What could this be?

[Worrieddaughter2015]

I was hoping to reach a doctor, but maybe someone can help me here.  My Mother is a 56 year old women.  She has lost a significant amount of weight (from 125 to 86 pounds and is 5 foot 3).  She has numbness and tingling in all extremities.  She has what looks like Dupuytren Contracture's on both palms under her ring finger.  She has a tightness in her abdomen and feels very off balance when she tries to stand up her walk.  She needs help to walk because she feels like she is going to fall.  She is also in pain in all her joints and looks like she has no muscle left.  Some background is that she is a heavy smoker and was a heavy drinker until the last couple months.  Just from doing a little research I believe that it is a neurologist she needs to see and that this is possible MS.  I am her daughter and am hoping to get pointed in the right direction as she does not have insurance and this will all come out of pocket from me. The all started about two years ago.  She was in the hospital for a while in the beginning and was not diagnosed with anything and told to stop smoking.  The symptoms were not as bad then as they are know.  She is losing the ability to use her hands.  Any input is greatly appreciated.  

[apriljh59]

I am so sorry to hear all of this.  Please tell me she can apply for Medicaid.  And if she worked in her lifetime, She can apply for SSI Disability.  Just use:
ALLSUP.com and they take care of everything.  It's quick and you get quick results.  She is obviously disabled and will get a check going all the way back to the original date she became too sick to work.  

You seem bright and I know that the worst diagnoses have crossed your mind by now.  When our mother's get sick, there is no easy way to take it.  I am very sorry, but the reality is probably not very good.  And her desire to speak to her family ought to be top of the list.  It sounds as if she is not going to have a positive outcome with these symptoms.  I am sooo sorry.  But, please take care of the disability right now, because she must have pain relief right away.  As you know, it sounds like she has a cancer and you are right, she should have quit smoking.  The sicker you get the more likely you are quit drinking and eventually smoking.  It just gets to where it no longer tastes good.  Most likely from the picture you've painted, she probably has a cancer.  Does she have any liver lab tests that were positive?  Any Hepatitis C?  Or Cirrhosis?  If she owns her home, have her sign a quick claim into your name and make it so she doesn't own anything before you apply for any Medicaid, etc.  If she doesn't own anything, that will be good.  That way she can't come up with any money and lose her house.  GET IT ALL OUT OF HER NAME!!!!  She is broke, owns nothing and you can't help her, etc..  So, there you go.  With her weight loss, age and social history of smoking and alcohol, the picture is probably pretty clear.  This would be my first thought  Good luck, and apply today for Allsup.com to help get her on Disability.  Go to the stationary store or print the quick claim deed at home right now and put the house in your name now!!!  Put everything in your name now.  Check out insurance (Life), (Stocks), etc. and put them in your name now.  All money in bank acct.  Just transfer all money to you and close out her savings, checking accts.  You don't have to close them, just empty them.  Any and all credit cards must be closed.  Call them tomorrow and just say she has become very sick and you are assisting with the closing of all of her accts.  Good Luck with all of this.  Talk to the social worker at the hospital.  Remember:  if the doctors do not admit her after all of this weight loss and severe pain, ask them to write a note stating that it is not medically necessary and to sign their name to it for your persona files.  And Wow!  You will get what you want.  Let's do a complete PET Scan looking for any metastates in her body.  What is her ALK Phos level?  Is it elevated?  Has a lung scan been done?  All of these, ask for that note if the say no.  GET WHAT YOU WANT!!  Be your mom's best advocate.  I am wishing you the best.  Be strong, be her rock, but remember, when it's all been done and you have a diagnosis, if it's all bad, be sure you know what her wishes are and let her go knowing you all have it together.  Okay, lie if you have to.  You can all CRACK later, but she needs your blessing to leave you.  We all held my mom's hand and told her it was okay, she could go, We reassured her that we'd all meet again for a BIG family reunion.  She did want a Pastor to meet with even tho she never went to church.  That was very important to her and then she was ready to deal with us one at a time and then all together.  It's hard to remember, but remind yourself, it is about them, not us.  They need your permission and for you to make things easy and peaceful.  Take them to their favorite place with their eyes closed, gently rub their arm and say Mom, it's all okay, say hi to everyone when you get there, be happy Mom, We are all going to be fine, we love you, don't worry about anything, we will watch out for each other, WE LOVE YOU.  

[DHof]

Please find a way to get your mother into a doctor's office, clinic or emergency room.  A help forum is no place to seek answers to a long-term and very concerning medical concern.  There aren't any doctors here.

There are numerous issues that your mother might be facing.  Until she can arrange to be seen by someone who can help her find the root cause of her problems, please try to ensure that her nutritional needs are being met. Make sure she is eating a well-balanced diet.  Dietary supplements (including niacin, thiamine, folate, b complex, magnesium etc) might be very helpful but she really needs to be seen by a physician so her nutritional status can be evaluated.  

I hope you find some answers to your concerns quickly.