Aa
Unusual symptoms
I have had unusual symptoms going on for almost two years now. First I had pins and needles sensations widespread over my body and occasional muscle twitching and after a few weeks it went away. A few months later the sensations and muscle twitching came back with some other symptoms such as ears ringing, lower back pain, hamstring muscle cramps, some bladder incontinence, and a general shaky feeling. I visited a neurologist because of a concern that it might be MS or something else and had an MRI and general exam. The Dr. said the MRI came back clear and my exam was normal. She felt MS was not a possibility because my symptoms were widespread and it doesn't usually appear like that. True? I was recently diagnosed hypothyroid and she felt that it was probably all related to my thyroid disorder. I have been on medication for a few months and still have these symptoms off and on. Do you have any advice? Thanks for your time.
I have some of the same symptoms. It started out with tingling all over my body. I don't have a whole lot of that now but now I have a single musle spasm in my leg. Does anyone else have this. I have not had an MRI done yet. But my blood work did come back normal.
Alas me, if I did not know how all of this is true.
My story: 46 to male suddenly (June 15th) had tingling and numbness spreading up from my feet and in my hands. Occasional numbness of right side of face. Even my penis has gone numb (great, huh?).
Went to see PCP ... sent me to neurologist who, in first exam, found me "completely normal" and sent me for a neck MRI. That was negative and in the four weeks after the neck MRI to the next appointment with him I went downhill, at times barely able to walk as my right leg was very, very weak. My wife says it was so weak a child could push down on it and it would collapse.
Went to see the neurologist of the follow-up appointment. He said everything was fine in the MRI. I demonstrated to him that I walked like a drunken sailor and have noticeable weakness. He agreed and sent me for brain MRI and spinal tap.
Two weeks later saw him again ... found low B12, high homosysteine, and elevated protein in the spinal fluid. Brain MRI was normal (although he DID see an unusual 'artifact' in the scan which he said he would follow up on; when I asked him about it Tuesday, another two weeks later, he said, "Oh, yea, I ought to do that.").
He said that probably wasn't a CNS problem, come in for EMG studies. He named CIDP (Chronic GBS) as the likely culprit or, of course, UNKNOWN.
So, this Monday I went in for the EMG and he practically electrocuted me and then pronounced it 'completely normal.' He insisted that I come in the next day for a follow-up.
Here's the upshot and the kicker: I came in with my wife (as note taker). He announced that some tests were borderline (as described above) and not really indicative of any particular disease. I expected that and am thankful. He then said, "Since I know that you do not have a big ego I will tell you something I would not tell 99% of my patients" and then went on to say that I had exaggerated and made up my symptoms. Not only that but he claimed not to remember that I had low B12 and high homosysteine (he said that elevated protein was not enough for a diagnosis without clinical observation and I said
My story: 46 to male suddenly (June 15th) had tingling and numbness spreading up from my feet and in my hands. Occasional numbness of right side of face. Even my penis has gone numb (great, huh?).
Went to see PCP ... sent me to neurologist who, in first exam, found me "completely normal" and sent me for a neck MRI. That was negative and in the four weeks after the neck MRI to the next appointment with him I went downhill, at times barely able to walk as my right leg was very, very weak. My wife says it was so weak a child could push down on it and it would collapse.
Went to see the neurologist of the follow-up appointment. He said everything was fine in the MRI. I demonstrated to him that I walked like a drunken sailor and have noticeable weakness. He agreed and sent me for brain MRI and spinal tap.
Two weeks later saw him again ... found low B12, high homosysteine, and elevated protein in the spinal fluid. Brain MRI was normal (although he DID see an unusual 'artifact' in the scan which he said he would follow up on; when I asked him about it Tuesday, another two weeks later, he said, "Oh, yea, I ought to do that.").
He said that probably wasn't a CNS problem, come in for EMG studies. He named CIDP (Chronic GBS) as the likely culprit or, of course, UNKNOWN.
So, this Monday I went in for the EMG and he practically electrocuted me and then pronounced it 'completely normal.' He insisted that I come in the next day for a follow-up.
Here's the upshot and the kicker: I came in with my wife (as note taker). He announced that some tests were borderline (as described above) and not really indicative of any particular disease. I expected that and am thankful. He then said, "Since I know that you do not have a big ego I will tell you something I would not tell 99% of my patients" and then went on to say that I had exaggerated and made up my symptoms. Not only that but he claimed not to remember that I had low B12 and high homosysteine (he said that elevated protein was not enough for a diagnosis without clinical observation and I said
WOW!!! I am so happy and relieved to know that I am not the only female in my age bracket (31) with weird symptoms. It all started this past Memorial Day weekend. I started having vertigo (dizziness)in my head, things around me did not move but I felt as if I were moving and having moderate intensity headaches. At that time all my blood work was normal. Then a lovely sinus infection kicked in. It was bad enough that my Doc wanted me to have a MRI to see exactly how bad the sinus infection was. Well, I had the MRI which revealed that I have sinus disease in the maxillary and frontal sinuses and that I have white spots (demyelination of the grey matter of the brain) which could mean MS. My primary doc says it is not, my ENT doc says no, and my Neurologist says no. But too many more weird things are happening to me and I thought maybe I was just a crazed hypochondriac or something. I tend to keep my feelings kept in because I am afraid that everyone will think I am out there. But after reading all of your situations, I am starting to think differently. Sorry, I got a little side tracked. To continue, I still have the dizziness and headaches. They are joined by a sore neck which all my docs and PT man says is tension headaches and tight trapezious muscle. I still am bothered with the sinus stuff although they are not infected anymore but still full. Now they are saying it is allergies. But the scariest thing is that within the last 2 weeks I have been feeling tingling sensations in my lower arms and legs. They however are not numb, mo muscle weakness, no sharp pains, just tingling. Every once in a while my head feels as if it is tingling. Now that is plain old scary. My doc says he will do ENG testing if the tingling persists. And I see my neurologist on Thursday of this week. A lot of you mentioned having urinary problems, vision problems, ambulation problems, or even nausea problems, I have NOT experienced any of these.
I know I went on and on, and my English is terrible, but I was just happy to know I am not the only one in this world that is worried, freaked out and upset because no Doc can tell me what is truly the matter with me. Thanks for listening and please reply with any information possible. Jodie
I know I went on and on, and my English is terrible, but I was just happy to know I am not the only one in this world that is worried, freaked out and upset because no Doc can tell me what is truly the matter with me. Thanks for listening and please reply with any information possible. Jodie
HI!
I was reading all the comments and wanted to advise those who have not had one to have a spinal tap and an eye exam of the optic nerve. I have had all of the symptoms and more and was diagnosed with intracranial hypertension five years ago. I also have lupus and am in the process of being worked up for myathenia gravis.
If you can, have a spinal and brain MRI - I never got a spine one. If you are on dierutics remember that they can make you feel dizzy and tingly as can hypothyrodism and heart problems, and a few other diseases that arn't neuro based. I would advise an echocardiogram as well.
I had lupus for yeears before being diagnosed with the IH and the entire time I had the IH i kept telling them about my muscle burning and fatigue, terrible fatigue after exhertion and by the end of the day unable to even use muscles, tingling and so on and it's not until now that an EMG was done and the MG blood tests. EMG was not normal -s till don't have the blood work back.Lupus can also cause many and mostof the symptoms here but is an easy blood work up.
MS can be very deceptive for years and eyars and years but many ,many things including chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia and IH can cause your symptoms.
I havea friend with severe chronic fatigue and she has all of the symptoms including bowel problems and sleep apnea and orthstatic hypotension (another cause of dizzyness).
These things can be really hard to diagnose.
A spinal tap is good because if you have MS the cells will show up in the fluid and if you have IH you brain pressure will read too high.
Symptoms of IH
Papilledema (have you had your eyes checked for optic nerve damage)
pressure severe headache behind the eyes, vomiting, nausea, dizzyness, ear ringing, whooshing, pins and needles, fatigue, muscle fatigue blurry, double vision, visual disturbances )hallucinations), some of us have more serious neurological defects such as memory loss, confusion, trouble walking and excercising and so on - even breathing. (not everyone has all of the symptoms but everyone has increased pressure and papilledema)
symptoms of orthstatic hypotension
dizzyness on standing, fainting
Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia
cause all kinds of issues -dizzyness, irritable bowel, confusion, orthstatic hypotension, sleep problems, muscle twitching,numbness, tingling - the list is really, really long and quite disheartening.
One thing to remember - if you have had all the tests more than once you probably have Chronic fatigue as that is undiagnosable by blood work. Fibro is diagnoses by trigger points.
TEsts I've had and would recommend becuase you can have it done in the US if you want too.
EMG and RNS (rapid nerve stimualtion)
echochardiogram (for dizzyness, breathing problems - catches what ekg's don't)
ekg (or is the heart one eeg??)
MRI brain and spine
Blood work ups for Lupus,hypothyroid,hormones, arthritis and so on
Urine test
spinal tap (no fun at all )
Eye exam for health of optic nerve (usually the first to damage in Intracranial hypertension and brain tumors)
Fibromyalgia trigger point test
I wish everyone luck - I know how hard all of this is and how hard it is to be ill and not have people listen to you!!
Good luck,
Kerry
I was reading all the comments and wanted to advise those who have not had one to have a spinal tap and an eye exam of the optic nerve. I have had all of the symptoms and more and was diagnosed with intracranial hypertension five years ago. I also have lupus and am in the process of being worked up for myathenia gravis.
If you can, have a spinal and brain MRI - I never got a spine one. If you are on dierutics remember that they can make you feel dizzy and tingly as can hypothyrodism and heart problems, and a few other diseases that arn't neuro based. I would advise an echocardiogram as well.
I had lupus for yeears before being diagnosed with the IH and the entire time I had the IH i kept telling them about my muscle burning and fatigue, terrible fatigue after exhertion and by the end of the day unable to even use muscles, tingling and so on and it's not until now that an EMG was done and the MG blood tests. EMG was not normal -s till don't have the blood work back.Lupus can also cause many and mostof the symptoms here but is an easy blood work up.
MS can be very deceptive for years and eyars and years but many ,many things including chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia and IH can cause your symptoms.
I havea friend with severe chronic fatigue and she has all of the symptoms including bowel problems and sleep apnea and orthstatic hypotension (another cause of dizzyness).
These things can be really hard to diagnose.
A spinal tap is good because if you have MS the cells will show up in the fluid and if you have IH you brain pressure will read too high.
Symptoms of IH
Papilledema (have you had your eyes checked for optic nerve damage)
pressure severe headache behind the eyes, vomiting, nausea, dizzyness, ear ringing, whooshing, pins and needles, fatigue, muscle fatigue blurry, double vision, visual disturbances )hallucinations), some of us have more serious neurological defects such as memory loss, confusion, trouble walking and excercising and so on - even breathing. (not everyone has all of the symptoms but everyone has increased pressure and papilledema)
symptoms of orthstatic hypotension
dizzyness on standing, fainting
Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia
cause all kinds of issues -dizzyness, irritable bowel, confusion, orthstatic hypotension, sleep problems, muscle twitching,numbness, tingling - the list is really, really long and quite disheartening.
One thing to remember - if you have had all the tests more than once you probably have Chronic fatigue as that is undiagnosable by blood work. Fibro is diagnoses by trigger points.
TEsts I've had and would recommend becuase you can have it done in the US if you want too.
EMG and RNS (rapid nerve stimualtion)
echochardiogram (for dizzyness, breathing problems - catches what ekg's don't)
ekg (or is the heart one eeg??)
MRI brain and spine
Blood work ups for Lupus,hypothyroid,hormones, arthritis and so on
Urine test
spinal tap (no fun at all )
Eye exam for health of optic nerve (usually the first to damage in Intracranial hypertension and brain tumors)
Fibromyalgia trigger point test
I wish everyone luck - I know how hard all of this is and how hard it is to be ill and not have people listen to you!!
Good luck,
Kerry
Hi, to everyone. I just found this site today. I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and quess what, He doesn't know what's wrong with me. Its been almost 2 years. Both feet are completely numb up to my ankle. It is so bad that I had an open wound on my foot and didn't know it till the day the infection swelled up to my ankle. Have loss of sensation to my calfs and both hands are tingling and numb, the right is the worst. I have had 3EMG, 1 VER, 1 SER, an MRI, and every type of blood test, still nothing. They were leaning to MS but now nothing. He says maybe a need to see a Rheumotoid doctor. Just wanted to say, it is comforting to see that I am not the only one without answers. Never really thougt about fatigue as a symtom, but I can sleep for 15 hours and I am still tired. God Bless to everyone. Hang in there.
Hello,
I too have had many of the symptoms you all have. Mine are alittle different in that I have tremors. I shake all the time. Especially when I lift my arms and legs. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've gone to to doctor's so many times and they keep telling me nothing is wrong.
My symptoms are:
Lightheaded
Tremors
muscle twiching
occasional fever
Does anyone have the same symptoms with a diagnosis? I can't handle this anymore. The worst part is thinking that I will never feel normal again.
Monica
I too have had many of the symptoms you all have. Mine are alittle different in that I have tremors. I shake all the time. Especially when I lift my arms and legs. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've gone to to doctor's so many times and they keep telling me nothing is wrong.
My symptoms are:
Lightheaded
Tremors
muscle twiching
occasional fever
Does anyone have the same symptoms with a diagnosis? I can't handle this anymore. The worst part is thinking that I will never feel normal again.
Monica
You are reading content posted in the Neurology Forum
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease
