Your case is totally different from mine. Other than having increased burning, I have remained the same since onset 8/13/95. It is just a complete waste of my insurance and the co-pay for me. Obviously, if I should experience changes, I would go to the neurologist.
________________________________ From: Roger & Terese Pratt <r.c.pr...@frontier.com> To: tmic-list <tmic-list@eskimo.com> Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2013 1:48 PM Subject: [TMIC] Seeing a Neurologist I strongly suggest that it is beneficial to being under the care of a KNOWLEDGABLE neurologist even if you only see them once of twice a year. To give a reason for my suggestion, I include some of my personal history. Seizure disorder, complex partial first appeared on 10/2/92 diagnosed by Dr. Sconzert on 10/20/92 On 10/2/92 I passed out in a barber’s chair while getting my hair cut. I was transported to the hospital by ambulance and was later referred to a neurologist, Dr. Sconzert, by my primary care physician. He diagnosed me as having a seizure disorder and started me on a regiment of anti-seizure medication. I began at that time to have mild seizures quite frequently. These seizures were major muscle spasms, but without passing out. I went through about several medications until one was found that I wasn't allergic to and that would control my seizures (Felbatol, Tegretol, Dilantin, Depakote, Trileptal. All caused rash). In May of 1994 I had to go to the hospital emergency room three times in close succession for very severe seizures (whole body muscle spasms) that just wouldn’t quit. When I finally was able to get in to see Dr. Sconzert, my wife, Terese, indicated that she didn’t think that he was taking good care of me and he asked her to leave his office. He finally agreed that an MRI might be useful in determining what was going on with me. He later apologized to Terese when my diagnosis was changed to transverse myelitis. Transverse myelitis, C2-C3-C4 A lesion was detected on my spine at C2-C3-C4 by MRI on 6/10/94 (Dr. Sconzert). He referred me to Dr. Sen, a neurosurgeon, as he thought this might be cancer. A follow-up MRI was done on 6/13/94 and a lumbar puncture 6/16/94 (Dr. Sconzert). When my left arm became paralyzed and I became unable to get out of bed and walk, I was transferred to Harborview Medical Center 6/20/94 where Dr. Winn diagnosis me with having MS or TM. I underwent three days of steroid IV therapy and was sent home to Dr. Sconzert where he gave a final diagnosis of transverse myelitis. Multiple MRIs were done after that for several years. My symptoms include: · Nerve pain, most pronounced on entire right side and left arm and hand, with decreased sensation of hot and cold on right side · Decreased motility in hands · Fatigue · Occasional muscle spasms, cramping · Erectile dysfunction, decreased bladder sensation, constipation · Major affective disorder, depression, recurrent I have tried multiple medications for pain. Most didn’t work to well. They include: Neurontin, Ultram, Zonegran, Lamictal, Keppra, , Lortab (Hydrocodone, caused severe anger when tried a second time, did not help pain). Darvecet-n was the only pain medication that seemed to work but it was taken off the market as it seemed to cause increased tendencies toward suicide in young men. I now take Lyrica (which helps somewhat), Cymbalta (and anti-depressant that is supposed to help with nerve pain, and Zanaflex, a muscle relaxant. Dr. Sconzert left the Tri-Cities after I had seen him for about 2 years or so. Now began my search for a new neurologist. After going and talking to many of the neurologists in the Tri-Cities, most who had never even heard of transverse myelitis, I found Dr. Zhang, a Chinese lady who specialized in MS. Mononeuritis multiplex(2010) by Dr. Chapin In mid-February 2010 while on vacation in Mexico , my right foot started hurting. “More fun and after-effects from my Transverse Myelitis,” I thought, and I resolved to see my neurologist when we got home. I had recently stopped a medication she had put me on for nerve pain that had horrible side effects and also had what seemed to be a spider bite on my right leg. “Something minor,” I thought. By the time I got to the doctor, my right foot started to swell. She had an ultrasound done of the blood vessels in my legs to check for blood clots, and then my left foot and ankle started to swell. Then my right hand went numb and I lost use of two of my fingers. As pain and swelling increased, I went through five MRIs of my spine and brain, a spinal tap, other miscellaneous tests, and handfuls of pills (mainly pain pills that just made me sicker). After much delay, my doctor sent me to an MS specialist in Seattle , who confirmed that my doctor was, as she had said before sending me “clueless”, and that she (the doctor in Seattle ) didn’t know what it was either. By this time I started having muscle loss in my right hand and was generally losing weight all over. Finally on the 7th of June I was sent to Dr Chapin in Walla Walla who specializes in peripheral nerve disorders. He did a nerve conductivity test and diagnosed me as having a rare autoimmune disorder called Mononeuritis Multiplex that attacks peripheral blood vessels and nerves. I had steroid IVs once a week for quite a while and started taking a drug called Imuran (Azathioprine) which suppresses the autoimmune system that should stop the progression of the disorder.
