Mixed symptoms and no diagnosis

[Katydid11]

Hello, all. I'm hoping you might be able to help with some suggestions.   I'm 50 years old, and have a mixed basket of symptoms, a bunch of test results, and no diagnosis yet by the neurologist.  

This all comes and goes - sometimes quite bad, then sometimes completely gone:  gaps in memory (blackouts), a sensation like someone's hand on my back, seconds when I don't recognize where I am (in a place that should be very familiar), clumsiness and unexplained bruises, blurry vision with my left eye focusing in and out, sometimes printing or the picture on the tv looking bigger or smaller,  left foot and hand falling asleep or pins and needles feeling, trouble finding simple words like "bridge," incontinence, problems with short term memory,  no reflexes in my knees, total exhaustion, and people reporting I've said really nutty stuff when I don't even remember the conversation.  

On rarer occasions I feel completely confused and stupid, and have trouble reasoning, remembering, making decisions, or even following simple driving directions.  All this has made it impossible for me at work. I've been really confused about why things have been so difficult for me because my whole life I've had a pretty great brain.  I've not been aware of how bad things have gotten lately.  I finally have to face up to it.

I also have horrible headaches - sometimes for weeks without end (this seems due to an old neck injury).  I have a stiff neck, too, probably also due to the neck injury.

The last six months or so symptoms have been really bad.  And this I don't understand - I woke up this morning feeling pretty  good.  All of the sudden.  Headache gone, other symptoms pretty much gone, and I played a game of scrabble just fine.  Who knows how I'll feel tomorrow, because it all comes and goes and I can't predict when or for how long.

I had an MRI with contrast that showed two bright spots.  I don't remember where they were.  Blood tests showed B12 of around 320 (barely above the lower limit of normal).  An EEG showed normal brainwave patterns.  My family doctor put me on 1000 mg of B12 a day until it's built up in my system.

It was the neurologist's opinion that it is not epilepsy.  She said she thought it would have presented itself differently by now.   At first I thought that had to be it, because I also have auras, like feeling euphoric sometimes.  (Well, I always have been a  basically happy person.  And this could be related to migraines, which I get quite often.)  

The neurologist has me in the queue for psychoneurological testing.  What happens if the testing is on one of my good days?   Will they say I'm fine and just send me on my way?   The Dr. said she's sending me to their "head injury center."  Does this sound like a head injury?  I have had my head bounced around a few times in horseback riding falls and car accidents, but would my symptoms come and go if that were it?  One of my friends suggested MS.  I have my doubts it would be MS - some of my symptoms aren't MS-like - especially saying nutty stuff and not remembering the conversation.  But other parts sound like MS, so who knows.  It's also occurred to me that more than one thing may be going on here.

Does any of this sound familiar to any of you?  Any ideas or guidance would be appreciated.

[tj701]

Hello Katy,  I am new here and just ran across this post.  I had a head injury several years ago.  Some of my symptoms started right away like the headaches but others didn't occur until years later.  I developed Parkinsons like symptoms with tremors memory loss and such.  My doc diagnosed this as post concussion syndrome.  Don't know if that relates to your case but some seems similar.

[Katydid11]

Thanks, Nanny.   Your description of "silent migraines" hit a chord with me.  I have those often also, as well as the regular painful kind of migraines.  The aura that hits before the silent migraines is usually odd smells.  

I'll ask my neurologist about MS.

The thing that baffles me the most is reports that I've said wierd stuff - but I certainly don't remember it.  At all.  And suddenly not knowing where I am (lasts only a few seconds).  That doesn't exactly sound like MS.

Head injury... anybody out there - can drastically increased symptoms hit 7 or 8 years after the last head injury?

[Nanny6]

I am new to posting! On reading your post I also can identify with you . I am age 68 and over the years have had some of your problems. One was panic attacks leaving me lost in familar(sic) places. I have just went thru a long series of testing with neurogist after a brain scan showed abnormal and even at my age he was moving toward MS even tho testing said no but symptoms I had point to MS, I am being sent to a MS Clinic. Testing also showed ammonia in my blood (ammonia can effect the brain)
I also have had aura's I don't luckly have migraine head aches but all of the other things as nausea, etc I have Silent Migraines. I could go on and on at all of the weird things that have hit me for years. Don't give up think positive, sooner or later something will point in a direstion. Perhaps someone else can reply more info for you.