My mom has been dealing with numb feet and weak legs
 

My mom has been dealing with numb feet and weak legs for about 2 years or so.

It has gotten progressively worse in the past year. It usually is worse when she is under considerable stress and fatigue.

She is not nearly as comfortable walking, especially on stairs and slippery surfaces. Previously she was more active and was more comfortable biking and walking. She is still ok swimming. She is 70 years old.

On a few occasions she has mentioned that it is harder for her to feel the gas and brake pedals.

Her condition is undiagnosed she has gone to a few hospitals and has had scores of tests performed.

She says her cognition is fine. However, in my estimation her memory and attention span is not as good as it was before. She has probably been suffering from very mild depression for 20 years. She is naturally a bit anxious. Luckily she has a busy social life and lots of friends.

She has a 40 year history of undiagnosed gastrointestinal issues.

I brought up discussion boards and she seems interested. Please let me know if this the right board for her diagnosed condition? If not is there a forum somewhere else that might be right for her?

Many thanks,

Sorry to hear about your mom's problems. It sounds like she, like many of us, are idiopathic and still hoping for answers.

At 70 years old, I think it's just a sad truth that most people experience some level of mental decline. Brains wear out like any other body part. Most of my friends and I think short-term memory started going downhill in our 40s.

This is older but have a comment and I'm 79 soon. Just went thru a mess with knee infection and 4.5 months of hospitals/rehab. I was very very weak from being down so long and did a lot of physical therapy and do a lot of what I learned since I'm home now.

PT can strengthen so much IF one does it.

I would highly recommend that your Mom have her B12 tested for. Her symptoms, along with the fatigue, are suggestive of a deficiency.

Also, as we age, our stomach ages. We lose stomach acid. Some people need Betaine HCL to help digest their food (me included).

She may want to be tested for celiac disease as well.

Methylcobalamin, as many here will tell you, is the best B12 supplementation. Both B12 and D deficiencies are common. I had a severe B12 deficiency. Other members of my family had deficiencies as well, with numbers in the 400s.

Please have her tested soon. This condition is reversible if treatment begins soon enough.

Annie