Nighttime brain zaps, SEVERE fatigue, and more

Brain and nerves
1

I am new to this forum, or ANY forum for that matter. I'm a 35 almost 36 y.o. female, not overweight, and a mother of 2 kids. An 8 year old boy and almost 3 year old girl.

So, where to begin......? Two times this past week I have had what I call brain electrocution zaps when I am asleep. I am currently on ZERO medications, don't use drugs and only drink lightly, but I do take vitamin supplements. These brain zaps HAVE occurred in the past but ONLY when I was awake. The only other times I've experienced these was being awake and when I tipped my head backwards too far and/or too fast. I DO have some serious neck issues with disk herniations, but do not know the condition of the rest of my spine since no doctor has ever ordered imaging for the rest of my spine.

In addition to these horrendous brain zaps, I've been riddled with the most SEVERE full body fatigue ever. The fatigue has been present for at LEAST 5 months straight, with MAYBE 5 days total that it wasn't present. It's a deep, heavy, burning fatigue that is mostly prominent in my legs. It DOES affect my arms too however.

I generally don't have pain, except the random, brief, and very intense pains that randomly happen in even more random locations. These pains are quite unpleasant but not debilitating and generally do not interfere with my life.

Its the fatigue that has completely ruined my quality of life. I'm not depressed or experiencing anxiety either. I know EXACTLY what both depression and anxiety are and my issues are NOT from either condition. I'm fully familiar with the horrible feelings/sensations that can be caused by anxiety and depression, however I KNOW its not that.

The brain zaps do kind of bring on some anxiety at times since its woken me from sleep twice now. But even when I'd have them while awake, they were unpleasant and startling but it didn't make me feel panicked.

Also, I noticed a couple weeks ago that I have what seems to be a case of foot drop although I don't know EXACTLY when it first presented itself. Once again, no pain so I guess that's probably why I didn't notice it right away. Its my left foot that is affected. I've tried EVERY single stretch, exercise, and maneuver that I could find to try to regain my range of motion or full use of my foot, but nothing has helped.

I've been poked so many times for blood work in the past 15 months to check for anything. Nothing expect a low potassium issue in early December and that has been fine since.

Lastly, for now, I battled a terrible spell of diarrhea for 4 months straight! It has since gone away and things are normal in that area now. Its most likely that the low potassium issue was caused from the diarrhea I'm sure. And this wasn't just a case of soft stools diarrhea......there was NOTHING solid about it the entire time. It never presented with pain, discomfort OR constipation either. I'm glad THAT'S over with obviously but the previously mentioned issues above are my top 3 concerns now.

Yes, I see a doctor about all this and even recently changed primary care providers. My previous doctor told me it was "all in my head, and I should probably seek professional help." No joke, he said exactly that as he pointed his finger to his temple suggesting that I am "crazy." The new doc seems genuinely more concerned than the last one, but I KNOW I need an MRI of my entire spine and probably of my brain as well....

Any helpful insight, advice, experience, or words would be greatly appreciated!I do try to stay positive, and even make humor out of my issues and ailments and have a great sense of humor too. Meanwhile I'll just keep left foot high stepping, treading water in a pit of quick sand and operating at high voltage I guess. Lol! Have a wonderful day and I look forward to this new forum experience being positive, enlightening, and/or helpful experience. Thanks!

2

Shanda,

I also suffer from brain xaps. Mine are usually right b4 sleep or at times Tha awaken me out of a sleep, causing major anxiety attacks. I do suffer with Tinnitis, acid reflux, and eustation tube dysfunction which my ENT said cud be causing the zaps, but these are stemming from the brain. I have researched brain zaps and most say from anxiety. I seem to have gotton. BEtter in the last few weeks, they don't seem to be as often. Not sure if it's because of taking flonase (generic) nose spray or what. But since this is a steroid I tell ya I'm putting on weight, yet after 3 days off, symptoms seem to flare again..I do not feel overly tired..Tired yes some days pretty bad, but nothing I feel concerned about. I do hope we all find answers soon..take good care and stay positive!

3

hey I'm with you. all these health care providers are all trash. you cant believe how many doctors / neurologists have told me i'm just making it all up, I don't know what this is either. this is not anxiety, I have extremely similar symptoms that you have, but i'm younger and probably have it worse off. there are cases reported of people of all ages contracting (herpes) hsv or hvv spreading through the nervous system typically infecting the temporal lobe causing meningitis or encephalitis. for me, I experience fibromyalgia occationaly. over 80% of all humans on this rock have herpes in one form or another. but this is unacceptable. I recommend you getting the drug trazodone prescribed, as well as buy ginger root from the grocery store and make some tea out of it. but the most importantly is to get enough sleep. trazodone is an antidepressant that somehow works wonders with the nervous system, also it levels out your saratonin. if you do only take it for a maximum of 3 months

I am not a doctor or anything but I can tell you this will help you more than anything than those "health care professionals" have told you. It might not be hvs, it might be a bacterial infection or pathogen that has made its way up to the nervous system. I'm not trying to scare you, but I don't know. not even sure what i'm suffering from. these are just my hypothesis. so don't give up, trust your intuition and don't let any doctor just write you off if you know there is something there. they are part of this corrupted health care system and get paid only if they prescribe clients pills. 

4

Julez878,

I'm going to bring up Lyme testing to my doc. I don't recall ever being bitten by a tick, BUT I DO live in a wooded area, used to work in a greenhouse when I lived in VA, and have found ticks on my body. Just don't know if one ever actually bit me or not. I appreciate your input! I WILL post again when I get somewhere with this.

5

ricardo15789,

I am familiar with trazodone. I was on it for a while a few years back. I was taking it again this past fall but it seemed to be making me depressed. Idk. But it REALLY affected me differently than it did a few years ago . I do appreciate your input and advice!! My old doctor office had at one point given me referrals to a neurologist when I needed an emergency appointment and had to see a PA. She was great but when MY doctor for wind of it, he cancelled the referrals before the neurologist office could even call me to set up an appointment. So I feel ya with the so-called medical professionals. Smh.

6

Hi hunny, so that’s great know doctor should be pointing out your crazy ,maybe he is hahaha.Little side joke . You did the right thing about changing your doctor due to you don’t need axiety issues more if this is the case cause I have them and it’s not a jk having them. So at least your doctor is sending you for a mri great .Wondering if your taking vitamins how long any new ones? And maybe , maybe strange to say but some times you might be having to much in your system . Basically what I’m trying to say is ok you be having to much in take you don’t need some of them ? Maybe stop them for bit see if your having to much in your system get them take blood work on that to . Stick and do that mri and also cat scan because some times u might see some thing in a mri then u do on a cat scan ,or the other way around tell them to send u to a neurologist next if they don’t find any thing . Hugs let us know what’s happening .

7

Caroline,

I too have thought about the vitamin issue. I've tried SO many things as somewhat of an experiment to narrow it down. I'm with ya on the vitamins topic. Right now I only take a multivitamin but with the diarrhea I had for so long, my body HAD to be lacking every essential nutrient ya know. I appreciate your input and I'm glad I decided to post to this forum! I sometimes feel like most people don't believe how TRULY bad my fatigue is. But I keep on keepin' on. Lol!

8

Ricardo,

Its funny you mentioned ginger root because I literally just got some yesterday! I recalled having felt amazing the following day after I had sushi for dinner a few weeks back. Of course I had pickled ginger with it as well. Point being is that I can only speculate that the ginger is what helped. So I got some and I HAVE noticed a slight difference today already! So, we MIGHT be crazy, but that doesn't mean we aren't smart right! Lol! 😉

9

Wow my daughter had gotten tics from one of her friends that slept over she had 3 of her friends all sisters my poor daughter got it had to take her in . I been reading readers giagest lots ginger so good for many things I’m gonna start that my self due to many issues I have . Hope you guys get well soon . I know what you mean 3 things my doctor was suppose to do also I phone check see about going back to nerology and physio and my ears throat nasals nothing was done only one thing and they didn’t take out patients any more two places at the hospital so told me direct me to the river side hospital still nothing is done so fustrating . So Monday I’m giving my doctor crap done with his bad doctor stuff.

10

Julez,

I have an aappointment Monday morning and I plan on bringing this up to my new doc. I'm guessing it will be the day MRI's are ordered since everything else has come back normal so far. I'll update as I go.

Thanks everyone!