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Following Another Possibility
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This is probably another shot in the dark, but it's an educated shot as I've been doing some research on the subject. I haven't read any of the other accounts on here, I wanted to put my symptoms/experiences down first and see if anyone can relate.
On September 14, 2006 I was at work, reaching for a plant, and my body started shaking so that I had to lean against a wall to remain upright. I had no control for a few moments. It passed, so I thought nothing of it until that evening when I had another "episode" which resulted in dropping a plate in the kitchen. The shaking got progressively worse over the next week, accompanied by exhaustion so bad I had to ride along with other people at work (we had golf carts and forklifts for getting around to various greenhouses and moving plants.) I was using my lunch hour to sleep in my truck and still falling asleep while riding from one greenhouse to the next. The shaking got so bad, I was unable to walk from one room to the next without collapsing on the floor in a shaking puddle, unable to raise my head or move my arms and legs. On Friday, September 22, my boss noticed the shaking episodes and my constant falling asleep and sent me home with the caveat that I get to the doctor as soon as possible. I fell asleep on the drive home, nearly hitting a dump truck head-on but swerving in time so that he merely caught my side mirror. That night, I had my mom drive me to the emergency where I has a cat scan and was sent home to "get some sleep, there's nothing wrong with you."
The next week, I went to the doctor and was tested for Lime disease, West Nile virus, HIV, and syphillis- which was humiliating for someone who avoids high-risk behavior. I underwent an MRI and nerve-conduction test, was tested for deficiencies including vitamin B, and was sent to a neurologist. I was warned that I could have lesions on the brain, an infection, a brain tumor or an anuerism that could burst at any moment. He said the MRI was normal except for some slowing on the right side; and began testing me for MS, epilepsy and other illnesses, finally concluding that- since the episodes didn't show anything on the EEG- my problems were psychological. I looked up somataform illnesses and determined that it probably wasn't the case since I had severe "episodes" alone and woke up having them- to the point that I couldn't move no matter how hard I tried to roll over or lift my arm or leg from the mattress.
I have "waking dreams" when I'm half-asleep- it took me awhile to be able to tell what was dream and what was real. I've been out of work for over two years now because we can't find a cause for the problem and I ran out of money for tests.
My symptoms include what I now know is "sleep paralysis", hallucinations or "waking dreams" on the as I'm falling asleep or waking up- especially prevalent when I take my twice-daily naps. The episodes, which range from mild to severe- where I can't stand up- consist of my nody shaking violently like an extended shiver only bigger, my eyes lose focus and "roll" as my sister says, my pupils dilate, there are facial contortions, and my speech is slurred. The most extreme ones leave me in a quaking lump on the floor, unable to moe voluntarily. Milder ones have me dropping things because they just fall out of my hands, jerking suddenly, and biting the sides of my tongue to try to control it. Laughter, anger and high tension seem to trigger really bad episodes, although some come from out of the blue. When I can feel one starting, I crouch down with my back to something solid and wait it out. It seems to minimize the episode.
Between the suddenly sedintary lifestyle and the myriad prescriptions over the past years, I've gained over 100lbs. I'm afraid to get on the equipment at the gym.
Email if you've read this before, seen or experienced similar symptoms. Maybe we can find an answer and I can get back to a normal routine- including work.