This is all in my head, right...

[myDilemma]

Hello All...

Im new to the site and I do not have a diagnosis as yet. I have an appointment scheduled for December 1 with a Neurologist for what I fear will be the beginning of a long and arduous road. I hope that Im posting this in the right place. Im a 43 year old male.

About 9 months to a year ago, I noticed a numb feeling on the inside of my left heel. I didn't pay any attention to it, just figured that I needed a new pair of walking shoes. After purchasing a relatively expensive shoe, it seems to have has somewhat subsided. A couple of months back, I also noticed that I have numbness on my left elbow. I figured that I just placed to much weight on my it when working and figured it would go away, but it has not. It is not as numb as when it first started, but it is still there.

From time to time, I would notice that periodically I have dizzy spells if I go to long without eating or if I eat something sweet.
Anyway, for the past week or so I've been feeling extremely fatigued to the point where after a full nights rest I would wake up feeling almost the same as when I went to sleep. My leg and leg muscles are stiff and achy and weak throughout the day. Both hands, forearms and feet have a feeling similiar to when you go to the dentist and the numbing stuff that he gave you is wearing off and the feeling is coming back, but its never really back.

My feet have this slight pins and needles feeling that comes and goes, yesterday my face and tongue were numb or slightly numb but the feeling has returned. Last week Thursday, I woke up with a burning sensation on the back of my head neck and shoulders, I was so scared that I was having a stroke or something that I went to the ER with my wife. The doctor did a Neuro exam and Blood work and said that everything was fine and that I should follow up with my doctor.

My wife thinks its all in my head and my brother thinks that it is just severe anxiety, but I fear its something worst. I just came back with my wife's family for the holidays after trying to mask the fact that I did not feel well. My hands and feet constantly have pins and needles and its difficult to get up. I'm worried and sad all the time. What compelled me to finally reach out to the board came during and after our drive home.

During the drive I felt little subtle shocks or tingles in my hip, leg and arm area. Once we finally arrived home I tried to grab our luggage and felt zaps or a buzzing feeling in my right hand.

I know that this is a forum and no one can diagnose me, but I’m just very worried. Numbness, fatigue, pins and needles in both hands and feet with the weakness in my legs and most recently getting zapped or buzzed in my right hand is starting to wear on me. I guess I've been reading way to much negative stuff online about constant pain and becoming disabled.

Im in a knot.
Anyways, I appreciate anyone that has taken the time to read my post and would appreciate any feedback.

[lyndacarol]

Im new to the site and I do not have a diagnosis as yet. I have an appointment scheduled for December 1 with a Neurologist for what I fear will be the beginning of a long and arduous road. I hope that Im posting this in the right place. Im a 43 year old male.

About 9 months to a year ago, I noticed a numb feeling on the inside of my left heel. I didn't pay any attention to it, just figured that I needed a new pair of walking shoes. After purchasing a relatively expensive shoe, it seems to have has somewhat subsided. A couple of months back, I also noticed that I have numbness on my left elbow. I figured that I just placed to much weight on my it when working and figured it would go away, but it has not. It is not as numb as when it first started, but it is still there.

From time to time, I would notice that periodically I have dizzy spells if I go to long without eating or if I eat something sweet.
Anyway, for the past week or so I've been feeling extremely fatigued to the point where after a full nights rest I would wake up feeling almost the same as when I went to sleep. My leg and leg muscles are stiff and achy and weak throughout the day. Both hands, forearms and feet have a feeling similiar to when you go to the dentist and the numbing stuff that he gave you is wearing off and the feeling is coming back, but its never really back.

My feet have this slight pins and needles feeling that comes and goes, yesterday my face and tongue were numb or slightly numb but the feeling has returned. Last week Thursday, I woke up with a burning sensation on the back of my head neck and shoulders, I was so scared that I was having a stroke or something that I went to the ER with my wife. The doctor did a Neuro exam and Blood work and said that everything was fine and that I should follow up with my doctor.

My wife thinks its all in my head and my brother thinks that it is just severe anxiety, but I fear its something worst. I just came back with my wife's family for the holidays after trying to mask the fact that I did not feel well. My hands and feet constantly have pins and needles and its difficult to get up. I'm worried and sad all the time. What compelled me to finally reach out to the board came during and after our drive home.

During the drive I felt little subtle shocks or tingles in my hip, leg and arm area. Once we finally arrived home I tried to grab our luggage and felt zaps or a buzzing feeling in my right hand.

I know that this is a forum and no one can diagnose me, but I’m just very worried. Numbness, fatigue, pins and needles in both hands and feet with the weakness in my legs and most recently getting zapped or buzzed in my right hand is starting to wear on me. I guess I've been reading way to much negative stuff online about constant pain and becoming disabled.

Im in a knot.
Anyways, I appreciate anyone that has taken the time to read my post and would appreciate any feedback.

Welcome to ThisIsMS, myDilemma. You have found just the right place for your post. You are correct when you say, "I know that this is a forum and no one can diagnose me," but we can offer suggestions.

Numbness/tingling in the extremities (your "pins and needles in both hands and feet") is the definition of "peripheral neuropathy." This is a common symptom in many conditions. To investigate peripheral neuropathy, the University of Chicago suggests the following (some of which the ER doctor may have begun. I think it is a good idea to request your own copy of any test results.):

http://peripheralneuropathycenter.uchic ... #bloodtest\

Blood tests

Blood tests are commonly employed to check for vitamin deficiencies, toxic elements and evidence of an abnormal immune response.

Depending on your individual situation, your doctor may request certain laboratory tests to identify potentially treatable causes for neuropathy. These include tests for:

Vitamin B12 and folate levels
Thyroid, liver and kidney functions
Vasculitis evaluation
Oral glucose tolerance test
Antibodies to nerve components (e.g., anti-MAG antibody)
Antibodies related to celiac disease
Lyme disease
HIV/AIDS
Hepatitis C and B

Please note that the first blood test the U of Chicago suggests is for vitamin B12. Thorough initial screening for a possible B12 deficiency should include 4 tests: (1) a serum B12 test – or the newer, more reliable HoloTc test, if it is available in your area, (2) RBC folate test, (3) a serum homocysteine test, and (4) a methylmalonic acid test – either the serum or urinary form. The "serum B12" is not adequate alone to determine a deficiency.

All your symptoms can result from a B12 deficiency, as well as many other conditions, including MS. But MS is a diagnosis of exclusion, made after the other possibilities have been ruled out. Any person at any age can develop B12 deficiency; the likelihood increases with age. Do not take vitamin B supplements before testing as doing so will skew test results.

Any doctor (even the neurologist you see on December 1) can order these tests; I tend to think that specialists only consider conditions within their area of expertise. Discuss a game plan with your GP.

We wish you all the best; please let us know how it goes. (By the way, in my opinion – I have no medical background, this is NOT "all in your head"!)

[myDilemma]

Hey Lynda...

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post.
I will call the emergency room and request a copy of my test results and discuss whatever the blood work shows. Hopefully, I can get it back in time for my visit on Tuesday. But now that I think of it, I take a multivitamin that has Vitamin B-12 (as Cyanocobalamin) 25 mcg. Is there a possibility that I could still be deficient? Also are these test considered an autoimmune disease blood panel?

My wife's friend has RA and suggested that I get that test done.

Thanks for replying and I greatly appreciate it!

[ElliotB]

Sorry you are not feeling well. You need to ignore the naysayers and figure out exactly what is happening to you with the assistance of professionals.

[myDilemma]

Sorry you are not feeling well. You need to ignore the naysayers and figure out exactly what is happening to you with the assistance of professionals.

Thank you Elliot, and yes, I intend on visiting with as many professionals as I can to help me feel better.

[lyndacarol]

I will call the emergency room and request a copy of my test results and discuss whatever the blood work shows. Hopefully, I can get it back in time for my visit on Tuesday. But now that I think of it, I take a multivitamin that has Vitamin B-12 (as Cyanocobalamin) 25 mcg. Is there a possibility that I could still be deficient? Also are these test considered an autoimmune disease blood panel?

My wife's friend has RA and suggested that I get that test done.

Cyanocobalamin is not easily absorbed by the body (It must be decyanated first.); nevertheless, cyanocobalamin is the form of B12 that is given by injection in doctors' offices in the US (I suspect this is because the cyano form is the cheapest.)

Methylcobalamin is readily absorbed by the body; it is available in sublingual tablets. It also used to be available from compounding pharmacies for self-administered injections (as diabetics do with insulin), but only yesterday I got a letter from my pharmacy saying,

new regulations imparted by FDA prohibit compounding pharmacies from preparing Rxs with Methylcobalamin. This nutraceutical ingredient has now been added to the FDA's "DO NOT COMPOUND LIST" – not for reasons of safety concern, but in the continued effort to regulate and restrict the actions of compounding pharmacies.

Hydroxocobalamin has been available for injections by prescription from regular pharmacies. The hydroxo form converts to methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin, both readily used by the body. I will check about continued hydroxo availability tomorrow with the local pharmacy, since the letter stated, "the only vitamin B12 agent that is endorsed for use by FDA is Cyanocobalamin."

The 25 µg (mcg.) of vitamin B12 in your multivitamin is not enough to prevent a deficiency. If you have a B12 deficiency, there is not enough B12 in a multivitamin to correct it. Treatments are with tablets or injections of at least 1000 µg. If your diet or supplements do not supply enough B12 (which is only found in animal-based foods, like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese and other dairy) or if you lack any of the 15 substances required to metabolize B12 (which has the most complicated pathway of all the vitamins) or if you take any medication known to deplete B12, it is entirely possible that you could be deficient (even though you take a multivitamin).

Although Pernicious Anemia is a severe B12 deficiency caused by a lack of Intrinsic Factor and is considered an autoimmune disease, B12 testing is not part of any routine autoimmune disease blood panel; B12 testing must be specifically requested.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease tested with Sed rate; it is probably not a bad idea to consider RA – I am of the opinion that more information is always a good idea.

[NHE]

I will check about continued hydroxo availability tomorrow with the local pharmacy, since the letter stated, "the only vitamin B12 agent that is endorsed for use by FDA is Cyanocobalamin."

This is such BS. Hydroxocobalamin in large, 5-10 g, doses is the standard treatment for cyanide poisoning. Yet if we call it for what it is, B12, instead of a cyanide antidote, it's suddenly disallowed? Total BS.

[myDilemma]

Thanks for the input everyone, but I guess I'm very confused, and frightened by all of this stuff. I have an appt with my Neuro tomorrow, and I'm hoping that he can help me, or at the very least put me at ease. I can't seem to tell if this is my nerves or something else anymore, especially with this non stop pins and needles in my hands and forearms.

[lyndacarol]

Thanks for the input everyone, but I guess I'm very confused, and frightened by all of this stuff. I have an appt with my Neuro tomorrow, and I'm hoping that he can help me, or at the very least put me at ease. I can't seem to tell if this is my nerves or something else anymore, especially with this non stop pins and needles in my hands and forearms.

If time permits, you might find it useful to read through the "B12 insufficiency/MS" thread in the Natural Approach forum: http://www.thisisms.com/forum/natural-a ... 24857.html

All the best with your neuro tomorrow. (In my opinion, there is something behind your symptoms; it is NOT just your nerves! Don't downplay your symptoms or he will certainly dismiss them – make him earn the big bucks his appointment is costing, insist that he search for the reason behind your symptoms.)

[myDilemma]

Thank you Lynda and I will read the B12 thread.