numbness in left last 2 fingers and one side of hand, both feet numb. HELP??

[cgh]

  I am a 36 yo healthty male no prior medical problems. i have never used drugs, i do smoke cigarettes.  i have not had any trauma to my extremities or anyother part of my body.  about 3 weeks ago i awoke to find my left hand and left foot numb and tingling.  the numbness continued throughout the day.  the next day when i awoke the condition worsened my hand and foot was COMPLETELY NUMB(only the last 2 fingers of my hand).  i went to my doctor and he told me that i probably slept the wrong way or pinched a nerve. he then prescribed ecotrin 81mg & motrin 400mg.  i took the medicine and the condition persisted. the next day was the sam.  i went to the ER where my pressure was monitored and my heart was monitored.  i was given a CT scan of my head, i also saw a nurologist who could not provide me with any answers. my blood came back ok and i was released the next day.
  this back and forth to my doctor and the ER has gone on for 3 weeks with no answers.  now my right foot has also gone numb in certain areas in addition to the continued numbness of my last two fingers of my left hand an areas of my left foot.  i saw a nurologist yesterday who finally said i may have mononuritis multiplex.  she has now prescribed me methylprednisolone 4mg, x 1 week.  i had previously had x-rays of c-spine, and LSS which revealed nothing.  i also saw a chiroprator who realinged my spine.  can u offer something???? i am in pain  

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Dear CGH:
Your symptoms may indeed indicate the possibility of mononeuritis multiplex. Mononeuritis multiplex is a very serious problem. It usually is a consequence of inflammatory disease of small blood vessels (vasculitis) leading to patchy damage to nerves from a lack of blood supply. Besides causing severe, at times irreversible nerve damage with disabling paralysis, vasculitis can also affect other systems such as the kidneys, heart, brain, lungs, and skin. Vasculitis can indeed be life-threatening, and sometimes quickly so.
Vasculitic neuropathy may need an EMG test and probably an early (rather than late) nerve/muscle biopsy for diagnosis. Some special blood tests are helpful. Efficacious albeit highly toxic treatments are instituted if vasculitis is diagnosed.
It is important that you seek a relatively urgent consultation with a neuromuscular specialist at a reputed academic neurology department, so that a definitive work-up is expeditiously conducted.
Good luck!

[dundunn]

A related discussion, Numbness was started.

[jim207]

A related discussion, Muscel related was started.