Hi all! I thought maybe someone out there may have experienced the same symptoms as mine and may be able to help! Last summer I had shingles on the right side of my neck. By August I only had redness and some occasional nerve pain on the shingles site.
Then in late september/early october I had severe lower back and right hip pain (mainly siatic pain (sp?)). The pain had no cause (aka I hadn't had an injury). I went to my chiropractor 2 times within 3 days for adjustments. I endured the pain over the weekend then went back to the chiroprator. My usual chiropractor was on vaca so I saw the chiropractor that used to own the practice. I don't know if it matters but he said "we need to lock your pelvis". He adjusted me and I went home. I took a nap in the recliner for a couple hours, then my mother woke me for dinner. When I woke up, I had what felt like charlie-horses all up and down my right leg. Nothing could help the pain, and it was so bad I couldn't help screaming out in agony. By the next morning, the bottom of my foot, all toes but my big toe, and the majority of my right leg were numb. The chiroprator adjusted me twice more. I have not gone back to the chiropractor since because of not knowing what is wrong with my numbness and not wanting it to get worse.
I went to the PA at my college and he refered me to a neurologist. I saw the neurologist in December. He wanted me to get an MRI and nerve conduction test. Due to money reasons I have not been able to recieve either test yet.
The numbness is now mainly in my baby toe, my whole heal, the baby toe side of my foot, and probably 25%-50% of my leg. The numbness does get worse here and there but the best it gets is what I have listed above. In most of the places I have numbness I can feel pressure, and I can feel deep down in my foot. I have also been getting nerve pain in my foot that is either a shooting pain, or pain that starts at a point and shoots out (kinda like spiders legs). I also have muscle spasms deep in my foot. The neurologist found that I have severe strength lose in that leg and foot, there is also a slight temperature difference between the numb areas and the unaffected areas. I have also found that I can not walk on my tip-toes on that foot, when I try to take a step on my tip-toe my heal automatically drops to the floor.
I'm hoping someone has had some experience with some/all of the symptoms and can help. I am 24yrs old, slightly over weight, and have fibromyalgia. The only meds I am on are birthcontrol. I am mainly wondering if the numbness in my leg or the siatic nerve issues I had when I was having back problems could have been caused by the shingles.

Hi, and welcome to NeuroTalk.

I've had shingles down my right arm. It will activate pain wise every once in a while. The Herpes Zoster virus lives everywhere in your body.

When you have a pain outbreak, now, ask for a Herpes Zoster titre blood test...and if high it means the virus is active.

Some dietary control may help you. Foods high in arginine, will activate Herpes virus. Lysine suppresses this to some extent.
Here is a link with food suggestions:
http://www.herpes.com/Nutrition.shtml

You can keep the ratio of arginine to lysine in balance also by taking extra Lysine. I do this periodically when my neck bothers me or my arm. 1 or 2 grams a day may be enough of the l-lysine.

--that your situation may be related to shingles, I think, given what you've written, it is more likely this is biomechanical, and that you are getting nerve compression somewhere from the lower lumosacral spine or plexus located in the hip area (and it may well be due to the chiropractic manipulations). You may also be getting compression of major blood vessels in the area if a bony or ligamentous structure is out of place.

I would definitely recommend nerve conduction studies and MRI's of the lower back and hip/pelvis area as soon as you can get them.

Just wanted to welcome you to this wonderful forum!

You've come to a great place where true compassion, hope, and LOTS of extraordinary knowledge are around every corner!

You've already got some great input!

I wish you the best as you search for answers and get your situation turned back around !

Rae

From your description, it sure sounds like sciatica to me. That is caused by a disc pressing on a nerve. If it's left like this too long, it could end up permanent like mine is. I've had permanent sciatica for 24 years, and believe me, the PAIN is AWFUL!!!!

You really do need an MRI with and without contrast material. This will show where the problem is. I'd get a copy of the report for myself too, which you are entitled to.

Personally, I don't like the sounds of the numbness all this time, but it might be ok. Please try to get these tests done ASAP. Aren't you covered under your parents insurance anymore? Doesn't the school have insurance? Perhaps you can make payment arrangements with the hospital where you can pay a little at a time. I'm sure they'd help you out with something like that. God bless and let us know what you find out, okay? Peace, Lee

Thank you all for the help and such quick responses! I do have insurance through my husband, but unfortunately it is a health savings account type insurance and we have to cover the first $7,500. I just graduated in December and am looking for a job with good insurance so hopefully I can get the tests done soon. The pain isn't all the time, it just kinda starts randomly, but the places that are numb right now I haven't been able to feel since October... The neurologist said that yes, there is nerve damage, but he will not know how extensive and permanent til I have the tests done. But like he said it was probably caused by the sciatica, and theres def. damage due to the fact that there isn't inflamation present now. I was just worried because I had read some stuff about shingles and it's long term effects. Thank you all again, and I will get the tests done as soon as I can.

Hi i am new here and trying my way around the site. like the other posters i agree alot with them.To me the numbness seens to be something to be blood circ.[hence, the termperature difference] I suffered sciatica for 2 years [a slpped disc] the pain went down lower back to the toes.all nerves ends end there. but see your dr. first. hope you get better, regards chiron