Need Info, new to this!
MTripimcca (MTripimcca(AT)aol.com)
Sat, 16 May 1998 02:00:22 EDT
Hello Al,
First I would like to thank Pat so very much for responding to me personally.
Pat you offered me an awful lot. I felt quite relieved to know that the
symptoms I am experiencing are somewhat similar to yours. For a while I
thought it was all in my head. Not to mention the fact that I was scared.
Although I am still somewhat scared, I do know that it feels good to know I am
not alone and that I can share and learn with you all. I have so many
questions and have been doing a lot of research now that I can type again. I
first starting getting "symptoms" last summer. Numbness in my legs and arms
and face. Then after about 2 months, I had pain under my right arm. I also
had a toothache, and thought it was swollen lymph nodes. So I didn't pay it
much mind. Then the pain progressively got worse and lasted all the time. By
January, I decided to see my GP, because my neuro kept telling me it was the
meds and either switched meds or lowered dosages. You see, I also have
epilepsy, so he could see no further than that. The GP originally thought it
was a tumor under my arm, and when those results proved negative, he thought
it was lymph nodes also. He put me on some antibiotic and some other med,
like an anti-inflammatory, and I developed this rash on my arms, that were
like chicken pox. My skin burned from the inside out. Went to the ER and
they thought it was an allergic reaction to one of the meds. Gave me steroids
thru an IV and sent me home. 2 days later, I contacted the worst "flu" I had
ever had. At least that is what the GP thought. The whole time my neuro was
informed by me of all these symptoms, but yet did not see past the epilepsy.
Went back to GP and he performed some neuro tests on me and kept me in his
office for 2 hours. Boy did I know there was something wrong. Sent me to the
Dent clinic here and failed the same neuro tests as well. An MRI showed no
lesions, yet he labeled it TM and had to have a spinal. Still waiting for
results, will take 5-6 weeks they say because they sent them to the Mayo
Clinic. He thinks it is MS. Today, I am in pain but I can walk again with a
stable gait, and that makes me very happy. Hoping that my arms and hands will
catch up to were they used to be. The Neuro said it was between 5&6, whatever
that means. I have a herniated disk there. He told me it is not on a nerve,
nor is it hitting my cord. Hence, he does not believe that is the cause. I
have had back probs all my life. Slight curvature of my spine, fractured
coccyx, and the disk prob. I am looking to learn what could have caused this,
as well as what tests I should be getting. I want all test done, from GP, GYN
and Neuro. Is there other tests I should know about? My knew neuro tells me
he has been practicing for over 20 years, and says he can count on one hand
how many cases he has seen of TM. So of course I am leary and also want the
best treatment available. Is the a clinic that specifically treats TM? Are
there things I can do homeopathically? And I would like more info on the
magnets I am reading about. Are they surgically implanted? Am currently
taking amitryptilyne for about 3 weeks now, but does not seem to help with the
pain, unless of course it would be worse without it. Did a stint with
steroids, but again did not work? Could it because I only had to take it for
6 days? And the three biggest thing on my mind are, will I eventually be
paralyzed, does it affect my life span, and is it hereditary? Well, that is
all I can bombard you all with for now. Thanks so much for taking the time to
read this and I know a positive mental attitude will greatly help us all.
God Bless,
Maria