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progressing numbness on one side of body

30 yr old female
No smoking, drink very rarely

Last May I began having numbness on the left side of my face.  I was referred to a neurologist, who performed an exam and sent me for a ct and a mri.  All came back normal and I was told it was stress.  Now the numbness/tingling is spreading.  A few weeks ago my arm went numb for a bit (it felt tingly like its asleep).  It resolved but now it is back. The left side of my face and my left arm feel asleep.  I am able to use my arm but the sensation is scary.
Is it possible I could have MS with a normal MRI?  If not, what else can cause these symptoms?
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Avatar universal
I'd appreciate your opinion on all this.
Thanks!!
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147426 tn?1317265632
Hey, I am so sorry I missed your response  a MONTH ago!  Iam so sorry.  I'll talk to you tomorrow.  Man!  You're really patient!  Quix
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Avatar universal
hey guys bumping this up again...
the constipation has gotten worse
and my left arm is so tired, i'm starting to worry a good bit.
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Avatar universal
Thanks
Quix and Jon for answering....I was really upset when I posted so I'm going to give more info now.  I apologize if it gets long!

The reason I don't think it's anxiety is because I know the difference in the feelings.  I was taking a prescription allergy pill, which make me severely dehydrated and threw my electrolytes (potassium mostly) off.  I had dizziness and palpitations and was rushed to the ER.  I was so upset, I had the panic sensations Drs talk about.  This is different.

After that incident, I followed up with my PCP with a holter monitor and everything was okay.  I just felt tired alot and she said it was probably a virus.

About 8-9months later the left side of my face went numb.  Not completely numb, I could feel things, but tingly and like I had novacaine.  It was constant for a few weeks.  My PCP ordered electrolytes and thyroid testing, which was normal.  At that time, I also had left arm problems (like I had pulled every muscle and they were burning so bad it hurt) and was told I pulled a muscle.  She gave me a referral to a neuro.

The neuro did an exam, which was normal.  I had nerve conduction studies done on my face, which were normal.  Then I had an MRI because she was concerned about MS.  The MRI showed an extremely mild Chiari Malformation, which my dr later told me was almost nonexistant, nothing else.  On my followup (where I was given the test results), her nurse practitioner said probably anxiety call if you need us.  The numbing sensation eventually went away, but always returns on the left side.  When I went back a few months later, I mentioned the numbness again.  They tested b12, which was normal.

I started noticing things, like I would have my keys in my hand and drop them for no reason or I knock stuff over.  I do stuff like that a lot.  I have times (usually days in length) when I have a vertigo sensation and (I know it sounds weird) like I'm in slow-mo or something.  I have periods (days to weeks) when I wake up so stiff I literally can't move (especially my back).  I have to slowly shift to my side and stretch.  I forget things before I can say them.  I will go online and forget what I needed to look up.  

As I think back now, I remember "clumsy" periods going back at least 4 years.  It seems to be getting worse.  Everyone jerks a bit when they are sleeping, but I do it alot.  I also have jerky movements when I'm awake, but not often.  I had my gallbladder out in Feb., and the Dr had to give me Dilantin because I was jerking so badly (not a seizure)

Also (and don't know if this is related) I've developed a big constipation issue.  I've never had a problem with it before, but I had to go to the ER because of the pain and the Dr said I am severly constipated.

But last night my face went tingly as usual, and my arm and even my leg followed.  It's still tingly although the degree of feeling changes.  I have no weakness but it feels weird to use my arm cause it's half asleep.

Now to answer your questions, (sorry so long)
My PCP acted like I was making it up in my head.  She felt the same way about my chest pain until my gallbladder was removed and was found to be severly diseased with a big stone lodged in it.  The neuro was concerned until the MRI was clean then didn't really seem to care.
I recently moved to another state, but am continuing coverage through COBRA until I get insurance through a job.  My neuro even gave a diagnosis or dyemelating (sp?) disease on my chart after our first meeting.  I'm hoping to put off a neuro visit for another month or two until I can get health and life insurance before an official diagnosis is made (if it is made).

Thanks for your help so far?  Any insight or advice?
Helpful - 0
147426 tn?1317265632
Yes!  What Jon said!!  I second it!  I meant LTD income replacement.  I was not able to get LTCare because I couldn't afford it and now I can't.  His is great advice!  Q
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Avatar universal
Quix suggests getting disability insurance if you can before you are diagnosed.

I would add, if you can get Long term Disability income replacement insurance and Long Term Care, do it.  LTC is quite expensive, but by the grace of god and the great misfortune of the insurance company I was able to enroll after being DXd with MS.  It was new to my company and they offered a one time no questions asked enrollment.  Wow was I blessed.  Not that I'm diabled yet or wish to be, but what a relief to have both.

Jon
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147426 tn?1317265632
Hi, Sorry to hear you're having these problems.  Would you be willing to answer a couple more questions about the numbness.  BTW - numbness or weird sensations are indeed scary, and it's hard to ignore them on your face.  The face has so many more nerve-endings than other parts of the body.

Stress does not just cause numbness out of the clear blue.  Sometimes, during periods of stress and hyperventilation the mouth hands and feet may tingle for a while (minutes to an hour) and it can recur during the day.  Would you say - apart from the numbness - that you are currently over-anxious?

Has the side of your face been numb or feeling weird pretty much since May?  Has it come and gone?  when you say the left arm was like it was asleep for a bit.  How long is a bit?  A few minutes, a day, a week or two?  It's important.

What resolved for a while the arm or the arm and face numbness?  When did it come back?  Is it the same as when it started?

When a neurologist can't find a cause for a paresthesia (a wrong sensation for which there is no obvious cause - could be tingling, pain, numbness, alteration in temperature, vibrational feeling, whatever) I think it is a real disservice to blame it on the patient saying, "It's stress."  It would be more honest and easier for you to deal with if he had said, "I don't find anything serious right now, but I don't know what's causing these sensations."  Come back in 3 or 4 months if there isn't any improvement.  Had the numbness spread to your arm when you were still seeing him?

What can cause such a thing besides MS?  Certain viral infections can do it, many times people have this sort of thing, it eventually goes away and we never know. I'm a physican, though not a nurologist, and I can't tell you how many mysteries went away and left me to wonder eternally.

Early in the disease it is quite possible for someone with MS to have a normal MRI.  Even in people with full-blown, diagnosed MS, most experts believe that a good many of the lesions are invisible (too small to show up on MRI)   If a person is having symptoms which could be attacks of MS, (and yours would qualify)  then the appropriate thing to do, if the brain MRI is negative, would be to do an MRI of the cervical spine and the thoracic spine.  In my mind those spine images should be done now, but your neuro might disagree.   If your neurological exam is normal and the MRI's are normal, then a short "wait and see" approach is often recommended, usually 1 to  3 months.   At the recheck which should be done in a minimum of one month, up to three months, if you are still having symptoms then the MRI's need to be repeated.  If you start having more and different symptoms then I would have you let the neuro know immediately.

If the numbness is really persistent in the left arm there is a test called a Nerve Conduction Study.  This measures the ability of the sensory nerves in the arm to carry a signal properly.  This is a test that it would make sense to do.  Your neurologist would order it.

Now, because you are on a site that discusses MS and not because I do or don't think you might have MS, there are a couple things I would like to advise you about.  

First, did you feel the neurologist was taking you seriously, or did you feel "blown off" by him?  If you felt he wasn't interested then find a new neuro to follow up with.  If you felt he tried and was actually listening to you, then by all means do the follow up with him.

Second, make sure you have good medical insurance before anyone starts writing the words "Multiple Sclerosis" in your medical chart.  Once the diagnosis is made it could become very difficult to get coverage.  Also if you are very suspicious, then try to obtain a disability insurance policy.  I never thought I would EVER need one, and it has saved my financial life.  Actually I would recommend this to all employed people.  Life is very unpredictable, and a chronic illness should be taken up as a hobby only by the very rich! lol.

If you haven't found it already a nice site with a layperson's overview of MS is:

http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/diagnosingms.html

Also, if you have a lot of questions, it seems to be our forte.  Stick around and ask.  There are other tests you need if the numbness is very persistent or if new things happen.  Also have you noticed any problems with unusual fatigue, difficulties with tolerating the same amount of heat you used to enjoy?  Any problems with your thinking, memory, mental skills? (not just the usuall problems with the car keys).

Also there is a thread on this page (written by me) which is a little lesson on MRIs, MS lesions, and MS symptoms and how they all correlate.  

Welcome again, I hope we can be helpful.  I'll be looking for answers to your questions.  Quix
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Avatar universal
Also need to say I've been tested for b12, electrolyte imbalance, thyroid-all normal.
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