At the end of my rope

[The_k_man24]

I am a 26 year old male. I've had Scheuermanns Disease since I was around 14. The pain has gotten progressively worse over the years and is just about unbearable. Have been to doctors, chiropractors, physical therapy, all to no avail. I've been told I need surgery but I can't be out of work long enough to recover as I won't have any income. About three years ago I started having shock-like pains in my right shoulder every so often. Also started noticing my voice was altered (like something was in my throats with certain syllables), and I have trouble remembering words and keep jumbling them up . Had endoscopy done and the only thing they could find was mild inflammation of esophagus due to acid reflux. Have been having trouble breathing for over a year, along with fatigue. They did lung tests, blood work, vitamins check, thyroid check,  EKG, and heart echo, all of which came back great. About two months ago I started noticing an odd feeling in my right calf, like a twitch but there was no twitching. My legs have been feeling heavy and I feel like I'm losing my coordination. My right hand has been losing dexterity,  and feels like it is asleep on the right side. I've been dropping things and having trouble picking things up. Also a headache most of the time, mainly in the back of my head. My neck hurts where it feels like it's struggling to hold my head up, and feels like so much pressure at the base of my skull. I assumed I had MS or Lou Gehrigs or something like that. I had CT scan and MRI which came back normal and they said there was nothing like that. All the doctors attribute all this to anxiety and tried to put me on antidepressants which I refused. I do get anxious but these symptoms happen even when I'm not feeling anxious. I know SOMETHING is causing these things. I feel so hopeless about my future. It seems like I'm falling apart and no matter where I turn I can't get any help! Between the pain from the Scheuermanns and now all these other symptoms, If I'm feeling this bad now how bad will it be in only a few years? I'm only 26 and I feel like I'm 90!

[Paxiled]

First, if you do need surgery, and the pain is getting this bad, then you're going to end up out of work forever, so I'm not sure that being out of work to recover is your worst option.  I'm assuming you're doing all the other things recommended to diminish the pain and they aren't working, but if you're not and you're not exercising and not moving, all those other things are going to happen.  Inflammation if unchecked can pinch on nerves.  Your posture might be terrible partly due to this problem which is messing up your neck causing more pinched nerve problems.  As for anxiety causing this, maybe, but you'd have to be a very anxious person much of the time.  What are you doing physically to keep everything loose and supple?  

[The_k_man24]

I'm a construction laborer so the work I do is physical. As for other exercise I used to go to the gym and lift quite a bit. I try to do some push-ups and things I can do at home a little bit but it takes so much out of me now. After a few push-ups I can barely move my hands. After the least little bit of exertion I'll be out of breathe, weak, and shaky for a long time. It just seems that I can't do what I used to.

[Paxiled]

That doesn't seem at all related to the spine problem.  Have you been tested for Covid?  Being out of breath and weak and shaky are not nerve problems or muscle problems.  I have a lot of similar problems and although you have nothing like what got to me, it's an illustration of what can happen when your nervous system goes out of whack for whatever reason.  Many years ago I stopped taking Paxil and had a horrific withdrawal which my psychiatrist refused to acknowledge and so it went untreated and is now a long-term problem with no cure.  Over the years, I've injured myself doing everything one can do and went from a guy who was very physically active to one who hurts everywhere.  The manifest problem is the injured hips, plantar fasciitis, bad neck, etc. but the underlying reason is I don't sleep well or at the right time and I'm always incredibly anxious.  This led to the breakdown of my body.  Meaning, when a whole lot of things go wrong something fundamental is off and you have to find out what that is because that's what needs fixing.  The other stuff is a manifestation of that thing and you can't treat them all or you end up like me doing physical therapy during almost all of your waking hours.  You don't want that.