Re: Myassthenia Gravis, MS, convulsions

Posted By Cathy on May 19, 1998 at 19:56:54:

In Reply to: Myassthenia Gravis, MS, convulsions posted by Justina Powers on May 17, 1998 at 22:45:43:






My mother has been ill for many years.  She has been diagnosed with chronic
fatigue syndrome, arthritis, and fibromalygia (fibromyalgia).  Within the last couple of
years, she was diagnosed as having MS.  Two weeks ago my mother was extrememly
tired, fell on the bed, and started having convulsions.  She and the
paramedics thought it was seizures, but the EEG showed no seizure activity.
These convulsions are awful, she twitches all over, falls out of her
wheelchair, and sometimes (when laying down) arches her neck and back.
She went to the emergency one day, they gave her pain medicine, and wanted
to admit her to the psych ward.  We had to bring her back to the emergency
room the next day, and they admitted her to the hospital.  Her regular doctor
thinks it is psychosomatic.  Tests from her nuerologist show no brain evidence
of MS, even though her symptoms look like it.  This new doctor thinks she
may have myashenia gravis.  I've looked that up, but she does not have any
of this facial stuff.  She was taking predisone.  The side effects include
"severe muscle spasms".  Do you have any suggestions?  My mom has been in pain
for years, she has extreme fatigue, and these new "convulsions" are scaring
us.  She is working with a psychiatrist.  But, we want to make sure there
is not a physical problem before giving in to a psychosomatic diagnosis.  I
worked at a mental hospital in college and watched our "hypochondriac" taken
away in an ambulance needing an appendectomy.  My sister was diagnosed as
having hypochondria for stomach cramps, and a month later had a hyterectomy
with another doctor for cervical cancer.  I know women's diseases are often
ignored and mistreated. Can you help us?  Thank you. Justina