What is neurological overdrive?

[Rhi]

30yo F from UK. 1993 tore L4/5 disc, spinal fusion 1994. Chronic back pain continued with sciatica L leg, sometimes R.
2yrs ago, itching/burning spread from little finger to ring and middle, up hand, arm to shoulder, turned to pins/needles to numbness over 24 hrs. Lasted few weeks then recovered. GP diagnosed as trapped nerve caused by lower back probs spreading to neck. Numbness recurred several times since, lasting up to a couple months a time.

Past 6weeks lots of headaches, lasting days a time. Intermittant eye pain, worse on movement and blurry vision with difficulty focussing, esp between short and long distance. Felt like pressure on forehead, light sensitivity, some vertigo with room moving upwards, general fogginess of brain. Memory very poor, unable to think of word even if I used it 30 secs previous!

8 days ago, L leg felt heavy/weak, wouldn't work normally. L arm heavy/weak too. 2days later, patches of burning in different parts of body, lasting from few seconds to hours at a time, shooting electric shock pains down both legs and arms, worse L side. 4dy ago, visible twitches began all over body, several an hour. 3dy ago left arm twitched constantly for 3 hours, all muscles in arm/hand together. Twitching spread all over body but worst in arms + legs. Arm/leg weakness gone. Today-constant invisible small twitches in both arms(like they are is spasm), almost constant twitches moving around body. All muscles now sore from twitching. Saw GP yest, diagnosed neurological overdrive, cause unknown, what is this? She doesn't know what to do. Any advice on what now?

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

I am not familar with the term neurologic overdrive. Your symptoms and history are very complex, and without personally seeing you I can not provide a good opinion. I do believe that you should see a neurologist. There is no one diagnosis that can explain all of your symptoms. A MRI of the brain and spine would be reasonable. Excluding connective tissue disorders, and inflammatory conditions would also be reasonable. I wish I could provide more help, good luck.

[Rhi]

Medications I am on and have been for few years are, slow release Morphine Sulphate Tablets (MST) 70mg am and 90mg pm, Arthrotec (Diclofenac and Misoprostal) 75mg am & pm, Amitryptiline 30mg pm.

Vertigo can be triggered by reading. Had labyrinthitis 10 and 8 yrs ago which left me with similar headache for few months afterwards. Had similar headaches and eye pain, blurred vision for about 10 weeks end of last year. Seemed to go away after ear drum burst from infection at Christmas! I was hoping I had another ear infection, but afraid not when GP checked them.

There wasn't room to mention that I seem to have some urinary and bowel urgency over past week, (I'm usually constipated from the morphine!) and that my intermittant incontinence (which is usually worst when my back is in spasm) has been back a few weeks. I only lose a little, it's like a constant small dribble. Saw urologist years ago, put down to "confusion of spinal cord being bombarded with pain signals". I forgot to mention that to the doctor yesterday.

What do you think this may be and are there any investigations or specialists you think I should see. My GP is at a bit of a loss as to what to do, she is referring me back to the pain clinic but the wait is around 6 months and I don't want to go to an appt there, only to be told they don't know what it is. I think she would welcome your input as to what might be causing it. I must admit I'm a bit concerned that my nervous system seems to be freaking out on me, and would like to have an idea of why and if I should be concerned, or should just sit back and put up with twitching constantly and the painful electric shocks. At this rate at least all my muscles will get great definition!

Thankyou in advance for replying, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask.

[Rhi]

Sorry but I also forgot to say that in some of the twitching sites I get pins and needles. It happens when it's been twitching there a while, then will go away after a few hours. Some of the places this has happend are the top of my foot, my abdomen and my shin.

Sorry again, told you my memory was bad! That was why I decided to start the last post, but then remembered I ought to let you know my meds, then forgot! Good job I can laugh at myself :o)

[Jake the Snake]

Dianosed as Cervical Spondylosis.  I believe it was the result of a backlash from a car accident 25 years ago or ongoing twisting of the neck due to extreme nervouseness.

Anyways, on indocin 25mg 4x's a day. Klonopin or Valium 5Mg one time a day as needed. Medrol as needed.  Have my lown tense unit and ultrasound unit.

Severed 4 disks in the neck with multiple pinched nerve endings.

Last attack was 4 weeks ago.  Extreme pain in my lower left and right part of lower arm, dull pain in the top of my left wrist, numbness and tingling of the little finger.
This lasted 4 weeks,  I still have dull pains in my lower left arm and a lot of cracks when I move my neck.

My exercise routine consisted of light weight lifting 5 times a week.  weights T,W,S and Sunday. Turbokickbxing T,W,Th, and Saturday.  Saturday also run 5 miles(in 50-60 minutes) to the gym before lifting weights and doing kick boxing and riding my bike 3 miles back to the house.

Now, I can barey run 5 miles one time a week at around 80 minutes, and took one turbo kickboxing class which really wore me out.  There is depression, lack of hope and energy and a sense of loosing the ability to live due to this dum illness.

I just wish someone had replacement disks, grind out the bone spurs and re-align the neck.  All doctors say is, take some drugs.