Unexplained numbness and tingling

[wonko]

Hi All,
I am a 28 (ok, closer to 29) year old W female.

I started getting tingly, pins & needles sensations in my face, hands, and feet in Summer/Fall of '07.  I'd also get a feeling of having sun burn on my face though I did not.  These feelings were new to me, but similar to having body parts "fall asleep."  It didn't bother me much and I ignored it.  But in January these sensations got stronger/worse/spread.  Sometimes my limbs became clumsy and heavy feeling.  These symptoms were aggravated when I would lay flat, to the point that when I would wake up, the numbness/tingling would be all over my body, as well as on my tongue.  Getting up for even a few minutes would calm things down to where only my face/hands/feet remained affected.  I'll also mention that I never feel cold (to myself or others) when I am experiencing my symptoms, nor do I show any discoloration.

Usually my symptoms would act up for a few hours, and then calm down again, leaving me feeling fatigued.  Sometimes exercise would bring on periods of longer aggravation.  Also drinking lots of coffee (a habit I am now cutting back on) seemed to make things worse.

I got a bunch of blood work done (vitamins, thyroid, lyme disease, more) and all was fine.  My BP and O2 stats are good.  I saw a neurologist and had head and cervical MRI's with and wo contrast that appeared normal.  I had another test for which I don't recall the name, but electrical signals were sent through my arms and legs, and this ruled out carpal tunnel and peripheral nerve damage.

About 1.5 weeks ago, the symptoms started to lessen.  They are not all the way gone, but are much less distracting now, and I've resumed my normal routines.  The crescendo of symptoms took months, so maybe I will need to wait that long for them to totally disappear.  While I have experienced periods of weakness in my limbs, the only (thus far) lasting example is that now it hurts to bend my right thumb, and to a lesser extent, the fingers of my right hand.

Since the MRIs were normal, my neurologist seems uninterested in pursuing the matter.  He was rather dismissive of me and did not allow an opportunity to discuss what I might expect in the future.  He said this might be a virus that is somehow "messing with" my nerves, in which case I guess it should eventually go away completely.  Anxiety is not likely, as I am not under stress and experience these symptoms regardless if I was working or relaxing.  

Just wondering if anyone has heard of or experienced a similar story.  I don't want to waste my doctor's, or anyone else's time, but I also want to know why this is happening to me, and if it might return, or never fully go away?  I found this site and am glad for the opportunity to share this experience and at least here I know people will only reply if they want to.  

Thanks!
(I posted this under undiagnosed symptoms, but thought I might get replies in this forum as well.)

[deppangel]

I have gland'near private area the doctor said when I met her today, and there's nothing to worry and I can ignore it, or if I want I can have it removes. What exactly is that? Can I make it go away? It is not painful. I had it since last year. It has grown in size slightly. Can anyone throw some light on this?

[wonko]

Thanks for the advice, jess0129.  My B12 was tested as normal, but to be sure, my doctor also gave me a B12 shot, but this did not change my symtoms.  I sympathize with Jecca:  If I sleep on my back, I wake up numb/tingling all over.  If I sleep on either side, I wake up numb/tingling on that side.  I still have no diagnosis and am trying to not be overly concerned, as I think that can only aggrevated the situation.
My doctor wants me to try taking steroids.  I guess the thinking is that if there is some inflanation somewhere, the steroids will knock it down and I'll notice a change.  I am waiting a couple of weeks to start the steroids until after some travel I need to do for work.  My doctor also said she would try to "hit the books" to come up with other ideas.  I'll post again if I learn more.  Thanks.

[jess0120]

I'm sure you have already checked this, but have you had you vitamin B12 checked.  I have numbness and tingling also, and my vitamin B12 was low and my vitamin D is high.  Just a thought, I hope you get it figured out.

[Jecca]

Im having pretty much the same thing. I'm a 24 yr old female. It first started out about 2yrs ago, I was first diagnosed with optic neuritis. Since then Ive had numerous episodes of tingling and numbless. Also had a ton of muscle pain and muscles just jerking. A few months back I awoke from a nap and was totally numb on the right side and extremly weak elsewhere and fatigued. I have had all normal mri's as well as a spinal tap but they havent done any other tests. The dr's are fighting about what it could be. Have seen 2 ms specialists and one felt it was stress and the other thought I was too young. Any ideas?????

[kyloerma1098312]

I have been dealing with the same thing since last May. I met with a third neurologist this week. No one has any anwers or care to want to help. They dont believe it ms so they have been blowning me off. My second neurologist told me he thought it was headaches(which he belivevs i dont feel) causing all this numbness. This has been the longest year of my life and i know how you feel. I was told today that since the headache meds didnt work his hands were tiied. I am now an out of work single mom with no answers. ANd the newness thought from the doctors is that it is childhood abuse that i have never dealt with causing all this.  I believe there is something wrong and I need someone to help, I fall when I lose feeling and my falls are getting worse. Hope you find more caring doctors then I have. Good Luck!

[deppangel]

I experience the same time and it is very unnerving. Tried many things- reflexology, acupuncture, ayurveda and doctors don't seem to know why. Hope you'll get well soon.Contact me if you know more - ***@****