I went to the ER on Friday because my muscles all over my body started jerking, I hadn't slept in three days and other symptoms. I had begun to suspect that my symptoms were actually related to hypocalcemia, my facial pain and numbness. I also thought I might have a B12 deficiency. I had started taking a multivitamin, B12 supplement and calcium supplement a week before. At the ER they discovered that I had low calcium AND low potassium. I suspect it was higher than it should have been because I had started taking those supplements. I did not get my B12 test because I was at the ER and the doctor suspected TN and MS and wanted me to go to my neurologist as soon as possible. The B12 test takes a long time, apparently. She said my muscle jerks were probably from severe exhaustion and anxiety, which I do have.
My neurologist was able to look at all my MRI's from the car accident which I had in September. My scans were of almost my complete spine and my right hip, which were taken cause all my symptoms from the car accident were on the right side, which is the side that took the biggest hit due to the angle the guy who caused the accident had connected with my car, and totalled it completely. Anyway, he was also able to look at my thoracic spine from a previous MRI in 2008. He found a pocket of fluid that I already knew about and said we needed to check it to see if it had grown because if it did it would cause problems in my legs. I may need to have shunt, but it would cure it. I get that MRI soon. I bet my insurance company hates me.
Anyway, he said I have absolutely no lesions of MS, no tumors, no neurological problems at all and no compression of my TN nerve. Due to the type of pain I have and my neurological exam, he does not feel that i have TN at all. He said he would put me on medication but he does not want to at this time. I am to let him know if my pain changes into TN type pain. He suspects, since I have an absolutely foul taste on the right side of my tongue that I have tonsils that need to go or a salivary stone. I see an ENT soon. I also have TMJD, and he thinks this is playing into it. I hope my tonsils come out. They have been a burden since 1992. Particularly the right one which is huge and has been for a long time. It is also bright red.
The muscle jerking has not gone away but it is better. The face numbness and pain in my ear and jaw is getting better so I think my vitamin deficiency had a lot to do with it, since the symptoms are improving since I started taking supplements. But TN is still on the table if things start to change. I am very thankful about the MS. I know my teeth are just fine since I had them cleaned a week ago.
These symptoms began in June around the time I was severly dehydrated and was leaking protein and some other essential element into my urine. I am almost always on the verge of dehydration due to my medication so a salivary stone is high risk for me. My tongue is a little swollen and so it has been cut up by my teeth on the right side for about 24 hours.
Anyway, I am posting this as an update and to let everyone know what they already probably know since we have an amazing advocate and expert on here, that low vitamin levels really do make a difference and can be very very dangerous so take your vitamins and supplements. It may make a difference and there's no way to know unless you are being tested.
Thank you for all your support. I will let you know how this turns out. I hope you are all doing well and send you many blessings.
Poppy