lingering symptoms

[sambo]

I am 35 year old female.In Oct 2000 awoke with dizziness, by evening so severe that I could not sit up without feeling as though I would pass out.ER dx as inner ear.The dizziness slowly improved over a few months.Along with this dizziness I developed pvc's( all heart tests normal,echo, ekg,cardiolite stress) also tingling in lower rt leg.Chiro seemed to help leg.Things seemed to improve in feb.I became pregnat in feb.In aug had bouts of dizziness/lightheadedness,I would feel something like a hot wave and feel as though I may pass out,lasted about 30 secs, afterwards felt shaky, lightheaded.These occurred randomly about once/twice a week.Now they seem better, but I have other symptoms.During Aug some tingling in left hand, and some pain around elbow. Now in sept I have had bouts of lightheadedness, occassional tingling in lower rt leg, and little in rt hand.(there one day not the next)I also have had some tightness in the rt side of my face( had partoid gland removed there four years ago)and some spot burning sensations and the occassional rt eye twitch.Vision or speech not affected.  Movement of and feeling of facial muslces seem the same. No problems with walking. I am worried that I may have brain tumor, ms, mini stroke? what could this be.  Doctor seems to think it is pregnancy related.I also have had a sore spot behind my rt ear for about a week.It is behind the ear up by the top of my ear.Sore if press on it but more so when applying rubbing pressure.Please help.These symptoms do not occur all at the same time.Example If face bothers me not my tingling, vise versa.

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

I'm sorry to hear about your symptoms. Your initial symptoms do sound like benign positional vertigo (related to the inner ear). But with the tingling on  the right side of the body, a formal neurological exam and possibly an MRI of the brain should be considered to make sure nothing is wrong up there. With pregnancy, you can get nerve disorders in your hands and legs due to compression by the excess tissue/water like carpal tunnel syndrome. Also, an MRI during pregnancy is not warranted unless there is an emergency and you are late stage. Talk to your doctor about seeing a neurologist. If everything looks ok on exam, then the diagnoses that you're concerned about are less likely and you can wait for a more extensive workup after the pregnancy. Best of luck.

[kimc]

S:
Did you have your thyroid checked? Hypothyroidism has the same symptoms, and being pregnant could exagerate them.  Have your doc run a TSH, T4 and a T3.  Also have a diabetes test run.  I hope your feeling better soon.  
Godspeed
Kim