[malba414]

Hi Everyone,

I hope that someone will read my long history and maybe know of a similar story and the diagnosis.

In 2004 (age 18) I had a very minor fender bender, but I was sitting sideways and had some swelling around my upper spine (don't know the exact terminology, but the doctor gave me a neck brace I didn't want to wear. Nobody else in the car was injured.

Later in 2004 (age 19) I went back to the orthopaedic with numbness/tingling in my toes. He said I had Morton's Neuroma's in both feet from years and years of ballet and pointe shoes.

The foot pain continued off and on for the next few years when driving, walking, elliptical, and forget running! All this time I was a very decent/healthy weight.

In 2007 (age 22) I noticed the same pain in my hands/fingers when driving long distances daily. The burning pain/numbness happened when holding the wheel, the phone, writing, holding a dog leash, and sleeping. I went to an orthopaedic who said it was CTS, but the only test he did was pushing my wrist back- and that did not create the pain like it should have. He gave me a wrist brace and told me to sleep with it on, but when I did I would wake up screaming because my hand was in so much pain. I decided the problem must have been in my elbow instead of my wrist, and the heavy brace was making me lock my elbow in a weird position overnight.

From 2007-2009 I gained about 40 lbs and was nearly obese. I attributed this to antidepressants I took for anxiety between 2007 and 2009. The pain continued, and a doctor tested me for thyroid problems but all results came up normal. I have since lost 21 lbs, and the numbness/tingling still continues in waves.

In 2009 and 2010 I went to a new doctor who finally believed there was a connection between my feet and hand problems. She ordered a nerve conduction study on my feet. These came back "normal". She also ordered a broad blood test which came back normal. (I did see that my vitamin B12 was smack dab in the middle of the normal range)

I returned to the "helpful doctor" who then said she had no idea and I should have seen a neurologist from the beginning. Now after paying for the study and this doctor, I am broke and slightly jaded by her sudden change in interest/help.

Based on all these normal results, what could be wrong with me?

Should I see a neurologist or a rheumatologist?

Other problems that I have not really brought up to the doctors:
overall irregularity- most of my life has been constipation, but lately I've noticed periods of "loose"... sorry for the details.

itching fingertips


If you read all of this, thank you for your help! I just want to know what to do. I'm tired of following doctors blindly only for them to only half-invest themselves into my problems. I live in the country, so it will be hard to find the right doctor/specialist and I want to do my best to choose wisely...

[glenntaj]

--the area around your upper spine, with an MRI or other imaging?

Certainly nerve or cord compromise there can produce symptoms in any part of the body below the scalp.

There are many other possibilities, though--just how broad was your blood testing? Do you have a copy of the results (people should always get copies of their lab reports) and can you tell us what was tested?

[malba414]

Thanks for your response Glenntaj-

To answer your questions:

The orthopaedic said that X-rays of my dorsal spine show no abnormality. X-rays of my cervical spine show a definite abnormality with reversal of the curvature on the lateral x-ray. This is mostly at the C5-6 level.

-this info from the orthopaedic was the spring of 05, when I had my minor accident. Then in the fall I went to a podiatrist about my feet. Then the spring of 06 I went back to the orthopaedic about my feet. Specifically my right foot. I have no idea why he didn't suggest any connection to the accident. His notes just say it's from dance and that he detected neuromas. (this year at my general practictioner she said she didn't detect any neuromas, so I don't know who to believe.) would the nerve conduction study show neuromas? The orthopaedic also points out I have triggering of both big toes, which I know is true- it's kinda gross.

I have the results of the bloodwork, but I have no idea what most of it is. All I know is that everything is within the normal range.

Comp. Metabolic
Sodium 139
Potassium 3.9
Chloride 108
Total CO2 23
Glucose 89
Urea Nitrogen 12
Creatinine 0.7
Calcium 9.1
Total Protein 7.1
Albumin 3.9
Total Bilirubin 0.3
Alk Phos 72
AST (SGOT) 38
ALT (SGPT) 18
TSH, Ultrasensitive 1.69
Vitamin B12 506
CBC W/ DIff
WBC 5.8
RBC 4.22
HGB 13.1
HCT 38.6
MCV 91
MCH 31.0
MCHC 33.9
RDW 12.6
PLT 149
Granulocyte 48.5
Lymphocyte 41.8
Monocyte 5.9
Eosinophil 3.6
Basophil .2

I didn't list the units, because I'm guessing those are standard. I have the ranges on the same page, and none of these values fall outside of the reference range.

Thanks again!

[pabb]

if you can find a way to afford/barter for, massage therapy, chiro, and PT for your neck.... I would get on that quickly.