problems for 10 years

[dana023]

Hi...I was wondering if you could help me. I am a 32 yo female, starting 10 years ago i have had a pain/fullness feeling which started in my arm and then after years it is now in the whole left side of my body, it feels like there is a line down the left side of my body and i have pain in the entire left side. from my face to my foot. it comes and goes weeks at a time. it completely went away when i was pregnant and when i had my baby 18 months ago it never went away. ive been to many neuros and lots of dr's last dr i went to said that i had a b-12 defficiency (239) and so he gave me an injection...this was 2 months ago...now the pain sometimes goes away but i am very very off balance when i walk. just recently (1 week) i now have this numbness feeling in my right hand and forearm and lower leg...this is exactly how the problem started on the left side 10 years ago. mri of neck brain and spine all good. ana 1:80 specked..sed rate is 35 i believe...nerve tests were all negative...echocardigram was good. been to rhematologists no ideas from them. Does this sound like anything? also, have major back pain from mid back to neck that comes and goes...unbearable pain, never on any meds for anything, do not like to take meds.

[Lama Chahine, MD]

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 your doctor.

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

Your symptoms of one-sided pain are unusual, and given the extensive work-up you have had, with a normal MRI of the brain and neck, normal EMG/NCS at least what can be said is that a serious neurologic disorder seems less likely, such as a tumor, MS, or a stroke. There are only a few processes that cause one-sided pain, these are limited to a problem in the opposite side of the brain or a problem in the spine, with a less likely cause being neuropathy (which would be unlikely to affect just one arm and one leg). Certain metabolic/genetic disorders can cause pain, but again they would not be limited to one side of the body. Transient one-sided body symptoms (lasting for example for minutes up to 30 minutes then resolving) could be due to a migraine (the aura of migraine, in which case following the numbness, a headache occurs) or seizures.

In some cases these symptoms may reflect emotional/psychiatric problems related to stress (what is called somatization disorder). The latter is a true medical condition whereby instead of a patient experiencing depression or anxiety, they experience physical symptoms, and once the stress is addressed, the symptoms resolve. Fibromyalagia is another medical condition that leads to whole body pains, and is best treated with medications such as lyrica and neurontin, exercise, and physical therapy.

Continued follow-up with your doctors is recommended.

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

[dana023]

Thank you so much for answering my question...the last thing that I did want to hear is that it could be stress related but I guess anything is possible....does anyone know are there any meds for Stress???? i personally hate taking meds but would try anything at this point.