Here are some symptoms I've not heard of...my daughter's new pain doctor determined she has several diminished and a couple of absent reflexes.
He actually bruised her knee trying to elicit a patellar reflex.
He checked her elbows, ankles, knees, and wrists...maybe others. He acted concerned.
He wants me to take her to a neurologist for evaluation and to a rheumatologist "to evaluate her for rheumatoid arthritis and to manage her Lyme's disease".
I didn't say anything, but I'm very comfortable with the physician (LLMD) who's managing her Lyme!
He prescribed Mobic for her pain; I didn't realize it is a NSAID.
He did some exams she has never had...ran a sunburst-shaped, pizza cutter-looking tool across her skin to compare her sensations. Some were different. Horton's wheel.
I was impressed at his thoroughness...did about 4 new exams.
He squeezed her ribs...they hurt!
He remarked she didn't have nodules under her skin that are frequently associated with fibromyalgia.
He ran a thin tool across her skin to compare her sensations. He compared the sensations experienced by the right to left sides.
He assessed her as having a history of "Lymes". Obviously, he doesn't think she still has it. Who cares, as long as he takes her pain seriously?
[ 29. September 2007, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: hshbmom ]
Posted by spookydew (Member # 8432) on :
My exams are always like that. Little and no reflex. They even had trouble getting my pupils to respond one time.
Posted by hshbmom (Member # 9478) on :
Hi spooky,
That makes sense...your pupils don't have normal responses because they are controlled by nerves that may be damaged or inflamed by borelliosis.
This pain doctor didn't check my daughter's pupillary response or her gag reflex. I'll ask him about them next month at her follow-up appointment.
Spooky, have your relexes improved with treatment?
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
hi hshbmom
does your daughter have neuro involvment?
I have neuro involement for years & my reflex's are very slow & some times not there at all on my exams. Sine I have done treatments some of my reflex responces have come back.
For years I coudn't swallow pills either. I was even having to chew my flagel & tylonol. yeck. But now I can swallow pills again. It did take 3/4 years of treatment.
I hope this helps Dana
Posted by hshbmom (Member # 9478) on :
Hi Dana,
My daughter has neuro problems...the most striking is the seizure-like movement disorder.
She also has some memory and concentration problems. She had a neuropsych tests by a non-Lyme literate physician....he found several things consistent with neuro Lyme.
There were several things he didn't catch, such as spelling mistakes and word finding problems.
She lost her gag reflex, but has no trouble swallowing. At one time, she choked on saliva frequently, but that has gone away.
I'm glad to hear that some of your reflexes have improved with treatment...I was almost afraid to ask.
Posted by Jellybelly (Member # 7142) on :
Hmmmm, I had the exact opposite reaction. Kick the doctor and the table with the slightest touch to my knee. Sends sensations all the way to my shoulders. Kindda funny when doc has to jump out of the way, and the huge bang as my foot flys backwards and hits the side of the metal table.
My body seems to get very irritable from all this, even though at the same time it felt kind of numb and painful. Posted by lymster (Member # 5964) on :
I also have the same response that JellyBelly, my LLMD knows it so he just moves out of the way before he tests my reflexes; but I had kicked a couple of neurologists, it's really funny. The funniest part is that they kept on doing it and never moved out of the way. Geniuses at work! LOL!
But getting serious here, what causes this? Lyme or any other co-infection?
Take care, Lymster in WA
Posted by tailz (Member # 10014) on :
Earlier this year, whenever I would try to flex my muscle in my upper arm, it seemed like my arm muscle would bulge for a split second, and then my muscle would collapse on me - even though I was still squeezing like crazy.
It was almost like the nerve impulse from my brain to the muscle in my arm was not working properly - like the signal was too weak for it to continue.
This no longer happens in my upper arms, but I do still have problems with other nerves. I'm not sure if this is what your daughter experiences or not, but I've found artificial electromagnetic fields to be a trigger of this symptom. I think they interfere with signals, and perhaps even damage nerves. You might want to look into it.
Posted by Aligondo Bruce (Member # 6219) on :
I have this problem. I can feel the weakness and lack of vitality in my legs. the weird thing about it is I can also feel how it is eminating from my head...my brain. it's hard to explain. with me, it's mostly absent reflexes in my knees. they typically bang away and nothing happens. most docs will write it off, but an LLMD will recognize that it is a key sign of late neuro involvement.
Posted by savebabe (Member # 9847) on :
Has her thyroid been tested? Reduced reflexes can be a sign of hypothyroidism.
Posted by hshbmom (Member # 9478) on :
tailz, I'm very glad you were able to document and validate the EMFs that bother you. We live about 2 miles from a huge tower, and over half a mile from high voltage power lines. I don't know how close is too close. A good friend lives right under these lines...she's complained of headaches for years. I told her it's probably the power lines, but I don't think she takes me seriously.
savebabe, standard thyroid tests have been done, but I haven't looked at them. The LLMD didn't mention thyroid, just pituitary and adrenal problems.
Pituitary would control the thyroid. My daughter gets cold easily...wears a sweater or covers up with a blanket at unusual times. She was always hot natured as a child. This is a big change. She's also sensitive to the heat, and her eyes are sensitive to the light.
Bruce, she does have late neuro involvement thanks to inadequate tests, ignorant doctors, and those who don't believe we have Lyme in this are...and those who don't believe in chronic Lyme.
I took her to a great LLMD's np a few days after I saw her seizures last July. The conclusion was that there was no evidence of Lyme...but with a history of a tick bite and rash last spring, and early symptoms...I should have demanded antibiotics, but I didn't know as much then.
Looking back, my daughter's Igenex Western blot did have a couple of positive or weak positive bands...don't remember which right now. Makes me very angry the np didn't consider these bands and history & start antibiotics.
Lymester, I don't know the answer to your question...it's a good question.
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