Hi everyone,

I’m a 33-year-old female from Australia and I’m hoping to hear from anyone who has experienced something similar while I continue working with my doctors. I’m otherwise healthy. The only medication I take is letrozole for ovulation induction. I don’t have any significant medical conditions that I’m aware of except for asthma and thalassemia (minor).

Over the last few weeks or so I’ve developed a collection of symptoms that seem to be getting worse rather than better, and they’re becoming quite concerning.

My symptoms include:
Numbness and tingling affecting different parts of my body.
Weakness and a heavy feeling, particularly on one side at times.
A feeling that my coordination and balance aren’t quite right.
Neck pain and pain around my upper spine.
Episodes where taking a deep breath feels difficult or unsatisfying, even though I can breathe and my oxygen levels have been normal.
Dizziness and feeling “off”.
A sensation that something neurological is happening, although I can’t explain it well.
Symptoms seem to fluctuate throughout the day but overall have gradually progressed.

This has happened to me in the past, but only very rarely when I’ve been hungover and at the time thought that was the cause. This is no longer a factor as I am TTC (2.5 years).

I’ve been assessed medically. (Attended the ED twice). My vital signs have generally been normal and I’ve had some initial investigations that haven’t shown an obvious cause including blood tests and a contrast CT scan on my head and neck. Despite that, the symptoms continue, and I’m still waiting for further assessment.

I’m not looking for a diagnosis or medical advice. I’m simply wondering:
Has anyone experienced a similar combination of neurological symptoms that initially had normal tests?
If so, what did it eventually turn out to be?
Were there any investigations that ended up providing the answer (MRI, nerve conduction studies, blood tests, etc.)?
Did anyone have symptoms that came and went before becoming more persistent?

I’m continuing to follow up with my doctors and will seek urgent medical care again if things worsen, but I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been through something similar.

I’ve seen a cardiologist today, and am waiting for a referral to see a neurologist.

Thank you for reading.

Would love to know why

After 2 weeks of FIGHTING the system and being told every step of the way I was crazy, enduring a completely unnecessary psychiatric unit stay for these issues, and being told "it's anxiety" every damn day, I'm finally figuring out what's going on.

I'm in one of the best academic hospitals in the country, and just I

got results from a CTV scan today and it confirmed the following:

-Moderate narrowing of the distal aspect of the nondominant left transverse sinus..

-Transverse and sigmoid sinuses: Nondominant left transverse sinus, with moderate distal narrowing immediately distal to the confluence with vein of Labbe..

So I'm coming to terms with the fact that I was never crazy....I was told these issues were in my head when in fact the symptoms and issues were LITERALLY IN MY HEAD....

The relief I feel is indescribable but I'm incredibly frustrated that I got kicked to the curb, dismissed and gaslit each step of the way.

Now to deal with this head on!

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.

Developed involuntary movements and jerky motions as well as some involuntary noises, shouts and noises that I can’t even picture coming from me. Except I’m the only one there. All involuntary and been getting worse since November when I went back on my zyprexa. I was previously on it for 5 years and it was the I ly medicine that made me feel like a person. I had to go off it for brain surgery last fall but now I’ve been having these worsening symptoms

Hi everyone, thank you in advance for reading.

**TLDR:**
24-year-old former professional level athlete dealing with severe, worsening neurological symptoms that have heavily disrupted my life for the past two years. I fractured my skull several years ago while doing a double axel and never got treatment, or a scan/MRI. Currently dealing with uncontrollable vomiting flares, extreme exhaustion & weakness, vision problems, headaches and migraines, stabbing and deep pain all over my body. I’ve been to several specialists the past two years trying to figure this out, to no avail.

We’ve ruled a lot of things out, but I haven’t had my head checked yet. I met with a neuro ophthalmologist back in Nov 2025 and it was an absolutely terrible experience lol. I still can’t see even though they updated my prescription.

I understand I can’t get my answers from Reddit, but I want to know what my next steps should be. Should I bypass my doctors and just go straight to the ER for an MRI? Should I be doing something else instead? Let me know your thoughts!

Details:

5’7” , 110–115 lbs (Unintentional 30 lbs weight loss over the past two years)
Primary Complaint: Chronic, worsening neurological vomiting, severe hiccups, deep bone-like limb pain, frequent oral/throat ulcers, and profound fatigue.
Duration: Gradually developing since late 2017, severely escalating over the past 2 years.
Current Medications: Lamotrigine 150mg, Prozac 40mg
Smoking/Drinking/Drugs: Vapes cannabis daily; no tobacco or alcohol

Medical History Timeline:

Infancy: Hospitalized for meningitis.
Age 5/6: Acute pneumonia.

Late 2017 (Age 17): Professional-level figure skater. Fell heavily on head attempting a double axel on ice. Sustained a skull fracture and severe concussion; documented positive Romberg’s test. Received no proper immediate medical care/rest; experienced extreme emotional mania and immediate memory loss for several days post-injury.

Early 2018: Suffered severe, necrotic Lipschütz ulcers (extreme pain, urinary retention, bedridden for weeks). Intractable pain unmanaged by OxyContin.

Post-Lipschütz 2018: Hospitalized for a second case of severe, acute pneumonia.

2018 – Present: Gradual development and progressive worsening of chronic neurological, visual, gastric, and systemic symptoms. Developed urinary incontinence (improved but still present) and escalating vision problems.

Past 2 Years (2024-2026): Significant escalation. Unintentional 30 lb weight loss. Normal results on chest X-ray, chest/abdominal CT, upper endoscopy, ultrasound, and blood tests. A neuro-ophthalmologist noted abnormal eye movements and a "suspicious optic nerve" but dismissed it as congenital. He also called me hysterical for becoming emotional describing the impacts of this so I don’t exactly trust his professional judgment.

Recent Months (Mid-2026): Had a 2-3 month window of no vomiting. In April 2026, experienced a fainting spell followed by immediate memory loss. Continuous vision problems.

Past Few Weeks: Sudden, aggressive return and worsening frequency of cyclical vomiting, headaches, migraines, exhaustion, and severe vision issues.

Current Symptom List:

Head/Neuro: Frequent migraines with aura (vastly increased frequency), severe physical pressure behind forehead radiating to neck/eyes, ear ringing (short and long bursts), fainting episode (most recent April 2026), trouble concentrating, and mid-sentence short-term memory lapses.

Ulcers: Severe, long-lasting, and highly frequent ulcers in the mouth, throat, and tongue.

Vision: Double/blurry vision, constant visual static (visual snow), flashes, floaters, light sensitivity, and severe, prolonged palinopsia (after-images) that make me feel temporarily blind. Inability to drive at night and a general feeling like I cannot see even though I physically can. Mostly can’t see in the dark anymore

Balance & Motor: Severe balance issues, general chronic wobbliness, situational falling episodes, and profound systemic physical weakness/fatigue. Inability to make fists in the mornings.

Gastrointestinal & Systemic: Intractable, cyclic vomiting (repeatedly throughout the day, rarely exceeding two consecutive days), awful hiccups, urinary incontinence, and severe chronic fatigue.

Pain: Deep, unreachable, bone-like aching pain in legs, wrists, arms, and fingers. Accompanied by superficial, quick, migrating electrical stabbing pains all over the body. Rubbing the skin provides emotional comfort but does not decrease the physical pain.

Hello everyone!

I'm an MBBS student with a strong interest in neurology, particularly NeuroAI, neurotechnology, and clinical neuroscience research. I'm looking for opportunities to collaborate with researchers, clinicians, or fellow medical students working in these areas.

I can contribute to research by helping with:

• Literature reviews
• Systematic reviews and data extraction
• Basic statistical analysis in R (I'm actively improving my skills)
• Manuscript writing and editing
• Reference management
• General research coordination

I'm eager to learn, contribute consistently, and be part of a collaborative research team. My long-term goal is to build a strong research profile in neurology while working on meaningful projects with international collaborators.

If you're working on a neurology-related project—or know of a group looking for motivated students—I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to contribute.

Please feel free to comment below or send me a DM. Thank you!

Posting on behalf of my cousin (24M). Looking for opinions before he sees a doctor.

About 10 years ago, when he was around 14, he accidentally hit the top of his head on the iron rail of a photo frame during a drawing class. He stood up without noticing the rail above him, and the impact was on the top of his head (possibly around the parietal region, based on what I found online).

At the time, he did not have any obvious concussion symptoms—no vomiting, loss of consciousness, seizures, fainting, or anything similar. He continued to do decently well academically (around a 9 CGPA in 10th grade and above-average performance in engineering entrance exams). He is now working as a software engineer.

Current symptoms:

He still feels discomfort at the exact spot where he hit his head.

He describes it as pressure, pain, or a sensation of swelling. Sometimes it feels like there's a scratch or an unhealed wound in that area.

If he scratches or picks at the spot with his fingernails, he sometimes notices a clear watery fluid or a small amount of blood on his nails.

In high-stress situations, such as being asked to speak unexpectedly during office meetings, he sometimes zones out.He finds it difficult to focus, follow conversations, or process what people are saying.

Outside of stressful situations, his thinking seems normal. He has no issues with coding, problem-solving, or day-to-day work.

Could this be something relatively harmless like a chronic scalp lesion, scar tissue, or a skin condition that's unrelated to the old injury? Or could it indicate something more serious that warrants evaluation by a neurologist or another specialist?

Also it would be helpful if you could suggest OTC creams or home remedies if any. Thanks!

Normal mri with contrast for my brain, normal ct and eeg for my brain How common is this? My mom is being told by my doctor that I am hypochondriac despite having eye tracking problems and memory problems mixed with false memories and weird numbness in my legs that last for hours until it disappeared and waking up with headaches and feeling headaches in my dreams. I never had those symptoms before and slowly develop them in over 2 years. 5,5 feet tall and male

Hi all,

Im not diagnosed with anything but i do have homogenous 1:2560 and every winter I hop on this thread and post an update on stuff bc it seems like every winter something happens. God i hate winter. Recently i started getting random zaps in my body accompanied by…drumroll…lower back pain that feels like an injury..? It switches sides too sometimes its the weirdest thing ever. Mind u at one point i smelt metal in my nostril and the pain shot right up my eye and it went blurry for an hour. LOL? And the tongue too half of it just goes bzzzzt and the chest too its crazy

Was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this for the purpose of literally just knowing if anyone has experienced this not bc i want a diagnosis

I’ve honestly never heard of random zaps or neuropathy causing pain that resembles si joint pain or vice versa.

Edit: thought id add some more of my symptoms see if anyone relates.

- Sparks flashing in vision
- Occasional blind spots in vision in the middle
- Cold hands and feet
- Fluctuating tsh and wbc but anti tpo negative t3 t4 neg
- Word recall? Oof.
- Left eye pain and feeling like its abit uh cloudy its very slight. Feels almost like ive got a thin layer of vaseline but retinas were checked
- Ive noticed a slight tremor in my right hand when doing things like opening a bottle. Very slight and i cant tell if its constant.
- had nystagmus during the worst flares of said zaps now im better and its gone
- not going to lie i feel good in summer. Shit in winter. Sun nor hear are a problem.
- high protein to creatine ratio and albumin to creatine ratio. Havent seen a nephro yet. Idk how my doc sees positive ana and something with the kidney and decides its not autoimmune not even UCTD🙂

But brain and spine mri completely clear

Edit: ppl feel free to join in on the thread even if stuff has been said before or if u just relate haha :)

Hi guys! It’s been a longg time since i’ve posted here and since then, I’ve been officially diagnosed with POTS for over a year now. More recently, whenever i eat a meal (could be a smaller or bigger sized meal) within 20-ish minutes I start feeling absolutely awful. I’m talking full on dizziness, hands shaking uncontrollably, stomach feels empty, worsened pre-syncope, etc. I have an appointment coming up soon and i’m thinking of mentioning it but i’m not quite sure how to go about explaining it. Does anybody experience something similar?

Right now it's 91 degrees and 59% humidity. I've been up for 32 hours and right now im sitting at a park bench and my swaying and internal trembling has gotten worse. I just walked 3 miles or so amd have dipped a ton of tobacco the past 32 hours. My head feels foggy and the sides of my head about 2 inches from the temple feel sore and like there's a lot of pressure inside. I don't think there's any chance I'm not screwed. I've been to the ER 36 times the past year and all they've found is mild disc disease in the lower lumbar, mild stenosis, mild spondylosis and radiculopathy. Also mild chronic mastoiditis in my left ear. I think there's something very wrong with me. I feel offblalance even sitting down right now. My eyes are getting worse despite the ophthalmologist saying they're fine. A puslating spot in my right eye, tons of floaters snd small side of the rye flashes. I keep getting sensations like my body is being tugged slightly. I sway when standing and walking it'll be a random almost full body glitch moment where it feels like the ground just sunk and came back up.It's ramping up the past month. Everything just feels wrong all the time. I'm really considering ending it all. I don't want to keep living in fear and can't get an answer for what's wrong with me. I've been alone and a loser my whole life. No family or friends. It's been a year of everything getting worse and just being told it's anxiety. Now I'm starting to get headaches. I'm only writing this sub because I'm terrified and this is all I could think to do.

https://preview.redd.it/zpyqruuw1oah1.jpg?width=312&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0a8090e6e48ff9fece3df78704bd4aafeb6ce062

About Me: 36F, 135lbs. No alcohol (2+ years), Non-tobacco smoker, frequent (near daily) cannabis smoker (last 2 years, primarily for symptom/pain management. Prior to this, very rarely used cannabis).

Summary: Suspect upper cervical spine issue causing neck/shoulder pain and neurological symptoms, and hoping to review some 2016 Head MRI images with this new context/10 yrs of symptoms. (You may want to skip to my "Request for AskDocs" section at the bottom before reading the details).

Long-term Background/Initial MRI (10+yrs):

About 12 years ago (2014), I began experiencing frequent episodes of vertigo, particularly during exertion (sports, high-intensity cardio). For about a year, it then became a more persistent vertigo, but finally subsided a bit and was more limited to exertion again. It eventually became more of a tunnel vision type dizziness, which was mostly limited to high-intensity cardio. I went through some tests through my doctor at the time since the vertigo initially been somewhat debilitating, but once the symptoms had become less severe and the neurologist didn't find anything, I kind of stopped attempting any additional follow up.

Testing at that time:

• Neurologist consults following a head CT and head MRI, and both came back normal. They were looking for "Possible vestibular paroxysmia from vascular loop or acoustic neuroma".
• I also had an ECG and 24hr holter monitor which were both normal, and an at-home sleep study ruled out sleep apnea.
• A vestibular/physical therapist ruled out BPPV, but recommended head and cervical spine follow up (due to supposedly positive Babinski and Clonus.) I don't recall knowing her exact findings/recommendations at that time, and I don't think it was shared with my neurologist, but recently received my medical records from my previous provider.
  • Note that my most recent physiotherapist did not detect these reflexes, in fact my feet had almost no reflexes, even though they used to be very sensitive/ticklish.

More Recent (Chronic) Symptoms:

Fatigue and neck pain are my most consistent symptoms. Around three years ago, I had a "flare-up" of jaw/face (mostly cheek area) and neck/shoulder pain that was pretty unbearable. Dentist ruled out any issues at the time, and I began seeing a physiotherapist for TMJ. The physiotherapist noted that my jaw opened more to the right (pain was primarily in left). I also started getting regular neck/back massages (about every 4 weeks). After about 6 months of these treatments, my pain began to subside enough to go back to a relatively normal life without constant severe pain.

• Note on TMJ: I do have a history of day and night clenching, and now very consistently wear my mouth guard at night, and very rarely notice any daytime clenching as my mental health has improved significantly (ADHD diagnosis with Vyvanse and career change).

However, ever since that initial flare up, I do still have neck/shoulder pain at least 50% of the time, and require a massage at least once every 4 weeks, often more frequently, to keep it at a manageable level.

About 6 months ago, I began seeing a new physiotherapist, and mentioned my recurring neck/shoulder pain, and my observation that the dizziness with sports seemed to be worse when neck pain was worse. Upon describing my symptoms, he asked if I had ever had a head/neck injury, and I recalled that in late 2013, months before the vertigo began, I slipped on a concrete floor directly onto my chin and required stitches. I hadn't shared this with my neurologist in 2016 (he didn't ask, and I didn't really consider that it may have been relevant).

Most Recent Flare-up:

Another flare up of severe neck pain began about 4 months ago, along with some neurological symptoms. And reflecting back, I believe these neurological symptoms started even earlier - over a year ago. The symptoms are not necessarily persistent, they tend to come and go, but there have been a lot of symptoms at once since this latest flare up began. The neck/shoulder pain is constant, and I have been doing at least weekly massage or physio for the last several months.
Disclaimer: I understand some of these symptoms are minor and may not be related, but I have been keeping track of everything lately to help with a diagnosis, since I've possibly been neglecting to get the right help for the past decade.

• Headaches (various types. Used to be mostly tension headaches, but now more of a feeling of fullness in forehead or back of head without "pain". Had at least one migraine with aura/vision loss in one eye, around the time I was seeing the neurologist, but none since as far as I am aware).
• Dizziness/Vertigo - Particularly during exertion or activities with movement+visual tracking
• Fatigue (When my pain/symptoms are particularly bad, they are often accompanied by a sudden intense fatigue, in addition to a more chronic fatigue).
• Increased motion sensitivity/nausea - Even ~2 minute car rides can make me vomit now.
• Nerve pain (burning/stinging - primarily in feet, but has also been legs, arms, face)
  • Also get a stinging pain in veins which seem to be near the surface of skin, like my elbows, back of knees and thenar/near wrist
• Tingling/pins and needles (arms, legs, feet, lips, eyelids). Also frequent eyelid twitching.
• Muscle spasms/cramping - Random muscles spasm, particularly in evenings. Hands frequently become stiff in evenings.
• Increased sensitivity to heat/hot flashes Including occasional night sweats which was never previously an issue
• Chest tightness and Globus sensation in throat
• Possible Orthostatic Intolerance: When I spend an hour or more doing relatively stationary upright activities (housework, socializing, etc.), I get a feeling of being overcome/crashing/very unwell and need to lie down, but I struggle to explain the feeling. The first, most severe time I noticed, I felt so unwell that I considered going to the ER, and it was only relieved by lying flat.
  • I don't put much stock in any wellness apps, but it may be worth noting that during this incident, my Welltory app (tracks heart rate variability) detected a rapid change in my condition and automatically made a recording at that time (It showed low health due to low HRV and high sympathetic nervous system activity).
  • It doesn't seem to be as much of an issue for more active upright activities (like walking/hiking), I suppose because my legs provide a boost to my circulation?
  • My doctor had mentioned that POTS may be something to consider, but I have since taken note of my HR during these incidents, and in general when upright, and it isn't elevated (<100 usually).
• Facial flushing: Earlier in the flare up, on days when I do some upright activities, I get very bright facial flushing in evenings. Resembles butterfly rash, but not many bumps, and only lasts a few hours then clears up. (Does not seem to be triggered by warmth, exertion, etc. and lasts longer than usual for exercise-induced flushing)
• Frequent urination: Not everyday, but there are days when it is very frequent, despite no real change in thirst/hydration. One day recorded at least 25 times. Volume is relatively low each time, and there are no other symptoms to suggest UTI. Tests for glucose all fine. No noticeable fluid retention in evenings, and never have to get up overnight.
• Exercise induced rhinitis: Within the last year, I get severe sneezing fits after running, that often cause congestion for another day or so. No known allergies, and no noticeable congestion outdoors without exertion.
• Circulation changes:
  • Raynauds type symptoms (blue/purple/white/yellow discolorations+tingling) began within the last year, primarily in hands and feet, but also get mottled skin on arms and legs more frequently. Does not necessarily seem related to cold, and is worse/more frequent when neck pain is worse.
  • Tingling/paresthesia more quickly than usual, for example from raising arms/legs or from lying down. Often wake from sleep due to tingling arms/legs as a side sleeper, which has never been an issue. *For my first strenuous activity since the flare up, I went on a 2.5hr hike. I found it fine and felt great, but did notice many new bruises all over my legs that evening, presumably from the cardio since it wasn't the type of trail to hit stray branches etc. I am fairly confident that most of them were new that day, since I had been keeping an eye on my bruises lately as I surprised how often I still had bruises on my legs despite how much less active I was since the flare up started. My recent bruises usually start off looking like an older bruise (somewhat faded/faint and blue/greyish in colour)
  • I suspect that circulation isn't the root cause of these issues, since it is so intermittent and my lipid panel was normal. But I do have a lower vascular doppler scheduled.
  • For cardiac considerations - I don't have any fluid retention/night time urinating, no shortness of breath, and I am actually in relatively good shape (frequent runner, sports, etc.)
• May be relevant, but less confident it is related: vision and dental issues more specific to left side (muscle pain/tension also more commonly on left side).
  • Vision: A few years ago, around the time of the first flare up, I noticed a significant decline in my vision less than 1 yr from my latest eye exam. Eye exam showed a fairly significant change in my vision, particularly in my left eye, but prescription had been steady for many years. Optometrist suspected my left eye was "stuck in spasm", and after a few weekly appointments, did stabilize, but both eyes increased by about -1 power (near-sighted).
  • I have had a couple of infections and root canals on the left side despite good oral hygiene, possibly partially due to the tightness in my jaw/neck on that side. No issues on right side. I also had an infection + root canal in a front tooth in 2015, and the dentist asked if I had had a head injury, but again I forgot to mention the 2013 fall on my chin. (oops)

Medical Team Progress:

Since this recent flare-up, I have been working with my doctor (who is great and thorough, but there are limitations with how quickly things can be done within our overloaded healthcare system). She has done some bloodwork (which for the most part has been normal), including for autoimmune conditions, and we are waiting on a head/neck MRI, but it has been protocolled as non-urgent so it is a long wait. Fortunately, I do seem to be coming out of the flare up now, but am still worried about continuing my high-impact activities (running, sports) with a possible spine issue.

• Note on Autoimmune: Rheumatoid bloodwork came back negative. ANA came back positive (nuclear homogenous up to 1:160).
  • Thyroid shows subclinical hyperthyroidism (normal T4, low TSH). As a child (~8yrs old), I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (lump found by ENT after ear tubes procedure) and treated by an endocrinologist, but to the doctor's surprise, it resolved a few years later and I no longer needed medication. I have very few other details on this since I was so young.
  • I also get monthly B12 injections for pernicious anemia since I was about 15, although from what I remember, the blood test marker for the autoimmune condition causing the deficiency was technically negative but I still couldn't get my levels up with oral supplements.
  • All this to say, it's possible I am prone to autoimmune conditions. Although my personal belief is that my neck is the root of most of my issues.

My Request to AskDocs:

I recently received my Head MRI images from a previous location, to share with my current medical team who can compare with my upcoming Head & Neck MRI. But I was wondering if it might be possible to review the previous Head MRI images with consideration of upper cervical spine issues? As per the note above, cervical spine wasn't their focus back when the scan was done in 2016, so I wonder if something may have been missed. (I obviously don't know how to read them, but it kind of looks like my spinal cord area may be off center on the top view images?)

Thanks in advance to those of you who at least manage to skim through my wall of text! :)

One image included in the post, and I will add more under the auto-mod comment.

Anyone here who understands PMDD?

I was recently diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) after almost two years of investigations, and I’m still trying to make sense of it all.

Over the past two years I’ve experienced a range of symptoms, including: Episodes of paralysis or weakness in my limbs, stroke-like symptoms, seizures and jerking movements, limb weakness and numbness and other neurological symptoms that come and go. During those two years I often felt like I wasn’t being believed. Despite experiencing very real physical symptoms, I was repeatedly told that nothing was wrong, and I left many appointments feeling like people thought I was exaggerating or making it up.

To eventually receive an FND diagnosis was almost a relief because it finally acknowledged that something is happening. At the same time, I can’t shake the feeling that it’s a diagnosis that’s been given because no one has found another explanation. I don’t know if that’s a common feeling among people with FND, but it’s something I’m struggling with.

One part that particularly upset me was being asked to record videos of my symptoms for diagnosis. I completely understand that symptoms can fluctuate and may not be present during appointments, but emotionally it reinforced the feeling that I had to “prove” I was ill.

Since receiving the diagnosis, I also haven’t had much explanation about what FND actually is, why it happens, or what treatment looks like. I’ve been told I have FND, but not really what to do with that information. I’ve done some reading and I keep coming across the analogy that “the hardware (the brain and nervous system) is intact, but the software isn’t functioning correctly.” It seems like a helpful way of explaining it, but I’m curious how accurate neurologists and other healthcare professionals actually think that analogy is.

I’d really appreciate hearing from:
People living with FND - did you have similar symptoms or experiences? How did you come to terms with the diagnosis?
Neurologists or healthcare professionals - how do you approach FND? How confident are you when making the diagnosis, and what do you wish patients understood about it?

Anyone who’s found effective ways of managing symptoms or improving quality of life.
I’m still very early in this journey and, if I’m honest, I’m feeling quite confused. I don’t know what my next steps should be, what recovery looks like, or whether these symptoms are something I’ll be living with long-term.

I’d really appreciate any experiences or perspectives.

My wife took shrooms on Thursday. We are in Colorado where this is legal. Everything was fine. Friday night she started acting drunk. That continued through Saturday and didn't get better.

We ended up in the ED on Sunday. The best way to describe it is that she acts drunk slowed speech lack of coordination no depth perception cognitive functioning is very very low slow movement you name it.

They tested her for everything under the sun. Completed a CT scan and an MRI with contrast. Imaging all showed normal and nothing abnormal about her labs.

Has anyone ever seen anyone ever experience this after going on a trip. It's now Tuesday and she still struggling to form words and is unsteady slow speech and everything. They referred her to a neurologist. I don't think it's mushroom related but if anyone in this group knows someone who has had an experience like that after taking mushrooms please let me know.

If you know anyone who's had an experience like this unrelated to mushrooms please let me know.

Most of what she took was sourced through a licensed business. She did also eat some caps and steme that were gifted from someone.

She's going through a lot with her mom right now and has been seeing a psychiatrist but has been kind of passed around to different psychiatrists because the practice has psychiatrists that leave and such. She was on a very high dose of Wellbutrin and Zoloft that she stopped over a month ago.

She was placed on a small dose of buspirone about a week and a half before.

The psychiatrist also gave her propranolol 10 mg twice a day PRN and I learned that she had been taking it twice a day. She doesn't have high blood pressure and it was supposed to be an anxiety rescue med but she was just taking it. We were seeing blood pressure numbers around 90/50 and numbers like that.

It's very scary what we're dealing with. They did release her from the hospital and gave her a neurology referral but we are parents to a 4-year-old kid and I'm terrified to leave him in her care with all of her forgetfulness and lack of coordination and cognitive deficit.

Please don't give me any crap about it stupid seeking medical advice on Reddit I'm just trying to find out if anyone has ever had this experience or knows anyone that had this experience related to mushrooms. I'm just really trying to rule that out.

I’m a 41-year-old female with a progressive illness that multiple specialists, including Mayo Clinic, have not been able to explain. I’m wondering if anyone has experienced a similar combination of symptoms or eventually received a diagnosis.
I had mild depersonalization/derealization years ago related to anxiety, but it was nothing like this. After my hysterectomy in 2023 (ovaries were left), everything changed. These symptoms have been constant since they started and continue to worsen.

My symptoms include:
Severe depersonalization/derealization
Barely recognizing myself in the mirror
My children, husband, home, and even cities I’ve lived in no longer feel familiar, even though I logically know who they are
Emotional numbness (although I can still cry)
Constant confusion and brain fog
Racing thoughts, intrusive thoughts, and intrusive images
Difficulty thinking clearly, processing information, and carrying on conversations
Short-term memory decline
Frequent jamais vu
Dizziness (often feels like I’m on a boat)
Eye floaters and visual disturbances
Episodes of waking with my heart racing
Frequent urination/urinary urgency
Significant gastrointestinal problems, including eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease
Oral Allergy Syndrome
Unintentional 25-pound weight loss over the past year

One of the strangest parts is that I’ve become extremely sensitive to medications and supplements.

I took Prozac for over 20 years with no problems. Since 2023, SSRIs have caused auditory hallucinations. Even medications like Advil or common supplements can make my dissociation dramatically worse, or I have what seem to be paradoxical reactions where medications do the opposite of what they’re expected to do. Because of this, it’s become incredibly difficult to find anything I can tolerate.

I’ve had an extensive workup, including Mayo Clinic. Brain MRIs show stable white matter lesions. An early EEG showed bihemispheric slowing, although a later prolonged EEG was normal. Neuropsychological testing showed a mild neurocognitive disorder. My lumbar puncture, autoimmune encephalitis antibody testing, sleep study, MCAS testing, and genetics evaluation have not provided an explanation.

My neurologists are confused because my symptoms continue to progress despite extensive testing.

I’m not asking anyone to diagnose me. I’m simply wondering if anyone has experienced a similar combination of neurological, cognitive, visual, autonomic, gastrointestinal, and medication sensitivity symptoms, and if so, what the eventual diagnosis was or what helped.

I honestly feel like I’m slowly losing myself, and I’m hoping someone out there recognizes this pattern.