[Jerky_Chris]

Hello everyone here-at NeuroTalk--& Merry Christmas...Happy holidays & a happy, healthy New Year...to all-!

Some of you may recognize me from my newer posts--as I am new here & this is a wondefrul site!
Let me begin by saying last week....I saw four..that's right....FOUR!....Specialists!

My first specialist-
-1)-A...pulmonary specialist----after getting over a case of the flu(Late Oct)---I had a terrible cough from late October..till just 2 days ago (Dec 23)---& it stopped! My pulmonary spec...gave me the PFT....(Spirometery.....diffusion.....AND the "methacholine challenge"...to rule out "Cough variant Asthma"-!
I passed all w flying colors!

2) Saw my regular cardiologist. this week-.(I see every 6 months)---for my irregular heartbeats. Last year....I had a stress...EKG.....w isotope. This week.....had an echocardiogram-!
I passed all w flying colors ! (Are you with me)?

3) Last yr......had TWO..."sleep studies" done to rule out any apneas...& for me "pre-sleep jerks"- & "Strange breathing"...episodes!
I passed all--NO apneas......just some 'periodic limb movement"-

4) Also saw my E/N/T......for me GERD,.(and esophageal spasm)........under control...w protonix...& Zegerid!
I MENTION these.......so....when anyone responds----these things HAVE been ruled out-!

-All I have been dx with is,,,,.."Mild Mitral Valve prolapse" (episodes of SVT) --IBS --Esophageal spasm
Middle ear problem..( Rarely- "positional vertgo)-)
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OK--HERE is the ..."biggie"-! For the last 3 or 4 years...(they come & go)-----I get hese ..strange.."Pre-sleep" symptoms! (again....NOT all the time)
Before falling off to sleep......I get the "myoclonic jerks....an arm...leg...trunk...finger...etc---

**(THESE are the two "biggies")---- THEN....sometimes...feels like "breathing"...area..(like my diaphram)---is paralyzed!
It only happens for a split second..(When about to fall off to sleep...USUALLY when lying on my back!)-- .then...I'll take a deep breath...& I'm OK----(this is NOT..."hyperventilation".....i KNOW what that is! )-
This is...AGAIN...feeling like......my diaphram....has stopped! (I'm thinking maybe w stress.....I breathe too.. shallowly!--It is Sooo...scary-! )

**ALSO---As I go into beginning stages of sleep,.....sometimes I feel...a very mild.."Electric shock"...in my legs...trunk...& often in my HEAD! (Again...just split second--& ALL goes away...once asleep!---Same kind people 'weaning off SSRIs..get!...and NO.....I am NOT weaning off effexor or any...SSRI...!--so...THAT is not the cause!)

NOW.....I calleed my sleep Dr...2 weeks ago----He called me & had me call......a NEUROLOGIST..& "epilepsy specialist"-!(to 'rule out' "Partial Complex Seizures"..IF some recall my earlier post! My dear "Neuro Talk"-friends--this Neurologist/Epilistic spec (in Philly)---is one of the TOPS...in his field! Lectures,....around the world...has over 300 articles published on epilepsy...in peer Medical journals..& has taught at some of the best Medical schools!
...
I was lucky enough...to get to see him...TUES..(Dec-22)---as I am going away..(to California..this Tues...Dec 29)

I had to be there for a 7 AM.......EEG....----! (I was the first patient)---which lasted for over half hr--
The tech....had my close my eyes..open them....blink.........hyperventilate...lie back..
relax...ALL the time...recording my brain waves! THEN...the various strobe lights.....musta been..8 or 9.....w my eyes closed---then--opened! I "went thru the mill"---Test was over.....8 AM...I waited...till...9 AM...to see this...."excellent"...& reknowned neuro Dr..& epilepsy specialist!

We talked....& he listened to me...beautifully! Not only a great Dr--but a terrific guy! He really listened to everything I had to say...& showed real care & compassion! (I even wrote him an e-mail--Thanking him for his kind...caring treatment!---He thanked me!)-

He gave me a basic.."neuro"---looked into my eyes...checked reflexes...& other stuff..THEN....he read my EEG..(after one of his collegues...read it)---TOTALLY...NORMAL! No signs of any.."spikes"...on my EEG...or ANY sighns ..of epilepsy!
And...HERE is where this Dr.....was really exceptionall--! He listened well......then explained..I had "pre-sleep myoclonus"...very common!-----BUT...I was still BAFFLED ....by my "Mild electric shocks"...& the breathing thing!

He felt the "breathing thing"...was..."stress related"...BUT....re: the mild shocks his answer was frank and honest- He said--

*-"Chris.....with THAT......we really do not know! Things often happen for which there is no explanation! Suffice to say...it is NOT...indicative of any serious neurological problems!"--(END quote)-!

An honest....straight forward AND...re-assuring answer!

I should add.....I take Valium.....each nite...hr before bedtime..(like 7.5 mg)---!

Now...The ONLY thing that really............ .........."ZONKS"....me out.......WITHOUT me experiencing...ANY of these symptoms..is a simple "antihistamine"...I take for my ear problem...(Vertigo)----& that is..."Antivert"...(meclizine)---a simple..."antihistimine"--!

I could break a 25 mg...tab..in half.....( & take .. the bigger half...say...17-19 mg)--at 5:30 PM..before dinner---eat dinner...at 6:15 PM...(so.....I wait till it .."kicks in")----& by....9:30 PM...or 10 PM......I am Sooo....groogy...(then.I take my Valium)...That I go .."out like a light"--! I mean..I go right out...NO hypnic jerks...NO ..."strange respiratory feelings--(Imagine if I took the entire 25 mg tablet?-----------and I sleep thru the night-! (Benadryl does not pack this.."wallop"...for me)---So....lately been taking that--For ME.....Antivert...(Meclizine)-- is a SAVIOR!

Now.....with ALL I've written..(a veritable.."epistle...AND I have done so for a reason---to show how much I've been tested & what already has been..."Ruled OUT"-!")----I kindly ask---

Has ANYONE here..(or more)--- EVER expierienced....

1) These strange "Mild body shocks"...before sleep---? AGAIN,....NOT related to weaning off ANY ...SSRI--! (So....it does NOT help me to write.."I felt that when weanbing off Effexor!"--)-
BUT--IF you do Please---DO share it with me! AND......

2) What about...this feeling of my breathing.....(Again...Have been to cardiologist...my heart is fine......I'm NOT suffering from "congestive heart failure")----AND Pulmonary spec---all my Pulmonary Function Teat results were "normal"-!

I should add..ONLY meds..I'm...on...are
1) Valium(7-10 mg.day)..for anxiety-(Amt varies.....according to how I feel!)
2) Protonix.40mg.for GERD-twice/day
3)Lipitor...10 mg/once day-
4) Tenormin 25mg/once day

Also--take vitamins,(good multi),,....sublingual B-12 --Magnesium (800 mg/day)---Omega-3 Fish oils....B Complex...E(200 iu/day) Vitamin C....Baby aspirin,...81 mg...& Garlic tabs--

I am very health conscious...62 yr old male...5'9"...161 lbs....!

OK...Please---someone....or more--get back---! I feel I am ALONE...in these "electric shock'...AND..."strange breathing". episodes..!

Again..Please__i humbly implore you----When you write---What has been "ruled out"...& things it is....NOT!

it is NOT GERD......NOT reflux ...NOT 'post nasal drip"-! I'm NOT "weaning off"...any meds---NOT "gas"..(You'd be surpised at some answers I've gotten from friends! I've stopped asking!)-
NOT.any kind of apnea (Been tested)--!
(See above ALL my diagnostic tests!)----Sooo...PLEASE....If you have anything like this---please---by all means..."share"...w me! Again..I feel sooo.."alone"...&
COULD this be.......................ANXIETY....related? (BOTH.....the "electric shocks AND the.."breathing" )

Thanks so much! I AM...looking forward to a few helpful...responses! Regards..& Happy holidays-! I DO hope to hear from some of you--with some "clear"..."Possible"...ideas! My wife...(& some others)---always say..."Stress can do a lot of things!---I just do NOT want it to be anything serious!----------BUT---as you know....when even ONE....other person...can ..share"....a similar feeling.....it can do so much! Bless you all....& again...a very Happy Holiday...& a Happy...HEALTHY New Year!--regards--Chris