In an ambulance this time :(

He'd just come home from Scouts, went to say g'night to his Dad, Big Dave took his LEFT shouldar to give him a friendly 'whatever men do when they grab each others shouldars' and the lad just folded in a heap as if he'd been poleaxed! He had pains in the other arm (the one he's had such problems with recently) but also in his back and he can't feel/move his legs or his right arm!...........

I think it was somebody on here who mentioned ankolising spondolitis (sp?) - does this sound familiar?

Only today I had the appointment through with the Paedeatrician - 27th October!

Hope things turn out OK, it was cervical spondylosis that I mentioned as I suffer with it.  I have actually been suffering with pain and numbness in my right leg, but I'm not suffering too badly with the shoulder and arm at this moment in time, although the thumb and finger next to it have not had any real feeling for 14 months now!

You need to insist on x-rays, I think an MR is best, bloods and whatever else as you need to find out the diagnosis ASAP.  With CS you do go through periods where you are fine and it can last for months.

I really do hope that you find out soon what the cause of this is.

Take care and we are all thinking of your son.

Diane

Update - they are keeping him in.  They don't have the foggiest idea what it is, but suspect it's neurological.....

Poor you.  I hope its nothing serious.

Karen

At least now you will know that they will do more intensive tests.  Thinking about you and hope that he will soon be on some medication or at least know what's happening to be able to deal with it.

Take care and tell him that we are all thinking of him.

p.s.  Look after yourselves too!

Thinking of you all - at least now he has been kept in, they will start tests immediately {{hugs}} - hope things start to sort themselves out now.

Lotsaluv
Margot

hi digger sending you all a big(((((hugs))))))))) maybe now whilst your son is still in hospital they will find out just what is the cause.
regards polly_45

Digger, thinking of you and your son at this time. I hope your OH doesn't feel too badly over this. As you said, it's something men do. Sometimes everyone feels sorry for the patient, but forgets there is someone else suffering.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{Fran and Big D and kids}}}}}}}}}}}}
I hope they find and sort whats wrong asap.
Give them both a big hug from me (if they rememeber me!!) and let us know how he gets on.
Lea :)

Thanks everyone.  Well he came out, had tea, stood up to give Dave a hug, and it all kicked off again! :(  There was perspiration on his lip, his eyes kept rolling back in his head, and his was shaking with the pain...  So he's back in again.........  On his discharge the Dr suggested to Dave that he was faking it.........

god you must be at the end of your teather,

you dont think it could a spinal injury,

hope you get to the bottom of it soon

I WOULD INSIST ON A NEUROLOGICAL OPINION.  OK if he is faking it, but at least you'd know then that there isn't anything wrong and maybe the school and something going on there is the next option.

Don't give up.  My parents didn't when my brother was ill and the GP said that there was nothing wrong.  He was 14, couldn't get up, had to be carried everywhere.  The GP wouldn't get an ambulance out or anything and my parents had to take him themselves and the hospital rushed him straight to an oxygen tent and said that he'd be lucky if he lasted the weekend.  Luckily he lived another year!

Of course I'm not saying that it's anything as severe as the above, but of course we'd all do anything for our children.  Not that I have any though :d

Take care and don't give up!

You can't FAKE perspiration and pallor from pain!! that's the real Mc Coy!!   Sometimes doctors have trouble believing if the cause isn't immediately obvious ;)  but that doesn't stop it from happening :(    Sounds like you need to press your case quite strongly ;)

Good luck

That is outrageous!  I do hope you get a satisfactory conclusion soon.

Very best wishes to you all.

When I had severe pain with my CS a couple of years ago, with pallor, perspiration and I was actually sick at the doctors, the doctor said I had a stomach bug!! I'd been unable to move my neck for 3 weeks and had had to wait 2 weeks for the GP appointment.  I was told that you couldn't get the above symptoms through pain!

Don't get me wrong I think that doctors do a brilliant job, I actually work in a hospital and it amazes me some of the things that they do do, but I think if you can't express things in a certain way they find it very hard to diagnose.

Update - we went to see him this morning - he was quieter than normal (despite apparently dancing infront of the Drs earlier.......) While we were there he had another, all be it smaller, attack - lost the use/feeling in his left leg, and this time the Dr (the one who told Big Dave he was putting it on - we put her straight on that one and she withdrew her statement) was able to examine him - relflexs were all present, but he was unable to feel his toes being pinched on and off for a good 45 mins........
She (the Dr) said it was our choice, we could bring him home, or leave him there, and she would TRY and get in touch with a neurologist at the James Padgett hospital in Oxford tomorrow......... He was happy to stay there - he has another 10 year old boy for company, and two teenage girls, one's a diabetic and in following taking and over dose, and the other is asthmatic whose due in court next week!...... Kids today!

IMO it's a good thing he is still at hospital because then at least he is taking up a bed and he can't be 'forgotten'.  I think generally hospital doctors and nurses in this country are excellent but there are always the exceptions.  I'd be absolutely frothing if a doctor accused my child of faking something like that. 

I know everyone deals with things differently but with the experiences I've had with doctors and my kids I would be inclined to be a little assertive and 'press' for a referral to the neurologist. I'm afraid all too often it's those who shout loudest who seem to get noticed while the reasonable quieter people get pushed to the back of the queue. 

Kids - They told me the first 18 years were the worst but my mum tells me that you never stop worrying about them

Hope it turns out to be something trivial.

I think it's good he's in hospital too Fran, I hope things move along quickly for you and your family to get this sorted out :)

Lindsay
x

Well, as soon as he regains the feeling in his legs (which he lost when the Drs were pulling him around at lunchtime) he can come home.......  He has an MRI scan booked for Weds morning, and they also want him to see a shrink..........

Hope it goes well digger.  Fingers crossed it's nothing serious.

Hi Fran, I hope that all is okay with your son.  I would say I have to agree with the advice given above - shout loudly and demand that he's seen by a specialist.  My opinion of doctors is that they know a little about a lot of things but not much on anything in particular. 

(((((hugs)))))  Thinking of you and your family

Hayley..x

A shrink? as in psychiatrist?

It doesn't sound psychosomatic especially as it comes on with physical activity (being pulled about).  That makes it sound more neurological but then what do I know, I'm not involved, but I am curious.  Can a scan reveal all nerve problems then?

Yes, a shrink, as in psychiatrist........  Doesn't make sense to me either, but his Dad is getting in such a state about it all I'm not surprised.  Unfortunatly I had to go to work today, so couldnt' stay with them :(  Still waiting for the phone call......

I would have thought that a psychiatrist would have been the last option when all physical possibilities had been ruled out.  They might be doing a scan but didn't you say that the specialist neurologist is at another hospital? Does this mean that the scan results will go to him for his specialist opinion?  I can well believe that Dave is getting in a pickle, doctors can sometimes be a bit insensitive and psychiatry is an unknown quantity for most people.  I can't help wondering though if the doctors are jumping the gun a bit before ruling out all the physical stuff.  I would want to know exactly why they think it is psychosomatic, is it because they can't find anything physically wrong because that doesn't necessarily mean it's psychosomatic does it? 

If I were you I would write down a list  of questions to take with me.  I have found that if you ask lots of questions the doctors will usually take time to explain what they are doing and why they are doing it.  You can imagine I am a pain in the a*** but I don't worry about that so long as I understand absolutely everything. 

(((((((((((Fran))))))))))
Hang on in there, at least they are taking him seriously now.
I hope they find out what is wring asap.
and you know where I am if you need someone to talk to.
Lea. And give him a HUGE hug from me :)

Why should a psychiatric referral be the last option.  Diagnosis is often a process of elimination and common things are common, meaning the most likely or common causes for any particular symptom should be explored first.  If the doctors have commonly seen such symptoms brought about, perhaps unwittingly, by stress for instance it is only right that that should be looked at ahead of or perhaps in conjuction with other possible causes.  The investigation of more physical causes may also involve invasive or very costly procedures that would involve a wait so it would also seems entirely reasonable to deal with more straightforward options first.  Each and every cause should be dealt with on its merits and if it did turn out that emotional reasons were the cause, like any other, the sooner it is identified the better nor would attaching any stigma to a particular cause be particularly helpful.
I hope whatever it is Digger, they get to the bottom of it soon and recovery is speedy.

Please people, don't start arguing over this.  We're all entitled to our own opinions ;)
I have Big Dave pacing the floor because the lad currently has no feeling in either arms or legs, and nobody at the hospital or GP's seem interested in how we are supposed to cope with it - the practicalities like daily care etc.  He's been in this situation for most of the day on and off,  It's getting to the stage where periods of 'normal' mobility are the exception rather than the rule.........

I agree 100 % that all illnesses, including this, should be thoroughly investigated for a physical cause. It would be negligent of the doctors not to investigate physical causes BUT it would also be negligentof them not to consider a psychiatric cause.
The use of the word "shrink" in the original post gives me an impression , rightly or wrongly, that the poster may consider that psychiatric illness is somehow less real, or maybe less "worthy" than  a physical illness. I would also point out that if an illness has a psychiatric cause the person is not "pretending", the symptoms are real...just from a different cause. It is nothing to be ashamed of  and it saddens me that so many have the attitude that mental health problems are something that only other people get. i have a neice that has had severe obsessive compulsive disorder for some time so I know how bad these things can be.
I would beg the original poster to keep an open mind, and above all to NOT let her son get ANY vibes at all that to have a mental health problem would be something to be ashamed of...it could only make matters much worse. In addition, belittling medical staff and saying they dont know anything is also something to be avoided as he will lose confidence in them. Remember that just because the doctors say some things that people dont want to hear, does not necessarily mean they are wrong.( and i dont think that the medical profession deserve the insults that some on this board are so willing to throw at them " most of them know nothing". I suppose those of you making these insults have much better medical knowledge than the professionals.

Are they doing a full body scan or of head and spine?

Definately press to see the neurologist ;) Don't be afraid to be assertive ;)

Unfortunately most doctors have little knowledge outside their specialisms :(  this can make them very blinkered, I speak as someone who had the worst battle to convince a consultant paediatrician that he was talking out of his **** about a particular problem with my son, he apologised fully, after another consultant strongly corrected him and pointed out that I was right Had I given in my son would be very ill now, instead he's healthy and robust despite his problems ;)

Hope you get to the bottom of this soon
Dill

No way did I intend to start a debate on the competencies on medical staff.  Of course the doctors know what they are doing but sometimes they tell people what they are doing and little more.  To alleviate the stress and anxiety about what is happening now and next is for me, my own opinion, to ask lots of questions, not to question the doctors' abilities but gain as much information as possible in order to understand the processes and approaches of the doctors.  When you ask questions and get thorough answers this might lead to more questions but ultimately to understanding about what's going on and it's the understanding that helps alleviate fear of what was previously the unknown.  As I said before, I said what I would do and that isn't necessarily what everyone else would do, some people prefer to just let the doctors do their stuff.  As for psychiatry this is just another area of medicine and of course it should be explored if the doctors think this is the way to go but for myself, and this is my opinion on what has been said so far, I would want to know why they are mentioning this before they have even had the scan.  Perhaps the answer would be that this is normal practice in which case that would satisfy me, if it were me. 

I think sometimes that posters are perhaps mis-interpreted or not clearly communicated and I'm sorry if that's happened here.  If you knew me you would know that I have the utmost respect for medical professionals especially consultants and have a personal interest in all mental health matters and would be the last to criticise criticise psychiatry.

Digger I hope everything goes well with the scan