PN with fibro/CFS

[dichotomy73]

hi!  is peripheral neuropathy a symptom of fibro and/or CFS?

[dichotomy73]

thank you for the feedback, all.  my doctor believes this to be related to mono (EBV).  i did have a test for lyme disease, which came back negative.  aside from the EBV, my blood work looked ok - thanks for your advice - i think i'll go back to bed.  :)

[Soonerman]

PlateletGal listed a few causes of B12 deficiency.  Even with a healthy diet and supplements/vitamins, malabsorption can cause low b12 or magnesium levels, as well as other low vitamin/mineral levels.  In fact most people with a B12 deficiency require B12 shots, because they can't absorb adequately from B12 vitamins through digestion.  There can be many causes of improper digestion, common causes of malabsorption include food allergies (delayed, not the common acute attacks), Celiacs (allergy to gluten), and candida (overgrowth of yeast/fungus) to name a few.  You might research these and other causes as well as getting B12 levels checked (careful even a number on the low end of the "normal" range can cause the symptoms).  All three of the reasons I have mentioned can and do cause symptoms similar to CFS and Fibro.

[patsy10]

I would definitely get screened for lyme disease.  Fibro causes pain, fatigue but does not cause true neuropathy on testing.  Have you had an EMG?  Pins and needles can be present in fibro but true neuropathy is not part of fibro.  Unless the fibro is secondary to something else.

[PlateletGal]

Certain anemias, brain disorders, nerve disorders or pernicious anemia can cause a B12 deficiency. If you haven't had your vitamin B12 levels checked... your physician should do that next time you see him/her. People can actually go blind if they have this condition.

[dichotomy73]

what can cause low b12 or magnesium levels - simply poor diet?  i eat very healthy and take vitamins.  

[Soonerman]

PN, both pins and needles and electric current feeling, can be caused with low B12 levels and/or low Magnesium also.

[dichotomy73]

hi there - thank for your response.  with your PN, is it like pins and needles or is it stronger (mine felt like electric current jolting thru by body) - i only had it strong for about a week, and now it has subsided into occasional floating numbness (elbow) and occasional feeling of falling asleep.  i have an EBV infection that flares up now and then, but i've never had the PN thing, which concerns me.  i had an unsafe sexual encounter a few weeks back - and alot of other flu-like symptoms, so i'm going to get tested for HIV at the appropriate juncture.  ultimately, i hope this is a flare up of EBV for me and not related to primary HIV infection.

I've heard mixed responses as to whether EBV causes CFS or fibro?  do you know the truth?  

also - what other types of conditions can cause PN - again, it only lasted about 7-9 days but during that time was pretty severe - i lost alot of sleep over it.

thanks for your advice!

[tiredpoet]

Hi there!  I've been dxd with fibro/cfs for a year and have had peripheral neuropathy for about 4 or 5 years.  I was told it was a symptom of fibro.  In my case it turns out I was dxd with Chronic Lyme Disease last month and the Lyme doctor told me it's also something that can occur with this.  (I was misdiagnosed with MS previously and also told it could be from MS...so I guess it can go along with a lot of things).