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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Muscle weakness, joint pain, breathing problem and numbness on toes
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Muscle weakness, joint pain, breathing problem and numbness on toes
by Helen1967, May 14, 2006 12:00AM
Hi, I’m 39 years old female, it’s about two years I’ve having weakness in my muscles and it’s getting worse.It started about two years ago with a very high heart bit (180 bits in a min.) I went to the hospital and my heart was in a good condition, the next day I got a little and stable weakness in my lower legs, I didn’t take it seriously, until a year ago it started to get worse, the weakness in my legs was getting more and after few weeks I had in whole my body, but only the muscles. In that time I had different kinds of blood test, MRI, EMG. Everything was negative except a Syrinx on my spinal cord. My neurologist said it is too small and can not be the reason for all my symptoms. The weakness is getting less with well sleeping, good breakfast, movement (not heavy sport or exercises) but it gets worse by not sleeping enough, resting too often and not moving. When I’m moving I have to rest and lie down for half an hour. The weakness is not only in my muscles but also my JOINTS, when I walk I can feel the weakness of my joints by the pain, special on my right side of my body. When it’s cold I’ve more pain in my joints special my fingers and toes, sometimes two of my fingers get completely white and numb. When I’m walking in a warm weather, I get swollen hands and feet. I’ve also breathing problems special if I don’t move or I’m lying down on the coach. The muscle weakness is in toes, legs, belly muscles, arms, hands, fingers, shoulder, neck and jaw.My toes are numb and the left leg has less reflex reaction than the right one. The weakness is one day less than the other.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW, May 23, 2006 12:00AM
I cannot give you a clinical diagnosis over the internet unfortunately as this site is purely educational
Without the benefit of the physical exam it is hard to know whether there is objective clinical musclw weakness or not, which is important in the diagnosis. There are some neurological disorders that involve attacks of muscle weakness with normal strength in between like periodic paralysis or myesthenia gravis. Chronic weakness, which may be asymmetric and assocaited with minor sensry symptoms could suggest CIDP (chroiuc inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy). Analysis of spinal fluid is important in the diagnosis and may show an elevated protein level. EMG may also suggest the diagnosis, otherwise the diagnosis is clinical. There are some anti-body tests that are sometimes helpful (anti-MAG antibody) in hte apprpriate situation, as determined by your neurolgist.
Good luck
Without the benefit of the physical exam it is hard to know whether there is objective clinical musclw weakness or not, which is important in the diagnosis. There are some neurological disorders that involve attacks of muscle weakness with normal strength in between like periodic paralysis or myesthenia gravis. Chronic weakness, which may be asymmetric and assocaited with minor sensry symptoms could suggest CIDP (chroiuc inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy). Analysis of spinal fluid is important in the diagnosis and may show an elevated protein level. EMG may also suggest the diagnosis, otherwise the diagnosis is clinical. There are some anti-body tests that are sometimes helpful (anti-MAG antibody) in hte apprpriate situation, as determined by your neurolgist.
Good luck
The weakness is one day better than the other day but it’s not going away, so one day I feel great and the other day for any reason is coming back. I’ve also TWITCHINGS in all over my body. I’ve had cramps special in my left leg and most of the time when I’m sleeping. My fingers and hands have cramp when I’m opening the door with the key or opening a can. My tongue is stiff and strange, sometimes difficult to talk but I never had problem with talking. The back of my neck has a kind of strange feeling special with more stress; the strange feeling is on upper side of my neck.
I’ve no sleeping problems, no swallowing problem, no visibility problems and no sensation problems and my muscles didn’t get smaller yet. I feel good when I stretch my muscles.
The last few days the weakness is different, it’s like more and painful if I walk special on left side, legs are heavy and sometimes take an effort to move them, I’ve a kind of shaking when I’m using my left arm and my left leg, my toes are very strange, next weak I’ve another EMG and blood test for anti bodies. My neurologist didn’t want to give the EMG or blood test; I had to beg him to do it.
Please can someone help me with this?
can a syrinx be a reason for these effects?
I did have lyme test and it was negative but no western blot test. Can herpes be a reason for all these symptoms?!!
But does your weakness comes and go? one day more than the other?
I also tried very long time to post my comment and it's a week and I have no answer yet, I'm checking my comment every hour, day and night.
But about posting the comments you have to try it at 9:30 am cleveland time and try it for an hour.
I wish you the best and success.
I think my symptoms are more like MG but is it possible to have MG and no problems with swallowing, talking or sight? and I get heavy and strange feeling in all over my muscles if I lie down long.
MG is Myasthenia gravis. MS is more localized and the twitches are only in effected part, but my weakness and the twitches are all over the body. After exerces is more in my legs.
I did post my comment in the site you sent me. I never had fever so it's a kind of strange if I have a bacteral d. and no fever