Body Numb??? - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

Merc100 · 07-12-2004, 08:36 PM

I will try to give you a quick run down of what has been happening... Feb 28, 2004 I had my ruptured appendix removed... Approx 3 days after I left the hospital my left arm went numb ( i could still use all my arm fully and feel everything it was tingly and numb)... That lasted approx 7 days... This then went away for about a week. I woke up one morning and once my feel hit the floor my left arm and left leg went numb... same type of feeling. I went to my family doctor and neuroligist and both were stunned... had no idea. This lasted 10-12 days and went away.

Yesterday July 11, 2004 i felt my foot going to sleep ... I was hitting it on the floor to prevent this but it still slowly was falling to sleep. It stayed like this all day and night -UNTIL- I woke up this morning.. From my chest down to my toes are numb... again I have full movement and strength just tingly numb feeling... also in my hand, not my arms. I went to see my family doctor first thing this morning and again he says "He cannot explain this, nothing makes sense" He claims it is not serious but you can understand why i am worried. He dome test for B12, Thyroid, Diabetes and claims it is “Impossible to be MS”
Does anyone have any thoughts or input on this?

Thank you.
Merc

Jewel2 · 07-12-2004, 09:51 PM

Hi Merc,
Welcome. I would certainly question your doctor as to why he claims it's "impossible to be MS." Not that I am saying you have MS, but your symptoms are very suspicious. In fact, they are very much like my daughter's presenting symptoms. Her symptoms first appeared shortly after being involved in a car accident. It's not unusual for MS to present after a stress on the body. What I'm getting at is that if you do have MS, I'm not surprised that it would kick in after your surgery as that was a stress on your body.

Another thing to possibly investigate is spinal compression (disc problems) that could be pressing on some nerves. Is it possible that this could be happening?

Have you had any MRI's? I disagree with your family doctor's attitude of this not being serious. I bet if he was all numb 'n tingly he would think it was serious! Also, if you are dealing with MS, you'll probably want to start some drug therapy to try to slow down its progression.

Please stay in touch and let us know how you're doing.

Take care,
Julie

Merc100 · 07-12-2004, 11:13 PM

Julie & Chris

I want to thank you responding. I will try to explain to you the reasoning why the doctors say it is not MS. They state that MS is in the brain... affects the 1 nerve... so you may have a problem with your leg... or your arm, eye, etc.. My doctor claims that to have tingley feeling from the chest to toes and just the hands, no arms is no sign of MS.... I don't know whether or not this is true but that is what I am told.
I will try to enlighten you guys on a few more things because you do seem well educated in this... I do have Asthma... Had it since birth... its mild not severe.
I had a underactive thyroid approx 5 years ago. My doctor had me on the highest medication available (300mg per day of synthroid)... I went to go see another doctor and he took me off the pills... Claimed my Pituritory Gland was working fine but my thyroid was not and he claims if the "part in the head if workng you are fine".

Now on to back pain.... My lower back hurts when I get up in the morning... Once I am up and walking around it goes away. Also when I sit a certain way my whole midsection goes numb sometimes. I know it sounds weird.
Once I asked my doctor about this he said something like my C4 and something else would have to be affected to have the syptoms I have and that is close to impossible.

I have a appointment for a MRI on December 01, 2004. That is the earliest I can get in. I know you are thinking what the H**L but I do live in Canada and have to deal with Canadian Health Care.

Jewel2 · 07-13-2004, 08:45 AM

Hi Merc,
Thanks for clarifying things. I still disagree with the neuro saying it can't be MS and his reasoning. MS does really weird things. Multiple lesions could affect multiple places. A lesion can make an entire limb numb or just your big toe numb. The combinations of how lesions can affect your body are endless.

That being said, I do have to wonder about the whole hypothyroidism problem. It sounds like you have a problem there that is no longer being treated. I would get another opinion from another doctor (an endocrinologist would probably be best). Also, you might post your info on the thyroid board here and get some feedback.

I do agree with your doc that it would be unlikely that disc problems would be causing all of your symptoms, but what if you have a bad disc causing some of the numbness and another health problem causing the rest? Not trying to confuse you, but I have been the victim of multiple health problems that took some time to sort out (hypothyroid, RSD, bad gallbladder and menopausal - all close together in time!).

Hang in there and try not to stress. It's too bad your MRI is so far away, but at least something is in place. Do you know what type of MRI they will be doing, and of what part of your body? Too many times I hear of wasted MRI's because they don't do them with contrast or only of the brain, for example, when some of the spine should be done as well. Also, don't let them do an open MRI as they are not very good at detecting MS lesions.

Hope you have a great day!
Julie

Merc100 · 07-13-2004, 11:44 AM

Julie,

Thanks again ... The MRI as far as I know is going to be of my head. The specialist said he never thought a MRI was nessesary but wouldn't hurt...lol. This really has me drove crazy. There is nothing worse than when doctors look at you and tell you they have no idea the problem and then right after that tell you not to worry.
The doctor first said it was stress related.... But I don't think I am under alot od stress... My wife thinks i am nuts...lol..., then he said it was a infection, then a after surgery thing. Everyone knows there body the best... No doctor can convince me that there is nothing the matter when you have 3 episodes within 4 months and this last one (the one I am currently in) makes virtually your whole body numbish.
I really do hope and pray it is nothing serious but it would be a great burden lifted if the doctors could pin point it or at least give me a answer instead of "I don't know".
Thanks again for your replies. This is the first time in 4 months I can acually talk about this to people without them thinking i am nuts.