facial numbness

[tof]

I've experienced facial numbness for 7+ months. It is exactly half my face and only numbness, with no accompanying paralysis. My tongue, throat, left arm and outermost 2 fingers are occasionally affected.  I've also had pain & vision problems in my left eye (problems focusing - come and goes).  Occasionally, I get flashes/waves of numbness across the right side of my face/ear as well. I am extremely fatigued (but have two small children, am trying to finish a graduate degree and have a busy life, so?). I get frequent colds, conjunctivitis and sinus infections. Have had swollen, stiff fingers for years (not severe). Occasional severe vertigo (min - days) prob. allergy-related. Normal CT & MRI (w/o contrast). Mother died of PSP. No family history of ms.

1) What tests shd be done if sympoms do not resolve themselves? What other possible causes could there be for such symptoms (that have not already been ruled out by tests for thyroid, Lyme, CT and MRI)?

2) Could sympoms that last for this length of time possibly be a manifestation of a migraine aura?  I had two bad migraines, but these seemed to be isolated incidents related only to the use of Provera, and never reoccurred once I stopped the medication.  If yes, is there any migraine medication that can be taken to prevent "aura-only" migraines if they are disabilitating?  (Tried tablets to be take upon the start of the headache, which did nothing except cause a nasty drop in blood pressure).

3)Cd these symp. be adverse effects from Effexor use (lowest dose)? I've NO symptoms indicative of a panic disorder!

THANX

[B54]

A related discussion, Left Facial Numbness & Needles was started.

[womanly]

Hi there,
I have in the last couple of weeks been having some sort of numbness is the best word I guess to explain it, in the tip of my tongue and top lip.  I was using a cold sore ointment with Aciclovir in it and I wondered if it has caused damage to my lip and tongue.  The numbness of sort is in exactly the same place as the cold sore was and I use to lick the sore with the tip of my tongue constantly!!! I am hoping this is the cause as I am dead scared it may be something more dreadful!!!
Any advice would be appreciated....

[Sallee,RN]

Yes - I had drooling also.  The Verapamil is still working well. It feels SO good to feel normal after a year of this. You might ask your neuro if "migraine equivalent" is a possiblity. I would be interested in hearing what they say.

[con114]

hi everyone, i am a 41 y/o active mom w/ 2 kids. Around 2 mos ago i started experiencing some drooling and rt facial numbness- after 2 weeks of rt side numbness, i now have it on both sides. been in hosp-had ct scan/mri/mra/spinal tap/ series of all bw (inc Lymes)- everything is negative. my neuro feels that i need to rest and put me on elavil for 6 wks. I am going crazy!!! the neuro thinks it's stress and i can't help thinking something else is going on. i saw a dentist-everything was ok. am now considering an ent. at this point i wouldn't even care if i was told i had a disease-just need an answer from someone- i hate living like this-it's not painful but i feel like it's controlling my life. if anyone has experienced the sensation of drooling WITH the facial numbness pls let me know. my tongue and my throat has gone numb only once-but it was very scary. everyone keeps telling me not to think about it, but i can't help it-it's not NORMAL! Well thanks for listening to me and i would like to hear if anyone has any suggestions.

[bobbb]

Wow, this makes me feel so much better, Im not alone. Age 48 mother of 3, numbness on left side of face, today my ear started feeling weird. All started about 2 weeks ago, intermittedent.  My left eye is red constantly. I'm on the computer at work all day.  Pretty scary to think this will continue for years.

[jenni613]

I am so glad that I found this site.  About a year ago, my husband started experiencing numbness in his feet.  He assumed that maybe he was having a problem in his back or something and kind of let it go for a long time.  Now, about a month in a half ago, he started getting these servere migraine like headaches.  Then about 2 weeks after the headaches, he woke up one morning with discomfort in his face and jaw and assumed he had a dental problem.  By the next day, the right side of his face was numb and drooping.  We went to the doctor, who said it was probably either lyme, bells palsy or diabetes.  But then things changed. Lyme was ruled out by blood test, no bells palsy, and no diabetes.  His white blood cell count was elevated however and so were his lymphocytes.  So was his blood pressure and it remains elevated, not dangerously, but that bottom number frequently comes up over 100. No one is prescribing any medication for that either.  He went to a nuerologist who ordered a bunch of tests (we were also turned away for an MRI 2x at a hospital in NJ for paperwork issues) and nothing came up.  Everything was normal.  Now his left side of his face is also numb and drooping, he also had some kind of seizure like episode immediately prior to losing his left side of his face.  Not a stroke.  He described seeing like flashing lights, tingling in his face and left arm for about 2 hrs.  Went to the ER.  They ruled out stroke and sent him home.  His vision has since been affected also.  He can no longer drive due to double vision.  The headaches keep coming and he complains of being very tired, "woozy" and "spaced out".  This is taking so long.  Since the MRI, Cat Scan, & EMG all seem to be normal, we are at our wits end.  He is getting worse by the week every week a new symptom and no answers and his neurologist won't even give him an appointment for follow up for another two weeks.  I can't even talk to his neurologist on the phone because calls to his office are deflected to a call center like environment where an operator continuously puts us off.  She also happens to be the one setting the appointments.  Very frustrating.  No answers and no one is doing anything.  Any thoughts anyone?  Please help.