so confused and frustrated
 

hi. i've been checking in here the past few months looking for answers, trying to understand what is going on with me. right now i am scared, nervous and just plain tired of feeling lousy. let me start at the begining and see if anyone can help me understand. last june i started to drop things with my left hand, a small area above my wrist appeared at same time with mild pain. dr didnt know what it was and sent me to ortho dr. when mri of wrist and emg was "ok". ortho dr. didnt know what was wrong with wrist either. he did xrays of neck (arm from elbow to fingers ached with tingling). dx: degenerative changes in cervical spine. "can't do anything more for you- go see a neurosurgeon :mad:. 1st neurosurgeon told me my problem wasn't in his realm of practice :rolleyes:. now both arms ache bad, can barely work and all tests come back "ok" or normal. new neurosurgeon in nov. did emg on left arm. omg - severely pinched at elbow. surgery to move nerve dec 3. had heavy legs (dead legs) for couple weeks last fall but it went away, well its back along with my foot feeling like ice. periodically it feels like hot water is poured down my calf but skin is fine. wake up with headaches last forever as well as both arms heavy and numb. this new symptom is the most annoying. my face feels kinda numb after novacain wears off on my cheeks towards ears. i am just so frustrated hurting all time and being ignored or dismissed by dr.s. i sa the neurosurgeon for less than 2 minutes, this time brought my list with me. getting mri of brain and cervical spine this tuesday. sorry so long but i'm desperate to understand and be understood. thanks for listening at least.

Hi there.

You poor thing. You are really having a time of it aren't you? All I can do is say Welcome, give you a gentle hug :hug: and please know that you are in the right place. Someone will pop along and try and answer all your questions.

I am sorry that I am not knowledgable enough to do that. All I can do is let you know that we are a nice bunch of people and someone will respond to you postings.

Best of luck

Melody

how to make symptom journal?
 

Thank you. How does one make symptom journal. i wrote down how i felt when i woke up today and briefly what i felt throughout day. at this rate won't have enough room. the worst is my face, it's driving me crazy. feels same as when novacaine starts to wear off. i find myself scratching at my cheeks all day. very annoying and embarrasing when someone sees me doing this in public.

Hi and your not alone
 

There's nothing worse than tests coming back ok when you know that something is wrong! Sometimes it takes awhile until they can find what is causing your problems. Boy do I know the feeling of the novacane wearing off, I have that feeling in my legs, arms and one ear. I was always scratching my legs and pulling at my ear, I'm sure I looked very silly. Hang in there eventully one of the doctors will be able to help.

Hi snooky
 

I am sorry for your frustration. Most of us that respond in this site have those feelings toward some aspect of their lives. Please continue to go for help. Do not give up as there is an answer. I am sorry the Neuro Dr.s you have seen, seem to blow you off. That is the worst I know, it happened to me too. When you are hurting, and no answer is found, it adds that degree of frustration and makes it very hard to deal with. Keep your efforts going, I actually found my neuro surgeon from my ankle specialist, a referal. Is there a dr. that you do trust? Ask that person, and tell him or her of the trouble you have had, and they may come up with a better solution. good luck ginnie

Honestly, have any docs done any ...
 

bloodwork on you? The kind that means taking 3-8 vials of blood for testing? Go ask the doctors for copies of the test results...IF you see asterisks[*] after any of the result numbers [nevermind what for?] Take that test and get an appointment with another neurologist or rheumatologist as soon as you can. Why? Something is definitely going on. Be it an 'animal' meaning viral or bacterial infection, it needs to be stopped asap. If it's an immune response issue, it too will show up in some blood work #'s and a rheumatologist mite just be the one to catch it.
Essentially, it could be something as simple as carpal tunnel? But it could also be something going on with your immune system.
Besides, MRI's and Cat Scans and X-rays do NOT show most nerve damages. Nerve damage is usually too small to see on such tests...
Take a look at this web site and see what neuros and other docs look for with your sort of problems: http://www.neuroexam.com/neuroexam/
Read the whole web site as it'll give you some insight as to where the doc is coming from and what he mite be looking for. Since there are HUNDREDS of neurological issues, this is just the INTRO. Don't let it fry your brain, just USE the info to help you sort things out.
I do hope you will read thru our various forums, and get an idea [read the 'stickies' at the top of each forum] that we all care and are dealing with very different neuro problems ....but do understand.
SOOO? Get another opinion or two, or three if you need to [you'll KNOW when you find the rite doc to help you!] and don't lose touch.
AND, DON'T GET SO SCARED that you are afraid to ask questions! No question is too silly seeming. I've asked some whoppers in my learning experiences for sure! :hug::hug:'s!!!! - j
PS I find most neuro exams far less 'invasive' than say? A gyn exam?..get my drift?

thank you dahlek. i read your post after getting home from my first night back to work since last october. was about in tears when i left after four hours. sooo much pain in too many places and so stiff. my husband doesn't understand and reminds me its my first night back. this is not normal pain. i have been out of work for 5 months before after having a baby and this didn't even come close to what i feel like right now. nervous about tomorrows mri of head/neck. will they see what problem is? not sure what to do about work seriously thinking of quiting if they force me back. :(:(:(

When you've not had an MRI? ...
 

It seems a scary, dangerous and frightening thing to go thru. The FIRST TIME.
For most of the folks here who've been around a while? It's old hat!
Here is one web site on MRI tests:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003335.htm
If you feel you need more info, web up: MRI tests.
IF you are anxious? It's kind of short notice to ask your doc for some pre-meds... so? Just remember to ask for ear plugs [the test IS noisy] and think good things as it shouldn't normally last more than 15-20 minutes...mostly trying to 'KEEP STILL'! I for one, always feel stiff and sore afterwards? But it wears off w/a couple of asperin or the like.
Don't worry if they use a contrast...they'll inject it into you to get a higher resolution and better pictures-thus test results. Depends on what your docs asked for w/the test. IF your doc gave you a copy of the 'orders' for the test? Make a copy and that can help you later learn more about where they mite be looking for the 'what?s'.
Some MRI places are good in that IF you ASK for a copy of the test results[In my case, I've got a bakers' dozen of docs] so I can get a copy, and bring a copy of my copy to each other doc I see. If they get squirrelly about that? Ask the doc who ordered the tests for a copy...tho they may want to charge you about $20, or so? It's really useful to get these results and look them up yourself - you can learn a LOT about YOU!
Yeah, most folks don't 'understand', others often are afraid to understand..do you get my drift? OR you get more than ten earsfull of THEIR complaints! Sometimes it's best to be cool about it? What I did w/my family [who didn't understand] was send them printed pages from NIH of what I finally got diagnosed with! Then they knew I wasn't 'inventing' something, And thus backed off- at least a bit. NIH is kind of hard to dispute.
I'll be crossing my fingers for you tomorrow! My toes don't work and my eyes don't cross tho! You'll do fine, and the better you get thru this test? There are always others! So don't be afraid to ask about them! :hug::hug:'s!!-j

needed to hear it, thanks. test was ok. will get hard copy on thursday after i see neurosurgeon. had to make tough decision about work. this isnt in my head (made up) and i am just going to shut phone down and ignore job calling me. what calls, i didn't get any messages. they didn't put me on schedule yet and know i was having an apt with dr on thursday. they want it clarified return to work for 4 hour shifts and increase as tolerated. they haven't been very helpful in all this and at this time i can't even make it past 1 hr without bad pain. 4 hrs work yesterday and i am still so stiff, achy and sore. don't know what mri showed but i know my body. interested to see how dr will deal with my not being able to work. if she won't keep me out for now my pcp might or i quite. about time to be assertive with my health. sorry to rant but these were hard decisions to make, i'm normally passive when it comes to work issues. i'll let you know what dr says on thursday. and thanks for listening it helps

Just be sure?.....
 

You get some written instructions/orders from the docs about you going back to work! MAKE a COPY FOR YOUR OWN RECORDS THO? So, if they try and take 'things' out of context? You KNOW what the real context was!
I've had bosses who tried to do that to me too - after a very bad concussion. IF they'd had me there F/T? It'd be a total waste of time in the short and long run!
Put your 'game face' on, and save the fangs for later! GET DIAGNOSED FIRST!
That is the most important short and long term thing you must do!
Good luck and :hug::hug::hug:'s - j