Left side going Numb....aughhh

I'm heading to my Dr today, and my left side is going numb.  I thought gee it's not really happening... but yes it is..the more I try to move, or walk.. My Left leg, arm, hand are going numb.  I haven't had this happen so strongly before and it doesn't feel very good...


oh no.. I will try to relax... I hope it's just my nerves or something..and it will go away quickly.. I will try not to panic..

is this just me freaking out...??  because of my Dx..and going to the Dr??

I will let you know how things go..
bye for now
wobbly
dx ppms

[slightlybroken]

Please let us know how things go. Try to relax...I know it's better said than done. But try..OK? Let us know when you get back!

Thinking About You

[Lulu54]

Please relax and try to make the most of this doctor appt - be sure to tell them all about the numbness too.  I know you must have lots of questions for him as you have had time for this dx to settle in....

as always,
L

[jibjen]

Hi wobbly

I have numbness too on my left.. I posted last week after my neuro said it was my migraines...I am not dx. with MS but have been having major isues with numbness and shocks down legs and arm on left side..I hope you (have) or had a good appointment.

Keep in touch
jibjen

[saveone]

I will be watching to see what you learn.

good thoughts coming your way, terry

[Wobbly]

well.. my appt was with my GP, and he didn't give me many answers.. he said there was nothing they could do about the numbness.  I was quite upset and started to tear up...

he said to let the MS clinic know, but to take continue to up my gabapentin for pain in my legs, but he doesn't think it will help the numbness.  He said to take extra strength Tylenol for leg pain??  I don't know if that would help...as I thought it was Nerve Pains...deep muscle pain.  

I ended up not asking more questions as I got too upset when he said there was nothing they could do for numbness and I'm worried about loosing feeling in my body. My hubby was at work and I went by myself.  

guess I'll write this down and hope that it goes away...it's still there and not any better... I'll let the MS clinic know later...I'm too upset to talk with anyone about it except my friends here of course.

I don't think my GP knows much about MS??  

take care
wobbly
dx

[saveone]

Neither do I.  However I think numbness can come and go.  I think again I have read stories of ppl who get their feelings back yrs after it happens.  

I don't mean that in a depressing way but as encouragement.  If you can get it back after years then how much better the chance in the beginning?

take care.  I wish I could do more.

terry

[shawnie31]

Hey Wobbly.. Sorry to hear about your troubles today, it really ***** when you don't know how long some symtoms (symptoms) are going to linger around for. Is the MS clinic receptive when you call to report some of your issues? What kind of support do they offer when someone is troubled with pain.

I had a similar day today.. though I was fortunate to be with my hubby. My legs and butt went numb while we were at a grocery store. Right now the pain in my legs and the constant tugging feeling in my ribs is not very pleasant. I just started Baclofen so I'm not sure if it's going to work for me yet.

Do you need some of you pain meds ajusted? You know I had the same thought in my head today. What happens if the numbness doesn't go away. Is that when people aren't able to walk anymore. What causes MS'ers to become unable to walk is it the numbness or the weakness??

Take care Wobbly,

Shelley
Un-dx

[Wobbly]

thanks everyone, I think I started to panic wondering if this is what happens with getting worse ... I forgot that these symptoms can go away.  I just hope they don't last that long...

you guys are so great to have to chat too.  Right now I still don't feel like talking to any drs...even the MS clinic and I'm not sure how receptive they are if I call them.. they would probably say I have to come in next week or so.

I'll see how I feel tomorrow..we are going away next week for vacation.  I really hope it feels better soon.  I'll take more gabapentin and hope it helps.

thanks everyone
wobbly
dx

[Udkas]

Hi Wobbly,
I am thinking of you and sending cyber hugs, numbness is a very scary symptom and you feel like you are on a roller coaster as you don't know if it will stay.  I had numbness that lasted for months but it gradually got better, it took a long time, so it may not stay.

GPs are hopeless with MS, they  seem to know very little, in our town at the moment the neuro's are running workshops in conjunction with the GPs and people with MS so that they can educate the GPs better to beable to diagnose it and treat it and also the emotional aspect.  I think this is a great idea.

Do you have a MS nurse you can call that can talk to your neuro if need be?  They are helpful with pain management etc.  Amitriptiline and Gabapentin seem to be the best drugs at treating neuropathic pain.  When I was numb my neuro offered me some IV steriod treatment, he thought that might help with the inflammation.  

I would talk to him or the nurse.  Hopefully a holiday will de stress you,

Thinking of you
UDkas.

[babyboy1016]

man i can totally relate...the left side of my face,my eye,mouth,left arm but was more like pins and needles in my finger tips,and my legs werw like noodles and i was tired aaallll the time.after a steady iv steroid program was this remedied.not knowing the duration of the symptoms is the worst part..and are they gonna be permanent.months have went by,things are better.so keep hope alive..

[rendean]

I have had tingling (pins and needles) in my left arm and hand along with numb patches. I was started on Neurontin which helped tremendously with the tingling. The numb patches have also improved...some places are still numb and others have recovered. The recovery of the numbness did take longer than tingling to resolve but the important thing to me was the recovery.

Take care and try not to stress too much about it. You need your vacation so you can relax and think good thoughts.

Sending loads of good thoughts your way,

Ren

[doublevision1]

If your left side numbness continues for more than a couple of days, I'd suggest inquiring about IV steroids.  My entire left side (head to my toes) went numb last year.  I let it go for a couple of weeks, finally called the nurse at the MS clinic, she classified this as a significant flare and had the dr order 5 days of  Solumedrol.  I was confused at the time, thinking numbness in and of itself not consider to be major, but I guess it was because of how widespread over my body it was.  I did not bounce back as quickly from this flare as others; numbness is very difficult to treat.  Most of it eventually disappeared, though I was left with persistent numbness/burning/hypersensitivity/itching mainly in my left hand and sometimes up that arm.  For that I take Lyrica, Elavil, and weaning off Neurontin (replacing with the Lyrica for better effect).  The sooner one is treated with steroids, the quicker the recovery, though either way the degree of recovery is not proven to be affected by steroids.

Numbness can be a very uncomfortable and disturbing sensation.  I described it by saying it felt like half my body was shot up with Novacaine.  I think those who haven't experienced it, minimize it, like as long as it's not 'painful', how can the numbness be so bad?  

Fortunately for me, my MS clinic considers it to be serious, and hopefully your docs will treat it with the same degree of concern.  I'm betting they will.  

Take care Wobbly

[shermay]

My legs were totally numb for a while, BUT it did start to ease of - so in short to answer your question does numbness come and go, in my personal experience I would say yes.  My legs are bad again, due to the stress over the last week or so, but like I said, they WERE getting better.

Maybe as the others have mentioned a course of Solu-medrol will help.  You need to get in touch with your clinic to see what they have to say.

Take care Wobbly, I hope that this helps,

Debs xx