Help

[dtrrfc]

I need to be believed that I am not a hypochondriact. I have two separate problems.

1. I have had  disc replacement in my neck; however, I am still having numbness and pain in my face, arms, shoulders, and hands. I am actually having spasms and tics that are pretty sever. I can not describe the pain. My MD said that I was just stressed when this all started, so I sought out a spine and joint clinic. They helped me. My disc was buldging into my spine to the point where paralysis was taking place. now I have to have sugery on my L-5

2.Nine years ago I moved in with my mom because I was having tremors and spasms to the point that I would bruise. I had a spinal tap with high protien. An MRI that was good. However, she (neurologist) said that I had slow nerve conductivity. Whatever that is. She didn't know what was wrong with me and didn't have time to find out, because I had become so dibilitated that I could no longer work. My mother had to help dress me. I stayed that way a year and got better with only mild symptoms from time to time.  Now I am thirty seven. I have had two kids, and the symptoms are coming back. I have sever pain. All of the symptoms are......1.facial pain and spasms 2.muscle cramps to the point of bruising 3. bruising on the tops of my feet and hands 4. The cramps are all over my body 5. The best way that I can describe this one is "growing pains" but a lot worse. 6.kidneys lock up or leak they do both and have since birth 7.constant uti 8.right now slight tremor and shakin head 9. slurred speach and forgetting words or confusing them for other words. 10. memory is not good 11.irritible 12.severe constipation I have suffered all of these symptoms my whole life. They only got that bad that one time before and now again. As a child my doctor put me on sugar pills and told my mom that it was all in my head. Although he did say that my kidneys were bad and might not last. They are still working. Not well but they are working. This is causing a lot of stress in my marraigh, because my husband is watching me slowly deteriorate, and I'm missing so much of my family. He has taken on a larger load helping me too.

[dtrrfc]

Thanks for understanding the pain issue. I have had 2 MRI. One was on my neck which lead to the disc replacement. The other was on my thoracic and lumbar verebrae. Nothing showed up. I just had a discogram leading to the diagnosis of a torn disc on L-5. Thus the discussion of sugery. These symptoms have bothered me since childhood.

[ggreg]

I don't think you have Parkinson's.  I do think you got a wrecked-up neck that may be getting worse, and thus may be impinging on your spinal cord, or perhaps squeezing on the nerves that come out of your spine and go to other parts of the body.  The return of your symptoms is probably due to the natural aging process, you know, arthritic changes and settling of the vertebral column.  And you can get mental problems from living with pain, it's real frustrating to deal with all the time, makes it hard to focus on stuff.

Physical therapy and medication would probably help you a lot.  You can go to the county health clinic and see a physician that day and for low to no cost, they can perhaps refer you to the right people to treat your symptoms.  At the very least, they could probably do a plane black & white X-ray of your spine, those pictures don't cost as much as the CAT scans do, so you'll know generally how things are going in your back.   Sometimes physical therapy can be expensive, find out what it would be for just a day's consultation, the PT folks can teach you some exercises to limber you up and strengthen the muscles that support the back.

[dtrrfc]

PLEASE somebody read me. I was just researching my symptoms myself and found that they are earily familiar to parkinsons. One thing that they said is the tremors generaly stop when you start to move. The same is true for me. That is why I look around or start walking. I have the tremors in my neck, both arms, and face (around my mouth specifically.) A few weeks ago I was at my surgeons office really tired and in a lot of pain. My head and arms were tremoring. I couldn't hide it. As soon as he would have me move and do tests for my back, it would stop until I stopped. He asked if I was nervous or stressed out. Well ya!

[dtrrfc]

One thing that might help somebody give me some guidance. My spine surgeon said there is gristle on my nerves in my neck. He said he scraped them when he gave me my disc replacement. This got me to thinking that maybe I have had this problem since birth. That maybe it is not isolated in my neck, just nobody has thought to consider it. Why would they? I am at my wits ends.

[dtrrfc]

I am also very very very tired all of the time. With a one year old and a three year old developmentaly delayed child is gruesome at times.