I am so glad to have come across this group! I have been suffering for almost a year with a number of things and no one has a clue so I find myself in this confusing limbo land.
May 2012 I noticed I couldnt smell as well I used to, things just didnt smell, food, perfumes, air freshners, dog, petrol, gas, nothing smelt as it should. I went to the g.p and was given antibiotics and nasal spray, told I had enlarged turbinates. 6 weeks later I notice that I can smell but nothing smells as it should, everything smelt of something rotting, petrol, gas, rotten food, dog, cat wee, poo didnt smell at all and fumes from cars smelt awful.
This led to me not being able to eat as the food tastes just as good as it smells.
I was given another nasal spray and referred to ENT.
ENT looked up my nose and told me I had no obstruction, no physical reason I couldnt smell.
November came and by this time I was drinking protein shakes replacing food, I was still trying to work (I WAS a fitness instructor) The protein shakes were not going down well as I developed a swallowing problem, so not only could I not eat the food due to the smell, I now couldnt swallow my only food source. I was having trouble with my memory, vision, bladder, balance and walking was becoming more and more difficult.
I went in to hospital and had a mri on the brain, looked over by a few medical peeps and discharged with some sip feed drinks.
I now have constant vertigo, my balance is awful, I have muscle weakness in my upper arm, thighs, neck (I cant hold my head up for long) my facial muscles are weak, I cant chew, swallow or yawn properly (I am living on sip feeds) I struggle to get up off the settee, up and down stairs, in and out of bed, bath and on and off the toilet. I cant hod my arms up long enough to dry or brush my hair, I have to sit down to brush my teeth (I heave/gag badly brushing teeth) my eyes are droopy, I struggle to focus, I have to ask people to move directly in front of me so I can see them while they are talking to me, I cant look to the sides or up and down, it makes my eyes ache and it takes too long to keep re focusing, I feel like all the muscles in my face are pulling it back towards my ears and down at the same time.
I am having A LOT of problems, and as you probably guessed I am not a fitness instructor anymore ha!
I saw a neurologist in Jan who was very rude and after 5 mins in total (including 4 tests and 3 questions) told me I had a conversion disorder and was converting stress in to physical symptoms...
I strongly DO NOT agree with this, before I got ill my life was good, I was a happy, physically fit person that loved my life.
I feel quite confident to say I am NOT stressed or depressed, I know this because I have suffered with sever depression many years ago and know what I am feeling now is NOTHING like what I was feeling then.
My g.p has referred me to another neurologist and, at my request to shut them all up, a psychiatrist (I cant wait for that appointment)
It is so frustrating being basically housebound, living on sip feeds, having to drink through a straw, having to use the toilet more times than I ever thought was possible, when your body and brain are having a constant battle EVERY DAY because the brain wants to carry on as normal (or what WAS normal) but the body says NO... and to top it off to be told its all in your head!!
Thanks for reading and any help/opinions ANYTHING is greatly appreciated :)