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What Causes Persistent Tingling Sensation And Numbness In Legs?
Question: I have had these symptoms for over ten years and they all started at same time. I'm losing my vision, not been able to be sexual active, pain tingling and numbness in both legs, indigestion heartburn and digestive problems. The eye doctor says I have glaucoma the drops given r not helping the pressure, had egd done and said I had espoghilatis and abnormal cells in stomach, haven't been able to address sexual and numbness in legs. They have said that I'm not diabetic or have ms the only two diseases I can find that effect all the areas. I'm so depressed lately and even bad news would be a relief to me. I waited a long time before I even went to anyone and I can't really explain why other than I guess I was in denial. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Brief Answer:
Please have the neurologist clarify the diagnosis for you
Detailed Answer:
Good evening and it is my hope that you receive a definitive diagnosis just as soon as possible because I understand how anxious you must feel with all these things happening. As a neurologist I believe the most relevant aspect of your question for me to address would be the MS that you mentioned. You state that you were told that you definitely didn't have MS. That is good news indeed. The loss of vision in patients with MS is generally due to OPTIC NEURITIS and that turns out to be a rather PAINFUL condition of the eye, specifically, within the ORBIT.
Please have the neurologist clarify the diagnosis for you
Detailed Answer:
Good evening and it is my hope that you receive a definitive diagnosis just as soon as possible because I understand how anxious you must feel with all these things happening. As a neurologist I believe the most relevant aspect of your question for me to address would be the MS that you mentioned. You state that you were told that you definitely didn't have MS. That is good news indeed. The loss of vision in patients with MS is generally due to OPTIC NEURITIS and that turns out to be a rather PAINFUL condition of the eye, specifically, within the ORBIT.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I know this is a question you have never been asked but it is a serious question? If i drink 3 cups of coffee i dont feel anything , if i drank two energy drinks i would feel the same , if i took 10 pain pills the same. This has nothing to do with tolerance, even with just eating a regular meal most people get some energy! In my last question i explained all the medical problems going on (vision loss, digestive problems, numbness & tingling in legs and hands,) any answer would be greatly appreciated
Brief Answer:
Have you been tested chemically?
Detailed Answer:
You've not mentioned too much of chemistries and that's where I might look for answers at least to things such as the numbness in the legs and perhaps even the question of sexual dysfunction. For example, have there been the following tests performed: Thyroid PANEL (not just a TSH but everything else), ESR, CRP, Lupus anticoagulant, Vitamin D, D2, D3 levels in serum, Vit. B12, folate, orthostatic blood pressures looking for possible autonomic dysfunction which if present could lead to more in-depth testing such as tilt table testing and other things. This then, may help explain some of the GI symptoms a bit more comprehensively.
I don't really see MS as a great diagnosis in this case since neurological symptoms or deficits occurring over space and time do not seem to be happening by your history. If you'd like to post the MRI report and perhaps one representative image slice from the series obtained I'd be happy to look at it. Another visual test you could possibly obtain that the neurologist could order that could help would be what's referred to a VISUAL EVOKED POTENTIAL. If this were to be normal along with a normal MRI then, I think central nervous system disease of almost every type can be ruled out.
With respect to your other question I guess I'm not sure what you mean by "not feel anything" because in fact, I don't feel "anything" when drinking caffeine necessarily. I actually can tell you a story of when I drank an entire pot of coffee when I was in high school because I was under the impression it would keep me awake so I could study for a math exam. I stayed awake as I recall primarily because I was studying then, I promptly fell asleep during the test the next morning...so much for coffee and how it affected me! I don't recommend energy drinks since they contain TOO MUCH caffeine for anybody's real good according to studies done and are the single biggest reason young people under the age of 30 have seen a spike in strokes and stroke like illnesses in those who drink the stuff. I would not recommend taking 10 pain pills...and ESPECIALLY not acetaminophen which is one of the most UNDERRATED analgesics in terms of DANGEROUS side effects. In higher than recommended doses it can cause IRREVERSIBLE liver failure. I've witnessed several cases of young girls in the ER who thought they could OD on Tylenol because it really wasn't a dangerous drug...that was before they went into catastrophic liver shock and died despite best medical efforts to save them...it's risky business taking pain pills.
The fact you don't "feel anything" I'm afraid doesn't particularly help me diagnose your problem....and you're right....that is a question that is unique to those asked by my patients over the last 25 years or so of being in the medical field.
I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues I may be able to help answer. Feel free to upload more specific information regarding lab tests and diagnostic studies which have been done and I'll be happy to look at them.
I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE if you found the information useful and would be grateful for a few words of feedback. I'd also appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY as well if you are satisfied with the responses I've provided.
Write to me at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like.
This consult request has taken a total of 60 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
Have you been tested chemically?
Detailed Answer:
You've not mentioned too much of chemistries and that's where I might look for answers at least to things such as the numbness in the legs and perhaps even the question of sexual dysfunction. For example, have there been the following tests performed: Thyroid PANEL (not just a TSH but everything else), ESR, CRP, Lupus anticoagulant, Vitamin D, D2, D3 levels in serum, Vit. B12, folate, orthostatic blood pressures looking for possible autonomic dysfunction which if present could lead to more in-depth testing such as tilt table testing and other things. This then, may help explain some of the GI symptoms a bit more comprehensively.
I don't really see MS as a great diagnosis in this case since neurological symptoms or deficits occurring over space and time do not seem to be happening by your history. If you'd like to post the MRI report and perhaps one representative image slice from the series obtained I'd be happy to look at it. Another visual test you could possibly obtain that the neurologist could order that could help would be what's referred to a VISUAL EVOKED POTENTIAL. If this were to be normal along with a normal MRI then, I think central nervous system disease of almost every type can be ruled out.
With respect to your other question I guess I'm not sure what you mean by "not feel anything" because in fact, I don't feel "anything" when drinking caffeine necessarily. I actually can tell you a story of when I drank an entire pot of coffee when I was in high school because I was under the impression it would keep me awake so I could study for a math exam. I stayed awake as I recall primarily because I was studying then, I promptly fell asleep during the test the next morning...so much for coffee and how it affected me! I don't recommend energy drinks since they contain TOO MUCH caffeine for anybody's real good according to studies done and are the single biggest reason young people under the age of 30 have seen a spike in strokes and stroke like illnesses in those who drink the stuff. I would not recommend taking 10 pain pills...and ESPECIALLY not acetaminophen which is one of the most UNDERRATED analgesics in terms of DANGEROUS side effects. In higher than recommended doses it can cause IRREVERSIBLE liver failure. I've witnessed several cases of young girls in the ER who thought they could OD on Tylenol because it really wasn't a dangerous drug...that was before they went into catastrophic liver shock and died despite best medical efforts to save them...it's risky business taking pain pills.
The fact you don't "feel anything" I'm afraid doesn't particularly help me diagnose your problem....and you're right....that is a question that is unique to those asked by my patients over the last 25 years or so of being in the medical field.
I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues I may be able to help answer. Feel free to upload more specific information regarding lab tests and diagnostic studies which have been done and I'll be happy to look at them.
I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE if you found the information useful and would be grateful for a few words of feedback. I'd also appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY as well if you are satisfied with the responses I've provided.
Write to me at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like.
This consult request has taken a total of 60 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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