possible CNS injury

    
      Re: possible CNS injury
    


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Posted by CCF Neuro MD on January 13, 1998 at 09:27:29:

In Reply to: possible CNS injury posted by Brian King on January 12, 1998 at 23:04:37:
  : Greetings. I am 31 years old. I have suffered chronically from anxiety and stress all my life
  : and I was wondering if you might be able to give me some advice as I try to deal with it. It all
  : started when I was 11 years old. One morning on a snowy day I decided to
  : build a snow fort in my front yard. For hours I hacked and shovelled ice and
  : snow to make the fort. By lunch I was tired but still felt normal. After
  : lunch I started to feel a little strange as if I had indigestion. As the
  : day progressed I felt worse. By late afternoon I had discomfort in my stomach,
  : neck and my head felt heavy and thick. I felt like I had flu but I never actualy
  : became ill. No sore throat, no vomiting no cold no cough just a feeling of weakness
  : tension, discomfort in the stomack, neck and head. Weeks and months past and I
  : never really felt normal. I had all kinds of blood tests and examinations
  : and everything was "fine". I learned to live with it even though I knew I didn't feel right.
  : I was always tired, had tension, and started to feel depressed and anxious.
  : Into my 20's I had such bad anxiety that the doctor gave me Prozac. It brought some relief and
  : I felt, "normal" for the first time in ages. Anyway, I am 31 and still suffer from anxiety
  : and tension and a general uneasyness, I don't feel I'm really enjoying my life
  : to its fullest because of the way I feel. Is it possible that on that day so long ago
  : I injured my back or nervous system even though I experienced no pain.
  : I have only met one person in my whole life who had a similar experience.
  : Part of the problem is that I really don't know what happened and how I went
  : from being a normal kid to being so messed up in one day. This has bothered
  : me all my life. Have you heard of other cases like this or do you have
  : some advice as to how I might feel better and be healthier. Thank you.
  ==Med. Help forum suggested I contact you to see if I had a possible CNS injury and what I might be
  able to do about it to feel better.
===========================================================================
Dear Brian,
On the basis of the information you have provided I feel would be very difficult to ascribe you subsequent problems to any from of CNS injury which occurred that day in the snow.
You may well have developed a viral infection on the day and had subsequent post viral fatigue syndrome which ultimately blended in to your other problems but this is as close a link as I would be prepared to postulate.
The likelihood of CNS damage from the activity you mentioned ids remote in the extreme, CNS damage would usually present in the form of specific deficits in the function of specific parts of the CNS  causing paralysis or other focal neurological problems.
While your current problems are obviously due to a combination of anxiety
and stress with possibly mild depression , I do not feel you can necessarily attribute them to any specific injury in childhood.
It is significant that you had a good response to Prozac, if your problems are still continuing you  might well respond to Prozac again or one of the numerous similarly effective related drugs which have recently been developed.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.
Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options of your specific medical condition.