postpartum neuro problems?

[liddy26]

Hello all.  I am about 8 weeks postpartum with my second child.  for the past 4 weeks I have experienced a sunburn like sensation without skin changes over various parts of my body.  It started in the back of my left neck and arm, then spread to the other arm, and eventually most of my back, thighs, feet, and most recently ankles.  It is rarely present in all of these areas at once and varies in intensity.  Nothing seems to affect it - temperature, activity, positioning, etc.  It does seem worse at night and interferes with my sleep.  I have also experienced occasional tingling in my head and feet.  

I am no longer nursing but have not had my period and can still express some milk from my breasts (ie, hormones still in flux).

I visited my PCP who stated she thought I had a 50% chance of having MS.  (extensive labs wnl) I have now seen a neurologist who said I have a perfect neuro exam and had a MRI brain w and w/o contrast as well as a MRI cspine on a 3T machine, both of which were normal.  So, probably not MS, though I am still worried about this.  The cspine also showed mild degenerative changes; not enough to explain these symptoms.

The best answer I have from the docs is "hormonal issues". I can find very little about this on the internet and absolutely nothing in the medical literature.  So, this explanation is not satisfying and a bit scary.  

Has anyone experienced anything like this?  Did it go away?  After how long?  I am anxious to know what this all means for me and my family.  

Thank you!

[liddy26]

B12 and vitamin D are normal. Pregnancy is out of the question as I have not resumed sexual activities. Also, I have no rash and my skin is not dry. I have am internal sensation of a sunburn that is not superficial or muscular.

Would low estrogen post partum cause this? If so, when should it resolve? Also, is there medical literature on this? To me, this appears to be a neurological condition as there are no skin manifestations at all.

Thank you for your time.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
I am sorry to hear about your medical problems. In all probability you have a hormonal skin issue. Also, you could be pregnant and suffering from a pregnancy associated rash. Take a pregnancy test and see. Very dry skin, low vitamin B12, low vitamin D, and low estrogen are the other causes. Please also consult your gynecologist and a skin specialist. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.