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Unexplained Pain For Over a Year..help!!

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stacylady

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Unexplained Pain For Over a Year..help!!
Posted: 04-22-07 19:35pm

It started out hurting right above my left shoulder blade. Then along with the pain my left pinkie finger, ring finger, and palm went numb and they have been for a year. Now I am having shooting stabbing pains in my neck, back of my head, ears, temples, on top of my head and in my jaw. I have been to doctor after doctor from Neurologists to pain management doctors to chiropractors and nobody can find whats going on or give me any real relief from the pain. I can only take the pain meds that give me a small amount of relief at night because I work 40 hours a week and then on the weekends I don't take them because when I do I fall asleep and I don't want to sleep my life away. So I am basically living in pain almost constantly and it's getting worse. I went to the E.R. a couple of nights ago because the pain in my ears and temples got to be unbearable. The first thing they did was check for an ear infection and the doctor said my ears look perfectly healthy and there was no infection. He also did a throat culture for strep as my glands are swollen and my throat looked raw but that can back negative too. I also have terrible restless leg syndrome that started around the same time the other symptoms showed up. Has anyone ever heard of anyone else having this array of symptoms? I would be truly greatful if anyone out there could think of something that my doctors might have missed. I am so sick of this horrible pain. And by the way, I did get an injection of Demerol at the hospital and although it took the edge off the pain for a few hours, it didn't take it completely away. Thanks in advance for any help anyone might have...Stacy
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mc4ever02

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Posted: 04-23-07 19:35pm

What did the neurologists have to say? Did they run any tests?

It sounds as though your condition is neurological.

Keep us posted on your progress!
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stacylady

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Finally Getting Answers
Posted: 07-20-07 19:18pm

Well it is now July and I have finally started to get some help but my symptoms had to get much worse for someone to really pay attention. I have progressed form the shoulder/ear/temple pain and restless legs to restless everything. Seriously, it moved form my calves to my entire leg in both legs, my hips and my arms. It also progressed from just restlessness to muscle spasms, twitching, cramps and my newest symptoms: the feeling that someone is hammering bolts into the bottom of my feet, not being able to put my head forward towards my chest and every time I eat anything at all it feels like my stomach muscle is going to explode. I went for a sleep study Tuesday night and had to leave around 1am because the pain was so excruiatiog. I went to the doctor Thursday and he told me he is really worried about me and that he would find me relief immediately and ordered a bunch of tests. I am waiting on test results. He also prescribed me Darvocet, Prednizone and Soma with asprin and Codeine in it. I expressed concern about all the narcotics but he reassured me that it would be temporary and that he just wanted me to get some relief form the symptoms so I could get some sleep. (I was averaging 2-3 hours a night for quite some time and my job and family were suffering over it). In the diagnosis on the blood work sheet he wrote Polymyalgia. I had a friend who is a nurse look it up for me and all it means POLY=all or every and MYALGIA=muscles. So that is where I am at today. Anyone else with a simular story I would really love to hear form them or just if you have knowledge about these symptoms because I am getting quite worried and really need a bit of reassurance. I am a wife and mother to 4 children and 3 step-children that we are also raising full time, I work a full time job and of course enjoy a lot of hobbies outside of everything else and I am worried about what kind of changes I am going to have to make in order to cope with this thing that I have. Any encouraging words would be greatly appreciated....Thanks and God bless...Stacy
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sillyakchick

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Posted: 07-25-07 09:28am

You have been through so much! I am glad that your physicians are finally taking notice and doing something about your condition. I would hate to specualte as to the cause, but a few thinggs jump to mind such as MS, Rheumatoid arthritis, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, or Parkinson's. I hope you find out what the problem is! Please keep us posted as to what you find out!
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stacylady

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Posted: 07-25-07 09:41am

Well, the blood tests are in and they showed nothing. Now my doctor is sending me to a rheumatologist. I have gotten a little relief and sleep but hope an answer is found soon. My boss gave me the week off to just take the meds and rest. Just getting a little more sleep is bringing improvement. Will keep you posted...thanks..Stacy
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AshNine

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Posted: 01-26-08 18:45pm

have you had a neck or upper spine mri yet?
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Galaxy

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Posted: 01-26-08 19:19pm

I have the neck, shoulder, arm, palm and last two fingers situation too - I have been in extreme pain for several months with this and after a steroid injection into the shoulder I now feel a little relief. However, I have had Physiotherapy, blood tests, x-rays, MRI and am now awaiting a nerve conduction test. I was informed by an orthopoedic specialist that I have cervical spondylitis but he did not think this was directly causing the shoulder problem. He thinks it is definitely neurological and that it will probably require an operation to release the trapped nerve. However, nothing can be done till I see the neurologist.

I sympathise with you and the despair you feel. I imiagine that you, like me, become sensitive to the looks that pass between friends when they hear that you are not well again and you get to the point where you don't want to talk about it any more. But this forum can help as you will find many sympathetic people here.

One thing occured to me - you seem to have a huge remit. Can you delegate some of your load to others? That, combined with the fact that you are seriously sleep deprived and exhausted, could certainly contribute to some of the muscular pain you have been experiencing. Take the meds every night - take the codeine early enough not to impact on your working day. Ask your doctor about Amitriptylene too, as that , in small doses taken at night, will relax your muscles, solve the restless leg syndrome and encourage restful sleep.
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