Dizziness/Other Neuro Symptoms

I am a 24 y/o female. Last year I began having some dizziness, and went to a walk in clinic.  They did some simple neuro tests and told me I was fine.  It went away, then a few months ago I experienced some brief numbness in my lip/tongue, with some tingling in both my hands and feet.  I then went to see a physicians assistant, who also told me I was fine, gave me a prescription for Ativan, as it was probably anxiety.  I still wasn't convinced, and was having some dull pain in my head, different parts, and some muscle twitching all over my body (not extreme, but kind of often) so I went to see a neurologist.  She ordered a brain MRI, which came back completely normal.  
I am just still a little concerned.  I haven't really had much numbness/tingling since them but have had an increase in Floaters that I see in my eyes.  I have always seen a floater or two OCCASSIONALLY, but now get them every day.  I had a regular eye appointment just to recheck my prescription, and the eye doctor told me not to worry about it.  
Should I go back to a neurologist? Or just assume my symptoms are anxiety related, and try to calm down? I have obviously been extremely nervous since this all started.

Any feedback would be appreciated! Thanks  A lot!!!

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

I cannot give you a clinical diagnosis over the internet so my advice is limited to educational use only.

None of your symptoms are what we refer to as 'hard neurological signs' that is they are not particularly suspicious for neurological diseasem and may be more commonly caused by other things. For example, numbness in the ditribution you describe, on the tongue/lips and hands is commonly due to hyperventilation.

If you did develop neurological signs such as weakness or wasting of a limb, numbness or tingling on one side of the body only, loss of speech or sight etc - this may be an indicator of real neurological disease and should be evaluated straight away

Good luck

[brucey]

sometime your blood pressure can cause tingling in the hands and feet. some people like myself are senitive to blood pressure changes.  and fear can also increase the effect.

[SeeksAnswers]

Hi.  I am 23 yrs old and waiting to be able to post a question b/c I am experiencing an array of symptoms and also still have no diagnosis.  I am also a student in the medical field, and my advice to you is this - if you feel like there is something wrong with you, there probably is - you know best.  In regards to the quetsion of anciety - did you feel upset and anxious and THEN experience the symptoms, or are you worried and anxious BECAUSE you are experiencing the symptoms?  Good luck!

[patsy10]

Numbness, tingling, dizziness, floaters and much more are all symptoms of lyme.

[St26]

I think the symptoms started first , a few months ago, then the anxiety.  But the symptoms are definitely there, and I have never been one to have a history of anxiety, I am usually relatively calm.
Does anyone else get these muscle twitches and floaters??
thanks for any help

[SteveIT]

I had an explosion of floaters at the same time as the onset of apparent peripheral neuropathy, causing tingling, burning, numbness and other painful sensations. My neuroopthamalogist diagnosed a mild posterior vitreous detachment, an annoying consequence of aging that's harmless as long as you have an opthamologist check it out right away to ensure no retinal detachment. However, even he was a bit suspicious about the coincidence of the neurological problems and floaters. Those have both been reported effects of Lyme disease, though alone they are not enough for that diagnoses.

If your sensation symptoms return, find a neurologist who specializes in peripheral neuropathy. Even highly trained neurologist only know a few presentations of this problem, and there are over 200 potential causes. At minimum, make sure you are getting enough vitamin B-12; deficiencies cause neurological problems. There are different kinds: Methylcolabamine has been reported to be better absorbed than the more commonly available cyanocolabamine (just check the labels at the health store).

You should know that tingling CAN be caused by anxiety. Some people hyperventilate without even realizing it.

I'm not an MD, so this is all with a grain of salt.

[St26]

lyme disease...i NEVER would have thought of that...here I am freaking out that i might have MS.

Thanks

[Sharob]

If your MRI came back "normal" you don't have MS.  I was told that white cloud spots show up in your MRI if you have MS, Good news!
2/05 I started experiencing off and on "floaty" feeling...dizzy.  Went to NP and she gave me meds. for sinus.  In 10/06 I started experiencing cool tinlge in right hand and ankle.  It then intermitantly proceeded to both sides of my eye and chin.  I also get warm pins and needles on front of both thighs and top of my head. I have had an MRI to rule out MS also; however, they found a cavernous malformation on my right parietal lobe.  I feel this may be unrelated to my symptoms because the other day I did light shovel and light pick up of boxes and it was like a grand fanally of pins and needle in the above mentioned areas.  I have no had any  jerks or involuntary movement.  

I don't have floaters but my husband recently went to an eye doctor and was told that he is fine and that this happens to people when they get older (45 years old) but you should have it checked yourself.

I hope this helps

[PikaPika88]

I'm new to this site.  What is MS?
I've the vibration and tingling across my chest, now travel down to my both hands and legs.  It is there 24/7 but no pain.  Now have a lot of jumping on the left eyelid only.  I have my temperature raise 37.1 - 37.4.  I also see stars twinkle and feel dizzyness as well.  CT Brain and neck ultrasound came back "normal".  3 migraine headache attacked in 2 weeks.  Dull headache is usual.  Have done the "nerves electical conduction test" but result not available yet.  I've seen most of yours sign quite similar to me.  I wonder what is the result of yours?  Keep me posting.  I really need to know that.  Thanks

Pika

[Sharob]

"MS" is Multiple Sclerosis. It it my understanding that MS shows up in an MRI as cloudy white in your brain.  I have only had an MRI (head and neck) and an angiogram.  I have an appt. w/ my dr. to see what the next step will be.  best wishes to all

[youngMSgal]

Anyone on Amantadine?  If so - have you ever had the following side effects:  swollen feet/legs with mottling-blotchy purpleish skin, severe headaches, occasional dizziness and / or shortness of breath?  i have advised my neuro of these symptoms, and his nurse seems to think it could possibly be a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) - but my primary care doc and the ER doctor don't seem to think that's the case.  I'm going in for an EKG tomorrow to make sure that my heart is okay - but that won't show if I have a DVT or PE (pulmonary embolism).  This is getting really scary.  I'm 31 and was dx'd with RRMS in 1995.

[kara_with_ms]

Hello, I am new to this forum. I have MS and I can tell you some about it. Dizziness is one of the symptoms of MS, just as it is for many other diseases. Typically there are two schools of thought when diagnosing MS, one is how often there are exacerbations combined with the number of lesions and plaques that are present in the MRI, the other is simply the number of lesions. The white patches that show up on the MRI is the plaques which are actually scar tissue on the myelin. Sclerosis means "scarring". One may go to a neurologist that says no, a second opinion may say yes, depending on the criteria for diagnosis. MS is a very difficult disease to diagnose as many symptoms mimic other conditions. Usually it ends up being a "rule out" dignosis as many times other diseases mut be ruled out first. The fact that an MRI may show up normal is that there may be no active lesions, therefore the other neurological symptoms are checked for. One of the best sources for information is The National MS Society, www.mssociety.com. Don't base all your concerns on the symptoms alone, as they may be results of other diseases or minor conditions. Diabetes has similar symptoms as MS, Parkinson's and Lupus also have similar symptoms. The two most reported symptoms are Fatigue(often worse in heat) and muscle weakness. There is also spasticity, bladder control issues, optic neuritis and tingling and numbness. Just don't try to diagnose yourself because it won't help when you need medication, if you know there is something wrong, make sure you get all the answers from health professionals.

[PikaPika88]

I've all the symptoms that you mentioned.  I can't have MRI because I have a pacemaker.  I don't want to be a pill box.......  I'm scare....  I think I need a Psychiatric.  Would he help?

Pika.

[sally456]

Hi Kara. you seem to be very knowledgable, so i wanted to ask you a few things.  And it seems impossible to post a question on this forum.
First of all, my problems started 18 years ago with the bladder. I had a UTI..took anti-biotics and was fine . Soon after, my bladder was not normal. I felt like i had to go all the time..sometimes voiding helped, sometimes it didnt. I would still feel like i had to go.  I did go to an ms specialist at Columbia Presbyterian in New york who read my MRI's (had them done by another neuro), did an exam in his office, and a spinal tap and blood work.(all tests were normal, and he thought i didnt have ms).  Anyway, during the time i was seeing my first neuro and the specialist, i became very depressed and diagnosed myslef with ms..i then got many more symptoms i hadnt had previously..(tingling, burning, strange sensations. Finally, months after i was told i didnt have ms, i started to believe it and gradually my symptoms disappeared.  THen about 5 years ago, i woke up out of a deep sleep and had vision distortions.  They cleared up within minutes or less, but since then my visoin has been streaky.( if i wave my hand in front of my face, then my fingers are streaky..) and i have many floaters. One other thing about my vision when i was 23 i had the chicken pox. It went into my vision some how..where one eye became cloudy. I went to the opthamologist who thought it was from the virus...I told ms specialist about it, and he said it could have been from the chicken pox, and never said anything else about it. I also have numbness on the tip of one toe tht doesnt go away, and my feet get pins and needles quickly when i cross my legs.  I know you are not a dr. but what do you think? I am so scared to go to a neuro again. Last time i went into such a depression and i am married now (having marital problems..thats another story) with 2 kids...11 and 8.  Anyone else who could please advise, i would greatly appreciate it. I am female and will be 39 in April. My symptoms with the bladder started at age 21 and actually got much better dirctly after i gave birth to my first child at age 27.  And they have hardly bothered me since.

[camoms]

Hello.  I have been experiencing dizziness/Vertigo for the past 5 years.  Other symptoms I have are tight muscles in the neck, crushing pressure on the back of my head, tension headaches, mid-back pain, shoulder pain.  I have seen ENT's, Nuerologist, Orthopedic Surgeons, Chirorpactors, even a Rhuematologist and none have been able to figure out what's wrong with me.  My Primary Care Physician has prescribed Clonazepam 1mg/day.  It works really well at relieving all the symptoms I have, especially the dizziness.  But as far as what's causing these symptoms, they dont know.  My major complaint would have to be the dizziness.  I have been unable to work for the past 5 years hoping and praying for a cure.  I have had MRI of brain, inner ear, Cervical thoracic and lumbar spine, all are said to be normal.  The thoracic spine does have a hemagioma but they say these are almost always a benign thing and wouldnt be a cause of this dizziness (or would it?  anyone know?)  I've had CT-scan of sinuses, normal as well.  The doctors have all said everything checks out just fine nueorologically.  Besides the Clonazepam, I find that Chiropractic adjustments help alieviate many of the symptoms, including the dizziness, however, it doesnt last long.  I have a chiropractor right now that wants me to get a Occipital Nerve Block.  There is no guarantee that the Occipital Nerve Block will help.  Can anyone think of what could be going on with me?  By the way, these symptoms are a constant.  The dizziness is always there, it never comes and goes.  It only increases or decreases in intensity.. It all just depends on how good or bad of a day I'm having.  Like I said, it decreases quite a bit with Clonazepam, but I still cant work.  I'm getting rather tired of taking Clonazepam as well.  The side effects are minimal but I hate being a pill popper and just wish they would find what's going on with me and get rid of it.  Any comments or suggestions would be great.  Thanks.

[bengalcats]

kara with ms
seeksanswers
pikapika88

Hi to all of you. i am waiting to get on the forum but i would love to send you a copy of my detailed symptoms. please email me if i can do that, anyone else out there who wants the list please email me at ***@****.

i think I have ms and have had symptoms for so many years, my list is to long and detailed to type here, a few of those symptoms are as follows.
visual disturbances,vaginal numbness, arm and leg tingling. wct. i hope to hear from some one, my name is Jeannie

***@****

[CRichard]

I am 48 and I have a variety of symptoms which sound very much like CADASIL and/or transient ischemic attacks; however, one of my doctors also suspects an aneurysm.  My spine surgeon says the symptoms can only be caused by a problem in the brain.  My neurologist ordered MRIs of the brain (with/without dye), MRAs (intra and extra-cranial), echo-cardiogram, etc., which were conducted 10 days ago.  I have yet to hear the results of any of these tests, though.

One of my little sisters is a nurse and she says these symptoms can also be due to spinal injury.  Haven't found anything on the internet to support that, though.  I have had spine problems for 33 years, have had 10 vertebrae broken, have had 4 operations, now have parts from other skeletons, artificial pillow discs and a metal bracket holding me together.

Symptoms include:  Recurrant loss of control of arm and/or leg (used to be strictly right side but haven't been able to use left arm now for 4 days).  Painful tingling like the sensation of hitting "funny bone" throughout length of arm and hand.  Loss of balance.  Inability to walk without support (have walker and wheelchair).  Clumsiness.  Loss of vision in left eye - see everything in gray tones now with that eye.  Migraines - several times a week, usually after loss of vision.  Forgetfulness.  Sometimes I can talk to a person and forget the person's name and the content of the conversation within 20 minutes.  Mood changes - my wife claims that I'm moody, irritable, etc.; much more so now than 4 years ago.  I don't know, because I don't remember much that happened 4 years ago.

I have been in a number of hospitals, emergency rooms, etc.; over the last 4 years - primarily due to back pain, but sometimes the back pain was after a fall when I lost control of my leg (once going up a stair and fell to bottom).  My neurologist couldn't believe the doctors who saw me never considered stroke after a fall or loss of limb control.

Once was admitted with chest pain - shortly after an abnormal EKG, abnormal stress test, but ok cardiac cath.  I have already had two heart attacks, my brother died of his second one last year and another brother had a triple bypass last year.  Both of my grandfathers and one grandmother died of heart attacks too.

From what I read, CADASIL isn't treatable and TIAs are just the forerunner to the one that either paralyzes or kills me.  Aneurysms don't sound so great either.  Could my symptoms have any other root cause(s)?

[Sabater]

I am a 25 year old female on the East Coast experincing some of the same symptoms- mental fog, head pressure, numbness in my face and fingers, mood swings,confusion, palpitations,irrability, decreased libido, nausea, vertigo, light headedness and many more. Ive started feeling like this roughly a year ago. Now the past two weeks have been really bad. I cannot even cook dinner any more. It is almost at times I have sensory overload. It is really beginning to affect my marriage and my children. I had my thyriod checked, been eating a healthy diet, and tried anti depressants- nothing helped. Any one has anymore info please keep me updated.    
             ***@****

[Gold24kt]

I agree w/ CarolPa... all the way. If nothing else make your doctor put you on antibiotics. I went through 3 cycles (10 day, 5 day Z pack , and then a 14 day of something stronger)
Your doctor may suggest a different course yet I HAVE MY LIFE BACK & I feel grrrreat! If it has anything to do w/  lyme disease I know its a 3 month course of antibiotics! I like you had tried everything except antidepressants (no long term studies on negative effects, sucicidal thoughts etc., too brain altering, etc) yet I did try anti-anxiety (non-addicting kind and the type that does not rob your brain of endorphins!)O.K.
Yet still brain fogged,& the works.
I'm concerned about you & want you to ask NOW about an antibiotic course of treatment! Aloha1 I'm off to Hawaii on Mon. night! No internet for 2 1/2 weeks.  God Bless You!