The Hunt is back on….

Well, this busy week finally saw the Neurologist appointment that both my parents and I have been waiting for. The appointment lasted for over two hours, and to be honest asked more questions than it really answered!

I was examined by both the registrar and the consultant neurologist and both looked flummoxed by the legs spasms occurring during the examination as well as being confused by the dizziness and vertigo that occurs on a daily basis – really not sure where that particular symptom fits in with the overall picture.  My case has always perplexed, even the top consultants in their field.  I am the patient, that really should feature in an episode of the medical programme ‘House’, due to its puzzling symptoms.  Unlike the first neurologist I seen, however, the consultant disagrees that the whatever is wrong is something that happened at birth!  It’s strange isn’t it, that you can visit two very competent and highly skilled doctors, but both come to entirely different explanations for why the symptoms are occurring.  For the patient, it can be very confusing, however, as we are clueless to which of the two differing explanations are the correct one, or even whether both could be incorrect.

Although, happy to report that the new neurologist is more proactive than any other doctors I have seen, and what’s even more, even told me that he knows that I am not making it up and I am not going mad; he knows that something is wrong and he wants to find the cause of all the problems I am experiencing.  Hallelujah!  This is exactly what every chronically ill patient wants to hear.  We want to be believed by the doctors; and one who cares and wants to help, and treat us when we become ill.  This now means that I am being referred to radiology for another MRI, and am also being referred to a specialist balance and dizziness centre that can hopefully help me to cope with the dizziness and vertigo that has affected me for so long.

As well as the referral and new tests being conducted, I had 8 vials of blood taken from me, yes 8!  One of the new theories is a possible genetic condition as a cause for the problems with mobility.  The doctor is also testing for lupus, and other explanations is a possible type of cerebral palsy, or possibly dopa-responsive dystonia.

So, looks like a new detective hunt has begun on the cause for the symptoms…