Aa
what do you guys think of these symptoms?
This is just for fun. I will be seeing a movement specialist so I am getting professional help, but I'm curious about what others think.
31 year old woman.
Migraine since 20s, one-sided, both sides, with or without visual distortion, but always with sensitivity to light and sound. Seems tied in with periods, and worsened greatly by the pill.
Twitches, both joint-moving and skin-moving kind. Fingers and toes actually move. Sometimes shoulder, leg, or foot will move (like a big jerk, sometimes while falling asleep, sometimes while sitting awake in a chair). Muscle twitches in eyelids, arms, and upper legs. The bigger finger and toe twitches usually happen when I'm sitting down relaxing, stop when moving. The finger twitches sometimes accidentally cause button presses while at the computer (hovering hand over mouse). Sometimes hard to type as fingers aren't fast enough anymore (used to be fine). They get muddled up and make mistakes. Strong history of familial tremor. Is this tremor?
Speech problems. *Minor* stutter appeared in teens, stayed the same until recently. Must now slow speech down in order to not make these mistakes: slur, mix end of one word into beginning of next, miss syllables, mumble.
Stiff chin and and jaw muscles especially on exposure to cold.
Muscle cramping, especially bad in feet and on left side. Can happen anywhere in body but feet worse, hands second, face and neck third. Pulls me into weird positions but only on voluntary movement. Worse when sick. Twitch worse with cramps.
Stiffness when walking. Nothing major, but new since summer.
31 year old woman.
Migraine since 20s, one-sided, both sides, with or without visual distortion, but always with sensitivity to light and sound. Seems tied in with periods, and worsened greatly by the pill.
Twitches, both joint-moving and skin-moving kind. Fingers and toes actually move. Sometimes shoulder, leg, or foot will move (like a big jerk, sometimes while falling asleep, sometimes while sitting awake in a chair). Muscle twitches in eyelids, arms, and upper legs. The bigger finger and toe twitches usually happen when I'm sitting down relaxing, stop when moving. The finger twitches sometimes accidentally cause button presses while at the computer (hovering hand over mouse). Sometimes hard to type as fingers aren't fast enough anymore (used to be fine). They get muddled up and make mistakes. Strong history of familial tremor. Is this tremor?
Speech problems. *Minor* stutter appeared in teens, stayed the same until recently. Must now slow speech down in order to not make these mistakes: slur, mix end of one word into beginning of next, miss syllables, mumble.
Stiff chin and and jaw muscles especially on exposure to cold.
Muscle cramping, especially bad in feet and on left side. Can happen anywhere in body but feet worse, hands second, face and neck third. Pulls me into weird positions but only on voluntary movement. Worse when sick. Twitch worse with cramps.
Stiffness when walking. Nothing major, but new since summer.
"VOICE OVER: Now even more ominous evidence has been uncovered, this time about the dangers of amalgam mercury in the most vulnerable and sensitive organ of all. It was a dentist in Los Angeles who first discovered from his examination of bodies in the mortuary that mercury from dental amalgam travels to the brain, and the more fillings, the more it accumulates.
Dr David Eggleston is a dentist in California. His clients include Tom Cruise. His less glamorous work recently took him to the county morgue to investigate the relationship between dental mercury and the brains of the dead. Eggleston spent months studying the records, and discovered that mercury from amalgams not only accumulates in the brain, but some of this poison stays in the skull for as long as 40 years."
This is an excerpt from an interview on BBC TV here is the website for http://www.fluoridealert.org/bbc-mercury.htm
FYI
Dr David Eggleston is a dentist in California. His clients include Tom Cruise. His less glamorous work recently took him to the county morgue to investigate the relationship between dental mercury and the brains of the dead. Eggleston spent months studying the records, and discovered that mercury from amalgams not only accumulates in the brain, but some of this poison stays in the skull for as long as 40 years."
This is an excerpt from an interview on BBC TV here is the website for http://www.fluoridealert.org/bbc-mercury.htm
FYI
This sounds without a doubt like mercury poisoning. Please go to the mirror and check your mouth. I bet that you have some silver fillings (mercury fillings). You just described every symptom of Dental Amalgam Mercury syndrome! Those fillings contain mercury which damages the central nervous system, basal ganglia and cortex which control movement.
Google "Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome" or call DAMS National Office at 1-800-311-6265.
Cheers
This message was intended for newbirth. I have already removed the dental amalgams and I am now out of my wheelcahir and i am able to speak again. Most of my symptoms have disappeared or subsided. If newbirth brings this over to her doctor or dentist they will tell her that this is not the case as they did with me. I was able to find doctors in alternative medicine who belived me and gave the chelation treatment I needed. I was also able to find a psychiatrist who is familia with mercury poisoning. In the meantiem take vitamin C this might help.
Google "Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome" or call DAMS National Office at 1-800-311-6265.
Cheers
This message was intended for newbirth. I have already removed the dental amalgams and I am now out of my wheelcahir and i am able to speak again. Most of my symptoms have disappeared or subsided. If newbirth brings this over to her doctor or dentist they will tell her that this is not the case as they did with me. I was able to find doctors in alternative medicine who belived me and gave the chelation treatment I needed. I was also able to find a psychiatrist who is familia with mercury poisoning. In the meantiem take vitamin C this might help.
You might want to mention the mercury poisoning/dental amalgam theory to the doctor over on the doctor-patient forum to see what he/she says (tack it on to your question), but I think your symptoms sound like autonomic neuropathy associated with a movement disorder. Of course trying to think of everything never hurts, especially when the doctors can't/won't figure out what is wrong with you. It sounds like you are being taken seriously, though, and are on your way to a diagnosis once you get in to see the neurologist you have the appnt. with. It will also be interesting, though, to see what the neuro on this forum has to say as well.
In the meantime try to take vitamin C this amy help. Please if you have silver fillingsand go to the dentist do not listen to your dentist that mercury sets in the teeth once it is placed. This is absolute nonsense. I belive that you laugh at these symptoms to help yourself but this is a very seriou situation. You may want to ask for a mercury test or if the doctors recommend a lumbar puncture ask him/her to check for mercury poisoning. This is a classic case!
God luck!
God luck!
This sounds without a doubt like mercury poisoning. Please go to the mirror and check your mouth. I bet that you have some silver fillings (mercury fillings). You just described every symptom of Dental Amalgam Mercury syndrome! Those fillings contain mercury which damages the central nervous system, basal ganglia and cortex which control movement.
Google "Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome" or call DAMS National Office at 1-800-311-6265.
Cheers
Google "Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome" or call DAMS National Office at 1-800-311-6265.
Cheers
Yes,
I just read your post over there. It will probably take a couple weeks before the doctor gets to it (they're behind), but it will be interesting to see what he/she has to say. I'll be looking for it.
I just read your post over there. It will probably take a couple weeks before the doctor gets to it (they're behind), but it will be interesting to see what he/she has to say. I'll be looking for it.
Well, I personally don't think it's rude to ask a doctor what they are thinking, but that's your choice. I mean if there was something wrong with your car you would ask the mechanic what he thought the problem was, and yet one's health is so much more important.
Anyway, maybe your toe tingling is from your messed-up gait, especially since you said it's just the big toe, but if it persists it could be a sensory neuropathy. If you have autonomic neuropathy you can also have sensory problems/paresthesias. I do, although mild and intermittent.
If your pulse doesn't rise with exercise then that sounds autonomic. That could be why you have exercise intolerance. My pulse does rise with exercise, I tested it myself before I went to Mayo. However, my symptoms fluctuate (unlike yours, apparently), and some days I don't feel that bad and other days I honestly feel like I am going to die I am so weak, faint and light-headed. Those days I obviously don't walk/exercise, so I wouldn't know if my pulse rate went up with exertion. Days I feel well exercise does not exhaust me (just a little fatigued afterward, heat bothers me), and I can walk 3 miles without a problem (no breathing difficulty, faintness, etc.). Days I am weak, faint and having trouble breathing just walking around the house exacerbates those symptoms.
I thought the methacholine challenge was done to differentiate between asthma and emphysema, but I could be wrong. So what they initially thought was asthma was not asthma in your case. I do have asthma in addition to my other breathing problem (don't know if my diagphragm is involved yet or not-still haven't heard from Mayo regarding the test results--though I have believed since '94 that something happened to my diaphragm. It doesn't sound, though, like your breathing problem is similar to what I experience.
Regarding your jitteriness with arm weakness, you can have autonomic neuropathy with a movement disorder (Parkinson's, etc.) just as you can have auton. neuropathy with sensory/motor problems (CIDP).
Anyway, when you do hear what your test results show I would be interested to know what they find out. In my case I already knew I had autonomic neuropathy (had Horner's in the distant past-first thing I had-and most recently was dxd with severe gastroparesis (slowed stomach emptying). I have fought a 13-year battle of trying to convince doctors I am actually sick, (the records on the Horner's syndrome were kept from me and then destroyed and no subsequent neurologist would believe that I ever had it). It wasn't until a couple months ago with the gastroparesis dx after endoscopy that my doctor became a "believer," so to speak--after 13 years of feeling sick (and actually 16 since the onset of Horner's) and immeasurable damage being done to my body in the interim. I actually had my dx narrowed down to three things--MS with a preponderance of autonomic neuropathy, some kind of systemic vasculitis, or autoimmune autonomic neuropathy (AAN) with CIDP, which is what I was tentatively dxd with two weeks ago at Mayo, though I don't know for certain yet. I imagine you are also going to undergo autnomic dysfunction tests with the symptoms that you have. Hope you pass all of them.
Anyway, maybe your toe tingling is from your messed-up gait, especially since you said it's just the big toe, but if it persists it could be a sensory neuropathy. If you have autonomic neuropathy you can also have sensory problems/paresthesias. I do, although mild and intermittent.
If your pulse doesn't rise with exercise then that sounds autonomic. That could be why you have exercise intolerance. My pulse does rise with exercise, I tested it myself before I went to Mayo. However, my symptoms fluctuate (unlike yours, apparently), and some days I don't feel that bad and other days I honestly feel like I am going to die I am so weak, faint and light-headed. Those days I obviously don't walk/exercise, so I wouldn't know if my pulse rate went up with exertion. Days I feel well exercise does not exhaust me (just a little fatigued afterward, heat bothers me), and I can walk 3 miles without a problem (no breathing difficulty, faintness, etc.). Days I am weak, faint and having trouble breathing just walking around the house exacerbates those symptoms.
I thought the methacholine challenge was done to differentiate between asthma and emphysema, but I could be wrong. So what they initially thought was asthma was not asthma in your case. I do have asthma in addition to my other breathing problem (don't know if my diagphragm is involved yet or not-still haven't heard from Mayo regarding the test results--though I have believed since '94 that something happened to my diaphragm. It doesn't sound, though, like your breathing problem is similar to what I experience.
Regarding your jitteriness with arm weakness, you can have autonomic neuropathy with a movement disorder (Parkinson's, etc.) just as you can have auton. neuropathy with sensory/motor problems (CIDP).
Anyway, when you do hear what your test results show I would be interested to know what they find out. In my case I already knew I had autonomic neuropathy (had Horner's in the distant past-first thing I had-and most recently was dxd with severe gastroparesis (slowed stomach emptying). I have fought a 13-year battle of trying to convince doctors I am actually sick, (the records on the Horner's syndrome were kept from me and then destroyed and no subsequent neurologist would believe that I ever had it). It wasn't until a couple months ago with the gastroparesis dx after endoscopy that my doctor became a "believer," so to speak--after 13 years of feeling sick (and actually 16 since the onset of Horner's) and immeasurable damage being done to my body in the interim. I actually had my dx narrowed down to three things--MS with a preponderance of autonomic neuropathy, some kind of systemic vasculitis, or autoimmune autonomic neuropathy (AAN) with CIDP, which is what I was tentatively dxd with two weeks ago at Mayo, though I don't know for certain yet. I imagine you are also going to undergo autnomic dysfunction tests with the symptoms that you have. Hope you pass all of them.
I thought it was rude to ask because of two reasons: he was talking about other patients (that always makes me uncomfortable), and because he had obviously determined that my case needed to be passed off to someone else (so there was the possibility that what he had in mind was wrong because he was basically admitting to lack of expertise).
As for my pulse when exercising, it does go up, but it takes a while to do that, and then when it finally goes up, it skyrockets and gets really high for a small amount of time and then settles down. It's quite annoying. It has always done that, even when I was in extremely good shape as a teen (the only time I could actually exercise and expect normal results such as, you know, getting stronger without exhaustion). It does the same thing when standing up first thing in the morning, for e.g. Get up (well, not completely straight, lol), then a few moments later, thud thud thud, and then it settles down. It's like I get a huge shot of adrenaline (in fact that's what I've always assumed happens). And yes it's constantly like that, every day. It's really annoying when I have to shoot out of bed really quickly for whatever reasons. I've been known to crawl when I have to do that, as that way I stay mobile *and* conscious, lol.
The methylcholine challenge test is a test to see if you have asthma. Everyone with asthma reacts to that test in a certain way. Actually, everyone, in general, reacts to that test, but asthmatics react a whole lot more. On the strongest dose, I only had a 4% decrease in breathing ability, but asthmatics get about a 40% decrease. Some asthmatics can't even complete the test.
I'm seriously starting to wonder about some type of dystonia being at least one of my problems. My foot problems seem to fit that exactly (fits the childhood onset dystonia description quite well, in particular, since I was born with the foot problems, although they were more mild back then). It doesn't explain the other problems, though. Or maybe it does? The childhood onset one is supposed to be a dopamine problem. Dopamine problems can cause the other problems I've been experiencing, if I've read correctly.
Well I wonder what my next neuro will eventually turn up. I wish they would call with that appointment! I probably won't hear anything until well into January, though, and then it will likely be months before I get in. *sigh* I would ask the neuros here, but I can never seem to post a question.
As for my pulse when exercising, it does go up, but it takes a while to do that, and then when it finally goes up, it skyrockets and gets really high for a small amount of time and then settles down. It's quite annoying. It has always done that, even when I was in extremely good shape as a teen (the only time I could actually exercise and expect normal results such as, you know, getting stronger without exhaustion). It does the same thing when standing up first thing in the morning, for e.g. Get up (well, not completely straight, lol), then a few moments later, thud thud thud, and then it settles down. It's like I get a huge shot of adrenaline (in fact that's what I've always assumed happens). And yes it's constantly like that, every day. It's really annoying when I have to shoot out of bed really quickly for whatever reasons. I've been known to crawl when I have to do that, as that way I stay mobile *and* conscious, lol.
The methylcholine challenge test is a test to see if you have asthma. Everyone with asthma reacts to that test in a certain way. Actually, everyone, in general, reacts to that test, but asthmatics react a whole lot more. On the strongest dose, I only had a 4% decrease in breathing ability, but asthmatics get about a 40% decrease. Some asthmatics can't even complete the test.
I'm seriously starting to wonder about some type of dystonia being at least one of my problems. My foot problems seem to fit that exactly (fits the childhood onset dystonia description quite well, in particular, since I was born with the foot problems, although they were more mild back then). It doesn't explain the other problems, though. Or maybe it does? The childhood onset one is supposed to be a dopamine problem. Dopamine problems can cause the other problems I've been experiencing, if I've read correctly.
Well I wonder what my next neuro will eventually turn up. I wish they would call with that appointment! I probably won't hear anything until well into January, though, and then it will likely be months before I get in. *sigh* I would ask the neuros here, but I can never seem to post a question.
My doc wouldn't say. He has something in mind but wouldn't say. I dared not ask because that would have been rude. He just said he had seen it before in a small number of patients.
I don't think it's a neuropathy as I don't get any tingling anywhere but my toe, and honestly I think that that is a separate issue. (as in, I think I injured myself because of my silly gait)
I believe my pulse is normal while at rest, but it's slow to ramp up when I exercise or get up from a lying down position (similarly, if I go up an elevator or go up in the sky in a plane). The only way I can get it to kick into gear is either to wait (if I don't pass out first, that is), or start taking deep breaths with rapid exhalations. The problem first started when I was a young teen, right around the time I decided to start seriously working out, and it has been with me ever since. It was especially bad during my heaviest workout times, because my pulse was always lower to begin with.
Exercise intolerance *to me* is that every time I work out, I get worse overall rather than better. That is, even though I work out several days per week, I'm not getting better, physically, and in fact I'm exhausted. Through experimentation, I've found that the *only* way to avoid this exhaustion is to actually not exercise at all. Even little stuff can set this off, like going for a brisk walk. It's not a diet thing because I've changed my diet radically, several times, to see what would happen. In fact, while on the perfect diet this past summer, and while on an exercise program designed by a personal trainer, everything got worse.
The breathing thing had them fooled for years. They were absolutely positive that I had asthma, because in every way, shape and form, it looked like asthma. I get pain in my wind pipe when I breathe in cold air or do exercise (particularly in cold, dry air). Exercise in warm, humid air isn't anywhere near as bad. So... Asthma. They were positive it was exercise induced asthma. And by "they" I mean many doctors. I was diagnosed a long time and many doctors ago, lol. Anyway, two methylcholine challenge tests later that came out perfectly normal and I've finally been told that I do NOT have asthma. Yet I still get the symptoms. It's extremely manageable, though; I just avoid exercise in cold, dry air.
Last but not least, yes I get weakness. Particularly in the mornings, but sometimes it drags on all day. It hits my arms, in particular. Sometimes my legs. Associated with that weakness is *always* a kind of jitteriness. So today, for example, I had weakness in my arms, and sure enough, they shook a bit. It went away about half way through the day, though. I don't know what triggers this, but having a really long night's sleep seems to do it fairly often.
I'll be happy to share what the outcome of this is, but it might be a while.
I don't think it's a neuropathy as I don't get any tingling anywhere but my toe, and honestly I think that that is a separate issue. (as in, I think I injured myself because of my silly gait)
I believe my pulse is normal while at rest, but it's slow to ramp up when I exercise or get up from a lying down position (similarly, if I go up an elevator or go up in the sky in a plane). The only way I can get it to kick into gear is either to wait (if I don't pass out first, that is), or start taking deep breaths with rapid exhalations. The problem first started when I was a young teen, right around the time I decided to start seriously working out, and it has been with me ever since. It was especially bad during my heaviest workout times, because my pulse was always lower to begin with.
Exercise intolerance *to me* is that every time I work out, I get worse overall rather than better. That is, even though I work out several days per week, I'm not getting better, physically, and in fact I'm exhausted. Through experimentation, I've found that the *only* way to avoid this exhaustion is to actually not exercise at all. Even little stuff can set this off, like going for a brisk walk. It's not a diet thing because I've changed my diet radically, several times, to see what would happen. In fact, while on the perfect diet this past summer, and while on an exercise program designed by a personal trainer, everything got worse.
The breathing thing had them fooled for years. They were absolutely positive that I had asthma, because in every way, shape and form, it looked like asthma. I get pain in my wind pipe when I breathe in cold air or do exercise (particularly in cold, dry air). Exercise in warm, humid air isn't anywhere near as bad. So... Asthma. They were positive it was exercise induced asthma. And by "they" I mean many doctors. I was diagnosed a long time and many doctors ago, lol. Anyway, two methylcholine challenge tests later that came out perfectly normal and I've finally been told that I do NOT have asthma. Yet I still get the symptoms. It's extremely manageable, though; I just avoid exercise in cold, dry air.
Last but not least, yes I get weakness. Particularly in the mornings, but sometimes it drags on all day. It hits my arms, in particular. Sometimes my legs. Associated with that weakness is *always* a kind of jitteriness. So today, for example, I had weakness in my arms, and sure enough, they shook a bit. It went away about half way through the day, though. I don't know what triggers this, but having a really long night's sleep seems to do it fairly often.
I'll be happy to share what the outcome of this is, but it might be a while.
What do the doctors think is wrong with you, have they suggested anything? Are you undergoing an autonomic neuropathy work-up? What do they think is the cause of your orthostatic hypotension? And what do you mean by "exercise intolerance?" Do you get out of breath, does your pulse rate not go up accordingly with exercise, or what? What exactly is your breathing problem like? Does your chest feel weak/fatigued, a real physical effort to breathe (like a mechanical sort of thing/possible diaphragm involvement), or does that not sound anything like what you have? You mentioned a tight chest but not asthma-like tightness. Are your respirations slowed down?
The reason I am asking is because some (though definitely not all) of your symptoms are similar to mine. There doesn't seem to be anyone else on this board that has autonomic neuropathy (lucky for them). Do you have a slow pulse too (mine almost always is in the 50s now-used to always be over a 100 resting (quite rapid) before I first got sick years ago. Also, do you have any leg/arm weakness or tingling (mine is mild but it definitely exists-only on one side). I do not have any of the movement disorder-type symptoms which you apparently have.
I have been reading a lot on autonomic neuropathy, the different primary causes/secondary diseases it is associated with lately. I just found out my possible diagnosis a couple weeks ago at Mayo but still don't know for sure yet. I'd be interested in knowing what you find out after seeing the movement disorder specialist/neurologist you are being referred to. I hope whatever you have does not progress or get worse with time. Good luck to you.
The reason I am asking is because some (though definitely not all) of your symptoms are similar to mine. There doesn't seem to be anyone else on this board that has autonomic neuropathy (lucky for them). Do you have a slow pulse too (mine almost always is in the 50s now-used to always be over a 100 resting (quite rapid) before I first got sick years ago. Also, do you have any leg/arm weakness or tingling (mine is mild but it definitely exists-only on one side). I do not have any of the movement disorder-type symptoms which you apparently have.
I have been reading a lot on autonomic neuropathy, the different primary causes/secondary diseases it is associated with lately. I just found out my possible diagnosis a couple weeks ago at Mayo but still don't know for sure yet. I'd be interested in knowing what you find out after seeing the movement disorder specialist/neurologist you are being referred to. I hope whatever you have does not progress or get worse with time. Good luck to you.
I got 17 out of 75 from that site, excluding things that have a clear explanation (like, oh, you have scoliosis, so that explains your neck problems, and things like that. Yes I have scoliosis, lol. Very mild case, though. The list I provided in my original two posts is missing some stuff, partly because I was tired and forgot, and partly because I didn't think some stuff mattered.)
I don't think my cramping can be described by the kind of cramping that lyme disease patients get, but who knows. I like keeping an open mind, so I will ask about it.
My cramping is not very painful - the muscles just strain very hard and _that_ can be a bit painful, but it's nothing major. It's not like a knot kind of cramp, which can hurt a lot. The cramps are also very temporary. They are best described like this: I curl my toes downward, but then when I try to relax, they keep curling downward more and more (except for the big toe, which comes up right away), on their own. The muscles in the bottom of my feet tense up more and more and try harder and harder to pull my toes down. Then, suddenly, it all lets go on its own, and my toes slowly come back up, wiggling the whole way, lol (and they will resist if I or anyone else tries to push them back up quickly). Same with the other parts of my body that do this, but the toes are the best example as they do it all the time. If I'm sick (cold, flu, etc.), much of my body will spontaneously do this when I try to move, but when I'm not sick, it usually takes a good deal more to make it happen (like, exercise). When sick, though, it gets quite annoying to wake up in the morning, stretch like I always do, and then have to abort the stretch because my body starts "doing its thing." I have to pull those muscles back into their normal position for fear that I'll injure myself.
BTW, the one neuro I saw was really excited about my toes, lol. He tried to do a quick EMG to see what was going on, but the needle hurt too much and I couldn't bend my toes very much, so I couldn't trigger it. In other words, the EMG probably didn't catch anything. I hurt for at least 2 days after that stupid needle. I hope I never have to endure that again, but I know they'll probably do another one. *shudder*
I don't think my cramping can be described by the kind of cramping that lyme disease patients get, but who knows. I like keeping an open mind, so I will ask about it.
My cramping is not very painful - the muscles just strain very hard and _that_ can be a bit painful, but it's nothing major. It's not like a knot kind of cramp, which can hurt a lot. The cramps are also very temporary. They are best described like this: I curl my toes downward, but then when I try to relax, they keep curling downward more and more (except for the big toe, which comes up right away), on their own. The muscles in the bottom of my feet tense up more and more and try harder and harder to pull my toes down. Then, suddenly, it all lets go on its own, and my toes slowly come back up, wiggling the whole way, lol (and they will resist if I or anyone else tries to push them back up quickly). Same with the other parts of my body that do this, but the toes are the best example as they do it all the time. If I'm sick (cold, flu, etc.), much of my body will spontaneously do this when I try to move, but when I'm not sick, it usually takes a good deal more to make it happen (like, exercise). When sick, though, it gets quite annoying to wake up in the morning, stretch like I always do, and then have to abort the stretch because my body starts "doing its thing." I have to pull those muscles back into their normal position for fear that I'll injure myself.
BTW, the one neuro I saw was really excited about my toes, lol. He tried to do a quick EMG to see what was going on, but the needle hurt too much and I couldn't bend my toes very much, so I couldn't trigger it. In other words, the EMG probably didn't catch anything. I hurt for at least 2 days after that stupid needle. I hope I never have to endure that again, but I know they'll probably do another one. *shudder*
Newbith,
I don't understand. Do you already have a diagnosis and are wanting to see if others can guess what it is (like on Dateline, or whatever show it is that has the mysterious illness segments where you try to guess the etiology), or are you actually asking for others' input/opinions about what might possibly be wrong with you. It sounds like you have some pretty serious symptoms to me.
I don't understand. Do you already have a diagnosis and are wanting to see if others can guess what it is (like on Dateline, or whatever show it is that has the mysterious illness segments where you try to guess the etiology), or are you actually asking for others' input/opinions about what might possibly be wrong with you. It sounds like you have some pretty serious symptoms to me.
Annie, nope, don't know yet. I'm just starting on the route to possible diagnosis.
Carol, thanks for the link. I'll have a look.
Please note that my symptoms aren't all that bad. Maybe it reads worse than it really is. I'm not especially concerned, although I am at least concerned enough to have gone to the doctor with each of these symptoms when they first appeared (but I wasn't bothered by them enough to really pursue things). I'm only getting sent off for an MRI and neuro appointment because of the recent changes. Actually, I saw one neuro already, who said I needed to see a better neuro, which kind of surprised me. We'll see what turns up. Probably nothing. Either that or something we can't really do much about, so I'll just continue living with it.
Carol, thanks for the link. I'll have a look.
Please note that my symptoms aren't all that bad. Maybe it reads worse than it really is. I'm not especially concerned, although I am at least concerned enough to have gone to the doctor with each of these symptoms when they first appeared (but I wasn't bothered by them enough to really pursue things). I'm only getting sent off for an MRI and neuro appointment because of the recent changes. Actually, I saw one neuro already, who said I needed to see a better neuro, which kind of surprised me. We'll see what turns up. Probably nothing. Either that or something we can't really do much about, so I'll just continue living with it.
Yikes.
You need to look at this site:
http://www.canlyme.com/patsymptoms.html
I have the brain fog, and I HAVE lost IQ points.
Carol
You need to look at this site:
http://www.canlyme.com/patsymptoms.html
I have the brain fog, and I HAVE lost IQ points.
Carol
Additional things:
Orthostatic hypotension. (hope I remembered that correctly) i.e. fainting if I get up too quickly. Started in early teens and has never gone away. Blood pressure always normal when they test me, but have never been tested for this, only told I have it based on description. Can't fly, can't use fast elevators. Well I can, but I have to be careful or I pass out.
A single, solitary numb toe, lol. Silly thing. It is unexplained.
Vision constantly changes. I go from needing a prescription, having to get it strengthened, to not really needing it, then starting all over again. Also my intraocular pressure goes up and down. Maybe none of this stuff is related, but I wanted to mention it anyway. Have been told that I have weak eye muscles.
Can't seem to tolerate exercise, although I do it anyway. Wipes me right out and takes days to recover, nevertheless, like I said, I do it anyway. I also relax in a hot tub a lot and that wipes me right out. I mention these because other people don't seem to experience them, so I think I'm abnormal.
Breathing problems. Tightness of airways, but no asthma. Painful.
Flat feet with seemingly permanently weakened foot muscles. Always walk on outside edges of feet with big toe not fully on ground. Not sure why I do this. Thought it was due to flat feet (and accompanying pain, which is pretty bad), but can't seem to walk properly anymore even if I try. Am assuming that this is what's causing the numb toe...? The feet don't like being walked on like that.
Brain fog. I'm stuck in one and can't get out of it. It SUCKS. Lots of fatigue, which may explain that. Feel like I've lost I.Q. points (although I can still think normally if I try, it's just slower).
History of occasional bouts of depression.
And that's about it. I'm going to be scheduled for an MRI and an appointment with a movement specialist will follow. My doc told me he has seen the foot cramp thing before, and it seemed like that alone was what made him want to send me to a movement specialist, but he may also have been remembering some of the other symptoms that have plagued me over the years since I was a teen. Who knows.
The familial tremor I mentioned... I don't seem to be presenting at all like my other family members who have it. All they do is shake. I don't shake. Nothing like what they experience. They also don't seem to have the other problems.
I'm not worried about any of the physical problems. I just want them to fix the cognitive things, including speech. I really don't care about the twitches or the cramps. I can even live with the headaches, unless of course they're the cause... ;-)
Orthostatic hypotension. (hope I remembered that correctly) i.e. fainting if I get up too quickly. Started in early teens and has never gone away. Blood pressure always normal when they test me, but have never been tested for this, only told I have it based on description. Can't fly, can't use fast elevators. Well I can, but I have to be careful or I pass out.
A single, solitary numb toe, lol. Silly thing. It is unexplained.
Vision constantly changes. I go from needing a prescription, having to get it strengthened, to not really needing it, then starting all over again. Also my intraocular pressure goes up and down. Maybe none of this stuff is related, but I wanted to mention it anyway. Have been told that I have weak eye muscles.
Can't seem to tolerate exercise, although I do it anyway. Wipes me right out and takes days to recover, nevertheless, like I said, I do it anyway. I also relax in a hot tub a lot and that wipes me right out. I mention these because other people don't seem to experience them, so I think I'm abnormal.
Breathing problems. Tightness of airways, but no asthma. Painful.
Flat feet with seemingly permanently weakened foot muscles. Always walk on outside edges of feet with big toe not fully on ground. Not sure why I do this. Thought it was due to flat feet (and accompanying pain, which is pretty bad), but can't seem to walk properly anymore even if I try. Am assuming that this is what's causing the numb toe...? The feet don't like being walked on like that.
Brain fog. I'm stuck in one and can't get out of it. It SUCKS. Lots of fatigue, which may explain that. Feel like I've lost I.Q. points (although I can still think normally if I try, it's just slower).
History of occasional bouts of depression.
And that's about it. I'm going to be scheduled for an MRI and an appointment with a movement specialist will follow. My doc told me he has seen the foot cramp thing before, and it seemed like that alone was what made him want to send me to a movement specialist, but he may also have been remembering some of the other symptoms that have plagued me over the years since I was a teen. Who knows.
The familial tremor I mentioned... I don't seem to be presenting at all like my other family members who have it. All they do is shake. I don't shake. Nothing like what they experience. They also don't seem to have the other problems.
I'm not worried about any of the physical problems. I just want them to fix the cognitive things, including speech. I really don't care about the twitches or the cramps. I can even live with the headaches, unless of course they're the cause... ;-)
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