diuretic for high BP, while the other says its fine. My BP fluctuates I take my own some times it's 120/80 other times its been up to 155/85 (resting).

I've seen 2 neuro's and an ENT, had an MRI/MRA of the brain and neck and all way negative.

I'm at desperation, what other tests can be done or who should I see? Ive seen top university docs allready

[ilogik]

You should post this as a new question to the doc, I dont think they revisit old threads.

[Citizen T]

ouch...it sounds they they hit a nerve with the needle!

[thehiltongirl]

I visited my doctors in Feb this year, for a headache that came on suddenly and lasted 7 days, ,my doctor reffered me to the hospital that day.
I was given a ct scan and told there was no bleeding in the head, they were going to let me home. but decided to do a Lumber puncture, firstly I had no idea what this was, I was told to sit on the edge of the bed and hold still whilst arching over,

The doctor spent the next few minutes chatting to a med students whilst I was in this difficult position at the other side of the bed. The doctor said I would feel a short pinch, to which I didnt, I felt severe eletrocution in my right hip, back, & leg it was that bad I passed out.

I found myself waking with the doctor and a couple of medical students staring at me, the doctor was not at all happy and complained the LP would have to be done again 15 minutes later. to which it was and this time the pain was 10 times worse, and I screamed. I was kept in hospital for 4 days following that, tried on very strong tablets for migraine, they didnt work.
When I left hospital, my husband noticed I had brusing on my back where the LP had been done, I woke the next morning in terrible pain with a feeling that can only be described as if my hip and leg had been smashed into pieces.

a visit to my doctor said she thought I had sciatica, now 8 months later, I cannot sit in the car for more that 5 minutes because of the pain running down my right leg, I cannot bend forward at the computer, I find I am in constant pain from lower waist of my right side all the way down to my leg, and it is getting worse every day.
The more I sit the more the pain gets worse, I go swimming and its gets worse !!!!

I have seen a Physiotherapist at the hospital, ( however had no treatment)who told me I had a prolapse disk, this was after talking to me and tapping my leg with a small hamer - How can anyone make a diagnosis without any other test !!!! ????

my doctor seems at a loss of what to prescribe me or what it is, I have had codeine, diazpam, other strong painkillers. I am finding it virtually inpossible to work because I am sat at a desk.

could anyone telll me whether this can be caused through 2 lumber punctures ?
Or has anyone had any of these symptons simular to mine and can help.
my MRI scan has reavealed a bulging disk which is normal according to the pysio who called me with the results, howevere did ask was I depressed !!!!!

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Citizen T]

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/FamilyPractice/messages/558.html


I would encourage you all to read this thread. Myself and others have written extensively about this phenominon.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

It sounds like you need a good headache doctor for what may be chronic muscle contraction headache. There is no one test to diagnose this, just to exclude other mroe serious conditions as you haev done. The headache neurologist cna manage your headache with medication that treat severe exacerbations and other ones that reduce the frequency of headhache as well as find triggering factors to avoid. Your blood pressure should be evaluated fully, for example 24 hour pressure monitoring, as severe increases in rpessure that you may not be aware of can cause headache also. The headache doctor may also like to try some Botox in the facial muscles to treat the headache and muscle spasms.

Good luck

[adelaide]

How long has this been going on?  Your symptoms really don't sound like they are neurological in nature, but I definitely think that you need to see a physician who specializes in vascular medicine. There could be something going on somewhere within the vascular system that hasn't been detected.  Undetected problems associated with vascular disease isn't something you want to play around with.  The doc. might  give you an evaluation and say all is well, but if I were in your shoes, I'd insist on a vascular specialist.  (By the way, vascular problems can cause cognitive problems such as memory loss, confusion, mental fatigue, and so on.)  Good luck, and keep posted.

[adelaide]

One more thought; please see a cardiologist, who would probably work closely with a vascular specialist.

[Kirklin]

It has also come to my attention that the pressure I feel in my head may actually be LOW cranial bp, even though it feels like something is about to rupture.  This would kind of make sense given that it pulsates more intensly when experiencing a borderline syncope episode.     What could be causing this syndrome, could I have bad small blood vessel disease that the MRA couldn't detect?