OCD or other reason for concern? Acceptance difficult

I posted on MedHelp several months back after a weight exercise gone bad (neck pain) triggered what has been now universally dismissed as anxiety by all doctors, though really unclassified by any except psychologist treatment for OCD/panic. I am 39 and had no prior medical history.  None. This is all new to me even though 5 mos have passed since the incident. A battery of tests including repeated blood work (thyroid, lead, mercury, lyme, Wilson's, endocrine, general panel), MRI and CT scan of head, MRA of neck, sonograms of abs and neck, GI endocscopy, and various Neurology  exams looking for general gait disturbance all came back negative.  Assuming MRI and CT scans by standard also were looking for signs of disease and reports have been combed over several times, I assume larger markers were cleared.  I used to have headaches and neck pain, but they no longer exist except for occasional shooting pain in head which lasts a couple of seconds.  I am left with some internal shakiness (usually all day) and sporadic teeth chatter (both cannot be seen with naked eye), weakness of the upper left arm just below the shoulder (about a 3 with 10 being most discomforting), left leg weakness, about a 2 (thigh) and most disturbing, tight jaw accompanied by a slight paralytic weakness of the tongue which comes and goes every day (about a 3).  I speak normally and movement is not affected, but it seems like it takes some effort to get the words out as quickly as the thought process.  My tongue sometimes feels coated and cottony.  I am generally nervous daily.  I have random muscle twitches, but not often and could be with any limb. I am fearful.   I was originally prescribed Zoloft @ 25 mg, then when increased to 50 I became very jittery and had about 15 side effects.  Took it for about 8 weeks then weaned myself off.  I was then prescribed Lexapro @ 5mg along with Clonazepam 0.5 mg, but the SSRI's just don't agree with me.  So finally, for the last 7 weeks, I have been going up and down with the Clonazepam only , mostly taking an hour before bed 0.5 -.625 mg once daily.  I was having problems sleeping and eating as well, but I believe this has helped me get past it.  For the first time since taking I skipped a dosage last night, and today feel very jittery with the tight jaw and tongue symptoms exacerbated and some head pressure above both ears.  The arm seems to be the same.  I told my psychiatrist about this, and he said Clon does not have side effects at this level and symptoms are most likely psychophysiologic.  I disagree. I would like to know if others have had the jaw/tongue/speech symptoms as a result of taking this med and if I should try to encourage my docs to withdraw me slowly or keep taking since it helped get back my sleeping pattern?  I don't have panic attacks and my emotional state is such that I sometime fear the worst and have a hard time accepting anxiety as the primary concern here.  I fear I have a far worse disease and can stop worrying about it, like ALS or Parkinsons. What other avenues do you think I should pursue as far as other probable tests should be performed for above symptoms if not clonazepam?  I will also try to post this on Doctor forum.  Tks in advance.

[ggreg]

I think when you injured your neck several months ago, you probably hurt your arm the same time as your neck.  When a quarter of your body is wrenched out of place, that can skew your physical balance as a whole, causing all sorts of problems, including a sore leg from compensating for the arm, a limp if you will.  I would suggest you go to a professional massage therapist for a number of visits, firm rubs but not too hard, and that will loosen up your wrenched muscles big-time in your neck and arm.  If you find relief from that, you can begin to assume your muscles are what's causing your pain and other symptoms.  

Just a few suggestions to fine-tune your Clonazepam.  If you skip taking it, you'll feel nervous the next day as a result.  Also, may I suggest one evening per week, to take the medicine even more hours before bedtime than you are now, maybe after dinner, just so you can get some mostly "regular" sleep now and then.  Also, please do not change dose; try sticking to .5 every evening, because going up and down with it will also make your mood go up and down.  

I don't know how your exercising and eating situation is, other than you did say you lost your appetite for a while there.  So, I'm thinking you need to increase your proteins and B vitamins and be doing plenty of regular exercise, both of which stimulate the appetite naturally.  Even if you can only walk with comfort, do that.  But if walking is too painful, it could be you need to be in physical therapy.

You said your tight jaw was very annoying.  If you accept that your muscles have been yanked out of position, the muscles in the neck go up to the jaw, and if they're all spazed out, that's how come you're gripping your mouth tight.  So, drop your jaw open and massage where the jaw joint is, and it is very important to also keep your shoulders down and relaxed.  Simultaneously, take in nice deep breaths and blow it all out, then breathe normally for a few breaths, and repeat.  Do this for several minutes, several times a day, anytime you notice your jaw is tight.

[legend88]

Thank you for the advice.  I recently had an EMG and NCV, both came out perfect, so that's a big relief.  I've been taking 0.5 mg of the Clonazepam regularly now about an hour before bed but perhaps once a week a few hours before will help.  I am experimenting with Magnesium Glycinate now @ 200 MG to see if I can completely eliminate the jitters I experience all day. Its only been a couple of days so I do not know if it will eventually help the anxiety settle yet.  If I take a bite of the Clonazepam during the day it does not do the trick, any more I get groggy and cannot function at work.  

The funny thing is the jaw/tongue/speech symptoms went away on their own without cause, so I guess that is positive here.  The arm/leg weakness on the left side is now gone, but I have a generalized weakness throughout the entire body.  Everything feels very heavy and my brain is in a fog the last few days.  

I had a setback with the neck a few days ago, very strangely I felt a pinch which then triggered a headache and then bad nausea.  Its taken about a good 3 days to go away but I am still feeling some effects.  

I've done so many tests EXCEPT to see an orthopedist.  Other than an orthopedist is there actually a neck specialist for this area?