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Tingly/Burning/Numb arms & legs...
Hi,
My brother has spent the last two years trying to find out why his hands, arms, feet and legs have become numb/tingly/burning feeling. He has been on an array of different rx with no relief. I thought it was psychosomatic until I developed similiar symptoms. My legs (below the knees) are numb/tingly/hollow/weird feeling - for at least 8 months. Overnight my hands became prickly and burning. I also have had bad pain in one of my eyes - like a dagger piercing feeling when closed and it is difficult to keep it open. Of course my eye is red and it takes about an hour to subside. These symptoms seem to be the most prominent for both of us. Are we both crazy?! Does this sound familiar to anyone? Can it be environmental? It is draining the life out of my brother as well as zapping the special spark out that he has always had. Very draining to go to "experts" that can't identify what it is mostly because of organized healthcare and the money it costs....or they don't care which seems doubtful to me. My brother is 37 and I am nearly 39 - ouch!
Any experience, or suggestions would be great!
My brother has spent the last two years trying to find out why his hands, arms, feet and legs have become numb/tingly/burning feeling. He has been on an array of different rx with no relief. I thought it was psychosomatic until I developed similiar symptoms. My legs (below the knees) are numb/tingly/hollow/weird feeling - for at least 8 months. Overnight my hands became prickly and burning. I also have had bad pain in one of my eyes - like a dagger piercing feeling when closed and it is difficult to keep it open. Of course my eye is red and it takes about an hour to subside. These symptoms seem to be the most prominent for both of us. Are we both crazy?! Does this sound familiar to anyone? Can it be environmental? It is draining the life out of my brother as well as zapping the special spark out that he has always had. Very draining to go to "experts" that can't identify what it is mostly because of organized healthcare and the money it costs....or they don't care which seems doubtful to me. My brother is 37 and I am nearly 39 - ouch!
Any experience, or suggestions would be great!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
Generalized feeling of a burning/tingling sensation can be due to dry skin, hyperthyroid states, liver or gall bladder dysfunction, peripheral neuropathies as in diabetes or decreased sweating as in Sjogren’s syndrome. Hyperthyroidism should be suspected in case of burning in eyes and/or hot and sweaty upper body. Fibromyalgia is another possibility. This would need a comprehensive investigation.
Hope this helps. Do let me know if there is any thing else and keep me posted. Take care!
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
Generalized feeling of a burning/tingling sensation can be due to dry skin, hyperthyroid states, liver or gall bladder dysfunction, peripheral neuropathies as in diabetes or decreased sweating as in Sjogren’s syndrome. Hyperthyroidism should be suspected in case of burning in eyes and/or hot and sweaty upper body. Fibromyalgia is another possibility. This would need a comprehensive investigation.
Hope this helps. Do let me know if there is any thing else and keep me posted. Take care!
Hi
A ANA means antinuclear antibodies, and is a blood test, to give a strong suspicion for an autoimmune illness,
There are many auto-immune diseases, with many having very much of the same symptoms or overlapping symptoms.
Your brother should be asking for one, even though its not a definate diagnosis for a persific disease, it could just give you the clue , to what to start looking for.
Did is spinal tap show anything up like high protein levels, where there any high or low levels,in his lumbar puncture?
Does he live or as he ever lived were there as been a prescence of toxic mold.
Maybe at college, or rented apartments, or home, work , etc?
Your brothers symptoms fit numerous illnesses, i wouldnt like to say, i would definately say he needs further testing, blood,etc.
Vitamin D deficiency is usually seen in people with auto-immune disease.
I have graves disease, which is an auto-immune thyroid problem, and i have very low vitamin D too.
I do know it is seen in a lot off people with thyroid disease, and leads to general fatigue, and tiredness.
Has your brother been tested for pernicious anaemia, which is Vitamin B12?
I have had cymbalta for neuropathy, they sometimes give it for diabetic neuropathy,
and generalised nerve pain.
Has your brother had any nerve conduction tests?
Its a good idea that he see the MS specialist,he or she may have a good idea whats going on, and will be able to test for different things like sensory neuritis, and transverse myelitis, along with MS etc.
Hope this helps , i know its not much to go on but, if you put them on the list , and then tick them off when a diagnosis is negative,
Have his thyroid checked too a simple blood test, which can cause lots of weird symptoms, even nerve pain problems.
Im here and please keep in touch, im going to try and do some more research, and i will get back to you on this.
Take care.
Your brother is so lucky to have a caring sister like you.
Nicola
A ANA means antinuclear antibodies, and is a blood test, to give a strong suspicion for an autoimmune illness,
There are many auto-immune diseases, with many having very much of the same symptoms or overlapping symptoms.
Your brother should be asking for one, even though its not a definate diagnosis for a persific disease, it could just give you the clue , to what to start looking for.
Did is spinal tap show anything up like high protein levels, where there any high or low levels,in his lumbar puncture?
Does he live or as he ever lived were there as been a prescence of toxic mold.
Maybe at college, or rented apartments, or home, work , etc?
Your brothers symptoms fit numerous illnesses, i wouldnt like to say, i would definately say he needs further testing, blood,etc.
Vitamin D deficiency is usually seen in people with auto-immune disease.
I have graves disease, which is an auto-immune thyroid problem, and i have very low vitamin D too.
I do know it is seen in a lot off people with thyroid disease, and leads to general fatigue, and tiredness.
Has your brother been tested for pernicious anaemia, which is Vitamin B12?
I have had cymbalta for neuropathy, they sometimes give it for diabetic neuropathy,
and generalised nerve pain.
Has your brother had any nerve conduction tests?
Its a good idea that he see the MS specialist,he or she may have a good idea whats going on, and will be able to test for different things like sensory neuritis, and transverse myelitis, along with MS etc.
Hope this helps , i know its not much to go on but, if you put them on the list , and then tick them off when a diagnosis is negative,
Have his thyroid checked too a simple blood test, which can cause lots of weird symptoms, even nerve pain problems.
Im here and please keep in touch, im going to try and do some more research, and i will get back to you on this.
Take care.
Your brother is so lucky to have a caring sister like you.
Nicola
Thank you so much for your quick response. After I pressed "post comment" I realized that I didn't provide very much information!
My brother has had all tests you've suggested with the exception of a CT scan of the brain and spinal cord and the ANA blood test (not sure what that is but it doesn't sound familiar.. I think his MRI was just of his brain. He has even had a spinal tap.
We have a large family and aside from diabetes there isn't any other disease that I'm aware of. He had the more adanced test for diabete's, meaning the different test that I had when pregnant - drinking a very sugar laden sunkist:) All of the tests we're fairly normal
He is going to a MS specialist at the urgence of a lady that he met once.
I mentioned environmental causes because there seem to be an uprising of new conditions related to the environment. He exercises and doesn't smoke, or drink and has always had a very healthy diet since University. I must confess that I had suffered from anorexia from the age of 13 through 35 - until I became pregnant. My eating disorder kept my 5"8 frame at at 95 llb and I eat sugar like you wouldn't believe.
Most of the physicians have gone for the obvious diagnosis and then referred to another physician when they determined that they couldn't determine anything. I'm not complaining about it but it seems that one could take the initiative and "drive" the query into a solution. He has also been on all sorts of mediacations, like Lyrica & Cymbalta, without help!
So all in all I'm guessing the only thing to do is keep seeing physicians until something eventually comes up. Do any of these symptoms fit a particular illness at all?
I tested with a Vitamin D deficiency low at 7%.
My brother has had all tests you've suggested with the exception of a CT scan of the brain and spinal cord and the ANA blood test (not sure what that is but it doesn't sound familiar.. I think his MRI was just of his brain. He has even had a spinal tap.
We have a large family and aside from diabetes there isn't any other disease that I'm aware of. He had the more adanced test for diabete's, meaning the different test that I had when pregnant - drinking a very sugar laden sunkist:) All of the tests we're fairly normal
He is going to a MS specialist at the urgence of a lady that he met once.
I mentioned environmental causes because there seem to be an uprising of new conditions related to the environment. He exercises and doesn't smoke, or drink and has always had a very healthy diet since University. I must confess that I had suffered from anorexia from the age of 13 through 35 - until I became pregnant. My eating disorder kept my 5"8 frame at at 95 llb and I eat sugar like you wouldn't believe.
Most of the physicians have gone for the obvious diagnosis and then referred to another physician when they determined that they couldn't determine anything. I'm not complaining about it but it seems that one could take the initiative and "drive" the query into a solution. He has also been on all sorts of mediacations, like Lyrica & Cymbalta, without help!
So all in all I'm guessing the only thing to do is keep seeing physicians until something eventually comes up. Do any of these symptoms fit a particular illness at all?
I tested with a Vitamin D deficiency low at 7%.
Hi has your brother had any testing done to try to find out the cause of his problems? and if so what tests have been performed, and there results.
This can be caused by numerous conditions, neurological, hormonal, vitamin deficiency, blood disorder, auto-immune , to mention just a few.
Has he been tested for thyroid, diabetes, neuropathy, etc?
You mention enviromental, with him being your brother, and now its happening to you, maybe its more genetic, like runs in the family? could be a possibility, and once one of you get a diagnosis, then it would be wise to test the other one.
Has your brother had any scans , like an MRI, or CT scan of the brain, and spinal cord?
Has your brother been tested for auto-immune disease. and had an ANA blood test?
Any tests results if you post them will help us better to understand whats going on.
Sorry if ive asked a lot of questions im just trying to get a better picture so i can help.
I wish you and your brother well.
Look forward to hearing of you
Nicola
This can be caused by numerous conditions, neurological, hormonal, vitamin deficiency, blood disorder, auto-immune , to mention just a few.
Has he been tested for thyroid, diabetes, neuropathy, etc?
You mention enviromental, with him being your brother, and now its happening to you, maybe its more genetic, like runs in the family? could be a possibility, and once one of you get a diagnosis, then it would be wise to test the other one.
Has your brother had any scans , like an MRI, or CT scan of the brain, and spinal cord?
Has your brother been tested for auto-immune disease. and had an ANA blood test?
Any tests results if you post them will help us better to understand whats going on.
Sorry if ive asked a lot of questions im just trying to get a better picture so i can help.
I wish you and your brother well.
Look forward to hearing of you
Nicola
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