Brain inflammation symptoms and conditions

I am a 38 year old male suffering from a combination of occipital neuralgia and migraines. For 20 years, until a year ago, i would endure pain that was only manageable with narcotic pain relievers (imagine all the gamut of such kind). I would have neck and head aches typically 3-4 times a week, accompanied by vomiting, dizziness which would put me to bed for the entire day. Work and family suffered in magnitude comparable to my own suffering. So then I finally saw my GP for that. The pain meds went up the roof, imitrex, maxalt was added to the equation with only marginal side effect. I saw a neurologist. He had me do an MRI and put me on Topamax starting from 25 mg, which I upped to 200 mg within 6 weeks. Past the initial side effects, the headaches subsided, the frequency reduced and i was able to enjoy weeks at a time with no episodes. Stayed at 200 mg for 5 months. In the meantime, the MRI came back positive for some brain inflammation. False positive they said, does not fit the clinical picture. Second MRI, same positive, this time proceeded with LP, which was negative. Third, MRI still positive; making the neurologist uncomfortable. While dealing with MRI results, the topomax had yielded positive results as far as pain management was concerned. But little by little I noticed that I was becoming more irritable, more impatient and more forgetful. Someone would have to remind me of something several times before it would even register in my mind. I empathize will all the posts that mention feeling like having Alzheimer's. I didn't care in the meantime. As long as I didn't have to deal with the pain it was ok with me. But the situation became worst and worst. I couldn't concentrate on anything, the mere task of remembering to do something was insurmountable. I would wake in the middle of the night and find myself staring at the bathroom mirror for no reason. I would have terrible panic attacks which i control with valium. But yet i continued on with topamax convincing myself and being convinced by other people around me that i just had a "personality disorder". Finally, work begun to suffer. I was loosing track of meetings, deadlines and when this happens someone knocks on your door (boss) telling you that something just doesn't click, something just doesn't feel like a personality quirk. Other people playing doctor would slap on my face that i just had ADD, that I should take something for that and get on with my life. But something was wrong. Pain or dizziness or lack of concentration etc are all electrochemical processes in your brain. It turns out that topamax was helping my headaches but it was not slowly deteriorating other cognitive abilities. Finally, the neurologist decided I should wean of the topamax, stepping down from 200 - 150 and then we go to 100 and so on. I dread the re-occurrence of the headaches. I am waiting for them to happen again at some point as I drop the dosage. But in the end of the day, I'd rather be in pain and in control of my life rather pain free and absent minded.

Please read his entire post in its entirety.

I spent 15 years on Klonopin. Initially I was placed on this medications for the side effects of Prozac, but it worked so well (initially) at curbing my panic attacks that I remained on it. It was a godsend for many years. My maximum dose was 1 mg twice daily (toward the end).

Several times I was able to discontinue this medication on my own with no problems, but in the late 90's I suddenly had trouble discontinuing this medication even with the help of a doctor, and I assumed this was because I had developed a 'dependence'.

My depression, anxiety, and panic attacks began to worsen during this time period, and I began to develop other symptoms - insomnia, pain in my spine and joints, IBS, a droopy left eyelid, restless legs, teeth-grinding - to name a few. I began to see more and more doctors as my list of symptoms grew, but doctors assumed that I was seeking more Klonopin and that there was nothing wrong with me.

There's a lot more to my story, but basically I almost died. Klonopin was merely a bandaid for what was really going on with me. I no longer even believe in "benzo dependence". Here's what was causing my anxiety:

Chronic Lyme, babesia, and several viral infections causing brain inflammation (join Lymenet!)

Also, severe electromagnetic hypersensitivities/microwave sickness.

If you've been placed on Klonopin, there is a good chance you are merely a victim of chronic Lyme and the wireless boom. Google "Elves Against ELF (& RF).

Electrical Sensitivity & Hypersensitivity:

http://www.ei-resource.org/illness-information/related-conditions/electrical-sensitivity-&-hypersensitivity/

Bioinitiative Report:

http://www.bioinitiative.org/report/index.htm

Klonopin only serves to sedate you to the fact that you have a raging infection in your nervous system, fueled by the wireless boom.