Urgent 2 months of worsening neurological symptoms (brain fog, morning "vibrations," fainting, slurred speech) — all scans normal, need advice/support (Quebec, Canada)
I'm at a breaking point and hoping someone here has seen something similar or can point me in the right direction.
Timeline:
About 2 months ago: Started with extreme fatigue, brain fog, word-finding trouble, and memory issues.
Progressed to: Waking up almost every morning with a vibrating/buzzing sensation on the right side of my head/nerves, plus heavy pressure under my skull.
First ER visit: Nearly fainted, went to emergency. Bloodwork after an 8-hour wait — came back normal. Was told I have "MDD" (major depressive disorder), prescribed a sleep aid.
Symptoms worsened: Pressure and morning vibrations got more painful, sleep didn't help. Saw a clinic doctor, started an SSRI, was told it was anxiety (didn't feel like anxiety to me).
Took 2 weeks off work, visited family hoping to feel better. Symptoms continued; was told it was likely SSRI side effects and would pass.
Developed hypervigilance and one auditory hallucination, hearing my mom's voice telling me I was dying. Very frightening.
Second ER visit: X-ray done, came back normal.
Back to work, but fatigue worsened — needing an hour of rest just to get through the day. Started forgetting familiar routes/parking spots I'd used for 4 months.
Developed heart palpitations, especially trying to sleep. Nearly fainted again, this time with slurred speech afterward. Called 911, taken to ER, waited 8 hours overnight, was told to wait another 8 hours or go home and try a clinic instead.
Clinic visit: Switched SSRIs, added quetiapine for sleep.
Quetiapine helped with sleep, but mornings got worse — now my whole skull feels like it's shaking (not just one area), vision goes shaky too. Started at about 10 minutes, escalated to a full hour over a week.
Third ER visit: Diagnosed with "atypical migraine," given anti-inflammatory nerve injections, referred to a neurologist.
Vibrations and slurred speech returned within days, more pain.
Fourth ER visit: ECG, chest X-ray, and brain CT with contrast — all normal. Given another neurologist referral, told to expect a 2-3 week wait.
Days later: New symptom — burning pain at the back of my head radiating down my neck, plus ringing in my ear and a feeling of pressure/fullness.
Called 811, got a same-day clinic visit; doctor told me to go to urgent care. Pain is still ongoing tonight, started around 5am.
Current meds: Zoloft (sertraline), quetiapine for sleep.
Tests done (all normal): Bloodwork, chest X-ray, brain CT with contrast, ECG.
Still waiting on: Neurology referral (2-3 week estimate).
I have a job I like, a supportive family, both parents alive — nothing in my life circumstances explains this to me. I'm not doubting anxiety/depression can cause real physical symptoms, but the escalating pattern (fainting, slurred speech, whole-skull shaking, heart palpitations, burning pain) feels like more than that to me, and I don't know what to do next except keep showing up to the ER.