Weird symptoms of numbness, etc, no diagnosis - PLEASE HELP! (Message 2)

[thatgirl1269]

(con'td from Message 1) However, Saturday morning at 5.30 am I started to notice the left side of my lips, along with L cheek, were numb & I had strange vision, almost as if I had been drinking (I hadn't).  Waited a few hrs & then called paramedics (I was concerned I had had a TIA and/or stroke) who checked me over & everything seemed normal (motor skills, glucose normal, grip strength fine).  Eventually went to ER same day, saw 2 doctors who checked me out (no bloods, MRI or CT at this point) - again everything seemed ok (no diabetes, plantars downgoing, grip strength good, etc).  Was discharged home.

Symptoms seemed to worsen slightly - numbness still on L side which includes:
*  L side of tongue.
*  L side of lips.
*  L side of nose.
*  L arm.
*  L leg.

Torso not involved.

(see message 3 for continuation)

[Dr_Nassim]

sorry because my answers are too short and I appreciate your given details. I read all your letters but I dont have enough time to find others comments. dont worry even if the problem is multiple sclerosis related.. Dr Nassim

[thatgirl1269]

Thank you for your response - please see my reply to other message.  The neurologist doesn't seem to think my symptoms fit with MS, but I am having an MRI to check things out.  He didn't seem concerned though & is putting it down to stress (like I said in my other msg, he says my symptoms are "all over the place" and don't fit a pattern of anything serious).  

Thank you again.

[Dr_Nassim]

Do a brain MRI to study the possiblity of Multiple sclerosis. Then if suspicious T2 lesions do a lumbar puncture

[thatgirl1269]

Also just found out via phone call that I can't get in to see neuro until next Tuesday so terribly worried about this!!!! :(

[thatgirl1269]

Rest of msg follows - can't add msg 3 as forum won't let me continue until tomorrow:


Also feeling like still drunk, double-vision most of the time, typing difficult with L hand (probably due to L sided numbness as I know where keys are but have trouble hitting the correct keys due to numbness).  

Other symptoms (I still have all the above + these);
*  Numbness as above.
*  Food tastes wrong and/or almost tasteless (tho that's not quite correct).
*  Typing still very difficult with L hand - which I think is due to L hand numbness.
*  Hard to focus (almost double-vision) when I look straight ahead - not too bad looking at computer, but looking straight ahead, such as when watching TV for example, causes double-vision.  Looking down and reading (for instance) is okay - no double-vision then, but still feel slightly drunk.
*  Better vision when I close either eye & look out of only one eye.  Either eye can be closed and vision is very close to normal.
*  L eye seems to water a bit.
*  L leg occasionally feels like it's "going to go out" from under me - mostly around L knee.
*  I feel like I might walk into things if I'm not careful, although actually walking into things very rarely happens.
*  Look & sound normal - no facial drooping or slurring, no-one notices by looking at me that anything is wrong.

Had CT of brain and FBE plus hormone levels with GP on Monday - everything normal.  Going to see neurologist and probably have MRI of brain stem in next day or two.  GP put it down (at moment) to stress / anxiety and prescribed trial pack of duloxetine hydrochloride to see if that helps - only taken one last night (so about 14 hrs ago) but no change to symptoms.  Could be MS - though no personal or family history of the disease.

History:
*  No personal or family history of anything relevant.
*  As stated above, full blood work-up & CT all normal.
*  Recently back on paroxetine for depression - originally on it for panic attacks though haven't had them for about a year, and never had these symptoms previously when on paroxetine.
*  Was prescribed meloxicam for lumbar spine & sciatica L leg approx 2 weeks ago, along with paroxteine.  Also took multivitamin for women.  All meds except oxycodone hydrochloride stopped Saturday to see if that's the cause.  Still have symptoms so not sure about that.
*  As above, have taken oxycodone hydrochloride 5 mg each tablet (up to 5-6 a day) for back pain throughout.

So at this point, I'm not sure what I'm dealing with - hopefully neurologist and MRI scan can shine some light on this.  Spoke with psychiatrist I type for and he suggested the MRI of brain stem and visit to neuro - which I was going to do if bloods came back normal in any case (which as above, they have).

So my question/s at this point is does anyone have similar symptoms and/or know what I could be dealing with here?  Is it possible this is all stress-related (always stressed about work & family situation, but personally I think this seems unlikely).  Very annoying as I need to type for a living & it is very difficult to do so at the moment (this msg is taking forever with my L hand numbness and would normally not be a problem for me).  I'm also quite scared as could this still be a TIA/stroke, perhaps in my brain stem, that is obviously not showing up in CT?  Although blood work normal, what should I speak to neuro about?

Any help or assistance at all, either from a doctor or someone who has had/has similar symptoms would be very much appreciated.  Thanks.