In '05 I was diagnosed with cervical spondylosis and the neurosurgeon was going to go in and fix my neck. Due to insurance issues I couldn't get the surgery. I ended up at a pain clinic having progressed through vicodin, percocet, oxycontin and even the Duragesic patch but nothing helped in the four years I was taking the drugs. Lyrica did nothing as did Neurotin. Cymbalta made me want to jump out of my skin. In November, I stopped taking any and all drugs wanting to be able to feel what was really going on with my body in order to get an accurate diagnosis. My symptoms (listing a few) have progressed, although they have been present since my early thirties and some have become worse. Back in the 90's my PC tested me for lead poisoning. I seem to get worse then level off and then get worse again. I have pain and numbness in both hands up to my forearms, and pain (omg the pain) in both feet,legs and hips. My right leg used to be worse but now the left leg is getting as bad, some days I can barely walk. Starting in November I started getting cramps in my feet and sometimes the outer calf and inner thigh. Most times I feel like the muscles in my legs are firing? and I can feel them twitch and pop. I say cramps but they can't be rubbed out and I dare not try to stretch them out lest another muscle start cramping. I'm terrified to go to sleep at night because just moving my legs/feet can bring them on, I can't even swim in the pool anymore because the movement brings on the cramps. The muscles feel like they are knotting up and won't let go, the end result is that I scream into my pillow with a lot of "Please God make it stop" interspersed until the cramps stop. My big toes feel like they are being pulled upward and I'm constantly tripping over my feet. After a particularly bad night of cramping I went to the ER and got a referral to a neurologist. The first appointment all he did was talk to me about personal stuff and then set up a test for NCS and EMG. The NSC was abnormal and the EMG was normal for the right side he tested. A tech did the NCS and I ended up speaking to him more than the doctor. He said that it was probably in my spine and to go back to the neurosurgeon. Today I had my appointment with the surgeon who said yes he could fix my neck but that it may or may not solve the problem in my arms but it wouldn't do anything for my legs as my MRI was not that much changed from the first. I've had an MRI of my cervical and lumbar spine although I often wonder if the problem could be coming from the way my spine makes a C curve between those two regions. I opted to wait before resorting to surgery.To be honest I fell apart because I was hoping the problem with my neck was causing all the other stuff. When I asked the surgeon what to do next he suggested a "lifestyle change". I am about 40 lbs overweight and I do smoke, although not like a chimney. However, despite being overweight I am physically capable. A strength test required for work in 06 resulted in the Dr telling me I was one of the strongest women he's ever come across. That is not the case nowadays as I am losing my strength. If I do the "drunk" tests of balance and walking heel to toe I can't do either one. My grandmother was diagnosed with ALS and Charcot Marie Tooth, her daughter and her daughter both have MS. I don't know where to turn anymore. I live near a large teaching hospital, Duke, but you need a referral to go to the neurology department. Could this all be caused by my extra weight? Is it all in my head? I hate to sound like a whiner as I know there are folks who are far worse than I am but I don't know what to do at this point. Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions.