Why are they sending me to a Neurologist?

[kscarletts]

I am so confused.  I went to my primary care dr. about 3 weeks ago.  I have unexplainable symptoms, and he has done all kinds of blood tests but nothing at all is abnormal except for a non-specific inflammation test that was very high.  He referred me to a neurologist because he said he needs help with diagnosing me.  
I went in initially because my lower arms (from the elbow down) and legs (from the knee down) were extremely sore and weak - I couldn't even lift a new gallon of milk to pour a sippy cup for my son, let alone be able to pick him up!  It was almost as if I have over exerted them somehow - which i hadn't.  So after I tell him about it he starts asking other questions, that I guess have been affecting me (on and off, never all the time) for some years now, I guess I just didn't realize it was anything to worry about since it always goes away.  Here are all of my symptoms that I can think of off the top of my head.  I have NO CLUE if they are related or isolated or if they are just nothing to worry about at all.
*extremely sore and weak muscles in my lower limbs (which lately it has been all over not just lower parts)
*My muscles directly above my elbow and knees keep twitching for no apparent reason, and sometimes in my belly too.  Thinking back on it it used to happen a lot in my little finger and my eyelid too.  but it never hurts, just twitches for a while then goes awawy.
*I'm tired ALL the time.
*I get these funny "jolts" and "zings", they don't really hurt, at least not badly, but it almost feels like when you hit your funny bone - not the initial pain, but the "zing" that hangs around afterward for a while.
*My heels get so sore at times - especially first thing in the morning - so bad that I can't walk right, but they usually only hurt when I put weight on them.
*I get this "static" that takes over my vision occassionally.  It will start with a small dot that appears exactly where im looking, but i can still see all around it, then it comes from the sides(peripheral vision) and just grows until all i can see it what looks like tv static.  The dr. asked if it was colored, but its not - just black and white "tv static" looking.  It has lasted anywhere from 5 - 45 minutes.  No pain at all associated with it.
*My eyes will just go wonky sometimes, I do wear glasses, but even with them on, at times it will be blurry, like my eyes are watering (which they aren't) or trying to be double vision, but its more of a "shadow" than "double" if that makes any sense.
*I get bad pain in my face, which I always assumed was a sinus thing, but *shrug* who knows.  Its usually on the right side of my face under my eye and on the bone inside the right eye socket, but my eyeball itself doesnt hurt.
*This is a newer occurance - within the last 6 months to a year or so, but I will be in the middle of a sentence - that I have straight in my head, but as soon as I start to say it i will get to a word that for some reason I just cannot remember.  
*I have memory issues, but more long term than short term.  Don't know how normal that is though.  My husband - who cant seem to remember anything from one minute to the next has WAY more memories than I do.  I thought it could have been due to a traumatic childhood, but even still its happening.  I'm ashamed (and saddened) to say that I remember very little of my first son's birth or his 2 week stay in the hospital after delivery.  (he is 7 now)  I have excellent short term memory though.
*I will be walking and everything is fine.  No pain, nor soreness, no nothing out of the ordinary, then I'll take my next step and my knee or calf muscle will just seem to lock up or just plain not work at all.  Most times I'm lucky enough to shift the weight quickly back to the other side before I fall!
*This one is hard to describe, but if im laying down or sitting down (never happens when im active or standing), my legs will start to feel as if they are paralyzed or made of stone or so heavy I cannot move them.  I really can move them if i try, but it takes a lot of "thinking about it" to get them to move.  Please don't read that as if I'm wanting my legs to be paralyzed.  I DONT!  Its just a sensation I get.

But I am freaking out pretty badly because he referred me to a neurologist (that i see next week).  To be totally honest with you - I figured it was all in my head because I have been depressed for some time now.  My primary dr. did put me on lexapro to help deal with depression and anxiety but at the 2 week check up for it took me off it again because I couldn't stay awake and he was unable to tell if the symptoms I was having were caused by something else (hence the referral) or side effects from the lexapro.  So now I am playing the waiting game and freaking myself out about going to a neurologist.  He told me to expect them to do a test for fasticulations (Not sure if that is spelled correctly), and possibly an MRI.  I know an MRI is not painful, but I guess I would just like to know what they are looking for, and my dr. is being pretty tight-lipped about it.  When he was out of the room he left the door open and he was talking to the nurse.  I don't think I was meant to hear him, but I did and some of the things he was saying scared me pretty badly.  I know he was just "thinking out loud", but still.  I'm not typically a worrier, but this has me preoccupied.  I can't stop thinking about it - especially since lately the pain in my arms and legs seems to be worse than ever.  The crazy part is though - that none of it really is there all the time.  It seems to come and go as it pleases, not worrying about my schedule!  lol!  Any ideas?  suggestions?  support?  anything?  I'm scared.

[kscarletts]

Thank you for your response!  I was thinking of just printing my original post to take to the neurologist, since I can never seem to remember all of my symptoms all the time since they all are not present all of the time.  Would this be a good idea or too "forward" of me to do?  The thing is - I grew up with a mom who was an extreme hypochondriac, so I am hesitant to nitpick every little symptom/problem.  I know that is MY issue to deal with but I'm just afraid of coming across the same way as my mother did.  You would think being 32 years old and not having spoken to her in close to 10 years I would be over it by now, but. . .   Its probably another reason I waited so long to go to the dr. about it in the first place.  Now, while I'm experiencing all of this, I'm starting to feel a bit (a lot) guilty for dismissing my moms complaints as hypochondria.  I wonder if there was something to her chronic pain other than an addiction to pain killers and attention.  
Another question - neurologically speaking - I know all cases are different and different illnesses call for different treatments, but I am pretty anti-medication.  Of course, if I need it, I need it.  But. . . what are neurologists like?  Are they usually pretty willing to work with you to try more natural things before medication such as diet/lifestyle changes/physical therapy/anything at all that doesnt require you to take medicine?  Just trying to prepare myself. . .

[selmaS]

..symptoms such as urs call fall under many different conditions...the dr u r being referred to is an expert with nerves....if u have a pinch ect...or a condition that involves ur nervous system....if not u will probably be sent to a rhuematist(sp)...more on the arthritic side.....ur MRI most likely will be of her brain, neck, spine..........ur dr is tight lipped because drs do not want u surfing the net and getting ideas in ur head and stressing out...which u already r because he was not up front with u. U will need to tell the dr that u need him to be candid.......look up the symptoms of chiari- ASAP site or the chiari institute...many of ur symptoms "fit" conditions that both of these sites sre focused on....it doesn't mean I am saying u have these- a experenced NS will need to review the tests and by experienced I mean a specialist for chiari.....most NS are not equipped to dx these conditions......ur dr was right to referr u.....be pro active- have a list of questions for the dr, take notes while u r there and take someone along in case u forget something....last but not least, try and relax until u know what u r dealing with.
If u r interested check out the chiari forum.....u can also contact me and ask any questions.
I hope this helps and does not add to ur stress.

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"

[kscarletts]

I forgot one more thing - that (again) may or may not be related. . .
When I am doing something that required small movements, for example writing something down, or eating small things like carrot sticks, or pushing buttons on the phone etc. I can accomplish the task, but when the pen hits the paper, or the carrot gets *almost* to my mouth or the phone buttons my fingers will start trembling, and it has caused me to drop things before.  It doesnt happen all the time - in fact it doesnt happen more often than it does, but its annoying and makes simple tasks take 5 times as long as they need to.