Please help

JLT123 · New User Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 2

I'm a 33 year old male and what some would consider a functioning alcoholic. About 3 1/2 weeks ago after a night of binge drinking I woke up and had a strange loss of sensation on the top of my left hand, stopping at my wrist and going no further than the first knuckle of my pointer finger.

The next day I started feeling icy-hot sensations in my arms and legs, as well as on the sides of my feet. My GP thought it was something superficial, but she referred me to a neurologist, anyway. The symptoms started to go away, and I told the neurologist about my drinking. She did some standard Neurological tests and summized that the problem was an acute case of alcoholic myopathy or neuropathy. I have not had a drink since it started and have gone about my business per usual.

Last Tuesday I was sitting at my computer and the next thing I remember I was waking up off the floor. I went to the bathroom and on my way out it happened again. When I woke up I had a bad headache and I was sweating. I called my girlfriend and she suggested I go to the ER, which I did.

Blood work came back fine, the Echo was fine, too, as well as the doppler for my carotid artery and the chest X-ray. They thought me to be healthy, released me the next morning and I immediately called the neurologist. She scheduled me for an MRI which I took last Saturday and she should be getting the results today.

I was alone when I passed out so I don't know if I fainted or had a seizure, though the symptoms I've read for seizures make me think that's exactly what it was. I have had headaches, I think, but I don't know if I'm imagiing it or what, but last Saturday it felt as though I was having severe cranial pressure. I am a smoker (I know, stupid), and to be honest, the symptoms seem to be worse when I smoke a lot.

I have been a healthy person my whole life, I work out 5 days a week and eat right. I have never been admitted to the ER before and this has me scared beyond words.

I do not show any of the common signs of a brain tumor I've read i.e. change in behavior, vomiting or nausea, double or blurred vision, fatigue, etc, but I have never passed out in my life and have no idea what could've caused it.

If someone has any sort of information they could give me relative to these symptoms it would greatly appreciated.

brainman · Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:48 pm Post subject: Re: Please help

JLT123, I am very sorry about your current health concerns. Let us know what the MRI results show. There are other things that are more likely to make you pass out other than brain cancer: a stroke or a hematoma is more likely to cause you to pass out. Another possibility is long term damage called by excessive use of alcohol. I hope it is something easily treated and not brain cancer and that you will have a full recovery.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

JLT123 · New User Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 2

brainman.. I received the results back and everything was normal. I go for an EEG on Thursday. I am very relieved, but these past few weeks have shown me that I am a very lucky person, and there are people out there that are in and out of hospitals all of their lives and their loved ones must sit back and suffer while the people they care so dearly for spend a good majority of their time being poked and prodded by doctors.

I was in the hospital not even for 24 hours and I was ready to go nuts to get out of there, so the strength and courage of the people here as well as all over the world who are afflicted with this evil disease will always be kept in my prayers. Thanks so much for listening.

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