I’m curious if anyone has similar symptoms?

Posted by mathqueen @mathqueen, Mar 16 9:36pm

I wrote to this group long ago, but now my symptoms have worsened. I’m a 62 year old teacher who was very healthy and active 1 1/2 years ago. I slowly developed the symptoms that have now completely disabled me.
These symptoms started as sharp pains in my stomach that made it hard to eat, and electric stabbing in my neck that made it hard to think. My symptoms progressed slowly and steadily. Now I have nerve pain almost everywhere. I cannot drive, cook, think clearly, or look after myself. I can walk a little but I can’t stand up for more than a few seconds. There is only one medicine that relieves my symptoms and that is the benzodiazepine Ativan. This drug used to relieve my symptoms entirely for a day. Now it gives me only a few hours of some releif: I can think more clearly and walk a few blocks during the hours after I take it.
My symptoms continue to worsen. I’m in constant nerve pain.
I’ve been to countless doctors, (western and eastern) had three MRIs and just about every other test, and nobody can find anything wrong with me. I’m wondering if this strange and terrible experience matches anything out there! Please let me know!

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Profile picture for taylor05 @taylor05

Prayers to you all!! I had back surgeries because of spinal cord being saved in on and the pain was extremely bad and I got so I couldn't walk. It helped a lot!!I have chronic pain in many areas on my body and also many autoimmune diseases plus Fibromyalgia for more than 30 plus years.. several mild ischemic strokes as I have Connective Tissue Disease too. Life is a struggle for sure!!

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@taylor05
Caved not saved.... sorry.

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Profile picture for taylor05 @taylor05

@nycmusic
Yes and was told they would never help me having my whole body just about in pain. Crazy. I tried it anyway. Nothing!!
Thank you

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@taylor05 keep trying.good luck !

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Thank you, I have so many autoimmune diseases with no cure I doubt anything would be a help.. I keep doing all I can from what Dr's suggest though.

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Profile picture for susiesmith @susiesmith

I also have nerve pain over my body. It started 2 years ago. I've had many tests from a Neurologist, and many more things, but no answers.
I had lumbar decompression surgery last November which left me worse than before. Now they are saying I need that 2 day 12 hour lumbar spine surgery. I am desperate and have tried everything else. I'm also tole the surgery would only correct my lower body if at all. When I asked the surgeon about the nerve pain in my upper body (tongue, chest, stomach, hands, etc.) he just shrugged his shoulders. I'm glad to see a thread about total body nerve pain. I take hydrocodone several times a day that just takes the edge off.
I'm in bed a lot and my quality of life is low. Any help?

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@susiesmith I wish I could help you. I had back surgery on L4 & L5 2 years ago and it has made my life miserable and now have sensor motor polyneuropathy with all the "fun" stuff that comes with that. Best of luck.

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Profile picture for susiesmith @susiesmith

I also have nerve pain over my body. It started 2 years ago. I've had many tests from a Neurologist, and many more things, but no answers.
I had lumbar decompression surgery last November which left me worse than before. Now they are saying I need that 2 day 12 hour lumbar spine surgery. I am desperate and have tried everything else. I'm also tole the surgery would only correct my lower body if at all. When I asked the surgeon about the nerve pain in my upper body (tongue, chest, stomach, hands, etc.) he just shrugged his shoulders. I'm glad to see a thread about total body nerve pain. I take hydrocodone several times a day that just takes the edge off.
I'm in bed a lot and my quality of life is low. Any help?

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@susiesmith
Be very careful about having extensive spine surgery. The recovery is horrific and can make things even worse. I had T10 to S1 fused 2 years ago and I’ve still not recovered well enough to stand or walk more than 5 minutes.
Have you seen a neurologist for your symptoms? Neurosurgeons just want to cut.
Also, Physical Therapy over the long term can help. Be sure to be faithful about exercising between sessions.

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Profile picture for calofmichigan @calofmichigan

@susiesmith
Be very careful about having extensive spine surgery. The recovery is horrific and can make things even worse. I had T10 to S1 fused 2 years ago and I’ve still not recovered well enough to stand or walk more than 5 minutes.
Have you seen a neurologist for your symptoms? Neurosurgeons just want to cut.
Also, Physical Therapy over the long term can help. Be sure to be faithful about exercising between sessions.

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@calofmichigan I has spine surgery 6 months ago, nerves now a complete mess...injury after injury...cant recover either . Predominantly couch bound. Drs are poor at warning of risks sadly...

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Profile picture for bealillie @bealillie

I don't know, but it sounds very similar to what I've been experiencing and I'm now 69 and was OK until about two years ago when I had started having some tendinitis in my ankle, but I now also have developed swelling in my ankles and pain all over the my body nerve pain and muscle pain and bone pain so much that kind of had to give up most of my daily activities. I was also had numerous injuries that keep happening to me, stumbles and trips, and that hurt me. I was also very fit and active. in the the recent week. I almost can't walk anymore and pain in my heels. My feet are hurting me so much and would be strange to suddenly have full plantar fasciitis on both feet. I do not like my shoes but still does not seem to account for burning and pain and eligibility to actually tolerate much of any position. I've also had only minimal finding that would explain any of this. I have some arthritis and I have some tendinitis related things and I have about their process but no doctors really been able to explain why I have this chronic pain and for me a lot of things make me dizzy a lot of medication that is recommended. I also get dizziness at times.
I'm also kind of looking for other others to see how they managed with these kind of strange conditions. I pray for both of us.

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@bealillie - Try Kuru shoes. I have bone spurs in both my feet. I love Kuru shoes and I wear Birkenstock shoe too. Get some gel type heel inserts and I have some and it really helps to put them in my shoes. Have you seen a foot Dr. about it? Try a acupressure massage, that has helped me in the past. Try doing physical therapy, that has helped me. Try a Chiropractor, that might help the situation, as something may be off. There's also red light therapy, which might relieve some pain. I have some dizziness as well. I have CVID and also an autimmune disorder, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Physical Therapy can help with the balance issues/dizziness. Have you had an ENT Dr. look at your ears for the balance issues? You may have vertigo or Meineire's disease. Hope this helps you.

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Profile picture for animallover25 @animallover25

@bealillie - Try Kuru shoes. I have bone spurs in both my feet. I love Kuru shoes and I wear Birkenstock shoe too. Get some gel type heel inserts and I have some and it really helps to put them in my shoes. Have you seen a foot Dr. about it? Try a acupressure massage, that has helped me in the past. Try doing physical therapy, that has helped me. Try a Chiropractor, that might help the situation, as something may be off. There's also red light therapy, which might relieve some pain. I have some dizziness as well. I have CVID and also an autimmune disorder, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Physical Therapy can help with the balance issues/dizziness. Have you had an ENT Dr. look at your ears for the balance issues? You may have vertigo or Meineire's disease. Hope this helps you.

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@animallover25 thanks yeah I have had some cool issues in the past. I have many many foot problems so I had tendinitis of chronic tendinitis and high arch feet and a super eight so this heal pain is actually something new but I have been walking around in only one pair of shoes for a while so and the orthotic is not great maybe part of the reason yes I wish I’d go to a chiropractor, but I have chronic pain in general all over my lower body and it did all start with my feet so I have various physical therapists and I go to an osteopath. I go to a mind-body psychologist and yet it just continues so the heel pain is just the newest. I will look into getting some heel pads. I’m unfortunately unable to get things easily because I’m in Switzerland on for the moment
On the dizziness aspect as I’ve had ENT it’s it’s he said it was vestibular migraine. I just think it’s PPPD which is not great but I just try not to let it get to me so much. I take magnesium vitamin B just down generally don’t have a great vestibular system.
But thank you for all your suggestions

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Profile picture for anniesezu812 @anniesezu812

@calofmichigan I has spine surgery 6 months ago, nerves now a complete mess...injury after injury...cant recover either . Predominantly couch bound. Drs are poor at warning of risks sadly...

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@anniesezu812
Yes, I’m 19 months post major spine surgery with two surgeries for SCI implant and removal in between. I’m just now starting to feel a little better: more mobile, less pain. Give yourself more time, say a year or two. I’m so sorry. I know it’s frustrating, but have hope and don’t give up yet. I don’t know how old you are ( I’m nearly 74) but with age, things take a lot longer to heal. I send you my prayers for a better life soon and acceptance of your new normal, whenever that occurs. You’re not there yet.

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Profile picture for calofmichigan @calofmichigan

@anniesezu812
Yes, I’m 19 months post major spine surgery with two surgeries for SCI implant and removal in between. I’m just now starting to feel a little better: more mobile, less pain. Give yourself more time, say a year or two. I’m so sorry. I know it’s frustrating, but have hope and don’t give up yet. I don’t know how old you are ( I’m nearly 74) but with age, things take a lot longer to heal. I send you my prayers for a better life soon and acceptance of your new normal, whenever that occurs. You’re not there yet.

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@calofmichigan im 68 yrs, 5 years ago I was very active, really hard worker in the yard/ house....but yes I guess in the grand scheme of things 6 months isnt long. My nerves were in bad state prior to surgery so I guess as you say 1-2 years is more appropriate as we age. Unfortunately at these advanced years one is a in a hurry to heal. I had a spinal cord stimulator implanted/ explanted, it also caused severe nerve irritation, so double whammy. Im finding since the surgeries, im suddenly experiencing multiple bulging/ herniated discs in areas where the hardware was. This seems to coincidentally to me. Herniated discs dont sound much but are excruciating. Hopefully after this last one heals i'll be more on a path to recovery. Thank you for sharing a " sensible" recovery period!!!

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