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BP, neuro, pregnancy...help!
I am a 31 year old female with hypertension and am 26 weeks pregnant. I am on Labetalol and it works well. This all started about 7 months ago ( before I was pregnant). I woke up one morning and my face was tight/ numbish. It got worse throughout the day and I went to the ER where they did a CT scan (normal), blood work (normal), ekg (normal).
The facial numbness never went away for more than a few hours at a time, but started switching sides and coming and going. I started having headaches, which I never had before. Then I got pregnant on accident and soon after started another symptom. I felt tingles/prickles all over....every side, all parts....sometimes just one prickle, sometimes lots of prickles. It got worse in the heat.
Then came the buzzing...in my left knee, my left hip, my right hip, my right foot, my right shoulder blade, left forehead.....a pulsating vibration...on for two seconds, off for five seconds. Not all at once....the location changed over time with an episode not lasting longer than two weeks at the most....usually three days. I never had the sensation in several places at the same time.
Most of these symptoms have eased up or disappeared. But I still have the facial numbness that comes and goes and brings with it a heck of a headache. The headache feels dull all over but feels sharp and stabbing around my eyes and small, specific parts of my head. I see sparkles and feel terrible.....and, yet my bp is 115/65.
I saw a neuro who said he cant do anything for me until I have the baby. He did get me an EEG which was normal, B12 which was 525, and Lyme which was neg. My PCP thinks it is all stress and my OB is not concerned.
The facial numbness never went away for more than a few hours at a time, but started switching sides and coming and going. I started having headaches, which I never had before. Then I got pregnant on accident and soon after started another symptom. I felt tingles/prickles all over....every side, all parts....sometimes just one prickle, sometimes lots of prickles. It got worse in the heat.
Then came the buzzing...in my left knee, my left hip, my right hip, my right foot, my right shoulder blade, left forehead.....a pulsating vibration...on for two seconds, off for five seconds. Not all at once....the location changed over time with an episode not lasting longer than two weeks at the most....usually three days. I never had the sensation in several places at the same time.
Most of these symptoms have eased up or disappeared. But I still have the facial numbness that comes and goes and brings with it a heck of a headache. The headache feels dull all over but feels sharp and stabbing around my eyes and small, specific parts of my head. I see sparkles and feel terrible.....and, yet my bp is 115/65.
I saw a neuro who said he cant do anything for me until I have the baby. He did get me an EEG which was normal, B12 which was 525, and Lyme which was neg. My PCP thinks it is all stress and my OB is not concerned.
I'm going to give them the neuro another crack at it when I am not preg (minus the OB of course). I have thought about changing OB's several times, but #1 he literally saved my first son's life and #2 he has an awesome nurse practitioner (that listens to me and does not dismiss me) that I have requested to see the rest of the pregnancy, barring any "complications". I could kick myself for not being more aggresssive about at least an MRI when this all began, but I was so scared and wanted to believe that it was all stress.
I wish I had your tenacity, Greenlydia. I agree that it is time to find another PCP. I really like my PCP that I have now, but this goes beyond a cold or hypertension, and all of this should have had a work up within the month that it happened. I need a Dr. who takes strange symptoms seriously.
Thanks for your wisdom!
I wish I had your tenacity, Greenlydia. I agree that it is time to find another PCP. I really like my PCP that I have now, but this goes beyond a cold or hypertension, and all of this should have had a work up within the month that it happened. I need a Dr. who takes strange symptoms seriously.
Thanks for your wisdom!
You've seen all three doctors I would have recommended, especially your OB/GYN and find it disturbing that while he doesn't seem concerned about your symptoms, he/she doesn't seem to be giving a damn about YOUR mental and emotional state of mind, your fear and anxiety. Those things can and will affect your pregnancy. I'd get a second opinion.
When you explained to the neuro about the type of headaches your having and the visual aura that accompanies them, did he mention anything to you about Occular Migraines? Also the fact that you're 31 years old, have stated you've never had headaches but suddenly began having them, this is usually considered a fairly major red flag. It was thoughtful of him to give you an EEG, but the pain is in your head, not your heart. In my humble and non-medical opinion, I think a CT would have been in order. (Unless that is totally contraindicated while pregnant) Your symptoms sound identical to mine. I'd be looking for a second opinion here as well.
As for your PCP thinking it's just stress, if he/she did not order a number of tests to rule some obvious possibilities, sorry to say, I'd be looking for a new PCP as well.
You have a number of symptoms that I firmly believe deserve to be investigated further, most especially now that you're pregnant. That you had a few very minor test done I feel is lackadaisical medical care at best.
Sorry, but I don't like how your doctors are seemingly blowing you off and I suggest second opinions all around.
I wish you and your baby the very best
Peace
Greenlydia
When you explained to the neuro about the type of headaches your having and the visual aura that accompanies them, did he mention anything to you about Occular Migraines? Also the fact that you're 31 years old, have stated you've never had headaches but suddenly began having them, this is usually considered a fairly major red flag. It was thoughtful of him to give you an EEG, but the pain is in your head, not your heart. In my humble and non-medical opinion, I think a CT would have been in order. (Unless that is totally contraindicated while pregnant) Your symptoms sound identical to mine. I'd be looking for a second opinion here as well.
As for your PCP thinking it's just stress, if he/she did not order a number of tests to rule some obvious possibilities, sorry to say, I'd be looking for a new PCP as well.
You have a number of symptoms that I firmly believe deserve to be investigated further, most especially now that you're pregnant. That you had a few very minor test done I feel is lackadaisical medical care at best.
Sorry, but I don't like how your doctors are seemingly blowing you off and I suggest second opinions all around.
I wish you and your baby the very best
Peace
Greenlydia
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