Re: undiagnosed for one year

Posted By Ruby on December 27, 1998 at 21:03:12:

In Reply to: Re: undiagnosed for one year posted by CCF Neurology MD - AY on December 27, 1998 at 07:39:42:






My husband is 54 and has not been able to work for over a year now.  He had to quit when he had flu like symptoms and could not stay on his feet very long.  His tests reveal nothing but a phophorus level that is out , a high urine outputl ,and a slightly elevated blood sugar.  He has a very high pulse rate very often, sometimes when he is just sitting it starts, and it used to be in the 60's but now is usually around 100, even after a nap.  Just lately, however, he has experienced numbness in his face (one side or the other0, and in the corresponding arm and or side of his tongue.  The doctors are starting to believe it is psycosymatic, but I don't for one moment believe it, as he trys very had to do things around the house, but usually has to take a nap or watch t.V.  His head now has a tic also, as his neck jerks spastically What worries me most is the numbness of his face, as it might mean strokes.  He seems to have a strong heart, according to the stress test, and he has had whiplash, Also he often experiences freezing cold feet, if that can help you any.  .



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Thanks for your question.  It is difficult to determine from your description whether the numbness symptoms in your husband's face are related to cerebro-vascular events, since only a careful neurological examination can determined whether the distribution of the sensory impairment is neurological or not.  Cerebro-vascular events, either strokes or transient ischemic attacks (TIA), usually has a very sudden onset, and the area of impairment (sensory or motor) is maximal at the onset.  On the other hand, if your husband's symptoms were the result of seizures, one might notice a slow spread of the symptoms across the face, arm or leg.  The most appropriate course of action would be to take him to a local ER when the next episode happens so that he can be examined by a physician.
I hope this information is helpful.  Best of luck.
Thank you for your help.  I don't think it would help to take him to ER as his attacks only last 30 seconds or so.  Now they seem to come when he lies down to sleep.