View Full Version : Peripheral neuropathy seems to be spreading
:unsure:
Hello all.
My neuropathy is acting up today. My left leg is pretty numb/tingly down the front. I've had some back issues recently, but I'm getting nerve tingles and numbness in seemingly unrelated areas. The front of the left leg, not the back. Occasionally a nerve tingle fires in my rib area like right around/under the heart. Sometimes the same thing happens on my side or back, some in the bottom of my foot. It's mostly on my left side, but it's sometimes a bit on my right too, though not nearly to the left's extent.
I get head rushes at times, usually around lunch, during or after eating. Kind of like a panic attack, though I'm not really thinking panicked thoughts. I get a lightheaded feeling and my heart starts beating rapidly. When it's bad I feel like I may lose consciousness.
My first thought would be diabetes, but I'm 6 ft 3 and only 187 pounds, so I doubt it. My doctor took a whole host of blood tests listed below, and found nothing.
SEDIMENTATION RATE, AUTOMATED
TSH WITH REFLEX FREE T4
B12/FOLATE
HEMOGLOBIN A1C
PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS SERUM
RHEUMATOID FACTOR
HIV 1/2 SCREEN
ACUTE HEPATITIS PANEL
C-REACTIVE PROTEIN
ANA
All were negative.
My glucose was in the prediabetes range, but she told me it's nothing I would need meds for.
I had a DVT in my left leg in 2007. My left foot was going numb and I had leg swelling a couple months ago. A high d-dimer earned me my first ER trip on Feb 1, of this year, but no clot was found in the leg.
I've been to the ER a handful of times in the last month, but CT scans and numerous blood tests and an x-ray haven't revealed anything.
I've missed a ton of work, (though I have weeks of sick time left, even now), and it's very hard for me to focus on the job. I can barely sit still and feel like crying. Or I feel like I might have a heart attack any minute. What's going on with me?
---------- Post added at 17:01 ---------- Previous post was at 13:50 ----------
My doctor recommended me for physical therapy, which I start tomorrow.I find it so strange that they are refusing to do an MRI or other imaging. Shows what I know, I guess!
I overcame a bit of a panic attack earlier and am feeling a bit more calm now.
Have you been officially dx with PN? And if so what is the cause?
Lot of medical jargon here. Googling symptoms is as bad for your health as real physical symptoms.
As above, have you been diagnosed with a neuro disorder?
I actually have neuropathy from chemo treatment. Have you been diagnosed with it?
Positive thoughts
Have you been officially dx with PN? And if so what is the cause?
I haven't, but have the symptoms. Originally I thought sciatica, but the tingles are usually in the FRONT of my leg, not the back. Is it possible I have more than one back injury?
About 95 percent of the nerve tingles are on my left side, but I occasionally get one or two in my right foot.
There seems to be pain in all three areas of my back (left side neck/traps, middle spine, and lower.) I'm hoping that's all it is. I'm not used to having all these health problems and it's so scary for me.
My mind just drifts to: What if I have a tumor or ALS?
I have an EMG on the 25th of this month. I start physical therapy today, or at least have my initial consult.
I haven't, but have the symptoms.
I have neuropathy. What you describe isn't anything like I experience and live with permanently :lac:
Positive thoughts
I have neuropathy. What you describe isn't anything like I experience and live with permanently :lac:
Positive thoughts
Thanks for responding! I have PT today, so I will see what they say and keep you guys updated. It's just scary when my whole back feels like I got hit by a car.
I have to be honest this doesn't really sound like nerve damage to me. The human brain isn't perfect and will sometimes act up, or cause odd sensations. Are any of your symptoms constant?
I have to be honest this doesn't really sound like nerve damage to me. The human brain isn't perfect and will sometimes act up, or cause odd sensations. Are any of your symptoms constant?
Not constant in the "all the time" sense, but they do happen throughout the day.
My first day of PT was pretty good. She noticed my left hip was higher than my right, and said that may be causing the front of leg tingles. We did a lot of different stretches and I felt decent after. Today my mid back feels a bit better but now my lower back feels stiff. I have five more appointments for PT this month, the EMG on the 25th, and a Cardiologist to (hopefully) set my mind at ease on the 19th.
I'm still feeling occasional tingles in my torso and legs, but maybe not as bad as before.
The physical therapist said after all the PT sessions if it's still not better then my doctor will probably want images.
Update:
Today at around 10:30 EST (US) IO started feeling my heart beat again. And/or it was like my left pectoral was flexing involuntarily.
There is a bit of pain if I press down where my left pectoral muscle connects to my ribs. The pain area is about fingertip-sized. Doesn't really bother me as long as I don't press down.
I'm so scared it's an embolism or heart attack.
Luckily, I'm not experiencing any shortness of breath, and the heart fluttering has (mostly) stopped. This started about three hours ago.
I didn't want to go to the ER again. My doctor all but told me to stop doing that after I've been in there like five times. She said when they look at me they're going to do a bunch of tests and see a healthy young man.
But why do these strange things keep happening?
I know I have anxiety, but I feel like it would go away if I didn't keep having these scary physical issues!
I keep reminding myself: Cardiologist on the 19th, EMG on the 25th. If I make it that long!
I just never would have imagined going through all of this four months ago. I miss healthy carefree me.
Update:
Today at around 10:30 EST (US) IO started feeling my heart beat again. And/or it was like my left pectoral was flexing involuntarily.
There is a bit of pain if I press down where my left pectoral muscle connects to my ribs. The pain area is about fingertip-sized. Doesn't really bother me as long as I don't press down.
I'm so scared it's an embolism or heart attack.
Luckily, I'm not experiencing any shortness of breath, and the heart fluttering has (mostly) stopped. This started about three hours ago.
I didn't want to go to the ER again. My doctor all but told me to stop doing that after I've been in there like five times. She said when they look at me they're going to do a bunch of tests and see a healthy young man.
But why do these strange things keep happening?
I know I have anxiety, but I feel like it would go away if I didn't keep having these scary physical issues!
I keep reminding myself: Cardiologist on the 19th, EMG on the 25th. If I make it that long!
I just never would have imagined going through all of this four months ago. I miss healthy carefree me.
I definitely feel you there mate. :weep:
Going to an initial appointment with a new chiro today. They actually do x-rays! That's the part I'm interested in.
Have unfortunately still been feeling weird. Nerve tingles in my back and the back of my head.
I'm very scared but hope to get more of an idea today.
I have lived with the sensations you describe for 20 plus years. I pay them no heed now, they are NOT neuropathy. There are literally dozens and dozens of causes, most are anxiety and/or muscular, skeletal related. Try to relax, take care of yourself, and ignore the sensations.
So I saw my doc again yesterday about the back pain I've been having. I have also been having dizzy spells that are getting more frequent. I did half days twice this week due to them. On Wednesday I had two and couldn't drive back to work from lunch at home. I was in tears.
Luckily my work is very supportive and I'm filing the necessary paperwork for intermittent absences.
Physical therapy seems to help the back some, but I've been waking up with neck pain and back of head pain now for at least a week. And I think my mid back pain is causing the nerve pain in the chest and abdomen.
I have an EKG today, which was ordered by my doctor to rule out heart issues. She said she highly doubts it's my heart, but it needs to be ruled out of course.
I'm frightened because it just keeps sticking around. I think I maybe have a tumor somewhere. And whatever it is, the dizzy spells are very scary. She also recommended taking a mid morning snack in case my blood sugar or blood pressure is dropping without food.
Well my EKG I mentioned in my last thread came back looking good. Monday though I was back in the ER after the scariest dizzy spell yet. I had to stand at a bench at work for a bit while they set up my new laptop. I really felt like I was going to pass out for about an hour.
At the ER, they did CT scans of my brain, pelvis, and spine, all came back pretty good. I have L3-L4 and L-4-L-5 bulging discs and some degeneration in my back.
It didn't exactly set my mind at ease though because I know MRIs are the main cancer-finders.
I stopped taking my Flexeril at night and for two days now have had almost no dizziness. There is a bit of pain tenderness in my middle back and the back of my head. These two things are huge worries for me.) PT helped the bulging discs last night. They do feel better today.)
My neurologist appointment (EMG) is in eight days. That is the one where hopefully I can learn more, but it's hard not to think about it because the back issues have been "all over" and don't seem to totally go away.
The "c" word is my main fear. It's unlikely, and I've had no bathroom, vomiting, or sexual function problems which is good news on that front, but I can't seem to get it out of my head.:unsure:
nomorepanic
18-04-18, 22:03
Hi
This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.
Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.
It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.
Are you seeing a therapist for your anxiety?
^ Yes.
Today my first ever cardiologist visit was very productive. He suspects I have SVT of the heart, which is a non-life threatening condition that is likely causing my dizziness and rapid heartbeat spells. I'm wearing a monitor soon so they can track these events. It an amazing relief to know that this is "likely" the issue and it's not going to kill me.
Now if they can just figure out the damage to my back.
Update below so you guys don't have to scroll!
So after about six weeks of increasing nervousness about my rapid heart rate and dizzy spells, I finally saw a cardiologist who says he is pretty sure I have SVT. I am getting a heart monitor to wear this week, and they want me to wear it for a month. Oooof.
During this period I have also had random nerve tingles throughout my body. Most have been on the left side, but for the last two weeks I've been getting it in my neck and back of head. I have also had a ton of back and neck issues. Finally, on my half dozenth visit to the ER, they did CTs of my head (brain), neck, and back. There are plenty of minor issues in my neck and back. There are a couple of spots of osteophytes in my neck. But the CT scans found nothing obvious. I've also had numerous blood test for autoimmune diseases and such, and they have all been negative.
The scary thing is the back and neck issues, along with the random tingling all over. just don't seem to be going away. The tingling seems to kind of originate from either the neck or spine area, but I get brief flashes of it in my arm, legs, sternum, and feet (the back of the head is the most annoying.) The other thing I noticed is I've been super tired, despite sleeping normally. Caffeine doesn't seem to help.
I FINALLY see a neurologist Wednesday morning. I plan to bore him with the whole story.
I'm a hypochondriac, so this has really taken a toll on me. In the meantime, have any of you experienced something similar or could offer some insight into what else is going on?
Update: EMG was normal. The neurologist recommended MRIs, but my Doctor refused until I completed physical therapy. However, last night, my physical therapist said she is suspending my PT because it clearly wasn't helping me. She messaged my doctor.I was surprised by her decision, but hopefully this will cause my doctor to see that I really am hurting.
I'm very scared that I have a tumor somewhere. This is the most frightened I've ever been, and I lived through a DVT in 2007.
I started wearing my heart monitor yesterday. And thank God, the monitoring place said I'm only wearing it a week, not the month that the cardiologist's office said.
I'd appreciate any and all kind words/ I'm really having a rough time. I had this week off and can't imagine going back to work next week, even though I need to.
I wouldn't begin to try and play doctor here, but I can tell you that all the anxious thoughts you are having can certainly cause you to be very fatigued, even if you are perfectly healthy as they expect you to be! And caffeine typically causes more anxiety...feeding the cycle! I recommend cutting back on the caffeine if you think you can.
Best wishes!
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Would neuropathy cause elevated d-dimer?
Would neuropathy cause elevated d-dimer?
No.
Positive thoughts
Update: On May 15th, I had head, neck, and spine MRIs. I have degeneration in my neck and a herniated disc at C6-7. I also have an arachnoid cyst in the posterior fossa of my brain, noted as "incidental" in the report.
I was referred to sports medicine. The sports med guy said he will try to move up my next neurologist appointment, which is three months out.
No treatment was given at my cardiologist follow-up yesterday. They said sinus tach in my case wouldn't be treated.
There have been a few terrible pain flare-ups since I was last on here. Odd sensations in my back and spine. The parasthesias continue. The cardio said he thought it could be due to my high heart rate but it doesn't seem like it to me. He sent me over for a calcium ct scan but they said my heart rate was too erratic for the test.
My back muscles feel sensitive today. Like I always feel them when I sit or lay down.
My trachea feels a bit odd when I swallow.
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