I had a great reply.....and then my browser suddenly closed....

I believe I was within 10 of 700, don't remember if it was above or below. My body type when I was younger was mesomorph, well-defined muscles and large bones. When I was in my prime I weighed 165. I'm 5' on a good day. I was clinically obese, my measurements were 35-24-39, my thighs were 27" (a ***** to get a good pair of jeans, the waist was always at least 10" too big) I could bench 120 or 140. One day I tried to see how much I could push w/my legs (laying on my back, I don't remember which machine) I think I got to 340.

I was a rider, did eventing, jumping, etc. I would jump courses at my home barn, bareback, 4'6"-5'3", it's all in the legs lol

To this day I am still very firm in my thighs, calfs, arms, but my middle is squishy. Part of the problem I have is that my muscles contract but don't relax. My shoulders and neck are exceedingly firm, almost no give in them on a bad day. I think that's why they went the fibro route with my pain, since the pain is mostly in my muscles (and I still have a lot of them)

Hello artiemouse! I like that name too!

I was reading some of these posts from you and wonder....
Your profile says "female" and you have stated that you
have elevated testosterone?

Have you been evaluated for endocrine problems?
Two things come to mind for me..

1) PCOS polycystic ovary syndrome

2) congential adrenal hyperplasia

I assume you had a brain MRI and nothing showed up as an irregularity in the pituitary?

There are some things you can do to help your muscles out.
Sometimes it is just low magnesium levels, that cause that failure to relax. Many people in US are low in magnesium because they don't eat whole foods commonly which provide this electrolyte.

Here is my magnesium thread with more information:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1138.html

There are advantages to elevated testosterone in females.
They include increased muscle strength, and stamina, improved bone density and a responsive libido.

But the downside can be facial hair, acne problems due to increased oil.
There is an over the counter supplement that can reduce the expression of excess androgens in females with PCOS...
It is called d-chiro inositol and it is used for improving fertility in women with elevated androgens. It can improve skin and reduce facial hair as well.

Let me know if you want to know more about this.

Yep, I finally had my dr do a FULL panel and they ran EVERYTHING. The only thing out of wack was the testosterone. Everything else was "fine" though I did have a high normal for my thyroid.

All my girl parts are good except for the vulvar vestibulitis (another crappy disease).

They checked my magnesium levels (everything was good), all my hormones are within standard, adrenals are good (I don't believe it, but tests don't lie)

I am a furry bastard, but I'm southern Italian and that's in my genes, laser hair removal is WONDERFUL!!!

I'm careful with my diet, organic most of the way, all my meat is free range, organic, grazers only eat grass and alfalfa, birds do the bird thing (no hormones, vegie diet), ... you know the drill

Thank you for all the suggestions. I have nagged my poor GP till she finally decided to get me a consult with a neurologist, only took about 3 visits and multiple phone calls in a 6 month period.

p.s. "artiemouse" comes from my middle name. my niece couldn't pronounce my middle name Artemis (which I use with family), and it came out as Artiemouse. It stuck

Hi Sally,

Well here is what happened at the neuro. His first statement was asking if I in the middle of litigation or trying to get disability, stupid me said "yes, but that's not the reason i am here. That i am worried about what is happening to me". I think it was then that he dismissed me as a faker, user, whatever else you want to call it. He would not look at my paper (since I'm having issues remembering I listed my symptoms, when they started, etc); he sneared at George and asked why did I think I need him. The doctor asked for him to be taken out of the room for the exam, so my hubby left with him. If I had been thinking clearly I would have had them wait in the hall with the door open.

He asked me my symptoms and I started listing them. He cut me off and said I was referred to him because of the dizziness. I said I though he would want the whole time line that led up to it and other things that were happening. He said no, just tell me when the dizziness started. I was able to get in the weird sleep stuff and memory & speech issues (though he waved his hand and cut me off). He then did the basic 5 min neuro tests (i had tremors in my hands, eyes jumped during the light test and i kept rocking back when i stood w/my knees together i rocked back). He said that if he didn't know my symptoms that i listed, that i was perfectly fine, nothing wrong in my neuro test. He said my symptoms (the ones he allowed me to say) do not match any neurological disease that he knows about and he doesn't think i have a neurological problem, but that it's all psych. Basically that I am a big faker, that I'm making it up to get the $$ from SSI and to be able to take my "pet" with me.

He is ordering an MRI, dizzy clinic and the cognitive testing. Basically he dismissed me from the start and is only doing tests (i think) to cover his ***. With the VA this should take about 6 months.. I'm ******, like i never want to be self sufficient, that I WANT to give up all my hobbies, be forced to sell my horse because I can't safely work her, never be able to ride again or to feel safe driving, etc

Sheesh, what a jerk...sorry. I hope you find someone better.

Me too. I found a dr. that specializes in the RRMS type. From what I've been able to research those are the ones that have a 15% chance to be symptomaitc, but with no lesions on the brain, but on spinal column (though a lumbar puncture to confirm those sounds not so go).

We'll see. I'll let you all know what she says, but from her resume, I think I'd be willing to accept what she comes up with more. Her consults are a min of 45 min, to a 90 min max...Sounds like she talks to you and gets a full history.

I'll check back in after that appointment next week.

im sorry this nut job was assigned to you. that stinks!

sounds like a few of my nut job neuros I have met... good luck with the other dr.. hugs,sarah

Thanks, so it's not just me. . .lol. . .I just thought it was very unprofessional to be given that 40's woman's diagnosis of "hysteria" (that it's all psychological) after a 5 min talk + 5 min exam. We'll see what the new dr says. I am willing to take her recommendations as to what is going on. I've heard good things about her.

One of the first neuros I saw after my MD said "I think you have MS" sat me down, started asking questions,and then said..."I'm Sorry my dear, but you are too OLD for MS!" I said "not if I have had it for 10 years, and no one found it before now!" He argued that had I been "crippled" with MS for 10 years, I WOULD have known it! then he gave me a dismissive exam, and said we would wait another six months and redo an MRI.

I went to an MS clinic who said they hear that all the time. You CANT be too old to be dx with MS. It doesnt matter if you are retired now, or fighting to be retired. (I was already retired) and they went about the business at hand. Took careful measures to make sure they were not missing other things, and said "you HAVE MS!" I cried. They went on to say "you have had MS for a long time, and I am sorry no one caught it before now."

When I returned to the first guy, as soon as he walked in the room he said "see, I told you its Ms!" My husband said he was trying to be funny. I said he was just a butthead. Brilliant man with a wonderful rep, but a butthead none the less.

I would get to an MS clinic if I were you.