New member.. any thoughts help? Thank you
 

Hi all...:) I get swelling in my feet and legs all the time. Along with tingling and numbness. I've had all the tests done for Autoimmune system, all were good. I've had every blood test imaginable the past year and all was well. I thought at one point I had MS. MRI's concluded i did not. My sister has Lupus, so I thought there was maybe a possibility, but 3 times a charm, all negative. When I had my EMG done a few months back, it showed I had Neuropathy on both sides but the right side was worse. I also have DDD and Foraminal Stenosis. I had MRI's 8 years ago and an EMG done then as well... To read the changes my spine and cervical have gone through really just floors me at this time, but they said it doesn't warrant surgery. Okay, I'm fine with that. My last Neuro App. she didn't tell me what kind of Neuropathy I had. It was quite the unpleasant visit. I guess they were really focusing on the MS part, which they concluded i do not have.
The one thing they never did was a Lumbar puncture.
I am numb all day long. I can barely walk for 5 minutes and my legs are very heavy, my arms and hands are always weak. Forget opening anything. lol
It stinks to sit, lay down in bed, stand, etc... I take Lasix for swelling but at times, I see it isn't working. I will start Lyrica in another month. Being on IowaCare does not have it's advantages, it's a step down from medicaid. I can't choose my doctor's. I'm stuck with where they send me.
I had to wait one month for approval on the Lyrica and prepaid $50 for 3 months and just found out yesterday that I have to wait another month b/c someone 'oopsed' when they told me it would only be a month at the pharmacy. The drug company gives it free and I have to pay the pharmacy, and she said the drug co. that makes this drug is going to call me as well...? So I'm waiting for my doc to give me a call back about getting gabapentin for just a month. I have to pay out of pocket for all meds.
The only relief I get is when I take my Clonazepam, and that's minimal and it helps me sleep, so I take it at night only. While all day, this is building up pain and really never leaving.
I started experiencing the shooting/electrical pains that start in my finger tips and radiate up to my elbows a few months ago.
My numbness will also go all the way up to the nether regions.
I have a Neuro app. on July 3rd and I really want answers as to what kind of Neuropathy I have. We know it's not Autoimmune, Diabetes, Alcohol, Infection, Tumors, Vitamin deficiencies. The only thing I can really think of is that I was extremely active for so many years. Lots of sports when i was younger, Gymnastics being a big one for me. I've never even broken anything in my life.
I'm really up in arms here lately and could use some advice as to what to ask her when i go in to see her.
I finally got a lawyer a month ago to take me, (that's been a fight in a half) and I need her to state exactly wtheck is going on.
I know this has been long but ANY advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Can you tell us more--
 

--about your degenerative disc disease and foraminal stenosis, and whether it might be related to your previous gymnastics history? What do MRI's of the area say?

Given lots of other "normal" tests, you may not have a metabolic, toxic, autoimmune systemic cause to your neuropathy--it might well be compressive/mechanical and stem from problems with the spine. Technically, nerve root compression qualifies as a 'peripheral' neuropathy, but many people with that have problems with spinal compression as well, and since the symptoms of spinal/nerve root problems can exactly mimic those of problems with more peripheral nerves, it would help to know what is going on in your central nervous system as well.

When I had MRI's over 8 years ago, they showed I had DDD in the left side of my neck. C-3 and C-4, now it shows from my MRI's last year, including C-5 all the way into my T-2 now. I also have it in my L-3 to L5.
When they did the brain MRI, they stated there was a patch of white matter and chalked it up to Chronic Migraines, which I always thought those stemmed from my allergies b/c I've been tested for those and my arms swelled up so bad, they gave me an adrenaline shot to speed the process up.
But, I also did read that people sometimes mistake their allergies for the cause of Chronic migraines.
For over 2 years now, I've had all the symptoms for MS, but no lesions showing anywhere. I spent all of last Spring and Summer in bed and when i would get up the vertigo would hit and my balance was off completely.
Now my last Neuro app. back in, February, she ran all the tests again that I had previously with my main doc. to rule out Autoimmune. She then mentioned ALS, and didn't bring it back up after all my tests came back okay.
It also said I had arthritis in my neck but after doing some reading, arthritis in my neck is considered to be DDD as well, or as some sites put it, Cervical Osteoarthritis . The only problem is that it hurts ALL day, it doesn't feel better and they get worse at night again. And i also have bone spurs on the left side of my neck as well. This just isn't even a hot mess, it's just a mess.

I am going back on the 3rd this upcoming month to get some answers, if I have to shake them out of her. lol
160 mile round trip for a 15 minute app. We'll see how that goes.