Help Please.

[KYHOT]

I was diagnosed at 24 with essential tremors, anxiety, and depression. I went through several different medications that made me very sick. My weight dropped below a 100. I finally found Primidone and have been on it ever since. Over the several years I have been having a lot of problems. I have been sick A LOT, just the common cold, flu, virus, bronchitis, etc. I have also lost my sense of smell. But the last three months have been the worse. I get this shock like feeling that doesn’t hurt but confuses me when it stops. They are not like full seizures but I guess kind of like a blonde moment where you don’t remember what you were talking about or doing. I lose focus very easily after one. Sometimes it throws me off balance. They are rarely visible to anyone else but happen a dozen or more times a day. I am currently not only on the Primidone, but also Xanax and Buspirone for the anxiety and depression. I constantly have a headache, the more of these episodes I have, the more my head hurts. I literally take 4 ibuprofen several times a day and it barely touches it. I don’t have troubles falling asleep, but I never sleep all night through. I wake up 1-5 times a night. I have no energy. I also have no short or long term memory. I can't even remember life events or what I did last week or what I wore yesterday.

I am a single mom with full custody so sleep deprived is normal for me. I work in management so stress has always been a part of my life. I was a mom at 17 and by 25 I had 2 kids, divorced, and my MBA while working full time, so I can handle stress.

I am bad about my caffeine intake, Mt. Dew is my water. I do tend to take energy shots when I need to stay awake. I know these things cause my tremors to be worse, but I have to be a mom and pay the bills.

I have been to doctors and had EEG’s and they are always normal. I go in three weeks to have my first 24 hour video EEG. He is testing for possible myoclonus vs epileptic myoclonus vs generalized epileptic jerks.

I even see a licensed psychologist whom is also a neuropsychologist. I am having a full Psychological and neuropsychological evaluation done next week.

I feel like I am fighting a never ending battle. Am I missing something? Am I not asking the right questions? Am I not seeing the right doctors? Any help or advice?

 

[arnie]

I don't know if all this relates to a seizure disorder, but you definitely seem to have some substance abuse issues, or very close to it. Xanax is, as you know, an anti-anxiety med and can put you to sleep, and tons of caffeine will do the opposite. Reducing caffeine intake seems to be a good place to start, and then maybe with that, and some good talk therapy, you could lower the dosages of your other meds and let your body take a rest from all those chemicals. Not to be overly blunt about it, but you won't be able to pay bills or take care of kids if you're in the hospital or in the ground. I hope your docs are good and can help you with ways to get off some of those highly addictive and mood-altering substances, and not just try to add more to compensate.

I really do wish you all the best. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate, but the human body can only take so much chemical intake before it starts to rebel, and it sounds like yours might be at that point. Have you already addressed diet and exercise options with knowledgeable professionals? Do you eat well and get some regular exercise? Do you have any sort of social support systems to help with your kids and help keep you on a healthy regimen? Do you smoke or drink alcohol? Addressing all of those issues and making changes in those areas, as needed, will certainly help, regardless of what neurological issues may be uncovered by the various tests.

Again, best of luck to you. These changes will not be easy, but keep in touch with people who can help and support you!

Cheers! You can do it!

 

[Nakamova]

I think the upcoming evaluations should help. I know messing with meds is hard, but you may also want to ask for a review of your medications. Primidone can drowsiness, listlessness, loss of appetite, headache, depression, and dizziness, and can cause osteoporosis and related bone problems. Xanax is best used on a short-term basis.

And if at all possible, you should try and get off the high-caffeine soda roller coaster. In addition to jerking your energy levels around, these sodas will drain magnesium from your system. (Magnesium is crucial for brain health; adding a magnesium supplement can often help with muscle jerks and twitches.) And with Mountain Dew in particular the yellow dye #5 (tartrazine) can cause anxiety, migraines, depression, blurred vision, itching, general weakness, hot flashes, feelings of suffocation, sleep disturbances and colds. So don't do the Dew!

 

[qtowngirl]

:agree: with nak and arnie. too many chemicals.