Numb Hands?

I wasn't able to find any recent posts regarding this, but has anyone experienced hand numbness? My son has been complaining about it the last couple of days. He is currently only on Lialda, with other supplements. Wondering if it is "just" from UC and if there are any treatments or ways to cope with it. Also, if it will get worse as he gets older. Thanks

Numb/tingling hands can also be a neuropathy. We can get a neuropathy as secondary to UC, or related to type ii diabetes (any recent bloodwork with blood/sugar levels?).

I get traveling numbness and odd nerve pains. It comes and goes. Never have gotten to the bottom of it. My PCP thinks my messed up gut is sending faulty fight/flight signals to my brain or it is a chemical imbalance (many mood regulating chemicals in the gut) causing physical anxiety symptoms. She also called it peripheral neuropathy but I don't think that was an official diagnosis, just an educated guess. I saw a neurologist who did a bunch of tests but never really put a name on it and just said something is irritating my nerves. Said he sees a lot of people with similar symptoms (who don't have IBD) but he and his colleagues don't know what it is.

Others have shared similar experiences. I also take Lialda, actually the generic version now, but could not prove mesalamine to be the culprit. Every time I tried to stop, I would begin getting IBD symptoms. I think I'd need a good 4 months without the Lialda, as some others who've had a reaction have reported it taking that long for the neurological symptoms to subside.

I can say for sure that the first time I ever experienced anything like this was when I began treatment for my first flare with colozal. Not sure if it was the UC or the meds. If it is the meds, I don't have any choice but to step up to a more powerful medication, which I am not ready to do. If you get a doctor's opinion I'd love to know what they say.

Don't wait if it's around the chest.....is there any discomfort as he's breathing or moving?

q

On ths same track, i suggest both b12 and vitamin d be cheched asap.

q

My husband developed numbness while he had UC. Tingling/numb feet -- a few spots on the leg - the face - and the hands. it became very apparent as he weaned off of steroids. We ended up seeing a neurologist. Vitamin levels are definitely something a neurologist will look at -- I would be cautious about self-medicating with them. Turns out my husband has high B6 -- may or may not be contributing to the numbness.

Neurologist was able to rule out every possible disease in the world that might cause numbness, which was a big relief. And so he is learning to live with it -- it fortunately isn't debilitating. Sometimes these things resolve over time.

You may want to try to get a neurologist appointment now, because it could take several months and you can always cancel if you change your mind.

I got neuropathy in my hands and feet during my first flare because I was deficient in B12, folate and B vitamins. Ask his doctor to prescribe methylB12 2000mg, methylfolate 1mg, and B complex forte. Give him half those doses, once per week. These can all be given by injections with a simple prescription written to a compounding pharmacy. Alternatively you could give them to him sublingually but absorption would be dubious. Injection is better.

Another less common reason for neuropathy is potassium deficiency, which can happen if there's a lot of diarrhea. People underestimate this one. My blood work can show normal but if my potassium drops below 4 (and 4 is considered part of normal range) I start getting symptoms.

5ASAs can cause neuropathy but it's rare.

Just thought I'd mention... if it's numbness on just one side, could be something structural like a pinched nerve, especially in the neck. Did he wake up with a sore neck at all? If it's both sides then it's most likely a nutrient deficiency or drug side effect.