First-- Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read and respond to this post. I have also read all of the sticky posts. I do not believe that my symptoms are consistent with anxiety (although apparently from the reaction of most of my doctors that is highly debatable).
My symptoms started about two years ago in Feb. 2010 (it seems like such a long time ago) with an odd headache. This lasted for about four months and my GP sent me to a neurologist for this who performed an MRI of head and cervical spine. This came back normal except it did mention that my cervical spine was abnormally straight and attributed this to cervical paraspinal muscle spasms. Neurologist said that this was not neurological in nature and sent me on my way with little explanation as to why my neck was in spasm for nearly four months. Around this time, I began to notice fairly widespread, very random muscle twitching (one in face, then rib cage, then right leg etc.) I was also starting to notice that my core muscles seems weaker then normal (I had always been an avid athlete and things working out was becoming increasingly difficult) Already on high alert, I went back to the neurologist, who ordered an EMG of left leg/arm. This came back normal as did all bloodwork. He said all of this was being caused by anxiety--
I was not convinced so I requested a referral to a neuromuscular specialist who is a director of MDA clinic in our area. He said he could not detect any clinical weakness and there were no UMN signs (he never really credited the muscles spasms I was having, telling me that they were just to random to mean anything). He sent me on my way with no follow-up.
Since that time, summer of 2010, I have been to many doctors. I had a second EMG performed on right leg/right arm (normal), and a third EMG performed one year later again on left leg/left arm (normal). I have been to four neurologists (3 of whom were neuromuscular specialists). I have also been to an ENT (because I have been having problems with my voice), who could find nothing wrong. In addition, I have been to a pulmonologist because of mild difficulty breathing (my pulmonary function tests came back normal-- most of them, in fact, 130% of normal). I have even been to a psychiatrist and continue to see him. Unlike all of my doctors, he is not entirely convinced that I am making all of this up.
Unfortunately, my symptoms seem to get worse and worse and I seem to be in a situation where I am not taken seriously from the moment I walk into the doctor's office (needless to say, I wish I had never led with twitching).
Because the most noticeable weakness to me is in my core muscles and upper back, my primary question is whether anyone knows how a neurologist would check for weakness in these muscles? Checking these muscles does not seem to be standard in a regular neuro exam, nor in a standard EMG. While I have consistently stated during exams that these are my weakest muscles, I have yet to convince any doctor that they are, in fact, weak. My belief that they are weak stems from my difficulty standing for long periods of time and holding my back up straight when sitting at my desk at work etc.
Again, thank you and sorry for the very long post. My prayers are with this entire community.
My symptoms started about two years ago in Feb. 2010 (it seems like such a long time ago) with an odd headache. This lasted for about four months and my GP sent me to a neurologist for this who performed an MRI of head and cervical spine. This came back normal except it did mention that my cervical spine was abnormally straight and attributed this to cervical paraspinal muscle spasms. Neurologist said that this was not neurological in nature and sent me on my way with little explanation as to why my neck was in spasm for nearly four months. Around this time, I began to notice fairly widespread, very random muscle twitching (one in face, then rib cage, then right leg etc.) I was also starting to notice that my core muscles seems weaker then normal (I had always been an avid athlete and things working out was becoming increasingly difficult) Already on high alert, I went back to the neurologist, who ordered an EMG of left leg/arm. This came back normal as did all bloodwork. He said all of this was being caused by anxiety--
I was not convinced so I requested a referral to a neuromuscular specialist who is a director of MDA clinic in our area. He said he could not detect any clinical weakness and there were no UMN signs (he never really credited the muscles spasms I was having, telling me that they were just to random to mean anything). He sent me on my way with no follow-up.
Since that time, summer of 2010, I have been to many doctors. I had a second EMG performed on right leg/right arm (normal), and a third EMG performed one year later again on left leg/left arm (normal). I have been to four neurologists (3 of whom were neuromuscular specialists). I have also been to an ENT (because I have been having problems with my voice), who could find nothing wrong. In addition, I have been to a pulmonologist because of mild difficulty breathing (my pulmonary function tests came back normal-- most of them, in fact, 130% of normal). I have even been to a psychiatrist and continue to see him. Unlike all of my doctors, he is not entirely convinced that I am making all of this up.
Unfortunately, my symptoms seem to get worse and worse and I seem to be in a situation where I am not taken seriously from the moment I walk into the doctor's office (needless to say, I wish I had never led with twitching).
Because the most noticeable weakness to me is in my core muscles and upper back, my primary question is whether anyone knows how a neurologist would check for weakness in these muscles? Checking these muscles does not seem to be standard in a regular neuro exam, nor in a standard EMG. While I have consistently stated during exams that these are my weakest muscles, I have yet to convince any doctor that they are, in fact, weak. My belief that they are weak stems from my difficulty standing for long periods of time and holding my back up straight when sitting at my desk at work etc.
Again, thank you and sorry for the very long post. My prayers are with this entire community.