Theresa - thank you so much for your words. I am glad I'm not the only one with the need to know. I have always been that way, just like you said, tell me what the problem is, I'll learn about it and deal with it. Not to say that it would be easy, but at least I'd know what I needed to deal with. I will see about visiting a doctor myself. You are the 2nd person to suggest it. I guess I figured they wouldn't talk to me since I'm not the patient.
Carol - she is the most amazing woman, isn't she. I hope to be like her when I grow up :lol:
Okay, let me give a brief synopsis of what's up here.....June 2003 he started having tremors. He is a welder and began talking to his mom (a nurse) about the symptoms and possibilities. In January, he broached the subject with me (yes, I noticed things but he denied anything was going on). They felt at that time it may be manganese poisoning due to the poorly exhausted building he was working in. Manganese poisoning leads to Parkinson like syndrome. In Feb. we finally got to a general neurolgist who ordered some tests for him (blood, EEG, MRI and urine and nuero-psychological test). Everything came back normal. The 2nd time we saw him he offered him some anxiety medication and said to come back in 6 weeks. He did not take the medication due to having just completed a CDL course and not wanting to jeopardize his license. Also, it can be very addicting with nasty side affects which we didn't need since we didn't think that was the problem.
6 weeks later we returned and told the doctor the symptoms had worsened. He seemed surprised and agreed (with a raised eyebrow) to refer him to a movement disorder specialist. That guy did a quick office check and stated he was fine and suggested he see a Psychologist. Well, he had numerous stressors going on (including a lost job) so it seemed plausible stress could be a factor, and even if not it probably wouldn't hurt anything.
He started seeing the pschologist in June 2004 and has been seeing him since. He also got a good job that pays decent and he likes. Most of the stressors have been taken care of. Yet, his symptoms have not gone away, I'm not sure if they have gotten worse or not because he doesn't talk much about it. yesterday he dropped a bottle and said under his breath "I keep dropping things lately". Then, he doesn't want to talk about it, end of discussion. When it has come up briefly in the last few weeks, he shrugs his shoulders and says something to the effect of "whatever happens will happen."
I guess I can understand how he feels because the first doctor was fairly patrinizing and seemed to be saying it was all in his head. Young people don't really have these disorders so it must be stress. Let's medicate you and you'll be fine. However, I would be one to keep looking until I found someone that took me seriously. The thing is, I see these symptoms and know they are real at some level.
One thing I have been reading about is deficiencies in magnesium, vitamin B and vitamin E. All those sound like they have similar symptoms and I'd like for him to have those levels checked out. I'd like to have the EMG and any other tests that might tell something so at least if it was "all in our heads" then we'd know. For several months I was able to tell myself it was nothing......I just don't feel convinced of that. I wish he wanted to know too.
Well, so much for my "brief" story. That pretty much covers it up to now.
-me-