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What Causes Walking Difficulty, Stammering, Brain Fog, Weakness, Pulsating Headaches, Disorientation And Vertigo?

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Posted on Fri, 17 Mar 2017
Question: Hi name is XXXX I am writing because I am at a loss and really grasping at all straws. First let me start off by saying that I am a PA-C which I reluctantly tell providers because I don't want them to look at me as over analyzing things, malingering crazy ect, because i'm not... I am 32 years old and well over the past few years I have developed progressively worsening on/off neurological symptoms including trouble walking at times stumbling over my feet, scuffing my left foot on the ground when walking, weakness through out my body arms, back, legs, trouble talking stuttering and stammering at times almost like a staccato speech, brain fog, severe migraines worse than my previous since childhood in which i get numbness/tingling of my face, disorientation, vertigo, and like absence seizures. I also have periods of muscle spasms ans twitching and numbness and tinging almost always my left side but some times my right once in awhile. I have difficulty sometimes swallowing which I have had strictures before so I just attributed it to that but that is a symptom i have so i will tell you. There are days I am fine and then there are days like today. I am sick with a cold and I literately can not move because my back and legs are in such horrible spasms that when I try to move I can't. My feet are tingling as well and head is pounding. I have had MRI's of brain and cervical nothing but a small lipoma can be found and they don't feel that is causing the problem. I have had Auto-immune work up and it's negative, but yet things don't get better just worse. When I am sick, really stressed, tired, or in extreme heat/cold, extreme activity I have attacks... As I said earlier I have had migraines since i was like 4 years old is the youngest I can remember and so my neuro says that I have MUMS. I am on Zonigran which does help with the headaches and the TIA/Seizure attacks but I still have the other issues. I HAVE NEGLECTED to say that in 2014 I almost died from a severe case of adenovirus 14 in which I developed bilateral pneumonia and sepsis. It took me months to recoup and then one day I woke up and tried to walk and about fell. That was the start of all this minus the headaches they just got worse. In addition to the above symptoms I get ringing in my ears and pulsetile tinnitus. I fumble sometimes with my hands and sometimes I can't remember what I was going to do seconds after I started doing it. My legs get like jello and sometimes it is all I can do to keep going when walking distances.. I realize my MRI and Rheum panel is negative but there has to be something to explain my symptoms and exam findings. On exam I have a little bit of a pronator drift, I can not do rapid alternating movements and can not walk heel to toe or walk on my toes or heels.. my left always comes down.... I know that I have said a lot here and maybe it is confusing and maybe there is no answer but I am at a loss and just want someone to be able help me.. I know I have read where some people have had normal MRIs but still had MS is this possible this is what everyone, my supervising physician thinks it could be too.. I'm just tired of feeling this way and I don't by that it is just MUMS. please advise... also I have had negative Lyme too
doctor
Answered by Dr. Divya Agarwal (31 hours later)
Brief Answer:
somatoform disorder

Detailed Answer:
hi,
as I understand you have had symptoms for a fairly long duration and the MRIs and blood workup have been more or less negative.
If this was MS then something would be bound to show up on the MRI.
there are conditions like somatoform disorders which can present with cognitive dysfunction and multiple somatic complaints.
I feel that your symptoms could be representing this.
sometimes this condition is also associated with lot of fatigue and chronic pains also.
management of this condition involves graded exercises, cognitive behavioural therapy and sometimes medication like duloxetine and pregabalin.
I think you should see a rheumatologist who can help you further with the management.
regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
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Answered by
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Dr. Divya Agarwal

Rheumatologist

Practicing since :1999

Answered : 659 Questions

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What Causes Walking Difficulty, Stammering, Brain Fog, Weakness, Pulsating Headaches, Disorientation And Vertigo?

Brief Answer: somatoform disorder Detailed Answer: hi, as I understand you have had symptoms for a fairly long duration and the MRIs and blood workup have been more or less negative. If this was MS then something would be bound to show up on the MRI. there are conditions like somatoform disorders which can present with cognitive dysfunction and multiple somatic complaints. I feel that your symptoms could be representing this. sometimes this condition is also associated with lot of fatigue and chronic pains also. management of this condition involves graded exercises, cognitive behavioural therapy and sometimes medication like duloxetine and pregabalin. I think you should see a rheumatologist who can help you further with the management. regards