pins and needles

[leeisme]

I just found this forum. Looks like the last posts in this topic were quite a while ago. Is anybody still using it?

I started getting pins and needles in my fingers and toes about a year ago, then over a period of a month or so it spread to my hands and feet, then it started spreading up my left calf. Minor numbness also. It's not 24/7, just comes and goes with no apparent reason. The symptoms are not severe, there is no pain, and I can still walk and function ok. It's just not normal. I was terrified that it would spread to my heart or brain and kill me (NOTE: I've since learned that peripheral neuropathy affects only the peripheral nervous system, and not the brain or heart). It got better in November for a few months, and now it's worse again. Again, still not severe, just not normal.

I also had a very weird incident where I woke up and a large part of my scalp was numb ... it returned to normal a few minutes later. And two or three times in the last year since this started, my tongue felt like I had licked a battery - that also dissipated after a few minutes.

I've had MRIs of the brain and upper spine and numerous blood tests (Lead, Complete Blood Count, High Sensitivity CRP, Vitamin B12-Folate, Serum Panel; Methylmalonic Acid, SED Rate by Modified Westergren, ANA Screen, IFA; Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, Diabetes Risk, Lyme Disease). Everything was normal. I had Lyme Disease in 2007 but apparently it's out of my system now.

EMGs show ok for the feet (at the time, the symptoms were most severe in my left foot), some carpal tunnel syndrome issues with my hands.

Neurologist says I somehow managed to get carpal tunnel syndrome due to repetitive motions in both my hands (although I don't work on a computer, don't play video games, and don't do repetitive motions), at the same time that I got similar issues in my feet from crossing my legs (although I rarely sit or cross my legs, and the timing of the sensation is on and off, especially mornings, and has nothing to do with when my legs may be crossed), and the scalp issue was from a migraine although I don't get migraines. ?!?!?

I'm female age 59, otherwise very healthy, non-smoker, not over- or under-weight, and eat plenty of whole grains and fruit, only bad habit is a sweet tooth which I've had all my life. I quit sugar cold turkey for four months when this happened; no effect. Just started taking Metformin which lowers blood sugar just in case there's something going on that doesn't show up on blood tests, due to recommendation by friend (70s) whose doctor son (40s) also takes it even though neither is diabetic, and other friends have taken it for decades with no problems - that's the only med I take.

I take supplements NMN and alpha lipoic acid, and will start D-3 and B-12 as recommended by another forum member. I also take occasional glucosamine chondroitin with MSN, multi vitamin, multi mineral, vitamin K, enzymes, ginkgo biloba - maybe one or two of the above each day as I don't want to be popping a lot of pills.

I'd love to hear from anyone who can help figure out what's going on. Does anyone have similar symptoms? Did they ever go away? Did they get worse? Was the cause diagnosed? What other tests do you recommend? Any studies I could join? Any other forum that would discuss this?

And, does anyone know a good neurologist in the Philadelphia area?

[agate]

I just found this forum. Looks like the last posts in this topic were quite a while ago. Is anybody still using it?

I started getting pins and needles in my fingers and toes about a year ago, then over a period of a month or so it spread to my hands and feet, then it started spreading up my left calf. Minor numbness also. It's not 24/7, just comes and goes with no apparent reason. The symptoms are not severe, there is no pain, and I can still walk and function ok. It's just not normal. I was terrified that it would spread to my heart or brain and kill me (NOTE: I've since learned that peripheral neuropathy affects only the peripheral nervous system, and not the brain or heart). It got better in November for a few months, and now it's worse again. Again, still not severe, just not normal.

I also had a very weird incident where I woke up and a large part of my scalp was numb ... it returned to normal a few minutes later. And two or three times in the last year since this started, my tongue felt like I had licked a battery - that also dissipated after a few minutes.

I've had MRIs of the brain and upper spine and numerous blood tests (Lead, Complete Blood Count, High Sensitivity CRP, Vitamin B12-Folate, Serum Panel; Methylmalonic Acid, SED Rate by Modified Westergren, ANA Screen, IFA; Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, Diabetes Risk, Lyme Disease). Everything was normal. I had Lyme Disease in 2007 but apparently it's out of my system now.

EMGs show ok for the feet (at the time, the symptoms were most severe in my left foot), some carpal tunnel syndrome issues with my hands.

Neurologist says I somehow managed to get carpal tunnel syndrome due to repetitive motions in both my hands (although I don't work on a computer, don't play video games, and don't do repetitive motions), at the same time that I got similar issues in my feet from crossing my legs (although I rarely sit or cross my legs, and the timing of the sensation is on and off, especially mornings, and has nothing to do with when my legs may be crossed), and the scalp issue was from a migraine although I don't get migraines. ?!?!?

I'm female age 59, otherwise very healthy, non-smoker, not over- or under-weight, and eat plenty of whole grains and fruit, only bad habit is a sweet tooth which I've had all my life. I quit sugar cold turkey for four months when this happened; no effect. Just started taking Metformin which lowers blood sugar just in case there's something going on that doesn't show up on blood tests, due to recommendation by friend (70s) whose doctor son (40s) also takes it even though neither is diabetic, and other friends have taken it for decades with no problems - that's the only med I take.

I take supplements NMN and alpha lipoic acid, and will start D-3 and B-12 as recommended by another forum member. I also take occasional glucosamine chondroitin with MSN, multi vitamin, multi mineral, vitamin K, enzymes, ginkgo biloba - maybe one or two of the above each day as I don't want to be popping a lot of pills.

I'd love to hear from anyone who can help figure out what's going on. Does anyone have similar symptoms? Did they ever go away? Did they get worse? Was the cause diagnosed? What other tests do you recommend? Any studies I could join? Any other forum that would discuss this?

And, does anyone know a good neurologist in the Philadelphia area?

Welcome, leeisme!

I haven't had peripheral neuropathy except as part of the MS and the Type 2 diabetes that I have, and it sounds as if you've been checked out for diabetes and found not to have it although you're taking Metformin.

Your neurologist doesn't appear to have paid much attention to your history. I'm guessing that you're looking for a different neurologist when you ask about a good neuro in the Philadelphia area?

I don't know Philadelphia but when I moved from one state to another a while ago, I asked the local chapter of the MS Society for recommendations for local neurologists. They wouldn't give any specific recommendations but they did provide a handy list of neurologists in the area, and I was able to look them up online and at least get some patient ratings and reviews and a general idea of their background and Board certification.

This might be a place to start if you haven't already discovered it:

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

As for the causes of peripheral neuropathy, the commonest cause is diabetes, followed by excess alcohol consumption. Diabetes seems to have been ruled out for you. You don't mention alcohol consumption but if you think that might be a factor, by all means look into it.

The supplements and meds you're taking might be responsible but offhand I'd say they aren't, except if you're taking too much vitamin B6. You should definitely look up each supplement you're taking and see if it might be contributing to the problems you've had.I can refer you to this, where too much B6 is mentioned as a cause of peripheral neuropathy:

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

Trauma is also mentioned as a cause. I wonder if you've had any accidents in the last year or so--a car crash, a fall, something where some physical damage was involved?

I hope you'll get some useful medical attention soon.

[leeisme]

Thanks Agate!


I've done a bit of googling but I hadn't seen the Cleveland clinic website until you posted it, thank you.

Yes, I'm definitely looking for a new neurologist. There's a limited number who accept my health insurance, but if I can find somebody competent and reasonable to work with me, somebody who doesn't make up answers instead of admitting that he doesn't know, that would be a big improvement. I don't mind somebody who says 'I don't know' as long as he follows it with 'I don't know but we're going to find out.'

No car crashes or other trauma, only alcohol consumption is a beer at barbecues maybe 5 or 10 times a year. And with the exception of glucosamine chondroitin, which I've taken on and off for years (although without the MSM - wonder if that could be an issue?), the other supplements I've just started in the past year. Vitamin B6 consumption is not excessive.

I just got the vitamin D3 and B12 and will start on those.

I'll keep posting here and let everyone know how it goes, in case anybody else has a similar condition.