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PART 2:Facial Paresthesia Mystery... More clues and tests, but still no answer...

my doctor is at a loss and makes me feel like i'm just making these things up.  he did get me a lyme test, an mri brain scan, a cervical mri, a 24 hour urinanalysis, and a syphilis test--all of which were 100% normal.  he also sent me to a neurologist and the neuro's first question was "how long have you been a hypochondriac?"  he did the emg test on my arms and the results were normal and better-than-normal, so he told me i probably have thoracic outlet syndrome, and that i may have easily compressed nerves, but easily compressed nerves all of the sudden?  I never had any of these symptoms before except the left arm weakness.  I never even got headaches before.

Anyway, TOS doesn't explain the facial paresthesias.  i have to admit that i think about it quite a lot, which may not be helping, but i need to get to the bottom of it.  I asked the neuro, "What about my facial paresthesias?  are they related?"  He said no, and just brushed the issue aside.  I've tried drinking lots of water, taking vitamins, sleeping more, wearing a soft neck brace, stretching, but i can't lose the facial paresthesias.  I even got a football mouthguard and tried wearing it at night to see what would happen for a couple of days--maybe TMJ related muscle issues?, but i'm still at a loss.  There's no history of any neurological disease in my family and most live very long.  Two people out of 45 have juvenile diabetes and 2 have type 2.  i asked my cousin to test my blood suger out of curiosity and i had 98mg/L, which i am told is plain normal.  i am wondering now if i should skip the doc's and see the dentist?  the doc seems to be pushing the idea that it's anxiety related but i think it's mostly because he can't figure it out.  i really don't feel any anxiety.  i'm pretty laid back, calm, and worry free.  i am preoccupied with finding out what it is, but it doesn't scare me or anything like that.  it's more like it's become annoying like a hang-nail you can't get.

anyhow, ANY input would be fantastic.

thank you.
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Avatar universal
That's how I feel.  It's just that each time I visit them, I feel semi-normal.  My symptoms go back and forth.  Today, for example, is a bad day, but I'll call to make an appointment, get one for next week, then feel fine that day.  It's rather difficult.
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Avatar universal
If your neurologist actually came right out and asked you "How long have you been a hypochondriac?" then I would go see a different neurologist.  He is not going to look for something he doesn't believe even exists.  Usually doctors are a little more subtle than this when they believe a patient is a hypochondriac or has psychosomatic complaints.  I saw five neurologists in the past eight years and all of them thought my complaints were psychosomatic, but they were never as direct as yours were-they made other comments or would tell me they believed it was anxiety or just not answer me when I asked them what they thought the cause of my symptoms was, but my suspicions about what they were thinking was confirmed after I read all their dictations--in other words my assessment of them was dead-on regarding their assessment of me was right-on target.    

Don't let any doctor treat you this way.  A dog gets better treatment when you take it to the vet.  You might not have anything seriously wrong with you, but you might, and if your symptoms are causing you distress then tell someone who wants to find the cause of that distress and try to alleviate it instead of contribute to it.  
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Avatar universal
Have you ever heard of Bells Palsy? It's a condition that causes paralysis on one side of the face, my dad had it. It normally goes away with antibiotics. Something to think about. It just came on all of a sudden, couldn't even close his eye on the affected side.
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