Fingers numb

[denverluv]

My pinky and ring finger on my left hand are numb today.  Not completely numb, but noticible. They never have been before. BOOOOO! LOL- It's soo annoying. My right hand the tips of my fingers are a little bit numb, have been like that for a while, and it's hard to do things with that hand. (like braiding hair) I can still move my left hand, but it's feels a little weak. Oh well what can you do. I write with my left - I hope it just stays at the tips of my fingers. Since I have never had this before in this hand, it just means either my Chiari or SM symptoms are progressing right? Not something drastic going on? I don't think so but I want to know what you guys think.

[selmaS]

  Hi Cookfamily and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Not sure whom you are asking if they had surgery or not.....but I have....I am going on 8 yrs post op....and doing so much better then I was b4 surgery....

Have you had more testing to see if you have a CSF obstruction or any other related condition/s?

Whether or not surgery is right for you can only be determined once you have more info from further testing.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Some of us have had surgery while we have several like urself, recently DX'd....looking for info.

B4 u consider surgery u need to have testing to see if u have ne related conditions and to see if u have a CFS obstruction.....and I feel u need to see several Drs to find a Dr well informed and experienced with Chiari....not all NS's are Chiari specialists so do research and find the right one as that is key.

I had surgery 4.5 yrs ago and I am doing well.....I do have related conditions that have slowed my progress but I am so happy with the outcome of my surgery and am doing far better then I was prior....

Even tho ur symptoms do not feel like they are affecting u or that u have too many it is possible u have more then u know,,...many of us have lived with symptoms our whole life and accept many of them as "normal" but they are not they are just our "normal" bcuz we have Chiari.

Get copies of ur MRI and the report...get more testing and research Drs to make sure u do not have the obstruction, a syrinx or other related conditions.

[bobbisfrogs]

did  you all have surgery on the brain? im so scared to im 31 and just found out i have chiari ... my fingertips in my left had have been numb off and on since my diagnosis but more on than off now days and my dr wants to operate but i dont want to wake up brain dead or worse than i am now. im fine except for the numbness and every so often headaches

[Cookfamily143]

I am 31 and was diagnosed last month. I get numbness in my fingers and head. I'm not sure if I am going to have the surgery or not. The headaches are dabilitating. I have been getting the runaround from my Neuro and waiting on my appt with neurosurgeon. Did you have the surgery?

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Many can have these symptoms listed above, but if u do not have a DX of Chiari it is a moot point...do u have a DX?

There r many convos above, which one r u referring to?

I am more then happy to explain nething, I am just not sure what u mean: )

  Do u mean the Hashimoto's and EDS?

[beejer14]

ok, I have ALL of these symtoms and did not realize they were linked together.  But I am not understanding what you are saying to have the doctor test you for?  What is it called and what is the test?  I would like to look up more info on it as well. thx :)  **
ps I am also left handed

[denverluv]

You know my head  and back was really bad on monday- and it hasn't been that bad since, just my back like normal pain, but I have been extra tired the past couple of days. I know we all think it could be part of the weather - what's the weather doing where you are at? Here it is raining like crazy! But before that it was hooootttt. UGH - And tornados- I am scared to death of tornados, and so is my son, so I have to act like it's all ok when in fact I am freaking out! LOL- it's get annoying everytime the sirens go off running to the basement then five minutes later it's sunny, then ten minutes later you are running to the basement again!

[denverluv]

This is why I post these things- because as Lu said it's soooo nice to have people say "yea- I know EXACTLY what you are saying"

My hands and feet are always cold too-  I bug my kids by sneaking up behind them and putting my hands on their back TEE HEE :)

This morning my fingers are not tingling like they were, just decrease in sensation in the tips of my pinky and ring finger <>  I find it odd we have the sensations in the same fingers.

Hey! My face got extra hairy too LOL! Little blond hairs but still- annoying non the less. I hate going to get my brows, lip AND chin waxed. And I am breaking out like crazy, my face just looks dull- BOOOO! NO fair LOL.  I have found I can't use any type of moisturizer, and the only thing that even barely works in the New Noxzema for acne. I get those little bumps under my skin and at times it get like - inflammed. My neighbor down the street one day was like - "gosh girl it looks like a rash- you have never been that bad before! " I know! I know! It gets painful and itchy. ANYWAY! So glad to have ya'll to comiserate with :)  Hopfully find a dr that will listen to me and test me for all these things.

[selmaS]

Well this AM it is my left knee as well...now for almost 2 yrs I have been getting it in my leg from the knee down, but today my knee is numb and is very strange to walk on it...feels like I can not control it to bend, so I walk like Frankenstein....

Earlier this week it was my left hand bothering me....plus, I had an increase in HA's this week...not sure if it is  related...neone else?( the hand is still numb, no tingling now tho)

"selma"

[shanmomof3]

I get the numbness in my fingers too. Usually the ring and pinky fingers of both hands and last two toes on each foot. Then my whole right leg started going numb. Its still too early to tell from surgery if this has been helped, but it seems to be. Leg is not completely numb! Fingers are still numb and tingly but only off and on.

[jvilletina2]

I get the numbness too. It's better since surgery (6/09) but still comes and goes. Most times for me it's in both pinkies. Also my left big toe. Before surgery I'd get it all down my arm. It can last a couple of weeks and then disappear.

I'd forgotten about the hot/cold symptoms. My husband always called me an alien cos I am always so cold, especially my extremities (circulation tests all normal).

Carolyn, I wear slippers year round. For my cold feet, and also to protect my toes from banging into doorways from my clumsiness.

My left arm is getting weaker (gradually worsening, surgery didn't help). I suddenly drop things from my left hand. Can't hold a large skillet in left hand to pour out contents into serving bowl etc. Switching hands feels too hard. Have to spoon contents from one container to other.

Tina

[*Stormy*]

I get the same numbness in those fingers and sometimes it comes down from my elbow and is numb all along that side of my arm.

The cold thing...whether thyroid or Chiari..all i know is that I hate having to wear slippers in June!!! Sometimes a hot shower is the only thing that warms me up...but then I have to deal with the louder tinnitus and head pounding..

One thing I did with my dr's is was to spring things on them one at a time... a little bit here... and then waited for the testing. When things started to show up and proved I was RIGHT about things...now they seem to be willing to do whatever I want. So, take heart, you will eventually prove them wrong and then they will have to grovel..

Carolyn

[lu7997]

That is sooo ironic.  I can use up the entire hot water tank with one shower. And I shiver the whole time.    I don't even remember the last time I turned the cold knob to wash my hands    I have hair that grows on my chin. I swear I am reliving puberty as a teen age boy.    But my docs won't check my thyroid.  But I just gave up on listing sypmtoms.  They don't seem to care and labled me as a hypercondriac.  I have missed this sight soo much. Everyone here reminds me that I am not alone.   Love you all so much.  So sorry we are all suffering but at least there is strength in numbers. And such wonderful support.  <3.    

[selmaS]

I never would have believed I had it either...in fact a yr and a half b4 I was dx'd my DD tried to convince me I had it  on just the fact I bruise easy and was slow to heal....I never knew I was hyperflexible....never tried to move like that...but I can....surprise on me big time.....

I also have popping of my shoulder when I am lying on my side in bed....I do not try to pop my joints...I think it is gross...lol....

A NL tests for EDS...ur GP can do the testing for hashimoto's thyroiditis...just remember the freeT3 and freeT4 and the TPO antibodies...along with the TSH.....

Funny, there r soooooo many drs that think  we r crazy, I think they r for not listening to us....

I hate the cold too....It has to be HOT and I mean HOT for me to go in a pool....other wise I get cold.

ugh....lol...

[denverluv]

No - I haven't been tested for anything LOL - I swear I think I have a thyroid issue but dang- can't even get into a doctor right now. Hey Selma, would I ask my GP to schedule these tests or does the Chiari doctor do these? I did look up the symptoms of EDS a while back and I don't remember the symptoms, but I rememer thinking I didn't have any of them. I do remember it said like over flexible right? Not me! LOL - My joints don't pop out or anything- Trust me I have been trying to tell the docotrs I have issues but they think I'm CRAZY- you know. Oh yea and my reg doc kicked me out of their practice! Said I was no call no show for two appointments, even though I sat right there in the office and told them I had lost my medicaid so cancel them. So, I am on the hunt for a new doctor, but can't untill I get my medicaid! AAAHHHH! Anyway, yea, cold hurts and it's weird. I am beginning to really hate winter here in CO because my bones just hurt.  We will see I guess if I have more issues.

[selmaS]

Have u been tested for EDS?...u have many of the heat cold issues I have...I have to wrap a cold glass in a napkin in order to hold it to drink...it hurts!!

Cold in general hurts me...I was dx'd yrs ago with raynauds, but, my NS told me it was really the EDS causing the issue.

"selma"

[denverluv]

LOL Lu- It probably is nerve damage and that is a big bummer. I know I will get used to it but for right now it is bugging me esp. when I type.  OOh- cooking is going to be fun! I already burn myself because things are hot and it takes a minute to register- I have scars on my forearms from leaning on a hot baking pan- and it's really goofy how you can't feel at the time that something is hot but have you ever burned your fingertips? It hurts! It's not so bad that I burn them to the point of blistering, just enough to get a little white on the pads.

Something else about heat - I love hot showers. My family will feel the water and ask me how I can stand it and I'm like - please- it's cold if its' not that hot! I know it's a symptom, but it's weird. And cold water actually hurts me. Or like making meatloaf- mixing the meat when it's cold- it hurts! Weird.

[lu7997]

I have that too.   Pins and needles and they feel Like they fell asleep.   The goo dorctor said it is nerve damage.  The ba doc said it is carpel tunnel.      I agree with weeni nber one.

[selmaS]

no worries  ;  D

[denverluv]

That's what I thought- just mentioning it to him next time. Thanks Selma!

[selmaS]

Hi...I get that too...I am always shaking my hand and co-workers were concerned bcuz it was my left hand, but I did have  my heart checked and found that was fine...everyone should rule these things out.

I had teh numbness going on for many yrs b4 I got my dx...I still have it after surgery....I also have a bulging disk in the area of stinosis which is most likely playing a role in this.

Do mention it to ur dr on the next visit.

"selma"