Posted by Carole on June 26, 1999, at 6:09:47
In reply to Re: ADD and insomnia , posted by Kate on June 14, 1999, at 17:44:43
Kate, I am jumping in here but first I want to say I am NOT a doctor and don't have children. However I am disabled from illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, in my case this includes symptoms very like your son's. A Sleep Study showed alpha intrusion (alpha-delta sleep pattern) and besides the exhaustion, multiple awakenings, I also have a schedule turned around (delayed sleep phase). Jumping muscles can be part of this as well.
In addition like your son, I am very dizzy when standing, particularly still; most doctors do not look for this, called orthostatic intolerance caused by different factors, in my case orthostatic hypotension. I am not diagnosing him but many young people his age do experience this disorder. At Johns Hopkins there has been a lot of research on neurally mediated hypotension in teenagers and they have related a subgroup of people with chronic fatigue syndrome that has this as just one of their symptoms. When I stand, particularly still, or even many times when I sit up, I become very dizzy, lose balance, can't focus well, am nauseated, have fever and other symptoms. It can be intolerable to just stand, going to the grocery, etc. have become a nightmare. With young people, if they don't sit down, they often faint. The tilt table test is the one done at Johns Hopkins and other places but a good physician can check for hypotension by taking his blood pressure lying down for several minutes, then having him sit up, take it again, then stand for several minutes, taking it right along. This may not be the exact method but you get the idea, it may give the physician a clue in what is going on.
Again, I am only trying to help, not to diagnose anyone. I am not suggesting he has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, just that hypotension or another form of orthostatic intolerance might be worth checking out. Just mentioning it might be a clue for a thinking, interesting and bright physician. Sometimes drugs cause hypotension as well just as does illness. I hope I am being clear as cognitive dysfunction and fatigue and pain, difficulty reading are all part of CFS. I wish better health for your son. Carole
poster:Carole
thread:1091
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990601/msgs/7872.html