Left side body pain out of control!

[Nana12982]

I've been on pain medication for four years now. My doctor say's I have sympathetic pain syndrome from having radiation on the left side of my brain for an AVM in 2009. I feel like I've been labeled with that for lack of finding out what is really wrong. Now the pain is in my soft tissue also. Inside my pelvic area hurts, my bladder is beginning to hurt, my left breast feels like it is being pulled off or squeezed very hard. My left calf muscle is spasming. I can't go on like this much longer and I refuse to have my meds raised just to mask it. I'm desperate. I don't understand why this is happening to me. Sometimes I wake up in the AM and cannot walk. Are their any tests that you could recommend getting? I'm calling today to make a doctor appointment for a check up, I haven't seen her is a while.

[trixy71]

Hi Nana, like the doctor suggested, have your thyroid double checked, maybe even see an endocrinologist for this. The reason i suggest this is i knew someone who had thyroid problems and didn't know it, one day he went to get out of bed only to drop to the floor paralyzed. They got him to the hospital and found out it was his thyroid. He recovered completely but he had to have it nuked and he was pretty bad for a few months trying to get it regulated. Not sure if this is the case but it sounded familiar to his symptoms so its worth checking into.

Also, Fybromyalgia is a very real condition. Many people don't think it is because its more ruling out other things but the tests they use to determine it are very real. I would definitely also see a neurologist and maybe even get a second opinion, if your insurance will cover it. Just stay the course, don't give up, eventually you will figure it out, you just have to advocate for yourself and keep pushing the doctors for answers, even if it takes many different tests. Hang in there and good luck to you! Let us know how your appointment goes.

[Nana12982]

thank you for your response. I'll take this into consideration. I have been tested thouroughly for deficiencies, had an emg done, brain mri every six months, and a full spinal mri with normal results to all, but this was all done two years ago. I go next week for a physical. My frustration is that I've been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, trigeminal neuralgia, sympathetic pain syndrome, and I'm on multiple pain meds. I'm only 54 and feel that these meds are going to cut my life short. None of the diagnoses were difinitive. I go next week for a physical and I'm going to ask for a referal to a new neurologist. My pain level is well over a ten and I feel like I've bottomed out on the pain medication. I have started trying to practice meditation to try to help with the pain. Thank you for your advice.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
One possibility is Transient ischemic attack. Otherwise it could be due to nerve compression very high up in the cervical vertebra. Please consult a neurologist. You may need to undergo MRI of the brain or cervical spine.
Another possibility is Vitamin B12 deficiency. Underactive thyroid and diabetes too should be ruled out. Raynaud’s phenomenon and seizures too should be looked into. MS is another possibility. Abnormal levels of sodium, potassium or calcium too can behave this way. Also, since you have an AVM, whether this is affecting blood supply to right half of your brain (which controls left half of your body) should be looked into. Do discuss this with your doctor and get yourself examined by a neurologist too. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.