Being sent to Neurologist

[Vigilante]

So it has finally come to this......

October 2012 was the start of symptoms, headaches and so on, No medication has any effect on me whatsoever, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Codeine, Amitriptyline, Diazepam.

I have unexplained abnormal blood test results, High serum vitamin b12 and high IgA (Immunoglobin A)

All or most things that cause these have been ruled out, Myeloma, Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloproliferative Disorders, had Sinus CT scan, apart from Deviated Septum all clear.

All other blood work is clear, red cells/white cells/all cells, LDH, Liver, Kidneys, Bone, CRP, Jak2, Thyroid you name the test I have probably had it!

Sat here with constant Dizziness/head pressure feeling, flushed red cheeks and chest and strange headache heavy head.

Worried sick Ill end up being told "BRAIN TUMOR" although my doctor this morning said "do you want to see a neurologist?" and "If you had a Tumor for 17/18 months you would not be sat here"

At a complete loss and scared rigid!

[TooMuchToLiveFor]

So sorry you're having a rough time!
Has your doctor attributed any of this to anxiety? Is your doctor concerned about the blood results?

[HoneyLove]

Hi Vigilante,

I've asked you this question a couple of times but you never answer! Do you happen to grind your teeth or clench your jaw? What's your sleep like?

From reading your posts your symptoms sound very similar to mine, and I was just diagnosed yesterday by a neurologist as having chronic migraine - but I don't have the usual migraine headaches, I have weird daily symptoms that vary and flare all the time, including balance problems. They're still sending me for an MRI, but I don't expect that it will show anything.

For me it seems to be triggered by jaw clenching at night, and bad sleep amongst other things.

Going to see the neurologist is a good thing, it's not scary at all and it certainly doesn't mean that you must have a tumour. Your doctor is right, it's not a brain tumour or you'd have steadily been declining in health and have different types of symptoms.

If you're like me then stress will make your symptoms a lot worse, so stress and anxiety management is an important part of your treatment plan :)

[Vigilante]

Sorry I never intended to ignore your question, I'm unsure if I'm honest as how to answer it or how to find that out, My sleep pattern has never been what I can call good for a number of years, I generally wake up a lot during the nite and constantly change positions.

The only thing Mouth wise I notice in the mornings is that I have an extreme dry mouth and lips with cracked peeling off skin on my bottom lip and my top lip in the middle always has this little split.

I don't go to a dentist very often they make me very nervous for some reason, the last time was in Jan 2013 and I did have an xray which showed I have 4 wisdom teeth that are impacted with no room to come through, the dentists opinion on that was to get all 4 removed surgically, although I have not followed through with that. At the time she felt my TMJ joint but didnt seem to think there was a problem with that.

[emlica]

Hang on, hang on. You're not really being 'sent to a neurologist' - that makes it sound like your GP thinks you need to see one. I would read what your GP said as 'would it make you feel better if we sent you to a neurologist to rule out whatever you're panicking about?'. I really wouldn't interpret it as meaning that he thinks the neurologist is going to find something - the way he asked you if you'd like to see a neurologist makes me think that the GP doesn't think there's anything to worry about but he knows you're worried!

[Vigilante]

So sorry you're having a rough time!
Has your doctor attributed any of this to anxiety? Is your doctor concerned about the blood results?

Well initially they thought the high b12 was diet related but when shown evidence that I had "googled" they repeat tested to find it had actually increased further still, so they consulted a blood specialist under the guidance and answer system.

The doctor was told to a series of blood tests which were pretty specific to blood cancer disorders they were all normal range bar Immunoglobin A one of the antibodies so I was sent to see the Blood specialist/ Haematologist just before Christmas. All testing they did returned normal so I was discharged back to my GP, although she did admit that the B12 level cannot be obtained through supplementing B12 as it should be used or secreted so that remains a mystery.

---------- Post added at 13:58 ---------- Previous post was at 13:53 ----------


Hang on, hang on. You're not really being 'sent to a neurologist' - that makes it sound like your GP thinks you need to see one. I would read what your GP said as 'would it make you feel better if we sent you to a neurologist to rule out whatever you're panicking about?'. I really wouldn't interpret it as meaning that he thinks the neurologist is going to find something - the way he asked you if you'd like to see a neurologist makes me think that the GP doesn't think there's anything to worry about but he knows you're worried!

This is true!

He basically said it in the words of either "leave it" or "do you want to see a neurologist" because in his opinion if it was what I fear I would be either dead or not sat there in front of him after 18 months of having one.

He came across more as in maybe a Neurologist can get to the bottom of it for you and find a medication that will help, not sure if hes thinking some kind of headache syndrome? But what I do seem to have is what might be called symptom switching, Over the past 18 months I could have headache for 2-3 weeks then all of a sudden I might have a sore burning sold of my foot and I will concentrate on that only to realize that the headache had actually disappeared for say another 2-3 weeks while I worried over this new problem.

[Althea]

No, he's thinking the answers he gave you clearly didn't satisfy you, and the next logical place to go would be a neurologist.

Did you talk to him about your anxiety at all?

[Vigilante]

No, he's thinking the answers he gave you clearly didn't satisfy you, and the next logical place to go would be a neurologist.

Did you talk to him about your anxiety at all?

Not at this visit but I have a history of anxiety and health anxiety, basically diagnosed myself with everything from nvCJD to Bladder Cancer in the last 12 years. although in those occasions they were episodic like I would blow up for months on end then be fine for a year or so, Generally like feeling a symptom or sensation first then think worst case scenario and become obsessed with that.

This Doctor is fairly new to me since my previous one I had known since I was a kid has retired, Although I have seen him multiple times over the past year.

A thing that seemed to confuse him is that he gave me Diazepam 5 mg x 3 per day just 2 days ago to try, but I have felt less then nothing off them, no relaxation, no buzz, no ease of symptoms, just like I had took a sugar pill instead. I even tried 10 mg and still nothing.

He kinda made a joke to me saying its a good job I don't take Heroin else I would need a shitload.

Pain killers are the same, I can take them for anything from a bad back/headache/pulled muscle/twisted ankle and they have 0 effect.

[Althea]

Well, if he's prescribing you diazepam he's at least aware of your anxiety. Can you ask for a referral to CBT and maybe try the online CBT course in the meantime?

[Havefaithx]

Hi hun,

Glad u r going to see a neurologist not because I think u have a tumour at all, but to put ur mind at rest, I was in your position a few
Months back and terrified but turned out I had trigeminal neurolgia, not dangerous just very painful, keep strong and stay positive Hun.