Good Morning I decided to join to get some advise after starting a Neuropathy journey back on the 2nd of February. My Doc has been hopeless, physio silent and the only person I have seen that has shown any attempt to try and understand my symptons was a private chiropractor.

I've always been fit, healthy and played sports. Just closing in on the big 40 I figured I would work on my one weak point - flexability. I took one of my wifes excercise programes and started it in Jan 1st. Over the next month I noticed pain in the small of my back and had 3 instances of waking up feeling like my legs were wet in the middle of the night.

Now im not sure if this is all related - Doc thinks otherwise. I properly tweaked my back on Friday 31st of Jan doing the excercises. It was fine again the next day and I went out to a Birthday party - I drank way too much alchohol in 3 hours as I dont normally drink so stopped drinking. Later that evening I got massive pain in my stomach and groin that started coming out of my left knee. I have had this pain previously after playing football but not to this extent. By the time I got home I couldnt walk for the pain.

The next morrning I woke up with the rements of the pain still their but a numb toe which seemed bizzare. As the day went on my 2 big toes went partially numb. By the night time I noticed the tips of my fingers were feeling weird as well. Then I started getting itchy and burning sensations and by the morning it was like I had been plugged into the mains!

The doctor told me it was alcohol related neuropathy and it would be away in a few weeks - that never happened.

The lower half if my body is mostly pins, needles, burining, pain, cold senstaions and numbness where as the upper half of my body mostly my face is itchyness - lots of it! Fingers sometimes feel tight too and I have had muscle spasims im my abdomen/upper legs. I seem to also have a very stiff neck recently.

Were in april now and the symptons are now begining to subside but everytime I do something that involves movement from my groin/lower back area its sets them off again and I get pain in my bum area and it shoots down my legs.

The chiropractor thought something was up in my lower back but doesnt understand the upper body stuff. The chirpropractors excercises help relive the pressure I get in the lower back. The doc says none of its related despite the fact to me its all related as theres total cause and effect going on.

I was tested for Diabetes etc but nothing.

Anyway im stumped - wife thinks ive got MS or something thanks to google, I think somethings up in my stomach or lower back. Doctor thinks im a hypercondriac I think. The worst triggers have all invovled my waist area, running, sitting on a hard surface, crouching for lengths of time, kicking footballs, crossing legs. etc.

I just want my life back - some days I feel almost completely normal and I just itching to play football with the kids or go for a run but as soon as I try and mess around with the kids with a ball in the garden its back and it doesnt take much.

Im planning going back to the Docs to demand a referally to a Neurologist but im not sure this is the right action.

Any suggestions (sorry for the long post this is the condensed version )

Carl

Carl, Its all in your mind, your fine!








Kidding

Your symptoms scream of neuropathey, unfortunately. Your Doc cant diagnose you because he doesn't know how. You need to see a neurologist pretty soon so you can try and get a diagnosis for starters and then try to find the cause.

One episode of a big drink wont give you permanent Nueropathy but I suspect you may have been a solid drinker on a regular basis? I was and have alcoholic Nuero myself

you will get good advice here, good luck !

--this does sound like it might involve spinal problems caused by compression, , or as your wife mentions, central nervous system compromise (MS is a possibility, but there are other conditions that attack the spinal cord, such as acute disseminated myelitis) rather than a systemic metabolic, autoimmune, or toxic peripheral neuropathy, given what you wrote about onset and treatment. But, of course, symptoms of peripheral neuropathy can be exactly the same as those from central nervous system causes, which is why the investigation into causes is often long and very much process of elimination

Nevertheless, there is a whole protocol of tests for neurological symptoms--one of our members, with some input from others even put together one in a spreadsheet format (see [url]www.lizajane.org[url]) --what testing have you had besides that for diabetes? It would seem there should have been some MRI's of brain and spine done from what you've reported.

Cheers for the advice guys.

With regards drinking I drank during the weekends as a young man (not that I think of myself as old yet!) until my early 20s then stopped completely for 5 years or so. I probably only touch alchohol 3-4 times per year so probably less than most people I know which is why I (and everyone that knows me) think the alchohol thing is unlikely.

The chiropractor thought it was compression in my lower back as when he put me in a certain position the sensations came shooting out of my big toes - however last time I was there that didnt happen leaving him confused. He also couldnt understand how it could trigger the upper body and face itchness I suffer.

I dont know how this starts with others but mine appeared to be pretty instant along with the pain down the leg and has gradually calmed down. However just some excessive lower body movment brings it all on.

Im going to get to a Neurologist I think which may help move things on as the others appear to be out of ideas.

Good luck with a neurologist. I just started my journey with one, even though I have had this for over 2 years. Go prepared with your own questions and ideas. Hopefully you will have a better one than I got.

Good luck on this journey, it is slow and difficult so be patient, and be your own best advocate. Your wife is correct to use google, it has become my best friend since the doctors are not.

JUST some EXCESSIVE?

ex·ces·sive

adjective

1. more than is necessary, normal, or desirable; immoderate

Then, IMO, STOP AGGRAVATING IT!
My DW does the same thing; she injures herself, then just as she starts feeling better, she pushes herself and aggravates things all over again.

Like my first doctor used to say, "take it easy until you're ALL better."
Give your body a chance to heal itself—before abusing it again.

Doc

I was super fit and its hard to do nothing especially with 2 football mad young boys (and my fitness now shocking which is depressing). Sometimes its just crossing my legs while watching the TV that triggers it although I have a tendancy for a quick football dribble in the back garden which really sets it off - but then as I dont understand it I havent really been worried about damaging anything just about getting the symptoms.

I think you are right especially when some symptoms appear to be gradually improving. My physio actually reccommended I started running again - on tarmac just to see what happens ! I knew that was madness so never took his advice. Just a quick jog to catch one of my boys can trigger pain through my bum which I have taken as a warning.

Still not sign of my Neurologist appointment but my Neuropathy type symptoms seem to go away while standing but come back while sitting. Especially when I am slouched.

I keep getting aching back and numb toes along with the itchyness (mostly in my face). It feels like I have done something to my lower back but the face thing doesnt make sense.

Has anyone come across this before? If I sit watching the TV at night and it starts coming on usually standing up for a while relieves it. I still get the occasional night where it keeps me up all night making work impossible the next day.

Im trying to make sense of what is causing these symptoms. Im not tired or weak but if I exert myself using my legs my face gets the symptoms come on almost immediatly.

Get a Neurologist and the try and have Aethena blood test.

Hi All,

Just an update as in a couple of weeks it will be 1 year since my Neuropathy magially appeared.

I have been seen by a Neurologist, had an MRI and a nerve conduction test and he has given me the all clear - which is nice.

Whats not so nice is im still getting symptoms. Nowhere near as bad as the original few months but they are there.

Im sitting here tonight with tight tips to my fingers, some itchyness to my face and torso and slightly numb big toes.

Strangly despite everyone telling me it cannot all stem from my lower back it still feels like how I sit or my posture can trigger this. Its always there but its annoying tonight - mainly because I was teaching my son to do the Dolphin part of the front crawl on Sunday and that appears to have triggered my latest spell. I get a pain in my left abdomin and an upset stomach, sometimes pain out my bum. Then maybe shaky legs/abdomin with sensations monstly in the the fingers and toes but face lying in bad. Nose and top lip itches.

Im kind of stuck now on what to do really. Im in the UK and we have the NHS. My neurologist says I just have to manage it now as there is nothing more he can do, my GP has wiped his hands of it.

I was tested for B12, Diabetes and then MRI'd and Nerve conduction test. The only small thing that came back was some dry dehydrated disc in my neck but nothing else. I had a nasty head knock (and post concussion) and they think its relates to that.