Hello,
My best friend is 25 years old, and about 6 weeks ago, she started having a numbness in her right leg, arm, and hand. She doesn't have health insurance and wouldn't go to the ER. Over the next few weeks, the numbness in her leg mostly subsided, but her hand got worse to where she couldn't use it. She can move it- open and close her fingers, etc, but she can't grasp anything, hold onto anything, or do anything that requires any type of precision with that hand. Finally, after about 5 weeks, me and her sister were able to talk her into going to the ER. They didn't do any testing like MRI or anything (I think because she has no insurance), but the doctor there told her he thought she had Neuropathy and that it was probably caused by sleeping wrong (they did do bloodwork where they tested for diabetes because it is on both sides of her family and she is also overweight, and the tests came out negative for diabetes). So they put her on Steroids and sent her on her way, telling her if the steroids didn't help, then she should see a Neurologist.
Well, I've read up a little bit on Neuropathy, and I never saw any mentioning of treating it with steroids. my brother said they might be trying to jump-start her nervous system with the steroids. Maybe they couldn't give her any other treatments because she doesn't have insurance; I don't know.
But anyway, the steroids only seem to be making her hyper, and not doing much else (is hyperactivity a side-effect of steroids? she says she can't sleep, and she's also been talking really really fast, to the point where her family keeps asking her if she's "on something"). She said she's starting to get a lot of pain now in her arm and hand, and in her spine. Her hand is still numb- as in she can't really feel when she's touching or holding something, but she also is getting shooting pains through it and in her back.
So I'm just wondering if this sounds like Neuropathy, or if it could be something else? Can anyone share any similar experiences with Neuropathy? Also, is there a way for her to get on Disability because of this? she's been trying to get a job (she got laid off of her last job shortly before this all started), and she's having trouble getting a job because she can't do much with her hand.
People will tell you neuropathy is a symptom, not a disease, akin to saying "I have a headache".
Doctors may throw pills at the problems and hope it goes
away and/or just to make you more confortable, but the real issue
is to figure out the root cause of the neuropathy if you want to fix it.
In other words, if you have a headache, what will the doctor do for you? Most likely throw
some pills your way and let you go home. A good doctor might want to investigate what
causes your headaches for future prevention. Which doctor does this in "Western medicine" ?
I have a weird feeling your buddy may have to see a dozen doctors before finding
a competent one regarding the neuropathy issue.
Hi, i really do think your friend needs an MRI on the brain & spine to get a proper diagnoses, steriods are sometimes used for inflammatory neuropathy and yes they can make a person hypo, not a good drug to be used long term if it can be helped, i have never heard of one sided diabetic neuropathy before, normally it affects both limbs at the same time, starts normally at the feet or hands and progresses, a pressure on a nerve can cause a mononeuropathy but usually affects only a leg or arm but not both usually, as far as i know.
Anyone presenting those symptoms you mentioned needs an MRI or a CT scan asap, she may have had a slight stroke but needs to be properly investigated and treated now.
She may need drugs to quite down the brain like dilanton not thrown drugs at her like dam steroids.
I wish her my best
Aussie
