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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by iforgotmypassword on August 29, 2008, at 11:37:54
again this will be another mess of a post:
i need to know relevant blood tests for what seems to be dopaminergic or even neurodegenerative issues:
all i can think of is: iron, folate, ferritin, b12, red blood cell count?
again i am just a mess, my symptoms don't even end here:
i suffer from severe amotivation, executive block, loss of natural feeling and drive, cognition and fluency warping, cannot work or take care of myself without regular intervention from my father, hoarding, social phobia and general public phobia, extrapyramidal symptoms ranging from stiff and filled with cement to akathitic and both at the same time, loss of co-ordination and accumulating minor injuries particularly on hands despite doing so little, off and on periodic facial movements that sometimes cluster in attacks, pacing, wierd aggrevating electrical field sensations in my skin focusing on arms and face not just legs, pain due to stiffness especially upper back, and the stiffness and facial tension can make me look absolutely ridiculous going outside, i keep posting my symptoms hoping they are a red flag to someone...
Posted by Phillipa on August 29, 2008, at 12:20:55
In reply to valuable blood tests for psych/neuro isues, posted by iforgotmypassword on August 29, 2008, at 11:37:54
Ahhh sweetie I know. Have you had mri's of head? Also lymes titers the Western Blot and a full thyroid panel. And An ANA titer and sed rate? Those are the only other ones I can think off. I'm so sorry you feel so horrible. Love Phillipa
Posted by ricker on August 29, 2008, at 12:53:17
In reply to valuable blood tests for psych/neuro isues, posted by iforgotmypassword on August 29, 2008, at 11:37:54
Sorry to hear of your struggles. I think lots of people have felt the despair you've described...not to belittle your sufferings.
I think a person could spend a lifetime having tests, blood or neuro with no concrete diagnosis.
Mental health is an imperfect science, I kinda liken it to psychcology... is there a clear "right" or "wrong" anwser?. So many unknowns and variables.
Over the years I've had most tests known to man run on me and, although some may come back positive for this or that, a clear treatment to full recovery is "never" indicated.
Lots of trial and error, and the cycle repeats, unfortunately.
It's hard to provide an accurate list of "tests" for someone, too many unknowns and variables.
What is your physical health like? your family history? meds you've tried? heck, your sex is important.... testosteron/thyroid etc.At my lowest, back in 1989, after spending 7 months off and on in a physc. unit, the best treatment I received was ECT.
I can't say for sure that the ECT has been a positive or negative, at this moment, I'll never know for sure.
However, I can say for a fact, when my depression/anxiety flares to a level that seriously affect my ability to function, I become much more desperate and impatient.
I will spend countless hours researching in hope of finding that magical drug or "test".
Please keep well and remain positive, tomorrow may bring hope for us all.
Rick
Posted by bleauberry on August 29, 2008, at 21:23:51
In reply to valuable blood tests for psych/neuro isues, posted by iforgotmypassword on August 29, 2008, at 11:37:54
Have you seen a neurologist? What you describe fits their expertise a lot more than psychiatry or general medicine.
It could be any number of things ranging from MS to Lyme to amalgam illness to parkinsons to copper toxicicity to lead toxicity, geez, I dunno, that's why a neurologist would be good. They see weird stuff like this every day and if something is going to stand out as a red flag, as you said, I think they are more likely to see it than a regular MD. They would be able to name tests most relevant. You can always add on your own requested tests as you please, depending on what you can afford.
An integrative MD would be good also. They are more versed in diagnosing and treating mysterious things than regular MDs and they do lots of detailed lab tests that regular MDs are not familiar with.
My Mom has a friend who developed a whole array of mysterious disabling symptoms that reminded me of you. Turns out she had lead toxicity. Partly from the lead solder joints in her home plumbing and partly from her arts and crafts hobbies. Most of her symptoms were gone about 2 years after she identified and removed the sources of lead exposure. Previously though, a neurologist had diagnosed her with MS. It was a second opinion with an integrative specialist that led to the lead discovery through hair lab samples and blood samples. So while I said earlier a neurologist would be good, well, in this case not, but still I would include their opinion in things.
It could be any number of things or a combination of things. But it will take someone with a wide scope to, I think, diagnose and treat it. What you described sounds way out of the range of psychiatrists.
Posted by Phillipa on August 29, 2008, at 23:27:20
In reply to Re: valuable blood tests for psych/neuro isues, posted by bleauberry on August 29, 2008, at 21:23:51
MS can be dianosed with an MRI as when being treated for lymes they ruled out MS on the MRI and a neurologist did that. The rheumatologist was trying to rule out anything that was autoimmune linked as the lymes ANA was 1:2800 something. Wow that is high last time done was 1:40 and thought all was well then learned now the normal is 1:40 so can't win. Love Phillipa ps MS by the myelin sheaths on the nerves.
Posted by stargazer2 on August 29, 2008, at 23:39:50
In reply to valuable blood tests for psych/neuro isues, posted by iforgotmypassword on August 29, 2008, at 11:37:54
Are you having these symptoms while on medications? It sounds like the symptoms you are describing are side effects of meds, that's why I'm asking.
If you are not on any meds now, did these symptoms develop while on meds or after stopping meds?
They are definately neurological symptoms so if you have not seen a specialist in neurology, that is the first thing to do.
Good luck...
SG
Posted by seldomseen on August 31, 2008, at 8:28:21
In reply to valuable blood tests for psych/neuro isues, posted by iforgotmypassword on August 29, 2008, at 11:37:54
3 things come to mind.
I think you are dead on about the B12 studies. You need serum methylmalonic acid and homocysteine levels as they are usually heralds of B12 deficiency.
I still think you need to have a B12 absorpton test that include test for parietal cell and intrinsic factor antibodies. Appropriate B12 absorption depends on the pH of the stomach. Any issues there?I would also strongly encourage you to push for some brain imaging to rule out a stroke or other problems there.
Physicians usually won't push for these studies unless there is a change in RBC count and be aware that if you take folic acid, that can mask B12 deficiency.
So if you pop up with normal RBC count, I would try some sublingual (Under the tongue) Vitamin B12 and see if things resolve or improve.
Also, I think you need to be screened for diabetes as fluctuations in blood sugar can cause some of the symptoms you describe.
Seldom
Posted by Quintal on August 31, 2008, at 12:53:53
In reply to valuable blood tests for psych/neuro isues, posted by iforgotmypassword on August 29, 2008, at 11:37:54
> again i am just a mess, my symptoms don't even end here:
>
> i suffer from severe amotivation, executive block, loss of natural feeling and drive, cognition and fluency warping, cannot work or take care of myself without regular intervention from my father, hoarding, social phobia and general public phobia, extrapyramidal symptoms ranging from stiff and filled with cement to akathitic and both at the same time, loss of co-ordination and accumulating minor injuries particularly on hands despite doing so little, off and on periodic facial movements that sometimes cluster in attacks, pacing, wierd aggrevating electrical field sensations in my skin focusing on arms and face not just legs, pain due to stiffness especially upper back, and the stiffness and facial tension can make me look absolutely ridiculous going outside, i keep posting my symptoms hoping they are a red flag to someone...I've been wondering for a while if I should give some input here. I'm not sure how it will be received, but what you're saying sets off a few bells over something that came up in my own therapy over identity. T says I tend to define myself and my problems as a list of symptoms rather than a person. What makes me wonder is that I remember something I think you posted a while ago about some treatent you were having to do with gender identity and I wonder if this could be linked with the symptoms you're having? That might sound strange at first glance, but the parts about social phobia, general public phobia and poor motivation sound familiar. Physical stiffness can be a manifestation of anxiety, and also if you have gender issues, about how you walk and how you are presenting yourself to the world. It's an instictive reaction to seize up in order not reveal anything about yourself, and over a long time this can become so habitual and unconscious that we don't feel in control of it any more. Were you teased or made to feel self conscious about the way you moved when you were younger?
Do you have other people you feel you can confide in and 'be yourself' around apart from immediate family, and are you attending a clinic where you can talk to other people who are having the same treatment?
I do have symptoms that are somewhat similar to yours. I have thought I had Parkinsons's disease or some other movement disorder on occasions. A blood test from your doctor could rule out any serious physical problems, so you might want to ask about that if the service is avaiable. It's also good to have someone to talk to who understands what you're going through.
Q
This is the end of the thread.
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