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Neurology (Expert Forum)
fibromyalgia numbness and tingling
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fibromyalgia numbness and tingling
by kwag, Jan 14, 2004 12:00AM
Hi. Thank you for taking my question. I am 38 yo female. I have been very active all of my life. I jogged (til 1999) 2-6miles a day (most everyday), and I attended exercise classes about 3 times a week. I felt good. In 1999, my health went down. I have always (since I can remember) had muslce twitches. In 99 I began to have very sore and knotted areas in my muscles. I was told by an ortho that I probably had fibro. I did no testing because I could still function in normal life but I had to stop jogging because of severe pain on my inner ankles (post-tibial tendonitis). My right nevicular bone fractured and it feels better(not treated for the fx). My left one is still very painful but not all the time. I now have more S/S of fibro: some fatigue, most every tener spot, IBS (dx as Chronn's in 2000), dry eyes, weird skin sensations and numbness and tingling in the bottom of my feet. That brings me to now. The numbness and weird tingling is trying to drive me crazy. It came on my left foot, then leg and sometimes right foot. Then it showed up on my left arm and the left side of my face 2 1/2 months ago. My GP ordered and MRI with and without:normal. Did labs of CBC, CHEM 7, thyroid, lupus , not sure what else: all normal. I saw a neuro last week. Did exam:normal. Says does not look like MS or other problem and to come back if worse or lose fx. So, What can I do to relieve this numbness? I do stretches(yoga) just about every morning and some pilates for strength. I take whole food supplements, no caffiene, very little sugar. HELP....KARMEN
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS, Jan 16, 2004 12:00AM
There is no particular treatment for numbness. However, if there is a painful quality to the sensation then a trial of a neuropathic pain medication would be reasonable. Some of the more common drugs to try include Neurontin (gabapentin) and Elavil (amitryptiline). Good luck.
Ask your doctor if he has tested your b12 level and don't accept that it is "normal" without knowing the actual result. Many people have suffered neurological damage because some doctors are still unaware of the levels at which serum b12 becomes suspicious.
If you are in the US, the bottom of normal is probably about 200pg/ml and some doctors think anything above that is ok unless you have other hematological changes, such as anaemia or megablastic (enlarged) blood cells. There are many medical reports from specialists in the field that totally disagree with this.
If your tests are anywhere in the 200's area, even slightly higher, then with unexplained neurological symptoms you should also have your methylmalonic acid and homocysteine levels checked.
Hope this might help
Graham
It might be worthwhile not starting until you have had the tests carried out. If you are having nuerological symptoms, and if b12 deficiency is part of your problem, you may have to have b12 injections or very high doses (1000-5000mcg) of oral b12. Methylcobalamin seems to be the form of b12 that many think is best.
I have had similar problems to your own and quite a fight with the medical profession in the UK where accepatable levels are lower than elsewhere (150-900 pg/ml). My b12 levels eventually became deficient as did my folate. The fact that my levels were always dropping was not thought important as I was within the acceptable lab levels and at that time I had no other hematological changes.
I hope you get to the bottom of your problem. It would be nice to know how you get on.
Best of luck
Graham
To cut a long story short, my health had always been pretty good with the exception of stomach/bowel discomfort and swelling mid 90's which was suspected of being Chronn's but examination simply revealed severe inflamation in the duodenum and ileum.
About five years ago I had slight tingling in my lower legs, and occasionally my arms. I had also not felt run down and slightly light headed. I was scared that I was developing MS, my GP and the neurologist I was sent to thought that it probably was no more than stress.
To fast forward five years, I have burning and painful tingling in both legs and arms, muscle weakness, tremor in fingers, occasional blurred and at times double vision (very slight), tinnitus and last year hearing tests showed distinct hearing loss. I also still have stomach/bowel discomfort. My b12 level was 289pg/ml and my folate 9.8ng/ml in 98. I was continually told my tests were within normal range but what was not mentioned, or noticed, was that my results continually fell. Over the five years both fell constantly, my folate ending up at 2.8 (approx 70%) and my b12 by over 40%.
I have recently had a colonoscopy which also shows that I have diveritular disease in my bowel.
The stomach/bowel problems have been there for nigh on ten years and I don't think there is much doubt that my b12 problem and subsequent neurological problems have emanated from this.
I do not want to see anyone else going through this, and although I cannot say this is definately a problem you have, I would urge you to get properly tested now.
Good luck
Graham