Loss of speech and gait changes

[danielle96]

June 2010- I experienced horrible pains in my stomach, saw a doctor and discovered I had a thyroid disorder. The pains returned and after having an endoscopy it was found that I have atrophic gastritis.
August 2010- While on vacation I experienced weak legs and difficulty walking
October 2010- Voice changes began to occur. My speech went from slow to stuttering in a matter of four days, I was hospitalized and my blood test showed my ESR was 54 but the doctors said it was a migraine and sent me on my way.
April 2011- Started to have more difficulty walking, more fatigue, speech became worse, and I started to experience seizure like tremors.  To this day we are not sure what brought these on, this lasted for about three months
June 2011- During this time I had been going to speech therapy but due to insurance reasons I had to stop. My speech eventually left completely and when I try to speak it hurts and nothing comes out. The ENT I saw suspects muscle discoordination but my neurologist at the time said that was impossible.

Fast forward to now, I still can’t speak and need assistance to walk. I’m frustrated with all of my doctors and especially my neurologist because he accused my parents of abusing me and citing this for my reason for being sick. I have never had anything traumatic happen to me and up until June 2010 I was perfectly ok, despite occasional fatigue, stomach upsets, and sore and swollen feet and legs.

My recent blood test showed my ESR at 38, he also checked my B12 and it is 292. I was sent to see a neurologist who found that I have lost some brain function and tested low. But even she couldn’t understand why. Not sure if this helps but I am anemic and had to be put on Iron to try to bring my levels up again, when I was younger I would bleed out for no apparent reason.

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

Stress and depression can cause your body to outwardly express symptoms that are sometimes hard to explain and describe why. However, given your history, do your doctors believe your symptoms could be due to low vitamin B12? Vitamin B12 deficiency classically causes difficulty with sensation which can affect walking. It typically begins with mild general weakness and paresthesias mostly in the hands and feet. As the disease progresses, if left untreated, can cause gait abnormalities. Cognitive changes can occur ranging from apathy, irritability, somnolence, and emotional instability. Treatment is with B12 supplementation.

Additionally, hypothyroidism can cause cognitive slowing and also muscle weakness. Treatment is with supplementation.

I suggest you continue following up with your physicians. You may wish to have your B12 repeated along with other markers of B12 deficiency (such as MMA and homocysteine).

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

[danielle96]

thank you