This is my first post, I'm afraid, frustrated and feel alone. Here's my story, it's a little long. I've had a history of depression and anxiety and over the five previous years, I've been on a variety of antidepressants and Benzo's. I had a nervous breakdown in April 2011 and had Electro Convusive Shock Therapy (ECT), seven treatments. In May I was in the VA hospital, self admittted, for anxiety attacks for three days. My PDoc had taken me off Klonopin abruptly and I broke down again. I was put on Prozac and Zocor. I've been on Zocor for five years. During those three days I noticed my toes starting to burn, I thought I had picked up athelet's foot. On my way home, I picked up some Lamisil and treated it with no success. Once home I was having muscle twitches and severe body jerks when falling asleep for the next week, I told the VA PsychDoc on my followup and he switched me to Celexa and the body jerks subsided to a minumum over the next month. The burning, tingling pain spread from my toes symetrically to my feet, legs, hands and arms over the next month. I went to my PCP and he refered me to a Neurologist. Before my NDoc appointment in August, the burning had spread mildly to my back,cheeks and lips. Over the July 4th holiday, I passed out and fell after getting up from a chair and taking a few steps. I was taking to the hospital where I was examined by a neurologist and cardiologist over the next 5 days. The Neuro found i had no ankle reflexes, my foot pulses were weak and my feet were cold and slowly returned color when pressed. The cardiologist noted the foot pulses and had the nurses check my BP for orthostatic hyptension and refered me for a EchoCardio. I was put on neurontin 900mg per day which eased the pain.
I finally saw the Neurologist in August and he took me off the Celexa and Zocor as a trial, the only depression and anxiety I've had is over this neuropathy. He performed NCV/EMG and found a mild sensorymotor neuropathy in my legs. Over the next few months I had a number of blood tests which all came back normal, B12,B6, B1, VitE, ANCA, SED rate, ANA, Sjorgens, Lupus, Glucose, you name it, I've had it. MRI's are normal other then some cervical and lumbar disc issues. He refered me to the University of Florida Neurology and they repeated a number of blood tests, repeated MRI's and did a small fiber punch, all normal. They repeated the NCV/EMG and said it was normal, contradicting the other neurologist's test. The only thing they have found is my vitamin D level was low and put me on VitD 4000IU and Calcium 1200 per day. My pain has increased significantly and has spread to my back and butt, they increased my neurontin to 2400mg and put me on Percocet as needed. The UF neurologist is already starting the pscyhological talk because of my previous history, but my primary neurologist, the VA psychiatrist and my current pychiatrist, who I started seeing in December, all say it's not in my head because of the way it presented and progressed, just a coincidence, also no one seems to think the ECT cause this. I'm waiting on the results of Anti-Mag, Anti-Sulfatide, Igm,Iga blood work.
I have all the symptoms of Diabetic Neuropathy, painful burning feet, hands, body areas, sensitive to cold/heat, my mouth is bone dry, I don't sweat anymore, frequent urination, excessive thirst, dry skin, 30lb weight lose etc., but my fasting and GGT has been normal or slightly prediabetic, I've been tested several times. I noticed the burning would get worse if I ate any pasta, bread or potatoes, carb type foods, so I decided to get a glucose meter and check myself before and after meals for a week. I found my glucose levels were going high into the prediabetic range 140-199 on the 2 hour post-prandial check on a low carb diet. I got a referral to an Endo who looked at my normal lab tests and said I was fine, but when I showed him my glucose test meter results he put my on Actos for a month to help control the blood glucose spikes I am having after food and gave me a prescription for Mentax, but I haven't started it yet. I am over whelmed with all this and need some advice on what to do next, where to turn. After reading all the different posts here and other internet research on medicines, I'm afraid of every medicine I take, food I eat or things I drink. I don't drink alcohol or smoke. I don't have much family support, my wife really doesn't understand what I'm going through, just posting this has been a relief, thanks for any suggestion!
Current Meds:
Neurontin 2400MG
Actos 15mg
Vit D3 4000IU
Calcium 1200mg
ALA 300mg
Trazodone 50mg
Lexapro 10mg
Zocor 20mg (stopped again)
Percocet (Oxycodone 10/325) 1/2 to 1 @ night
Tylenol 250mg 3x per day