New Member

DazeTpoet (DazeTpoet(AT)aol.com)
Thu, 30 Apr 1998 15:31:54 EDT

Hi. My name's Daze and I'm 22 years old. February 1997, at my 21st birthday
party, I went into urinary retention. I had no idea what was going on so I
didn't tell anybody till several hours later. After 18 hours in retention,
the doctor came and catheterized me, telling me that I would be fine. That
night I went out and felt so dizzy and sick, I had to come home. I knew this
was the start of something bad.

A week later, I went back into retention and my doctor sent me to the
hospital. They catheterized me, and kept me in for 2 days. They wanted to do
a cystoscopy, but I refused and went home. I went in and out of retention for
several weeks until at the end of May last year, my urologist told me I had to
have a cystoscopy. I had a catheter in for 5 weeks. June 9th, I had the
procedure done. No problems were found in my bladder. They then taught me to
self-cath (the wrong way I might add). I now hardly catheterise at all,
thanks to Reflexology. From there, I was just left, still not knowing what
was happening to me.

For all this time, I was having what I thought were panic attacks. Feeling
sick alot, lump in my throat, heavy headed, palpatations etc.. I still have
these feelings now.

At the end of July 1997, My legs began to cause problems. My balance suddenly
went and I started walking strangely. My legs then became very weak and I had
to have crutches. My legs are now fairly numb, although some days are better
than others. I was taught self Then I began to lose weight. I went from 7
and a half stone, to 6 stone 12lbs very quickly. My appetite suffered also.
Does anyone else's rib cage stick out on one side and look squashed on the
other...? Mine does.

I had to see my doctor several times before he would refer me to a
neurologist. (He didn't believe that there were any problems of that sort.)
I had an MRI and Visual Evoked Potential tests along with all the normal
sensation etc. tests. All that was found was a slightly delayed response to
my right eye. I refused the spinal tap. From the zero results that my neuro
had, he decided that I had Primary Progressive MS. (This was in October last
year.) I got a second opinion in December, and he just said inflammation of
the spine. Once again, I was left with no info, no medication, no treatment,
no physio, and no medical support.

In February this year, I went on the internet. Then I started my own
research. I discovered so many articles about TM, and I couldn't believe what
I was reading. It was like reading my own medical history.!!! I copied some
info, took it to my doctor and he agreed, that I've more than likely got TM.
I think this is the nearest I'll get to a diagnosis.

I still don't know why I still feel sick alot, or why all this happened, but
I'm coming to terms with it now and trying to get on with my life. I can
still walk around the house, so it's not too bad. Mum had been a great help
too.
Sorry this has been such a long message, but I just had to get it out of my
system.

Just one question...Does anyone else feel sick alot, with a lump in the
throat?
Any advice or info would be gratefully received .!!
Thanks for reading, hope you all feel well.

Daze
Norfolk, England