Absolutely stumped. Pain everywhere

[Freebird2014]

I got ill in August, with what came about as a summer cold or flu. November. A doozy of what seemed like the flu. I have never been the same. After getting sick for about a week, I started to feel better & proceeded to do a Christmas project the first week in December. The project required me to squat down to do some spray painting...

When I stood up, both my legs hurt so bad as if I literally just worked out for two consecutive hours nonstop at a gym! I figured it would go away. A few days later I went shopping & realized five minutes into my walk, I had to sit down because it felt like both my legs were going to give way.  pain when I went to go step down, I would have to start walking slow and then it would get better. I got really sick again in December with what seemed like the flu..

Here we are in February and I have yet to regain any normalcy in both of my arms and my legs. my feet are cold all the time and my right foot seems so painful as if my foot is broke. It also seems extremely cold but normal in color... when I'm driving if I hold a coffee cup in my hand, within five minutes that coffee cup feels like it's a 20 pound weight and I have to put it down.

Holding my iPhone seems the same way so I have to hold it with my arm resting on table. Went to a neuro. I couldn't walk on my heels?  He also noted something about there being no reflexes in My feet? I'm also vitamin D deficient I was told...

I guess my question now is, what on gods creation would cause upper leg pain in both legs equally, as well as both arms being painful and foot pain?
Any idea as to what's going on

[Blondieeee]

Be very careful and seek a doctors care. Don't delay, nerve damage is just that......DAMAGE!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

ALS symptoms can be either unilateral (one sided) or bilateral (both sides). This is just a possibility. It can also be a neuropathy secondary to pinched nerves, or any other disease. Without proper investigations, a positive diagnosis is not possible. Please discuss all this in detail with your doctor. All the best!

[Freebird2014]

Thank you. I'm 39 female and i'm 6'0 tall. My health was always fine until i got sick. I thought ALS starts on "one" side? And progresses? I have equal soreness in both legs and both arms, as well as my butt when i sit :-/

The neuropathy in my feet is when i step out of bed. That started first. Ty

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!

I can understand your worries regarding your symptoms as they are obviously severe enough to hamper your daily work.

Given your medical history and the symptoms you have mentioned, there is a chance that you have compression of the spinal nerves in the cervical and lumbo-sacral spine region. This can happen due to overuse of computers, work involving straining of neck and back, herniated disc, canal stenosis, bone disease, spondylosis, poor posture etc. The symptoms could be pain, numbness, heaviness, tingling etc along the compressed nerves. A MRI of the cervical and lumbo-scaral spine and nerve conduction studies may be required.

The treatment is to remove the compression. You have to discuss the best treatment option with a neurologist, which can range from medication to steroid injections to physiotherapy to traction, especially designed corsets or even surgery. Alternatively you can visit a chiropractor or a physical therapist and learn some exercises which you can do to relieve the compression, but consulting a neurologist is a must.

The other possibility is that you are suffering from an autoimmune disorder (either lupus or connective tissue disorder or something similar affecting nerves and joints). This would require a detailed ANA panel, rheumatoid factor and other tests.

The symptoms can also be due to over exertion of muscles, tear in muscles of thigh (less likely) or due to arthritis of joints.

Since you feel unwell on and off, possibilities such as infectious nucleosis, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), MS (multiple sclerosis) and viral infection should be seriously considered.

A comprehensive investigation is required keeping all the points in mind. Please discuss all these possibilities with your doctor.

I sincerely hope you will find this information useful in your journey towards better health.

Hope you get well soon! Good Luck and take care!

[Freebird2014]

Forgot to mention that back in 07 and 08 I've always had cervical issues which were chalked up to be nothing. Constant pain in my neck and was told it was lordosis and degenerative disc... I dealt with the pain, but never anything more then the neck