HELP! Parasthesias, weakness, fatigue, fasciculations, imbalance since Aug. '06

[396SS]

Aug '06, finishing degree, under stress. Sitting at computer, big toe going numb, burning, over weeks progressed to other foot, all toes & in months progressed to feet, calves, hands, wrists, forearms.  Walking far made foot drag/numb
Hx: 31 yo F Scoliosis 21 deg. w/ spina bifida occulta in L5 and stenosis at L? - neck and back pain common.  Was told degenerative disc disease by one Dr., another disagreed. Dry mouth starting Spring '06 - very uncomfortable. Insomnia/anxiety - Zoloft 25mg daily and Ativan 2mg to sleep (for about 1.5 years) but I am definitely not imagining this pain. MVP - mild with PVCs/Chest pain
Constant low blood pressure and low temp. - nurses always ask if I feel ok. 4 yrs ago had virus w/ high fever.  As fever inc., so did vertigo sensation & tinnitus when changing gaze in any position.  MRI & bloodwork neg. then - dizziness lasted 3/4 months and would send shock sensations w/ "electric" sounding tinnitus when changing gaze, finally subsided.  ABR normal, ENG normal.  Fam Hx: diabetes, Grave's disease, undiag. neuromuscular dis, rheumatoid arthr.
Now, calves tight, fasciculations all over, jaws weak/tight, fatigued, extremities weak, parasthesias, tremor, imbal
Neuro's workup now:
Labs - all norm, except increased IgG slightly
VEP - norm ABR - norm NCV - norm
MRI - one non-enhancing lesion at splenium of corpus callosum, "could be MS plaque" Compared 4 yo MRI w/ new - same lesion appears - missed on old MRI.
Neuro stumped - referring to rheumatologist for fibromyalgia or get spinal tap or 6 mo MRI? SCARED of what's wrong with me!

So tired

[Jenny Wren]

You were saying about elevated IGG levels.  Is there Igg levels on certain blood tests?  What I mean is, are all blood tests measuring Igg levels, or do you have to have a specific test ordered measuring the levels.  Example, my EBV levels were tested, they said that the IGG were elevated a little.  Can elevated IGG levels for the EBV virus be caused by an autoimmune disease, or would they be elevated when specifically looking at certain autoimmune disease like RA, or lupus?  My ANA, RA, SPEP/IPEP, were all normal.  What does IGG mean anyway?  What about IGM?  Thanks, I've been confused about this.

[4t1074]

How are your reflexes, increased or decreased or normal?  An increased IgG tends to support a possible auto-immune problem or other "treatable" problem that needs to be discovered...

You should embark on a massive research project, specifically with your auto immune system and go to a facility that can do some in depth testing...

Yes, a spinal tap would be my highest priorty at this point also.


Good Luck!

[mike1105]

IgG is a monoclonal antibody produced in the marrow. so is IgA, and IgM (and there are others too but these are the most commonly referenced).When there is too much being produced (no one really knows why this happens) it is called MGUS---monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, provided there is no accompanying disease. MGUS is usually just monitored yearly, and is not a disease in and of itself-- it is a condition. It is comon 1-3%  of the population over 50. However, people w MGUS are more likely to develop things like Myeloma, lymphoma, Waldenstrom's and other diseases related to the bone marrow-- which disease depends in part on which Antibody is elevated. Some times these elevated antbody proteins can casue neuropathies because they can bind with certain "antigens" on nerve fibers.......