[minderased]

Ok, so this started about 10 years ago (I am 24 now), and I've never been able to figure out what it was. I've talked to doctors, but haven't had much success there. I'm trying to give it another shot by getting a new family doctor.
Anyways, I'll list a couple of things that jump out at me regarding this issue.

Reading. I went from reading regular novels to reading just comic books (or graphic novels). By the time I realized I couldn't do comic books anymore either, it would take me 45 minutes to read 20 pages of them, which should regularly only take 10 to 15. When I would finish those 20 pages I would be exhausted, not sure exactly of what I've read, and would have to take a long break before attempting to read any more.

Another one is visualizing. I used to be able to close my eyes and conjure up images in my head. Specific example is when I would go to the washroom I'd occasionally try to bring up images that I had seen on my computer, or elsewhere. I can no longer do any sort of visualization in my mind.

And last one is that I don't really feel anything. I still have emotions for the most part. I can, and do laugh, or get angry, or sad, but I don't really feel. If that makes sense.
At the very beginning of all this I remember having strong feelings of not being myself. And I mean that in the most literalist sense. It felt as if I didn't have a soul anymore(even though I don't really believe in them). I felt hollow.
When I watch movies, even though I understand the basic plot points, I feel very disconnected.
When I go to a new place I don't feel anything. In fact it doesn't matter where I am, I'm not able to feel the atmosphere. Where as before, the sights the smells, and the sounds would all combine in my mind, and give a distinct feel to each place.

there are also other things, like my comunication skills, and problem solving ability, that I feel are being affected.

Also a side note of 2 things that might have the remotest possibility of causing this.
I had a concussion when I was about 5. I had flung a chair, but then forgot to let it go and smashed my head against it. Don't know how long I was out for, but I stayed in the hospital for about a week. Things seemed normal after that.
The other one is that I had some kind of surgery done on my sinuses when I was 10.I had a massive headache that wouldn't stop, and I was taken to the hospital. I was there for about 2 weeks. I recall them using some weird machine that pumped a ton of mucus out of my nose, which was done a few days after I arrived, and I no longer had the headache. The surgery it self involved what seemed like a nail, being hammered upwards through my nose. I remained conscious throughout the whole surgery.


So, does anyone have the slightest clue what all this is about?

[Dr. Smith]

Hi minderased, welcome.

Are you on any medications and/or supplements, or were you when any of this started?

Have you seen any doctors and/or have any tests been done?

Doc

[minderased]

Hi, Thanks.
No, and no.
My old family doctor didn't think there was anything wrong, when I was trying to tell her this stuff. She was against doing any scans, saying that they might increase risk for cancer. At the time I think I was more vague when trying to describe it, mostly just saying that I have trouble concentrating.
My guidance counselor, thought that maybe I had depression, and suggested a psychiatric clinic. When I went there I did some tests on paper, and was told that I had depression, and social anxiety. They prescribed Prozac, and magnesium(for my memory), both of which I took for about 4 or 5 months. At that point I missed an appointment, and instead of paying the fee I just never went back. The prozac helped with my mood, but my concentration, reading ability, and ability to feel, remained the same.
Sometime after that, I started going to a walk in clinic to do some tests. I did a CT scan, EEG, and maybe also a PET. some of the tests I was told I was clear, while on others, they said that they never received the results, suggesting that this must be because there's nothing wrong.
After all this, I started becoming pretty hopeless, and decided to just cope with it, and try to do the best I can, with what I've got.
Only very recently I finally got enough courage to give it another shot, by getting a new family doctor, who I'm going to be seeing for the first time in 1 and a half weeks.

[Dr. Smith]

Originally Posted by minderased

My old family doctor didn't think there was anything wrong, when I was trying to tell her this stuff. She was against doing any scans, saying that they might increase risk for cancer.

That doesn't make sense to me. First, I would think cancer would be one of the things she'd want to eliminate as a cause. Second, the only "scan" I know of that might increase the risk of cancer is a CT scan (which you subsequently had anyway); MRIs pose no such risk.

My guidance counselor, thought that maybe I had depression, and suggested a psychiatric clinic. When I went there I did some tests on paper, and was told that I had depression, and social anxiety.

A teenager with depression and social anxiety? REALLY? Who'da thunk?
IME, ALL teenagers have depression and social anxiety—it's called BEING A TEENAGER.

"Eh, making teenagers depressed is like shooting fish in a barrel." ~Bart Simpson

I know you say the symptoms began earlier, but fluoxetine (Prozac) can cause/exacerbate many of those you describe, not to mention discontinuing it abruptly. I was prescribed a number of antidepressants (in an effort to find one that might work) for chronic pain several years ago. I couldn't tolerate any of them; they messed up my brain in many of the ways you describe, and the effects—in some cases—have been permanent; I'm still dealing with them today.

The surgery it self involved what seemed like a nail, being hammered upwards through my nose. I remained conscious throughout the whole surgery.

While that conjures up images of icepick lobotomies I'm thinking it more likely may have been a rigid nasal endoscope or something similar (like functional endoscopic sinus surgery?)

Because of the time lag between your concussion, surgery, and onset of... whatever this is, I have misgivings about those events being the cause (just my opinion—I could be wrong), but aside from the medication, I have no clue. You might lurk/post something in some of the other forums—perhaps Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome, Depression (if you think that may apply—your call), or try Searching the archives (as you might goggle). There is a lot of experience, knowledge, wisdom, and support here. If not for finding answers, then in coping and moving forward.

Doc