Symptoms Disgarded as psychosomatic Drs dont even read MRI feel so stupid.

[chalmbiz]

Quick review of my symptoms (started about 8 weeks ago)
- left sided chest pain
- left arm and leg weakness, numbness and tingling
- dizziness, fatigue and episodes of blacking out on neck extension
- after black out episodes tongue, mouth etc numb unable to focus properly.
I have also had a laminectomy L4/5, L5/S1 in 1993 due to total foot drop.
Had MRI head to rule out MS old CT spine showed disc protrusions cervical spine prominant one at T1/T2 with suspected stenosis.
Had nerve conduction (they didnt do emg) normal
Full spine MRI last week results below:
MRI Cevical and THoracic spine
Report: There is straightening of the usual upper cervical lordosis. Alignment of the remaining cevical and thoracic spine is otherwise satisfactory. There is a diffuse loss of the usual marrow signal most likely due to red marrow replacement. It would be useful to assess if there is a history of smoking. (I have never in my life smoked).

There is a mild left foraminal disc protrusion at C4/5 but this is not causing significant foraminal stenosis. There is a mild central disc protrusion at C5/6 not causing significant canal stenosis.

There is a mild right paracental disc protusion at C6/7 not causing significant canal or formaminal stenosis.

Within the thoracic spine, there is a mild right central disc protusion at T1/2 which is only mildly indenting the thecal sac. There is a mild left paracentral disc protrusion at T6/7 which is mildly indenting the thecal sac and the anterior cord, but there is still adequate CSF space seen posteior to it.

Comment: Mild degenerative changes as described with no definite neural impingement.

MRI LUMBAR SPINE

Findings: There is a reduction in the disc space height at L4/5, L5/S1 and disc dehydration at these levels.

At L4/5 there is a small posterior central and left paracentral disc protrusion with some mild compression on the anterior thecal sac.

At L5/S1, no disc lesion is seen.

Comment: Although there is a small posterior central and left paracentral disc protrusion at L4/5, there is no evidence of compression of the left nerve root in its lateral recess or other evidence of neural element comprimise.


Thats the report. My DR wasnt concerned with any of it he did say that there is an anular tear at L4/5 but I just have to live with it.


I must add I also have discovered a had subscapular lump around 6cm x 6cm in size again dr says its incidental finding and prob a lipoma which is quite common and benign. Am I stupid in being a little concerned that all of a sudden I have these neurological symptoms that are affecting my life as well as incidentally finding a rather large lump in the muscle under ,my shoulder blade.

Any help would be great. Drs starting to say my symptoms are psychosomatic saying I should see a psychiatrist. Why dont Drs listen to people anymore. I am a Health care professional and not in a million years would I tell someone that because MS and all major neurological things are ruled out that it is in my head.
Have really bad days where I feel so nervy, dizzy and ill actually feel at times I am dying. I
I have my own clinic and also have 7 children was loving my life enjoying it to the fullest and no preceeding extreme emotional event occured in my life. I do fall alot though and had a bad fall beginning of March. Collapsed in January also unexplained.

Thanks for listening.

[Linda777A]

About 4 months ago they did an ultra sound on my Lipoma.  The girl doing it said those only show up on MRI's.  Got kind of upset... wasting my time & money.

Good Luck
Linda

[bellababe]

I was saddened to read your story. I was always a fit healthy person who never saw a doctor except fot immunisations. I have spent 6 years visiting a myrid of doctors and specialist in order to find out why l am unwell. I am very lucky that my GP has never made me feel like it is in my head, and although we have discussed depression, anxiety and stress he only raised it as a possibility not the solution. As deperate as l was too find an answer l tried andepressants, which had no impact.  Like you have have felt the heirachy of the health system (specialist and so called experts) have brushed me as my results were not conclusive or clear cut and l am just so thankful that my GP supports me and is like a dog with a bone, he to also wants an answer. In the meantime l continue to keep myself mentally strong and approach each day as a new day- with the light of diagnosise in my sights.
I wish you all the best and encourage you to find a GP who will pursue you symptoms for a diagnosis.
Best wishes
Bella

[chalmbiz]

Thankyou for your thoughts.
I will continue until someone listens but have taken my care into my own hands with complimentary medicine (I am a Naturopath) and I only ever consult a dr when I know I need medical testing or surgery and after this experience I know why my faith in drs is so low.
I know psychosomatic illness does exist however I also know that the key to someones diagnosis is to listen to what they are saying sometimes the littlest symptom can give the biggest clue and we are all individual and dont all fit into 'the so called medical text book picture'' for instance look at everyones different pain threshold.

It is no wonder everyone starts to loose faith in drs as some of them dont even read results properly just skim through them. I am a different practitioner if I have patient results I correlate them with my diagnostic testing and the whole patient picture (mind, body and soul) and I research in order to find answers (hence why I am probrably not a good patient) however this has just floored me to the point my brain is that fogged I dont have the energy to question or give my opinion to my drs.

Anyway am trying slowly to get back into things woked only 1 hr this moning and am totally exhausted my whole body (particularly L side) has small electric like shocks running through it. This is just not me I can go for hours ussually.

I appreciate everyones thoughts and hopefully. I was realy down when I posted and desperate just wanted someone to listen with out judging.

[brandi1977]

I'm not familiar with any of your symptoms but I wanted to post to let you know that unfortunately, you are not alone in being told it's all in your head. My PCP (who is now my former) told me that all my neurological symptoms were in my head also and I should just forget about them. In addition to my telling her where to stick it, I have not been back since. Anytime you have an obvious deviation from a normal MRI, you need to pursue the reason for it. I have had an abnormal MRI found to be vascular and the neuro pushed it off like it was no big deal. I also tested positive for EBV, which I have found from multiple drs that symptoms are usually a result of an underlying illness and not the actual Epstein Barr Virus.

Just to be sure I was looking at all angles, I recently went to a psychiatrist. He told me he could not find anything psychologically wrong with me and in fact, I was a very level headed person. He was unsure of the cause of my symptoms (seems to be the case with every dr I go to lol) but he was previously a neurosurgeon and wants me to come back on Monday to review all of my lab work.

My point is...don't give up. Keep looking until you find that dr who will listen. Research all you can. It's amazing what you will find. Just from having my medical records, I have found things that my neuro and PCP did not tell me. Keep in mind that the body is all connected so some symptoms might interrelate with other parts of the body. Keep an open mind but not a self diagnosing mind. Good luck in finding answers and I pray that things start looking up for you health-wise.

[darlingdivatx]

So sorry to hear what you're going through. I've be labeled like this for YEARS. So I understand your frustration. I've had neuro problems too, but different than yours. I can't really comment on what might be causing it or what affect the lipoma might be having since I'm not familiar with this type of neuro problems, but I feel for you. My best advice is to see another neuro doc. Keep getting "2nd" opinions until you find a doc who doesn't dismiss you and is willing to work with you. It sucks that we have to go through this frustration at a time when we are so vulnerable and in most need of support of understanding.

Just curious...what type of clinic do you have?

[chalmbiz]

Thankyou for your comment. I have an ultrasound on the ? lipoma on tuesday just to see if that is what it is. It feels like it is in the muscle. It also feels really hard but sort of moveable.  Will have it removed if can but drs are so reluctant to refere for things like that they say 'normal' even though they are classified as a tumour.
Its good to have people to talk too on this forum and that there are so many people going through similar things and how the whole hierachy of the medical field makes people feel so inferior its really wrong and thus leads to so many deaths a year for so called hypochondriacs.
Cheers

[myproblem]

I had a lipoma on my shoulder at age 18. I was told that it was not necessary to have it removed, and could not cause any problems. It was only after I had it removed that I realized it was the casue of excruciating pain in my neck and upper back. It must have been compressing a nerve. Have the lipoma removed, and see what happens. Also, get a Dr. who is not a jerk. Good luck