pins

HELP

I am a 47 year old female who up to December had no symptoms.

Starting in December and continuing through present, i developed
a pins & needle tingling sensation through my face, neck, shoulders,top
of arms,upper back & mid back.  This sensation is constant
24/7 with no relief.

The sensations along mid spine feels more like a spasm. (have
had a deep tissue massage & was told all muscles in back/neck
tight).
Whats really driving me nuts is the increasing, painful tingling
between the shoulder blades(both sides) & neck/face. Each morning starts
out with a mild tingle in shoulders & along spine. All symptoms intensify
during the day.  My face does not feel normal, and I experience quick
little 'shocks' throughout the day. The occurances of the face pain are
more apt to happen as the overall intensity of shoulder tingling increases.
On really bad days, I can feel that tingling feeling in my face & entire
upper body.

I have seen 2 neuro's had the following test/imaging done,
all with normal findings. The neuro exams were normal.

Blood Tests           Dec 15, 2003,
MRI of Thoracic Spine Dec 30, 2004
MRI of Brain          Jan 15, 2004
MRI of C-Spine        Jan 15, 2004                      
Evoke Potentials      Jan 15, 2004
Vision Field test     Feb 16, 2004    
EMG                   Apr 30, 2004
                                  
EEG                   Apr 30, 2004  

I am at my wits end... & the neurologist is baffled. The tingling is affecting my normal life.  

Does this sound like MS? What do i do next  

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

The normal exams, MRI's and evoked potentials speak against a diagnosis of MS. Without seeing you and reviewing your tests I can not provide much help. Disorders such as inflammation within the brain, auto-immune disease, B12 deficiency, and structural abnormalities need to be excluded. My advice is for you to have a second opinion at a large academic medical center. They will be able to review the studies and make further recommendations. Good luck.

[suzanne L.]

SORYY TO HANG ON - PLS ANSWER AS I AM DESPERATE!

Am a 39 year old female who has been twitching for 5 years now. Have had several normal neuro exams in that time, but no EMG. My doctor is the Medical Director of the Forbes/Norris ALS Center in San Francisco, Chairman of Neurology at Cal. Pacific Medical center here and an ALS researcher. He is a wonderful compassionate man, and clearly very competent. Well, the twitching got really bad lately (lots of stress in my life in the last few months) so I went to see him again and this time, demanded an EMG. He reluctantly agreed, because my in office neuro exam was yet again "totally normal, could not have been better" he said.

We did the EMG and here is how it went.They started with the NCV of my right arm. Totally normal. He came in and started with the needles. He did 5 sticks in different muscles in my arm and 2 in my hand - moved the need around, had me do some muscle tightening, etc... he then moved onto my right leg, did about the same - 5 muscles and then turned the machine off, looked at me and said "this could not be more normal, we are done". He reasserted what he has always said - totally benign, stop sorrying. He did not other areas, no bulbar, etc... even though my face twitches and my tongue tingles/burns. I have no weakness anythere and, also totally normal neuro exams according to him.

Now, that EMG did not seem very extensive - maybe 25 minutes long, 2 limbs only, no bulbar, etc... BUT this guy knows what he is doing. ALL he does all day long is see ALS. I can't believe he would "short me" the benefit of a good exam...anyone had a similar experience? Especially at an MDA Clinic where these guys can probably just "see ALS when it walks in the door".? I can't believe he would risk missing something. AND would the limbs show changes if this were bulbar onset????

thanks!!!

[suzanne L.]

SORYY TO HANG ON - PLS ANSWER AS I AM DESPERATE!

Am a 39 year old female who has been twitching for 5 years now. Have had several normal neuro exams in that time, but no EMG. My doctor is the Medical Director of the Forbes/Norris ALS Center in San Francisco, Chairman of Neurology at Cal. Pacific Medical center here and an ALS researcher. He is a wonderful compassionate man, and clearly very competent. Well, the twitching got really bad lately (lots of stress in my life in the last few months) so I went to see him again and this time, demanded an EMG. He reluctantly agreed, because my in office neuro exam was yet again "totally normal, could not have been better" he said.

We did the EMG and here is how it went.They started with the NCV of my right arm. Totally normal. He came in and started with the needles. He did 5 sticks in different muscles in my arm and 2 in my hand - moved the need around, had me do some muscle tightening, etc... he then moved onto my right leg, did about the same - 5 muscles and then turned the machine off, looked at me and said "this could not be more normal, we are done". He reasserted what he has always said - totally benign, stop sorrying. He did not other areas, no bulbar, etc... even though my face twitches and my tongue tingles/burns. I have no weakness anythere and, also totally normal neuro exams according to him.

Now, that EMG did not seem very extensive - maybe 25 minutes long, 2 limbs only, no bulbar, etc... BUT this guy knows what he is doing. ALL he does all day long is see ALS. I can't believe he would "short me" the benefit of a good exam...anyone had a similar experience? Especially at an MDA Clinic where these guys can probably just "see ALS when it walks in the door".? I can't believe he would risk missing something. AND would the limbs show changes if this were bulbar onset????

thanks!!!

[dont]

Go to   WWW.aboutbfs.com for peace of mind. It will do so much for your peace of mind you will not even believe it. Come join us fellow twitchers!

[_Amy_Lynn_]

Hi. I have had all of the same testing as you and everything has come back normal for me also. I was convinced I had MS. When I had the EMG, it didn't take any longer than yours. You were not shorted any time. They are looking for specific things to happen. We cannot "fake" normal results. It really wouldn't take long, if you think about it, to determine if our nerves are "damaged" somehow. So relax. My symptoms included: twitching, burning, numbness in feet, shaking of left hand, inner tremors in left arm, burning sensations on skin, heaviness in legs, chill like sensations on skin, etc. Even had right blurry eye. For the exception of eye problem, since all tests were normal it made sense that it all had to do with my problems with depression and anxiety. And come to find out I was actually having panic attacks. My physical symptoms had been going on for about the last 9 months pretty constant (although they would come and go) as well as a few little episodes the last couple years that I ignored. Not to act as if I know the answer to your problem and I wish you luck. I was put on Effexor XR for the depression and anxiety. Its only been almost 4 weeks and the difference is amazing. Most of the symptoms are gone. Maybe go over to the mental health forum and look around. Anxiety can cause more than you would think. Good luck!