I have been having some troubling symptoms lately...
First off, I very obviously have minor tardive dyskinesia caused by past antipsychotic use. These symptoms are mild and not overly concerning to me (occasionally I snarl uncontrollably or grimace.... I also clench my teeth a lot). The police always think I am on cocaine, to give you an idea, because they take note of the clenching that I cannot control.
This is bad enough, but I feel like my problems go beyond this. Lately, I have some weird symptoms... for example numbness in my head, numbness in my hands and legs. I've also had some attacks where I lose control of my limbs. I have youtubed Huntington's chorea and the movements that I experienced very strongly resembled the videos. I have also experienced extremely stiff neck on occasion when using marijuana.
I have had a couples episodes over a span of many years with varying symptoms that come on abruptly but disappear very quickly - these include uncontrollable laughter (lasts maybe 10 mins or so), uncontrollable body movements, difficulty pronouncing words, difficulty swallowing, excessive writing, excessive speech (like I can't control the words that are coming out of my mouth), and euphoria.
The very earliest weird episode I had was when I was about 13 years old... I remember waking up in the middle of the night and my leg was paralyzed. I literally could not move it for about 10 minutes. Perhaps I was sleep walking but I don't think so. Perhaps I slept in a weird position, but I have had so many episodes of the year, I am beginning to wonder whether this was the start of my problems.
I experienced paranoia and psychosis for several years from about 16 to 20 before I was diagnosed and prescribed antipsychotics. But the symptoms feel very biological - the mood symptoms come on very abruptly.... it's like I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, and then all of a sudden, it's like all hell breaks loose, and I start to become suicidal, paranoid, I start to panic, my personality changes, or I start to think violent thoughts, I become afraid, start crying uncontrollably. The mood change is just so abrupt and bodily based that I just think there is something more than depression going on.
I'm just very worried right now. My grandma had a stroke at age 70 so I know circulation problems run in the family. My grandma also experienced paranoia throughout her life and received shock treatment early in her life. I guess I am just trying to determine if my problems are psychological or physical or both.
03 Apr 2012, 6:26 am
