Numbness/pins and needles

Hello everyone, I hope you are having a somewhat stress free and symptom free day :)

I have a question about numbness, my hands are getting increasingly numb, especially after bending my arm. Yesterday just holding my purse strap on my shoulder for a few minutes caused me to lose all the feeling in my right hand. I also get that pins and needles feeling. I wake up with both hands that way every morning now too. If I sit for a short while in the same position my behind goes numb as well as my feet. Even if I put my feet up.

I've been having neck pain and shooting pains in my head and up my nostril which is so weird too. It only lasts a few seconds but it's intense. Like someone stuck a needle in me really hard. I literally stop what I'm doing when it happens and think what the heck was that?!

I'm going to see my primary doc next week. I just wondered if anyone has experienced this and is it a lupus thing? My circulation is bad but it's never been this bad before. I also have asthma but it hasn't been acting up so I think I'm ok there.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Joie

Hi Joie,

Before I got diagnosed I had a lot of those symptoms. Especially in my hands and arms. It got so bad that when I was in exercise class and on my back that my feet would go numb when I put them in the air. I was working for a landscaper at the time and it got to the point where I could not even hold on to the lawn mower or hold a paint brush. I still have those issues from time to time, but not nearly as bad as in the beginning. I think the meds (Prednisone) helps.

What is driving me crazy right now is my right foot and right calf. There are times when I get up in the morning that it feels like someone lit a match under my foot. The pain is so intense! I get relief from stretching and walking, although this morning on my walk the pain intensified and involved my calf as well. An MRI last year showed severe collapse in my sacral-iliac vertebra with impingement on the nerve and stenosis. The back issue is worsening, especially as the osteoarthritis gets worse. And the Lupus certainly does not help.

I hope you get some answers from your doc. Hang in there!!

Laura

Hi Joie,

Same with me. I had no idea that I could get that kind of damage, but the Rheumy did say that it can happen. Crazy and not so much fun. Hopefully, you will get a treatment plan after the results of the MRI have come in.

Laura

Okay I just looked up what an EMG is. Nevermind. I can wait!

Thanks Lynnwood. Yes, my doctor said the rheumy could get me in quicker to get one as far as she knew. I didn't get the impression that it would be done by the rheumy. But who knows. I don't know a whole lot right now about anything!

I should call but I'm too discouraged at the moment. My primary also roped me into a complete physical and pap in two weeks. I feel like I live at drs offices. Constantly calling and following up and yadda yadda. Such a pain in the butt.

Not to worry, I'm full of questions and no answers so you've haven't added to that any.

Sorry for the vent. I am just sick of sick and one thing after another. Some direct answers and an easy process would be so welcome right now. Healthcare, more specifically Canadian healthcare is an exercise in futility at the best of times.

Wow. I am in a foul mood. Sorry :(

Hi Joie,

Foul moods are okay. We need to be able to vent and move those feelings in through and out of our bodies. Like Lynnwood, a neurologist performed my EMG and the Prednisone did work. It still helps, although at the lower dose, I still have occasional problems. Please call the doctor when you are less discouraged. I think it's important to be seen sooner than later.

Laura

Thank you dear ladies for your comments and kindness. I will call today as I'm in a slightly less persnickety mood. I realized once I made my comment that I have full blown pms and am seriously snarky as a result. My patience level is at negative 4 lol. If I get the run around from the rheumy's office I may lose my temper.

It's not nice to be afraid of what might be happening and then feel as though I'm being volleyed back and forth. I dislike having to call the doctor, I feel like a nuisance. I think it's a side effect of having not very nice doctors in the past. I'm sure some of you can relate unfortunately.

I've had worse procedures too, two surgeries within a year, so I'll survive. It just would be so nice to go to the doctor and hear, "you're doing great!" for a change! It's been a lifetime of one thing after another.

Ok, pity party over. I will call the rheumy from work when they open and get 'er done.

Good luck to you too Lucy, I hope you get some answers soon as well :)

Laura, I hope your leg and foot pain is easing today.

Lynnwood, I hope your flare is finally calming down.

Jan, I hope you get to enjoy a walk with your doggy today :)

I'm so grateful to have found the lot of you and this site xo

Joie

acquiesce said...
Okay I just looked up what an EMG is. Nevermind. I can wait!

I had an EMG done several years ago, back when I thought my numbness/weakness/tingling in my legs was related to a demyelinating disease called Charcot Marie Tooth. It was abnormal, and the neurologist diagnosed CMT based on family history. That was, of course, before my current lupus-like symptoms began, so my positive ANA wasn't investigated further.

And I'll probably have to do another one soon, since it's been over ten years since the last and they are investigating lupus.

I can tell you that the EMG is the most painful test I've ever experienced. But...I'll gladly do it again if it helps my doctors find out what's wrong. A few minutes of pain is worth it, if the risk of NOT knowing might be worse.

Oh and Jan, yes my memory and brain fog have been improving with the plaquenil. I'm two months in now and starting to see it's benefits. My word slurring was really diminished until I got myself all stressed over this EMG the last couple of days. At work yesterday I kept pronouncing words wrong again and was thinking "oh no". But at least now I know I can feel better again. :)

It's not a nice feeling at all. I will look up peripheral neuropathy, thanks. I hope your symptoms were just from the long drive and don't give you any more trouble. I'm glad the wedding was wonderful. Congratulations!

I got the call today. EMG is scheduled for the 26th. A girlfriend of mine has offered to go with me for support. She is like a sister to me and having her there will make it easier :)

Thanks Lynnwood, I go for acupuncture and have a pretty good pain tolerance so I'm hoping it won't be so bad. I'm determined to stick it out (pun intended!) regardless.

That stress gets me every time! I really am bothered when I can't speak properly. It makes me feel so dumb. Everyone else around me understands and says it isn't a big deal, but for me it's upsetting and just compounds the problem!

So glad you have an appt and that it's relatively soon! Hooray that your girlfriend is able to accompany you as well. Sometimes there's simply no substitute for a female friend.

My bet is that your great attitude and pain tolerance overcome the jitters of the test. I have faith in you.

Speech "impediments"...I'm a member of that club. This winter, one of my best dyslexic blurbs was "show snovel" instead of snow shovel. :) Other times, my flash cards don't flip fast enough, and I cannot find the words I want--or the wrong ones come out, and I feel silly, especially when it happens around people I don't really know.

Hope your numbness/pins and needles is less frequent than it was, Joie. Lots of us are rooting for you!

Jan

It's funny how we do that. The end of the school year is always a rollercoaster ride. I worked 10 hours yesterday and I am certainly feel it today. I can relate to what you said about do as I say, but not as I do. That is a popular mantra of mine. The problem is that it takes my body breaking down before I slow down....not always....but I think I am trying to prove to myself that I can still do it. Sorry to hear that the numbness is getting worse. The pins and needles, with subsequent burning pain I get in my right foot comes and goes. I notice that certain types of physical activity will make it flare up. Hang in there!!!

Laura