postpartum neurological symptoms

[katetorpey]

What could be the name of the syndrome experienced
by many women who have posted here?
There must be a connection between giving birth and
neurological complaints that do not fit other
neurological diseases.
My daughter is three months postpartum with numbness
and weakness in her arms and legs, fatigue, and visual
disturbances.  Her MRI (done when the baby was 3 months) is perfectly normal.  
Her baby weighed 10 pounds at birth.  She had an epidural during her delivery. When the baby was 2 months old she had an IUD  inserted.  Four days after the IUD was put in the symptoms  appeared.
There has got to be some connection.  There have been almost
no studies of postpartum neurological syndromes.
HELP!

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS]

During the postpartum period women are prone to several neurologic disorders. Some include migraine, cerebral venous thrombosis, and stroke to name a few. Also, the stress of the postpartum period can cause unusual symptoms. If you have not seen a neurologist, it would be recommended. Abnormalities such as Vitamin B12 deficiency and central nervous system inflammation could also cause similar symptoms. If you have already seen a neurologist, then a second opinion would be reasonable.

[t_anunson]

Hi, I began having neurological problems in Sept. `02, about 2 weeks having my daughter.I post on here often, also as Andrea`s_mommy. She was 9 pds 7 oz. I had an epidural and she was my first child. I had her vaginally. I have had tingling, numbness, and twitching along w/ intermittent eye pain, and one episode of visual disturbance. All my tests, including MRI`s have been normal up to this point. I still have some mild symptoms, and no diagnosis. I have met many other women w/ these problems, and many of them took the epidural. I have thought for some while now that it caused all of this. I am 23 from Southwest, VA. How old is your daughter?? Was this her 2st birth?

[katetorpey]

thanks for answering
this is my daughter's second child
she had an epidural
she lives in france
i live in pitman, southern new jersey
near philadelphia
since she had a perfectly clean mri,
they keep telling her not to worry, but
she does

[Lady Jay]

Hi...
I know what you are experiencing and yes, it is hard to sit back and watch this blatantly obvious disorder remove the joy one is supposed to feel postpartum.  It is real... and we know it is because we "see" them struggling.   We "hear" them complain... and try to explain to the professionals exactly what the symptoms are.  

I did a reply to Samije not long ago discussing this subject because I firmly believe that the epidural occupies the captain's chair.

[Freddd]

MethylB12 deficiency can cause post partum depression and psychosis.  1+ mg /day will usually correct the depression within a few days and in my non-postpartum depression of a LIFETIME, in 15 minutes.  A high potency Bcomplex, 2mg folic acid and a multivitamin and mineral as well as there can be other contributing nutritional factors.

A small group of 4 hypersensitives, sensitive to inter and intra day methylB12 changes find that not all brands are created equal.  We have found that Enzymatic Therapy Bioactive B12 worked immediately and maintained for 2 weeks or longer for all 4.  So far two testers have found that Jarrow methyl b12 works immediately.  One other brand worked immediately for 1 of 4 and none of 4 for 2 weeks.  Good luck with your daughter.  My mother suffered post partum depression that never went away and deepened into psychosis and spent a lot of years hospitalized.

[t_anunson]

Thanks for the advice, but we arn`t psychotic. I`ve took every vitamin you can think of, including B-12, and had every blood test run, including toxicity tests, and they`re all normal. This is something physical. I was find till I took that stupid epidural! Thanks for trying to help though. Are you male or female?? If you`re male, then you`ve never had a baby, and wouldn`t understand....

[t_anunson]

My husband is from New Jersey. He is from Northern NJ though...

[CyndyisMe]

My first child was 3

[Freddd]

I didn't know that being from NJ, even the northern part could trigger a problem.

I am male so I can't possible have any direct experience.  My mother however had postpartum depression that never cleared, going into fullblown depressive psychosis some years later and spending the better part of 7 years in a psyc hospital.  I do know from experience that stressors of various kinds can trigger all sorts of apparently unrelated items.  Best of luck in finding what can heal your problem, whether or not you actually find a source.  The only reason I said anything at all is your symtoms make a good match, whatever the immediate cause was.

[t_anunson]

I don`t think that being from NJ causes problems. My husband is from NJ I was telling Katetorpey because she is from NJ too. Thanks for trying to help though....

[katetorpey]

thnaks fred
god bless everyone for trying to help
each other
i did have my daughter get a b 12
shot in new jersey
before she left for france
she will see her french neurologist
on thursday
thanks for your thoughts and prayers
i will be in touch
kate
today is monday 8/11/03

[Amymt]

I have read many of your past posts as Andreas_mommy, and a lot of my symptoms were the same as yours.  6 months after having my son (my first baby), I started having numbness and tingling in my right arm and hand, and well as my right thigh.  I also had intermittent eye pain in my left eye.  All my bloodwork came back normal.  My MRI of head, neck, and spine all came back normal (except for a little arthritis in my spine).  I had an EMG and that was normal.  I saw an opthalmologist and that also was normal.  Most of my symptoms have now gone away, but I still have a little tingling at the top of my spine that radiates a little to the left.  My neurologist says there is nothing more he can do, and if I still have symptoms in a year to come back.
I did not have an epidural.  I did have antibiotics for Group B strep given through an IV in my arm, but nothing in my spine.
Did any of your doctors have any other suggestions of possibly other types of doctors to see?
This is very frustrating.  I would like to have another baby, but am afraid all of these symptoms will come back.  Did any of your doctors say anything to you about having other kids?

[t_anunson]

Hi Amy,
Thanks for your reply. No, I`m afraid none of my doctors could help much more. The neurologist just wants to see me on a checkup basis. I am gonna demand brain MRI`s every other year, and other tests, and that`s all that I feel that I can do now. What about you? Was this your first child, how much did he or she weigh? This was my first child. She weighed 9 pds 7 oz. I have spoken to several other ladies, who have complained of the same symptoms.... some took Group B strep meds, some didn`t. some took the epidural, some didn`t. I just can`t seem to really put my finger on how all of this ties in together, but some how it does. When did your symptoms start? How long did they last? Thanks for your reply & time....

[Amymt]

I had my son in September.  He is my first child.  He was 8 pounds 5 oz.  My symptoms started 6 months later in March.  The major symptoms lasted about a month.  I still have minor symptoms like a tingling at the top of my spine that I also feel a little to the left of the top of my spine.  It comes and goes.
In January I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and my doctor told me it was brought on by pregnancy/childbirth.  Since pregnancy caused the hypothyroidism, it makes me wonder if pregnancy/childbirth alone caused these neurological symptoms as well.  How long did your symptoms last?  How often does your neurologist want to see you?  Mine said to come back next year.  Have you had any new symptoms?

[t_anunson]

My symptoms started in Aug. 02. Most have faded, but I still twitch all over, and have mild tingling in my right wrist. I also have some eye pain, but I`m beginning to think it may be sinus related, do to congestion during the pain. I haven`t seen the neurologist since May, but plan to see him in early Sept. He said he may perform a 2nd nerve conduction test, if I am still having symptoms, since my first one was "essentially" normal, whatever they meant by that.

[kitkekal_mommy]

Yes  we all seem to have the same symptoms including this ladies daughter. Well where do we go from here we have all had a million dollars worth of test and still nothing. I  along with you experienced my symptoms postpartum about 3 months after having my 3rd child, had epidural, and group B meds as well. My symptoms over the last 2 months have dramatically decreased however I still get the burning sensations on the back of my scalp, and extremeties at times. And I still get muscle twitching every once and a while. I am now looking at web sites to find an answer, is it a bad batch of group B meds, epidural meds, new material used in  tubing lines, something. When I have found anything I  will share with all.

[t_anunson]

Yes, I think looking into to info on Group B strep meds, and epidural is a good idea. My symptoms seem worse around my menstrual cycle. Do anyone elses??? Sometimes I wonder if hormones are involved?

[katetorpey]

I think this is an important thread on this forum
I especially think that this neurological cluster
of symptoms that exists postpartum seems to be
so hard to diagnose and treat.  It exists and we
all need to band together to help each other.
Thanks for everyone's support.
I hope this thread continues
I wish I felt that more doctors were aware of this
Kate

[katetorpey]

I just noticed that these threads are modified
certain entries are deleted
this makes me wonder if "our" syndrome
is vastly reported all over the place
I realize that there have to be deletions
and that is fine, but I am wondering
if this is just a tip of an iceberg
kate

[t_anunson]

I noticed the exact same thing about the thread deletions.... I thought I was crazy though.... Why are they deleting our questions and opinions I wonder?....

[JohnnyTX]

Y'all might want to check into Guillian Barre' Symdrome (GBS). A good handful of pregnant women get this.

[Amymt]

I was also beginning to wonder if it was hormonal.  I read
an interesting article about how birth control pills mimic
pregnancy, and how a woman's body responds/reacts
differently after going off the pill. Since the pill mimics
pregnancy, and your body reacts differently after going off
it, it made me begin to wonder if the hormonal changes
after pregnancy caused these symptoms to occur in the first
place.  I was considering going back on the pill to see
if there was any difference in my symptoms.  Were you on the pill before becoming pregnant, or are you on the pill now?  I was on the pill for years.  I went off it a few months before
I became pregnant.  I am still breastfeeding, so I haven't had
a menstrual cycle since I had the baby.  I plan on stopping
breastfeeding in about a month, so it will be interesting
after that to see if my symptoms get worse around my menstrual
cycle once I start getting it again.

[claire23]

Hi -- I seem to fall into the same category as many others on this thread.  I am a 33 yr old mother of a two and a half year old daughter.  Immediately after her birth, I had a numb spot on my left shin.  OB and Neuro. said I pinched a nerve in my pelvis during delivery.  Numbness faded after a few months.  Now, two years later, I have stiffness and weakness in my hands.  My hands seem to collapse into fists (esp when I wake up) I have a numb spot on my right foot above the toes, a loose feeling in most joints, heaviness of limbs.  And now, most disturbingly, twitching and pulsing all over, plus travelling prickly/itchiness.  I had a normal MRI (one month ago) of my brain and upper spine.  I know 10 percent of MS cases can start with a normal MRI.  I'm very worried and want to know what (if anything) else I might have.  Has anyone else had a definite diagnosis or any convincing reassurances?

[claire23]

I forgot to mention that - yes - my symptoms definitely get worse around my period.