The way forward - advice please....

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hi everyone,

I have been signed off of work as unfit since the beginning of September and have no idea what is wrong with me or when I may be able to return to work. It’s so frustrating.

An MRI of my head in September was normal. To date, acid reflux, diplopia, overactive bladder syndrome, constipation and ‘poor gait’ are confirmed / acknowledged by the medics (I am receiving physio).

I am taking Omeprazole, Amitriptyline and Tramadol and continue to experience issues with mobility due to pain which affects my back and right leg / foot. I also have intention tremour in my hands, shuddering legs, twitching muscles, suffer from sudden nausea / dizziness, fatigue, cognitive issues and other wierd and wonderful sensations / numbness of hands. The most distressing symptom for me is the feeling that something is crawling around under my skin although I have now become used to it.

It was originally thought that most of my symptoms could be put down to Anxiety. I have since been assessed and discharged as ‘normal without need for treatment’ following psychiatric assessment. Blood and urine tests keep coming back ‘normal’.

I am due to see my neurologist (second visit) at the end of the month and am at a loss as to know how to play things? I admittedly have been suffering a degree of anxiety secondary to onset of symptoms but am now certain that there is something more organic wrong with me due to a long history of problems dating back to 1995. I fear that I will be dismissed as a hypochondriac (I am far from this, as until recently, I am one of those men who rarely visits their GP).

Any advice will be much appreciated. Should I be asking for any specific tests? Does my profile / history suggest that further testing is necessary and clinically warranted?

Thanks

2

I can’t say for sure whether or not your symptoms warrant further investigation, but it certainly sounds like it. The problem is where to go from here. If I were you, I would certainly want to have a full spinal MRI. However, your case for this will be largely determined by the results of your clinical examination. If it was normal, then the neuro will probably not think the budget is warranted. If it wasn’t normal, then he/she might go for it.

Another critical area of information is your family history. Is there a history of strange symptoms, diagnoses or just habits (e.g. eating salt) in your family? If there is, and the neuro doesn’t know what’s wrong with you, then you need to be heading off to see a genetics specialist.

Other options are things like autonomic disorders, neuromuscular disorders, metabolic disorders,… I suggest that you want to be discussing these with the neuro, if he/she decides that it definitely isn’t a neurological disorder that you have.

Good luck.

Karen x