I am having vertigo and balance problem with muscular weakness and easy fatigueability

Thanks for your comments, actually things are going worse, I have also seen by Neurologist who on my first appointment excluded any neurological deficit and ordered an MRI scan  with the comment that if the MRI is normal then  there is no need for the next visit, after 4 months the MRI was done which turned out to be perfectly normal. But my symptoms continued to worsen, after two months I requested to see him then he examined me thoroughly and told me now I have findings which are suspicious of  some degenerating neurological problem, but at this stage, I can't make any diagnosis because you don't fulfill any criteria for such type of  any disease I can only advise just wait and watch and there is no treatment now and in future for such diseases, Now you can imagine where I should land.........POOR LOSARTAN....could be the main culprit. I am a Canadian immigrant from South Asia...Pakistan and a Medical doctor by profession 

Dr.ZafarAli...This is mind boggling to say the least. I would think the neurologist did a THOROUGH physical neurological exam before saying there wasn't anything neurological going on. MRI of the spine is always a good idea because the nervous system is in the spine, & if there are any degenerative dics or lesions, impingement of nerves, etc..these can give you the symptoms you describe. Surely, an extensive blood test was done, including ANA, ENA???? What about your B12 levels?? Any other vitamin deficiencies??? Also, an MRI of the cervical spine can show if there's any degeneration going on as well, including the possibility of impingements. Sorry to say, but from what you say regarding the Neurologist, you were dismissed because he/she didn't know what was going on. If things are suspicious one would think further testing would be done, not just a wait/see approach, then to go on & say there is no treatment now and in future for such diseases. What's that all about!!???

 

Hi Mike,   thanks a lot .....you can imagine my position, my symptoms signs are of central nature rather than peripheral nervous system for which MRI of brain has been done which is perfectly normal I had a long discussion with my neurologist he says I hope my suspicion should be wrong and there is no need for further testing until the next visit

Dr.ZafarAli...ok...once again...what degenerative neurological problem does the Dr.suspect? You must be getting to wit's end with this.

Why in H*ll don't doctors just admit it when they don't know what's wrong rather than put the patient through an emotional wringer for no reason. 

Is this Dr. referring to the CNS?..(Central nervous system?). The mind boggles. 

My problem is due to denerative discs, & a severe narrowing on neural foraminal opening on L5-S1, and a moderate narrowing in the cervical spine. What can be done???...nothing; because the spine is a very delicate thing, & surgery could do more damage than the actual "illness". My GP said things won't get better..they 'could' get worse...but then again, things could stay the same. I'm concerned about losing the use of my legs, but he told me that may not happen at all, or it could take YEARS for that to happen. My neck gives me headaches that aren't horrific, but do make me feel a little lightheaded. It is what it is., but I do hope you get a better answer than what you've been given.

Actually my neurologist (CNS) specialist has not made any diagnosis due to my symptomatology which is not fitting in any diagnosis so he has suspected a generalized condition as Supranuclear Palsy, let's see how things go on I am going back home and going to start my family physician practice forgetting everything and boost up my will power to fight against any illness

You have spinal disc problem which in most cases get better without surgery

Dr.ZafarAli...Yes, I have spinal disc problems.but the narrowing, I'm told, will not get better. Surgery is very risky on the spine, & I have a problem on L5-S1 (moderate to severe narrowing) and also C4-C5 (with posterios osteophyte complex with right paracentral disc protrusion) causing moderate narrowing of the right neural formen & mild spinal canal stenosis. So you see, it will not get better on its own, & again my GP tells me that surgery would most definitely be the very very last resort. 

Has your Neurologist done any NCD studies??? What about those?

electro studies as well???

Yes he has done nerve conduction studies twice which are again perfectly normal

I know your spine problem will not get better at its own but I have seen many cases e which got quite better without surgery your back care is very important with use of lumbosacral support and a good cervical collar I know most of the patients advised surgery as last resort but sent back from the operating table due to some fitness for surgery problem like blood pressure or uncontrolled sugar they got better and didn't need surgery any more beleive me,I have worked in neurosurgery for one year, you will not require surger. My friend who is a consultant family physician in Australia has been operated for disc problem but not relieved by he says he has learned how to live with back pain

Dr.ZafarAli...Believe it or not, I do not have any back pain whatsoever. What I do have though is a burning skin sensation on my legs, best described like a mild sunburn. Also the the bottoms of my feet will heat up, & become quite red as well. I get the odd pin/needles sensation in my legs..all because of the L5-S1 situation. Where I'm most uncomfortable are the tight muscles on my shoulders..the trapezius, & also the muscles that run up both sides of my neck to the base of the skull. I hope Im describing things clearly to you. Those muscles get so sore & tight, that there are times when the movement of my neck from side to side is rather limited. As  for wearing a cervical collar or lumbar...the Dr. has not mentioned that to me. He knows I see a chiropractor who has helped a great deal regarding the muscles, etc...but he did ask if she cracks my neck & of course I said 'yes" He looked at me & cautiously said.."be careful", to which I told him that she's very well aware of the problem & has a copy of the MRI results. 

I do worry about the progression of these sensations I experience, but there isn't a blasted thing I can do about it. 

Thanks for your interest. If you have anything further to add, I'd most certainly appreciate it.

Thanks, buddy!!!

Sorry for the late reply, I completely agree with you, you should strictly follow your Physician so as we are doing as we have no other choices but we can share our feelings just in the hope we may know some alternative which does not coincide with our current regime and I believe that there are ways to solve our ailments but we don't know, our knowledge is so much limited that we have only discovered about 10% of our body still we have long way to go to understand the facts of nature. Anyway we should pray ALL MIGHTY GOD for well-being and continue good practices. GOD bless you!

Dr.ZafarAli...Thanks so very much!!!

I do get very down at times, not understanding why I feel the way I do at times..nausea, headache, etc..all because a few nerves are being irritated or very close to being impinged. What really gets to me is that things are progressing..burning skin sensations in the legs, pins/needles at times, the lightheadedness. I fear it all going internal, which I think could happen, because I get a strange sensation on my tongue at times, very much like the sensation when all of this first happened. It started to feel as though someone was dragging a thread along the top of my ankes...then it progressed to burning, etc. I can't live my life not doing things or enjoying life...I force myself to do things. When I feel like 'crap', it can last anywhere from a few hours to most of the day, then it clears.

I had a good talk with a close friend moments ago, & was advised to do what I want to do..keep doing things that I enjoy..I have no control over this, so worrying about it is a total waste.

gwen22261..Losartan, Candesartan, Valsartan are all members of the ARB classification of bp medications. I'm of the belief that if you take one, the results likely would be the same if you took another, i.e. you take Losartan, you'll get the same result with Valsartan. I may be wrong, but it makes sense to me. Have you tried an ACE Inhibitor?...

like Coversyl.

These medicine are ACE INHIBITORS too they belong to same family with slight differences in salt, yes you said are right they have the same potential of the side effects

Dr.ZafarAli..Here in Canada.. Losartan, Candesartan, Valsartan are in the class of ARB's and NOT in the class of ACE's. ACE's are e.g. Perindopril, Lisinopril to name a few. They are not to be taken at the same time. Here a patient could take a calcium channel blocker, ACE or ARB (remember not both) a diuretic. Health Canada has directed physicals not to give patients an ACE and ARB because of the higher risk of lowering the bp too much. 

Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) lower blood pressure and help prevent a heart attack or stroke. ARBs work as well as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors The mode of action of both is more or less same by inhibiting Angiotensin II converting Enzyme, but with varying side effects.It is the same group but with the different abbreviation that's why both are not given at the same time.The medicine in Canada or in any part of the world is same, they approved by FDA/BP(British Pharmacopeia)

Yes you are right MIke the problems are no doubt the same with the ARB family , i did read here that one person who had had problems with Losartan was not bad on Valsartan so perhaps i hoped ! I have not tried Coversyl tho i have had others in the ACE inhibitor group and got bad side efects ! think it was Perindopiril ! I hate the thought of struggling on like this but no option ! Canada is a nice country , you are lucky to live there !

Mike,

Sorry, but I disagree that because you try one of the "Sartan" family, you will get the same symptoms  with others in the same family.  As I have mentioned in one of my previous replies, over the years I have tried all the "Sartans" (and many more) and although some side effects are similar, I have found that with Valsartan they have been almost nil. 

Good to know, betty34..thanks.

I must ask for Valsartan then Betty , i get as many side efects from Candesartan as Losartan

Yes Gwen, do ask your Doctor's advice on Valsartan. I hope it works for you as it does for me. If not, try not to get too depressed and try something else - there must be something out there that will not upset you too much. Just try and remember that everyone reacts differently to a drug. Best of luck. 

I have just seen your reply Betty ,thank you ! I will ask my Dr about Valsartan this week ! Im afraid i am depressed about it all as there seems no way out ! all the people i know are taking those drugs without any side effects ! I can but hope !

hello Gwen, late to the discussion on losartan. I just wondered if you had asked the gp to come off losartan and take something else with less side effects? 

Hello Jane , thanks for your reply , yes i did come off the Losartan , but as i have tried so many other tablets my DR had no clue what to give me ,i got Candesartan ,, a but daft really as i know its the same class as lLosartan ,, i thought it was going to be ok however after a few days it started to give me some of the same effects ! as i suffer from fibromyalgia the DR is very quick to say its that and not the tablet ,and yes one exacerbates the other but until i strted the tablets i was getting no side effects ! I am still trying half a candesartan but still makes me feel ill ,,, i have an app in June with a consultant and the Dr said she would try to get a sooner one ! then said of course there are no magic bullets !!! makes you wonder what they get paid for sometimes ! i now feel as low as i can get , I know if i ask for Valsartan she will say its the same ,,, i hope you are faring better ! best wishes