Worried - Neuro says brainstem problem - Need MRI, and have pacemaker

[Guest guest]

I just want to post my history here as far back as I can remember to

see if anything rings a bell with you about what is happening to me.

Age 37

Average build

Present medication = Tegretol

started it 2 weeks ago - 1 week 100 mg a day, now 100 mg twice a day.

Prilosec - as needed

Recent tests:

ANA, ENA, folate, B12, ammonia, lactate, gliadin antibodies

results normal, serum lactate is to be retested.

Seeing new neurologist, he has stopped me from driving due to minor

seizures. He thinks I may have 2 things wrong, a problem with my

brain stem and a metabolic disorder. He is currently discussing with

my cardiologist and MRI specialist about how they can do an MRI in

view of me having a pacemaker. I may have to have the pacemaker

removed.

EEG normal - September 2001

Chest xray normal - April 2001

brain CT-scan normal - April 2001

April 2001 - First " seizure " ocurred while I was sitting working at

my computer. I got a head explosion pressure feeling, it is like a

balloon had been quickly inflated in a spilt second in my head then

popped releasing the pressure but with no pain and no noise. I then

felt dazed and floaty for about 5 mins, was able to call to my

parents. I passed out for a few seconds, my father found me fallen

forward at my desk. When I woke up from it I was very sleepy and

couldn't stand up by myself. Mum and dad helped me to bed and I

slept for half an hour. I tried to walk afterwards and couldn't walk

straight, legs felt weak and wouldn't do what I wanted them to do. My

speech was also slow and I found it hard to get the right words to

say. This lasted for 3 hours or so, I slowly got better and by the

next afternoon I was more or less back to normal.

I was taken to hospital during this episode and had a CT-scan which

was normal, showed no TIA or growth etc. I had normal chest xray,

they did blood tests which were normal. The next day I was told they

could find nothing wrong with me so I was sent home.

The day after this I was sitting talking to friends. My speech

started to get muddled, slow and slurred. I kept getting jolts in my

body like the jolts you get when you are about to fall asleep, and at

the same time got the bright white flash of light like a camera flash

in my face, these jumpflashes last only a split second and I can see

only the white light, nothing else, then I was very sleepy. A friend

took me over to hospital, I was seen by a progression of medical

people then after 7 hours saw a neurologist, by this time I was back

to normal. I was told that there was nothing wrong with me.

Later that week my doctor phoned and asked me to go and see him. He

told me that they thought I had been traumatised and wanted my to

have a psych evaluation. He wanted to know if I had been raped or

abused as a child. I was astounded at this and declined the

evaluation.

I had 2 more of the blackouts between April and June with the same

pattern of symptoms, but didn't bother going to hospital since they

didn't believe me.

In June the symptoms changed a bit to include vertigo and other

problems listed in my previous email. The problems were very

frequent. I went to a different doctor and he referred me to a new

neurologist who is finally taking all of this seriously.

5/6 Body jerk and flash of light a few times like camera flash at

same time (Jumpflash). vertigo for a few mins later in evening.

6/6 A few jumpflashes in morning. Bowel incontinence later in day.

7/6 More jumpflashes in morning. Vertigo, uncoordinated muddled

feeling lasted 90 mins, more jumpflashes in evening.

8/6 leg jumping in morning, vertigo, felt week in afternoon

9/6 many jumpflashes in morning. Sharp stab pain in leg followed by

leg jerking. Urinary incontinence more stab pains and leg jumping,

then tingling and burnt feeling. Vertigo, muddled, left hand jumping.

10/6 jumpflashes morning and afternoon

11/6 jumpflashes morning, urinary incontinence in afternoon, missing

objects with right hand.

13/6 terrible pain left hip, leg jumping 15 mins, pain from hip to

foot, leg jumps again 10 mins, many shock pains down legs, leg

jumping again. Leg tingling, cold wet feeling down leg. More

jumpflashes. stabbing pain and burning all evening.

14/6 jumpflashes morning, stabbing pain right foot, foot jumping,

lots more jumpflashes, stabbing pains in legs all night.

15/6 bowel incontinence. jumpflashes, cramps in legs very painful,

legs tingling. Shock pain in right hand like jolts of electricity.

Crawly electric feeling down body when bent over.

Shivery, temperature up 38.1 C terrible pain in legs from waist down,

very painful to move. jumpflashes, joints hurt, stab pains in spine,

neck hurts.

16/6 temp down 37.8 C. bad headache, neck and eyes hurt, noise

hurts. Jumpflashes all day, hurts to move head. feel sick, eyes

hurt to move.

17/6 vomitting all evening, jumpflashes, dizzy, left side of face

numb, muddled, hard to think, sleepy , memory problems, kniflike pain

top of head.

18/6 urinary incontinence, jumpflashes

19/6 jumpflashes in morning

22/6 jumpflashes

24/6 jumpflashes, stabbing pain right hip and leg tingling, vertigo

in evening

25/6 still vertigo, jumpflashes, pain left leg and tingling, leg

jumping around in evening, stabbing pains left leg all night.

26/6 electric shock pains all day in left leg, some jumpflashes

27/6 stabbing pains all night in left leg and groin. knife pain in

bladder. Jumpflashes

....................

7/9 head explosion thing, no pain, then vertigo, legs weak and gave

way, unable to walk 2 hours, unable to think, head muddled and

zombielike till afternoon 12/9 after another turn, felt like pressure

in head all day, then felt as if floor going up and down.

Head clear again, memory okay again.

14/9head explosion, vertigo 90 mins, dazed, unable to dial phone

number, all muddled.

16/9 Back and neck spasm, very painful, unable to turn head

17/9 Back numb at top, around shoulders and down spine. knifelike

shocks down spine. lower back painful

22/9 Back spasm easing off

24/9 head explosion , vertigo , unable to spell words

25/9 spasm in neck, unable to turn neck to left, very painful.

Tingling down left of back, numb feeling behind shoulder blade.

Jumpflash in shower, leg gave way. Getting painful stabbing shocks

down right leg

26/9 stabbing pain in leg on and off all night. Urinary incontinence

and urgency today. Seizure thing...head explosion, vertigo, legs

gave way, fell on face. Muddled for a few mins, Face on left and

left arm numb

27/9 urinary urgency and incontinence. Jumpflashes in morning, neck

is easing up, able to turn head a bit more

28/9 jumpflashes. shock pain in spine, numb back, stabbing pain in

leg , urinary urgency

29/9 jumpflashes

30/9 head explosion, muddled, tired, no vertigo, very woozy.

2/10 pains in left leg, leg gave way, tripped over. Jumpflashes,

urinary incontinence

3/10 stabbing pain left thigh. Leg jumping again, urinary urgency.

4/10 lots of jumpflashes in morning. lunchtime very sleepy and woozy,

incoordinated, muddled couldn't walk straight, ground going up and

down. Speach slow, eyes jumping. Had 4 head explosions today, lots

of jumpflashes, numb left leg, arm, back, face , tongue.

5/10 still vertigo and numbness, saw doctor in morning. Evening

stabbing pains in right leg, prickly crawly feeling, then burnt

feeling, leg then felt cold on and off through night. Leg jumping.

Whole of back from neck to bottom felt numb.

6/10 still same, more jumpflashes. Got what felt like electric shock

in right arm when vaccuming, though it was from vacuum cleaner but it

happened again. Evening got head explosion, lower back stabbing pain

then tingling. Right leg fallen asleep, hard to walk, not getting

better when moving around. Got worse, went to doctor, very difficult

to move right leg. Doc took temp 37.8C, right side weak. was sent

to hospital, leg and vertigo slowly improved.

Started on Tegretol 100 mg at night

8/10 tingling and numbness in right leg still, burnt feeling, left of

back still numb. Some jumpflashes, lasted longer than usual about 3

seconds was unable to see or move just saw white. Stabbing pain in

neck and shocks down spine on and off. Right leg gave way and

tripped over, knee painful

9/10 jumpflashes when washing hair. Back still numb, pins and

needles from waist down right leg. Head not so fuzzy. bad pain and

shocks down back. Stabbing knife pain through top of head.

10/10 woke in night stabbing pain iver stomach, muscles were

twitching. Vertigo again in morning, neck pain gone, back still

numb. afternoon jumpflashes, head explosion , vertigo, muddly.

Pressure feeling in head, pain behind eyes

11/10 Jumpflash, vertigo easing off , head explosion , slow speech,

tired. Okay after 1 hour. Neck ache all day, bottom of spine

hurts. evening, head clear again

12/10 felt very hot, perspiring a lot during night, saw stars when

stood up. Muscles twitching everywhere. jumpflashes, leg jump.

Head explosion , more jumpflashes then muddled 30 mins.

couldn't get right leg to work when stepping onto bus, got it going

eventually. Stabbing pains left leg, leg jumping.

13/10 stabbing pain right arm, left leg jumping in night

14/10 no jumpflashes in morning, lunchtime left of face, top of head,

forehead and tongue numb, speech slow and slurred. left eye droopy,

nurse said had squint, left eye not moving, had double vision, lasted

3 hours, muddled

haven't written up the last few days, have continued to have

jumpflashes and muscle twitches, numbness not so bad at the moment,

still a few problems with memory but getting better.

Hissing noise constant in ears, not very loud, like TV when not tuned

in and get the fuzzy noise. Worse at night.

19/10 everything went black for a split second then when sight back

everything had jumped up a few centimeters. Happened a few times

throughout the day. Leg jumps.

Still hissing noise. shock in right arm.

20/10 presyncope 3 times while gardening, almost passed out. More

vision blacked out things. legs and back ache. Hissing noise at night.

Other medical things this year:

- severe pain on right side, Given buscopan, helped pain.

Haemorrhiods injected.

gastroscope showed post bulbar duodenitis.

barium swallow showed severe reflux

HIDA scan normal

colonoscope normal

Pains settled down, no longer a problem. Was thought to have had

biliary colic due to passing of biliary sludge, acalculus

cholecystitis or sphincter body dysfunction, plus disturbed gut

motility

pH study showed severe reflux

oesophageal manometry showed baseline sphincter pressure 14 mmHg. LOS

relaxes to below gastric baseline with swallows. No evidence of

achalasia. There is poor retention of tone within the sphincter.

Motility analysis of oesophagus - normal motility, very occasional

hypotensive contractions with minor incoordination

have been told I need fundoplication to make new sphincter.

Had bladder stretch and urethral stretch to see if it would help

urinary incontinence, hasn't helped, though makes passing urine

easier.

Cystoscope shows scarring in bladder, urologist thinks possible

interstitial cycstitis. Wants to do further cystoscope if more

problems occur.

Hysteroscope and D & C because having periods lasting 10 days and only

5 days between, very anaemic.

Ultrasound showed thickening of uterus. Biopsy showed hyperplasia.

No problems with periods afterwards, no more pain with them, now

regular.

3/3/2001 aneamic - given ferrogradumet 2 months

29/1/2001 spider bite reaction, red welt 15 cm, IV antibiotics

27/11/2000 Neurologist consultation

Thankyou for referring this lady back. As you say, she continues

with a multitude of unexplained neurological symptoms, which include

parasthesias in her right leg, visual symptoms, unsteadiness,

weakness, clumsiness and shifting pains. She had a particularly

severe bout of pain in the right shoulder and back which precipitated

hospital admission. She has also had reassessment for chest pain by

the cardiologist and underwent coronary angiogram which was normal.

Examination: I did not do a general medical examination. Flexion of

her neck produces parasthesias, but these are atypical for proper

Lhermitte's sign, in the sense that the parasthesias radiate down the

central spine.

Inpression: Strustural diseas of the nervous system would appear

unlikely. Although I cannot explain her neurological symptoms, I am

reasonably sure she does not have multiple sclerosis or any other

intracranial disease. As noted previously, it would be most unusual

for someone with frequent neurological symptoms for multiple

sclerosis, particularly if they have been present for some years, to

have a normal MRI scan. This was the case in 1994. In addition, we

have normal evoked potentials and the lack of any abnormalities in

the CSF, particularly oligoclonal bands. Furthermore. she has never

had objective abnormalities on neurological examination. Because of

this, I really doubt whether further neurological assessment would be

much help unless she has the pacemaker taken out some time in the

future, Then we can repeat her MRI scan, but I expect that it will

remain normal.

13/11/2000 Neurological problems returned

numbness from waist to tops of thighs

22/5/2000 upper chest pain, central, severe crushing with pain in

neck, jaw and left arm. ECG normal, treadmill test normal, coronary

arteriography normal, left ventricular systolic function normal.

Thought that problem was due to oesophageal spasm.

10/5/2000 Hospitalised for Upper central chest pain - Gastroscope -

mild accute gastritis, marked mucin depletion of surface of pit

epithelial cells with some reactive nuclear changes. Query

Prinzmetal's angina/ oesophageal spasm.

Given nitrolingual to use as necessary - relieves pain.

18/4/2000 neurolgist consultation - second opinion

examination - general appearance normal. Cognitive function and

speech were normal.

visual accuity N4.5 both eyes. Colour vision, visual fields, pupils

and fundi were normal. There was no ptosis. Pursuit and saccadic

eye movements were normal. Blunting of sensation in left lower lip

and chin but there was no sensory abnormality. The rest of the

cranial nerve examination was normal.

There was no drift in the outstretched arms. No abnormal movements

in the limbs. No muscle wasting or fasciculation. Tone was normal.

On testing power she tended to give way on testing shoulder abduction

in the right arm. There was a slight intention tremor when she

performed the finger-nose-finger test on the right side. Rapid

alternating movements were brisk and tendon jerks were symmetrical.

Tone was normal in both legs. There wa sgive way type weakness in

the right leg. Heel-knee-shin test was normal and rapid alternating

movements were performed briskly. The tendon reflexes were normal in

both legs and plantar reflexes were flexor. She walked with a limp.

Her gait was unusual when she attempted to walk on the back of her

heals. When she stood with her feet together and closed her eyes,

she flexed her trunk towards the left, but she was able to maintain

her balance.

On sensory testing, she failed to appreciate some light touch stimuli

applied to the fingers of the right hand and the right foot. She

reported some blunting in pin prick and temperature in the right arm

and leg, but she was able to detect these stimuli. Joint position

and vibration sensation were normal.

Opinion: I am unable to find any evidence to support a diagnosis of

multiple scerosis, or any other structural intracranial disease.

There are no objective abnormalities on the neurological examination

and the course of her illness would not be consistent with multiple

sclerosis. I have discussed these issues with the patient. i have

explained that I do not believe that she has multiple scelrosis or

any serious neurological disease. I am unable to provide an

explanation for her symptoms. However I am optimistic that the

symptoms may eventually improve.

March 2000- Bilateral removal of conchae bullosa

Middle meatal antrostomy, lowered right aggar nasi cell, left frontal

nasal duct exposed, etmoidal bullae opened on each side.

Had been getting severe pain and pressure behind my eyes and in

nose. Nasal cavity had been blocked by this, sinuses showed very

little inflammation, but drainage holes were very small so were made

bigger. No more problems with this now.

12/1/2000 neurologist consultation

Your patient came back for reassessment and has further neurological

symptoms. These incluse: weakness of her right leg, a tremor of the

right hand and some sensory symptoms. Tendency to give away when

testing strength in the right leg. I am not convinced that there are

any unequivocal neurological findings. Her cardiologist refused to

consider removing the pacemaker, so a repeat MRI scan is out of the

question.

Sufficient time has now passed the multiple sclerosis appears

relatively unlikely despite the very suggestive history, furthermore

her prior MRI was normal. It is reasonable to reassure her that

serious disease is unlikely to explain her neurological symptoms.

6/1/2000 severe pain right foot when walking

dx possible plantar faciitis

had physiotherapy

Celbrex

6/1/2000 vertigo

temperature 37.7C

Rulide

30/8/99 Ferritin 23 ug/L ( normal 20-160)

Bilirubin 1 (normal 1-18)

alk phos 95 (normal 25/100)

GGT 12 (normal 0-50)

ALT 16 (normal 0-40)

AST 15 (normal 0-45)

latex test < 20 Units (normal 0-19)

quantitative RF < 15 IU/mL (normal (0-30)

ANA negative = 0

free T4 13.1 (normal 10-23)

TSH 2.4 (normal 0.2 - 5)

25/6/99 INR = 1 (normal range 0.8 - 1.2)

APTT = 44 ( normal range 25 - 40 s)

fibrinogen 3.6 (normal range 1.5 - 4.0 g/L)

hopitalised for spasmodic torticollis

Severe pain in neck and back, unable to move

chest tightness when breathing in and out

some pins and needles

given laughing gas to move me to ambulance

given morphine injections in hospital

C/spine xray normal

given soft collar

NSAID

valium

orphenidrine

self-physio and heat packs

17/5/99 light headed, numb down Left side, difficulty talking

temperature 37.4 C

11/3/99 Letter from neurologist

Your patient's evoked potentials and spinal fluid examination were

normal, There were no oligoclonal bans. Thus there is no laboratory

abnormality pointing to a disease of the central nervous system. As

noted previously her history suggests multiple sclerosis, but the

prior normal MRI scan and the lack of unequivocally objective

abnormalities on examination make that diagnosis difficult to

substantiate. I am at a loss of what else to suggest diagnostically,

short of removing the pacemaker and doing another MRI scan. It would

seem that this would be difficult to justify.

25/1/99 sodium 136 mmol/L

potassium 3.9 mmol/L

25/1/99 Lumbar puncture

opening pressure 25.2 cm water

CSF clear and colourless

white cell count 1

red cell count < 1

protein 0.25

glucose 3.1

no oligoclonal banding

Evoked potential normal

20/1/99 Neurologist consultation examination of nervous system normal

except for slight intention tremor on the right

History strongly suggests demyelinating disease due to

heat sensitive and excercise sensitive neurological symptoms,

evidence of spinal cord dysfunction (neurogenic bladder), visual

symptoms, and multiple other findings which indicate dissemination of

lesions in the central nervous system. I am puzzled however by the

fact that she had a normal MRI scan in 1994 at a time when she had

active neurological symptoms. In most patients with demyelinating

diseases, the scan tends to be proportionally more abnormal than one

would expect who have had symptoms for years will have abnormalities,

often of gross nature, on MRI scanning. Furthermore , after so many

years of neurological symptoams she has only very minimal

abnormalilties on objective testing of the nervous system. Despite

these reservations I can think of no other very good explanation for

her symptoms, although one is aware of other disorders which can

mimic demyelinating diseases.

As we cannot push on with MRI scanning as long as the pacemaker is in

place you may wish to consider a trial of steroid treatment if she

were to have any serious neurological symptoms. At this stage

however, I would recommend withholding treatment of this sort until

one can be more confident of the diagnosis

7/12/98 non-fasting lipids

total cholesterol 6.6 (ideal <5)

HDL 1.0 (ideal >1.0)

LDL 4.3 (ideal <3)

Triglyceride 2.7 (ideal <2.0)

Total/HDL ratio 6.4 (ideal <4.5)

24/9/98 Latex test < 20 units (normal 0-19)

Quantitative RF <12 IU/mL (normal 0-30)

ANA negative = 0

24/8/98 Ferritin 39 ug/L (normal 20-160)

27/6/98 bladder pain

urine tests - blood pigment - large amounts detected

white cells 25/cmm

culture count 100 million per litre,

mixed bacterial species

mixed growths are not usually regarded

as significant

20/03/98 Gastroscopy - Grade I-II erosive oesophagitis

- Gastric antrum biopsy of 2 pieces

of grey tissue normal

12/2/98 ambulatory urodynamics - showed detrusor instability - was

given ditropan 5 mg tds

residual urine after voiding = 100 mL

Peritron reading max 41, average 25, held for 10 seconds

Urethral dysinergia was detected with a bladder contraction

corresponding to cessation of voiding.

Stress urinary incontinence was not demonstrated. Pad test 6 mL loss.

Urethral outflow problem.

23/1/98 Laparoscopy, D & C, Cystoscope - dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia.

Extensive adhesions from right large bowel to anterior and lateral

pubic walls. Thick cord of adhesion divided and secured to base of

adhesion close to bowel serosa for heamostasis, remaining adhesions

divided. Cystoscope normal. No endometriosis

Jan 98

Serum Prolactin 412 mU/L (normal range 40-300)

RBC count 4.23 10^12/L (normal count 4.5 - 6.50)

Sodium 138 mmol/L

potassium 4.7 mmol/L

creatine 0.077 mmol/L

Urate 0.32 mmol/L

14/9/97 Ceclor for chest infection 5/7 after flu, green sputum,

painful inspiration, chest pain - clubbing of fingernails, JVP

decreased dx Muscular chest pain

7/8/97 Ferritin 75 ug/L (normal 20-160)

22/1/97 RBC count 4.36 10^12 L (normal 4.5 - 6.5)

13/9/95 admitted to hospital 2 days for post lumbar puncture headache

blood patch done

11/9/95 hospitalised for severe headache, feeling hot and cold,

vommited several times, pain worsened by moving head, severe

bifrontal headache associated with photophobia, neck stiff

strength decreased to 4/5 right arm

bilaterally upgoing plantars

CT-scan normal

no accute haemorrhage, no masses or midline shift, normal parenchyma

and ve....

Lumbar puncture opening pressure 21 cm water

clear CSF

WC < 1 x 10^6

RC < 1 x 10^6

protein 0.27

glucose 3.1

diagnosis = severe migraine

1995 severe muscle spasm in right shoulder and neck - unable to work

3 months, xray showed restricted movement of neck due to spasm.

Right arm extremely painful. Physiotherapy aggravated the problem

12/5/95 left wrist strain - physiotherapy

18/8/94 admitted to hospital for chest pain radiating to neck and arm

treadmil test normal.

2/4/94 Opthalmologist - RE visual accuity 6/9 unaided improving to

6/5 with a pinhole

anterior segment normal with a clear lense

IOP14. The fundus and disk were completely normal. colour vision

completely correct.

LVA = 6/9 unaided but not improved by pinhole. The anterior segment

was normal with a clear lense.

IOP 16. The fudus and optic disk were normal. Colour vision 100%

correct.

Cranial nerve examination (II-XII) were completely normal.

26/1/94 hospitalised for viral illness, vomiting, watery black bowel

motions, pharyngitis

photophobia, myalgia, dehydrated. given IV fluids, analgesia,

antiemetic

14/10/93 lower back spasm - physiotherapy

7/8/93 neurocardiogenic syncope - sinus pauses - positive tilt-table

test. Doppler carotid normal, CT-head normal, EEG 1 burst

epileptogenic activity with 1 Hz strobe

was given atenolol

TFT including BH normal, ESK 8

4/9/93 hospitalised 2 days for syncope

2/8/93 hospitalised 2 days for syncope

3/6/93 hospitalised 2 days for neurogenic syncope

December 1991 Cystoscopy, normal female introitus

one or two areas of mild patchy redness

consistent with mild chronic cystitis

Blood in urine

Age 27 Both legs gave way under me, staggered backwards into wall,

ended on floor. Felt stunned went to local accident and emergency,

was told I looked grey in the face, EEG showed abnormal p-wave, was

referred to cardiologist. Heart echocardiogram was normal.

Later on I started having blackouts. I felt nauseous and dizzy, then

everything went grey and I blacked out. Beta blocker dosage was

adjusted with no improvement. Started passing out 3 times a week.

Was told I had neurocardiogenic syncope.

Was put into coronary care for 2 weeks when I couldn't sit up in bed

without my blood pressure going below 60/40. Had abnormal Babinski

signs in both feet. A neurologist came to see me, he did eye test

and the red object looked grey. He didn't know what was wrong and

said it was probably just a migraine, but I didn't have a headache. I

was put on Epilim, but I felt even worse, so I decided to stop the

bromocriptime, epilim and beta blockers. The blackouts returned to

the same amount of 2-3 times a week, but I was at least able to

function. I put up with it for 2 more years, then saw my cardiologist

because the fainting was affecting my performance at work. I was

finally given a cardiac pacemaker implant. Dual chamber on-demand

pacing, this stopped the fainting problem. I still get vertigo and

lose my balance some times/

Saw cardiologist, did treadmill test, had to stop after 40 seconds as

heart rate was 210 beat per min, was put on some beta blockers.

Clumsiness started, having problems dropping things, if I didn't

concentrate hard enough, things would fall out of my hand. Bumped

into walls and cupboards. Flatmates thought I was really clumsy.

Eye tests were mormal.

Urinary incontinence started, lost whole bladder contents about 5

times a week, lasted for 3 months. My doctor said it was probably

stress or depression and wanted to prescribe antidepressants. During

this time I started having problems with cystitis, was referred to

urologist, was told I had chronic cystitis and was put on Hyprex.

Age 26 - left leg wouldn't do what I wanted it to, incoordinated,

like walking through water, leg dragging and tripping going uphill.

Then got severe pain in calf muscles of both legs. Physio for 2

months, was told muscles were too tight like a skiing type injury.

16/1/90 - Car accident, bumped head on steering wheel, mild

concussion, bruised knee and bruised ribs from saftey belt. car did

a 360 degree turn then a nose-to-tail cartwheel, I ended with feet

pointing to sky and head down. The force of the accident took the

seat of its tracks and seat ended flat with safety belt holding me

and the seat in place.

11/7/89 Acute surgical admission - localised RIF pain from central

region

febrile, tachycardic. Appendix removed but was normal, nodes

enlarged in area.

Age 25 On holiday in Italy, heat made me extremely tired and dizzy,

woke up to go to bathroom, couldn't get up, had to roll off bed and

drag myself along floor, couldn't stand up. If get hot now after

doing work in garden get exhausted, slurred speech, loss of balance,

hard to walk straight.

Age 24 - numbness in right hand and forearm saw orthopedic surgeon,

said not carpel tunnel nor neurological, said right arm muscles are

weak. Problem also happened in left arm, then both arms got tingling

feeling, tight and numb feeling. Little finger and one next to it on

right hand would go dead and unable to move. Then severe pain in both

arms. Was unable to use hands for 6 months, unable to open tube of

toothpaste, had to have food cut up for me etc. appalling pain at

night, shooting up into elbows and neck. Had braces for my arms, but

that made pain worse. Had to give up work was told I had repetetive

strain injury.

Age mid 20's - started lactating, never been pregnant, got mastitis.

Was finally referred to an endocrinologist in 1994, prolactin levels

were 1500 ( normal 0 - 300) was told I had microprolactinoma, started

on Bromocriptine in 1994.

Age 20 - after using sunbed for 5 minutes was nauseous and very

dizzy, staggering all over the place.

Age 17 - electric shocks twice while on phone in lightening storm,

unable to breath or let go of phone. Tacchycardic afterwards, went

into shock the next day.

Age 17 - Accident in gymnastics doing diagonal backward roll over

right shoulder couldn't move due to pain in back. Unable to continue

sports.

Age 16-7 after sports had difficulty walking straight, legs weak and

wobbly, took me all my effort to get to next class

Age 15 - Toxoplasmosis and Glandular fever, very high white cell

count, ill for 3/4 year, I remember sight going white.

Age 13 accident doing headvault in gymnastics, landed on head. Got

home, felt sleepy and head spinning, bad headache. Fell asleep on

stairs, taken to hospital, was told I was having a migraine.

from age 7 onwards, found it hard to keep up with friends in

playground, unable to run distance on sports day.

Age 7 - febrile illness temperature 102 -103 F, bad headache and bad

shifting joint pains, constipation, hospitalised 6 weeks

TB test normal, chest xrays normal, Brucellosis test

normal, no diagnosis, though they had suspected Brucellosis from

drinking untreated milk from local farm

Phew, finished, sorry for it being so long, at least I have things

sorted in order now, kind of, I have never managed to piece it all

together before.

Thanks for your patience

Skiwi