pins and needles in arms and legs

slunker

I've been taking pins and needles in my arms and legs (occasionally in my face around my lips) since november last year, followed by a numbness in my shins. I've had blood test done and they have indicated low calcium and vit D deficiency. I've been taking calcium/vit D tablets for about a month but still have symptoms. I tried not cycling for a week but the sensations didn't go away. Someone has mentioned that there is a condition you can get from the vibration when cycling? Any help or ideas on what could be causing it is welcome. :?

cyco2

I think you should go back to your doctor and ask for a fuller diagnosis because and I sincerely hope that it isn't, is the initial stages of Multiple Sclerosis. But I hope that you have already been told it isn't that.

ut_och_cykla

Back to the doctors - get a diagnosis. Perhaps ask to be referred to a neuroligist. If you're not happy get a new GP. It may be nothing or a deficiency - but it might be more serious in which case you need a daignosis so you can get good treatment.

shedhead

Is Ms treatable or just manageable?

cyco2

I would suggest you google for info.. I only picked up the info. through asking MS people what happened at the start. It is a nerve damage problem.

shedhead

hi cyco2

That's what i'm afraid of, googling 1 i have had similar symptoms for about 8 yrs now, along with both sides of my feet being numb all the time, tinnitus etc (all known symptoms of ms) . I have had lord knows how many tests & they can't find anything wrong ! Numb feet, i'm no quack, but even i know that's not right, might have to pay them another visit !

cyco2

Very sorry to hear that shedhead but you really need to get to a specialist. Persist with your Doctor to get to one. I find it's incredible that after so many tests nothing has been found. Especially if its progressed further.

roddixon

cyco2 wrote:

Very sorry to hear that shedhead but you really need to get to a specialist. Persist with your Doctor to get to one. I find it's incredible that after so many tests nothing has been found. Especially if its progressed further.

Well, they did find the low calcium and vit D, which would explain the symptoms, and the treatment has been started, so not that incredible :?

MS has a typical relapsing and remitting course, due to repeated inflammation of nerve tissue. The fact that the symptoms have been stable for the last 8 years tends to point to a deficiency and not MS. I would go back and ask the GP, but persisting to see a specialist is not the best way to endear yourself to your GP. By all means ask him if it could be MS, and maybe you'll get referred to eliminate it as the diagnosis.

cyco2

roddixon wrote:

but persisting to see a specialist is not the best way to endear yourself to your GP.

If you have had a problem for a number of years and our Doctor has not cured it then you have the right to get a second opinion. It is a mistake to think Doctors know every thing and they have plenty of people to help them without them getting upset if a patient needs a greater level of confidence in the diagnosis given.

In my experience being politely persistent about an problem is the patiences prerogative and the Doctor has to give clear enough reasons and the treatment of a problem. If the problem is persistent then it is most likely the Doctor needs further help. In my case another two other Doctors and a Specialist advised the first Doctor I needed an operation after 6 appointments. Something that should have been done at an earlier stage of diagnosis, as it happened.

Doctors get plenty of training on handling patients but patients have to learn from experience on handling Doctors. Especially now they are so financially and time focused.

I would always say go for it.

shedhead

Thanks for your replies everyone, apologies to the OP, i feel like i've hijacked your post somewhat ! I am going to type up a list of all my symptoms & approx' chronological order & take these to my GP & see what her view on it is, but i will certainly push to see if i can get a definitive diagnosis as i feel somewhat of a fraud keep going back with symptoms i know are all too real, but with no definite outcome.

Thanks again

roddixon

Sorry, I assumed that you were the OP and that you had the low vit D levels. If your levels are normal then you probably should go back to the GP and ask what they think is wrong and if they don't/can't give you a good answer then referral is probably justified.

What tests have you had done already?

slunker

no wonder you're a bit confused roddixon, so am I and I'm the OP! :-) Glad to know that my post is also helping others.....thanks to all for your replies. I've to go back to the docs before the winter and they'll test my vit d levels again. However, in the meantime if my symptoms come back or get worse I've to go back to the docs for further investigation. lets hope it is just a deficiency ......thanks again folks.

cyco2

I have looked up symptoms of Vitamin D and none mention your pins and needles. If you find a reference would you point the way to it, thanks.

roddixon

Thats because its not directly a symptom of vitamin D deficiency but the resulting hypocalcaemia. As you can see from the wikipedia article paraesthesia around the lips is a characteristic symptom of hypocalcaemia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypocalcaemia

cyco2

Thanks for ref.. I found this on a forum for vitamin D deficiency.

http://www.fmauk.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.p ... 25#p362901

Looks like your Doc. is hoping you get some sunshine to get you over this.

shedhead

Hi roddixon,

I hope i'm not muddying the waters further here. Re: tests i have had done, i can't remember all of them to be honest,

I have seen a neurologist, brain scan, nerve tests, blood tests, mri scan on my spine as i had a rta some years ago & fractured & displaced T9-T12, no nerve damage or trapping there.

I'm most concerned, as & i suppose it is a bit dangerous looking on the net, as you can convince yourself you have something, but i do have a lot of MS symptoms, hope a coincidence.

roddixon

Hey shedhead,

just to clarify where my response comes from, I am a doc and although I am not directly confronted with many MS patients my wife does have the disease so I have some degree of "expertise" in that sense.

From the sounds of it you have had a full "work-up" (hate that expression) to exclude anything more serious. The fact that the brain scan, MRI and nerve tests are normal speaks against MS as a diagnosis. MS is not a single disease state but a spectrum of symptoms that arise due to inflammation of nerve tissue in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is thought to be autoimmune (body's immune system fighting against healthy tissue) and triggered by "maybe" various viruses. There are two distinctly characteristic forms of the MS spectrum, firstly relapsing remitting MS and then the progressive form.

In the relapsing remitting form there are periods of nerve inflammation which produce symptoms for a time and then go away (either completely or partially). In the progressive form there is no remission phase, so the symptoms get worse, or more symptoms arise over time. Treatment is directed against the inflammation during a symptomatic phase and at preventing relapses with immune-modulators.

Although there are classic "MS symptoms", the symptoms from MS can be from any nerve in the body. There are other trivial diseases that affect nerves aswell and every nerve symptom is not MS.

Like I say your symptoms are not classical and you have seen a neurologist and had the tests done. I would be very surprised if you had MS and it has been overlooked. The only thing that you dont mention is if the brain scan was MRI or CT and if you had a lumbar puncture. These may be the next steps if you dont get better with the vit D/calcium supplements.

Hope that helps,

Rod

Edit: ahh, getting confused again, you're not taking vit D/calcium thats slunker, isnt it? or is it me? god I need a rest... :?

shedhead

Hi Rod,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm not 100% on the brain scan, but i think it was MRI & i didn't have lumbar puncture. My primary concern is that the numbness in the feet (albeit it is the side of the foot, not the complete foot) has gotten slightly worse recently & is becoming a problem on the bike after about 10 miles. None of my tests have shown a deficiency in vit d etc, but do you think i would benefit in taking these to see if there is any improvement & if so, is it just a generic vit d / calcium tablet or something i would need to see my gp about?

I'm not asking you to prescribe online obviously, but your opinion / advice is greatly appreicated

Andy

roddixon

Is it just when your cycling or all the time? Do you have any other conditions that may be relevant? Diabetes?

I wouldn't start treating for a deficiency without a definitive diagnosis, go see your GP again and ask his advice. He knows your medical history and will beable to give better/more targeted advice regarding the best way forward.

shedhead

Hi Rod,

It's all the time, i don't have any other conditions. I also have pins & needles in my face & around the lips.

Thanks

roddixon

Did you have your calcium levels checked? Its not one of the routine blood tests done and would have to be specified by the GP when sending bloods. It probably was done, but worth asking your GP if it was.

I'm starting to sound like a broken record now Off to your GP then, let us know what they say. All the best shedhead