'Electricity'

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katiejayne
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 5:09 pm

by katiejayne on Mon Aug 19, 2013 5:02 pm

'Electricity'

My topic was locked so posting again as I hadn’t received a response from last Wednesday.

I have had M.E. for four years and suffer with electric shock sensations in my stomach and chest. They seem to come on very suddenly and they stay with me for several hours before they start to subside. When they occur (without warning at any time of day or night) they take my breath away, I struggle to get enough air in my lungs and I feel very dizzy and faint. My doctor suggests it is acid reflux (as also accompanied by stomach upsets) and as such I have been taking gaviscon four times a day every day for two weeks to no avail. I also have asthma and I take amitriptyline, diazepam (for muscular spasms), citalopram, paracetamol, meptid and topiramate (just started this).

I have also recently been told to stop medications I had been taking regularly for some time (neurofen, co-dydramol, pregabalin and gabapentin) and wonder if I am withdrawing - if so how long should this last? I stopped gabapentin about 6 weeks ago because they didn't work, the pregabalin 3 weeks ago as they gave me terrible migraines (both reduced very gradually before stopping) and the co-dydramol and neurofen about a fortnight ago - the doctors told me to stop them immediately as they thought they were giving me stomach problems. The downside is the co-dydramol was the only thing that helped with the flu-like aches and they are now terrible without.

Now trying a TENS machine, but as yet no improvement.

Any suggestions gratefully received.....

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Dr Charles Shepherd
Posts: 215
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:30 am

by Dr Charles Shepherd on Mon Aug 19, 2013 5:34 pm

Re: 'Electricity'

Katie

You clearly have a complex medical problem involving a number of diagnostic possibilities that really needs to be sorted out in a face to face consultation

You are also taking a consider number of drugs - all of which have a number of potential side-effects

So have you asked your GP if you could be referred to a hospital based ME/CFS service for further assessment, investigation and management?

If not, I suggest you go down this route first

The MEA website has a full list of all the hospital based services for ME/CFS in the UK

And as you may have seen in a reply to another question on gastric symptoms, there is evidence of a gastric motility disturbance in some people with ME/CFS - this could be relevant to what you are describing

MEA website: http://www.meassociation.org.uk
Dr Charles Shepherd
MB BS, Honorary Medical Adviser, ME Association

katiejayne
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2013 5:09 pm

by katiejayne on Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:33 pm

Re: 'Electricity'

Dr Shepherd,

Many thanks for your response.

I have begged my GP for referrals over the last few years and, although she is sympathetic to my problems, she doesn't really know where to turn. Unfortunately, the services in my area only cater for young people affected with M.E. / C.F.S (I am 31). The next nearest centre is too far for me as I don't travel well (I struggle to get out much at all).

In terms of the gastro problems, I have had tests under my local hospital (endoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy) and they have not shown any reason or diagnosis of the symptoms - acid reflux was the only suggestion I was given.

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