Having some tests

Please keep me in your prayers - I have to go for some tests. I go Wednesday for some blood tests and an EEG (An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures and records the electrical activity of your brain. Special sensors (electrodes) are attached to your head and hooked by wires to a computer. The computer records your brain's electrical activity on the screen or on paper as wavy lines. Certain conditions, such as seizures, can be seen by the changes in the normal pattern of the brain's electrical activity.) I will also have to have an MRI but that hasn't been scheduled yet.

I am having this done because back in July I started having what felt like a muscle spasm in my left hand. It was tight and my fingers would move and twitch all on their own when I wasn't doing anything. It started on a Friday night and over the weekend into Monday morning it worked its way up my arm into my neck and jaw. By then I thought maybe I was having a stroke or something and I called the hospital. They set me up an appointment in the clinic and when I got there the PA that I saw told me to go to the ER. He said that that is where they should have told me to go in the first place so that they could do a CT Scan to make sure that I wasn't having a stroke. So I went to the ER.

They did a CT Scan and did a regular bloodwork and a blood test for Lyme's Disease. The CT Scan came back normal so I wasn't having a stroke, which I thought was a good thing and all the blood tests showed was that I was "slightly anemic". The anemia didn't surprise me because most people who have the weight loss surgery that I have had have low iron and B12 so I started taking more of those 2 vitamins.

Anyway, the doctor in the ER said he wasn't sure what was causing the spasm in my arm so he said that he would put in a referral to a neurologist. The "spasm" continued for 2 - 3 more days and then quit. The referral to the neurologist never came and I didn't think anymore about it.

Well, about three weeks ago I get a call from Tricare (our insurance) wanting to know if I had made an appt from the referral. I ignored the call and a couple of days later I got another call. See, when you make an appt from a referral then you have to call Tricare and let them know when your appt is. Well, I was going to call them back to let them know that had never received the referral and the next day I got the referral in the mail.

So, I made the appt with the neurologist and I went this last Wednesday. She did some observations and "tests". Like I had to push and pull against her hands and then she tried to pull or push my hands and legs, etc. She looked in my eyes and in my mouth and told me to say "ahhhh". She poked me with a safety pin to check my sensory nerves (yup - I can feel it - it hurt slightly). She tested my reflexes with her rubber hammer and then ran the sharp tip of it along the middle of my foot (that hurt worse than the pin pricks!!!). Then she had me walk across the room normally and then in a straight line with one foot right in front of the other and then she had me stand with both feet together, arms out of front of me and close my eyes.

After she was done testing me she said that I have significant weakness in my left side. She asked if I had had any spasms or weakness in my leg and I told her not that I noticed, only in my hand and arm. She said that what happened that day could have been a seizure. She said there are other things that can cause these "spasms" such as a deficiency in calcium (hence the bloodwork I am sure). She has ordered these tests to see if they can see anything else. On the orders for the tests she put down the diagnosis as a "focal movement disorder".

If you care to read more about it you can go here:

http://www.neurologychannel.com/movementdisorders/index.shtml

This is the website that I found had the most organized information about it.

I have not had anymore "spasms" but she said that sometimes they can happen and continue over the course of a few days like mine did and then it may not happen again for days, weeks or months but then they eventually can come more often.

So, I guess I get the tests done and we'll have to see what happens. I am a little nervous but trying not to worry until I really have something to worry about. I suppose that if they find something she will call me and let me know and if not I have a follow up appointment in 6 months.

I'll keep everyone posted.