[Synnove]

Hello. I havebeen visiting the neuropathy board and MS boards. I have a terrible long mix of symptoms and conditions. I do not feel that doctors are helping mee 2 years has almost gone by, and I feel symptoms are getting worse, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 7-8 yeard ago and started on Synthroid. The dose was changed a couple of times. At that time I had a attentive PCP, but she since has keft the medical practice.
I have not focused on the endocrine side of the picture, because there has been so many other things going on.
I had migrane headaches, MRI showed demyelinating brain lesions, Had cerebral aneurysm, and 2 small strokes.
Then for the last year I have developed this increasing neuropathy pain all over. It is burning outside and inside. I mean also in mucous membranes. I have numbness in feet, legs and wrists.
I saw a rheumotologist, she started me on Plaquinil due to vasculitis. She also said I might have small fiber neuropathy. EMG negative.
But all blood tests for autoimmune disorders are negative, except ANA positive sometimes.
I have a constant feeling of vibration or fine tremmors inside in addition to the constant burning. I do not have alchoholism, diabetes or HIV.
So my next question is: could some of this neuropathy and shaking inside be due to my thyroid problems?? I do not understand that the PCP doctor could not have guided me so I could have gone to an endocrenologist and have this checked out. Right now, the doctors are not realy taking any notice. The tremors inside is getting worse, and I have a feeling the doctors think I am cracy, so I do not mention it. I am just worried. I am going to start researching, and find a endocrenologist. ( I never saw one) Any suggestions??

[mrsD]

I am going to ask again... What drugs do you take?

There is a growing list of medications that cause drug induced lupus. This is very painful and I am recovering from a crisis, myself.

Here is a partial list:
http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/weba...=377&zoneid=17
Added to this list recently is lisinopril.

And if you are on an ACE inhibitor drug... burning all over, and swelling can be due to build up of bradykinin in the body. When released by certain triggers.... it is a terrible thing indeed.

Drug induced lupus does not raise ANA as a rule.

Hypothyroidism can result in the deposit of mucin (a mucin based polysaccharide) in the tissues, and this can cause compression in the feet and hands of the nerves running under the ligaments in the feet and hands. Not likely to be affecting the skin all over as you describe.

And also if you took antibiotics in the fluroquinolone family (Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox) in the past, you could have nerve damage. Flagyl damages too, but is not in this family.
If you take statins for cholesterol, those also damage nerves.

Vaccines also are capable of damaging nerves as a side effect.

Plaquenil is a known causer of neuropathic pain.
http://www.druginformer.com/search/s...eripheral.html
Doesn't happen to everyone, but it is reported.

[Synnove]

Thanks Mrs. D. I will study this information . I hope you feel better soon, you too.
I take Toprol, Synthroid, Plavix( which I am stopping in 3 weeks) baby ASA, Enablex, Lyrica, Lipitor ( which I know is dangerous , and should stop, and will. I have to keep my cholesterol tight due 2 small strokes) Protonix, vitamin D, Co Q 10 , vitamin B 12. Colace. I am not taking any ace inhibitor.
My vit B 12 was low, had 4 B 12 injections. But I just realized that I should continue with oral. This is now 1 year ago I had injections. I had to ask the doctor to repeat blood test after a few months. Vit D also low, and again, I had to keep an eye on it my self.
So, heakth care is really as I say," A self serve business"

[mrsD]

Well, once a person reaches the medical "bind" of needed so many medications, it is really difficult to sort out what is causing problems.

Continue with generous doses of CoQ-10, to help protect your heart and muscles from that Lipitor. But supplements are not likely to work for statin induced neuropathies.

Make sure you are getting enough B12 and taking it on an empty stomach for best absorption. Have it tested in 6mos. (don't take any for a week before the test).

When I was having my drug induced lupus reaction from my blood pressure drug, Lisinopril, I had throbbing all thru my body and trembling feelings in my abdomen every night.
Since my doctor changed my medication, all of that is gone.

We have had posters on PN forum who had worse PN when using Plaquenil. So keep that in mind too.

[Synnove]

thank you Mrs D.
When you say medication indused Lupus, does that mean that it will go away once you come off those medication that caused it?
I was on Plavix due to an aneurysm stent repair as a prophyllactic measurement. But it has been 1 1/2 years now, and my last angiogram showed complete stable stent. So I am weaning off over 4 weeks. I am wondering if the leucocytoclastic vasculitis that I have could be caused by the Plavix I hear there is litterature on that. Because I am on Plaquinil for that. And I think it is useless, and have not taken it for a little while. So, the doctors are not telling me why. . The neurologist is not saying, and the rheumatologist is not saying. The burning is intense. The worst is the vibration inside, it feels like electric current vibrating continously inside. On Monday, I will go to my PCP and ask for a endocrenology consult, perhaps this is due to thyroid condition, even though my levels have been normal. I will ask for a spinal tap when I am off the Plavix all together

I will sertainly consider coming off Lipitor and Plavix. We should keep medicine to the minimum.

[glenntaj]

--that should be investigated, given your report of strokes, is the possibility of central pain syndrome, due to stroke damage in the spinothalamic brain tracts:

www.centralpain.org

This condition afflicts a lot of people with strokes, MS lesions in the thalamus, B12 deficiency, and a number of other conditions; it is very hard to diagnose but should be brought to the attention of neurologists.