Menopause and paresthesia?
Posted , 157 users are following.
I would love some input on my strange symptoms.
I'm 50 years old. For many years, my periods have been very close together, very long, and with 2-3 days of exceptionally heavy flow. I know this weird period stuff is normal in peri menopause. Then, after one of these "normal" (for me!) periods in April, I didn't have one for 60 days - and when I did it again, for the first time in years I didn't have the heavy days. That was over 60 days ago and so far I haven't had another one since.
My FSH level in a blood test two weeks ago was very high - 117.
I tell you all this just as a little background - I already know I'm obvioulsy in peri menopause and nearing actual menopause.
But here's the reason I'm posting. Starting mid-May, all of a sudden I started having very consistent paresthesia in my feet and legs - a mixture of tingling, pins and needles, slight burning, static sensation outside skin, pricking... no numbness. It has been with me every single day since then - 3 months now. It's worse at some times than others, but always present to some degree (and usually very annoying and concerning). It is definitely in BOTH legs and feet.
I'm slightly low in B12 and hoped that was the cause - however, after 10 B12 shots over 5 weeks, I have no improvement. I've had various other blood tests, all normal. I had an MRI of my spine (all 3 sections) yesterday and it showed nothing. No MS lesions, no transverse myelitis lesions, no compression/stenosis, no disc problems, no tumors. Now I need to get a brain MRI and of course I'm concerned this one could show MS. However, doctors have told me - and my research confirms this - it would be most unusal for MS to present with paresthesia equally on BOTH sides, stay around consistently for so long without going away even briefly, etc... And I have zero other MS sypmtoms.
So assuming (hopefully!) that's NOT what it is, then it's becoming a real mystery. I've done some reading that suggests these weird tingling sensations CAN be caused by menopause - due to extreme hormone imbalance. Also, my hormones could have been out of whack for a long time what with all my irregular periods, AND about 12 years ago I had my hormone levels checked and supposedly at that time I had the estrogen level of "a post-menopausal woman." At the time my doc said that was a little odd, but ok, no cause for concern. Anyway, I say all this as a way to say perhaps I've been a little bit of a unique case as far as my hormones.
Does anyone think these symptoms COULD actually be attributed to menopause? Or has anyone had something similar happen to them? I've asked my doctor a couple times and she immediately says no, menopause couldn't cause this. I realize it's not typical, but is it possible? So far I have no hot flashes or night sweats, thank heavens, but maybe this is my own personal type of menopause hell?!
Any insight would be so very much appreciated. Maybe I'm grasping at straws, but it DOES seem an interesting coincidence that all these issues have come up right as I'm going through this different timing in my periods, obvious continued hormone changes, etc...
Thanks in advance for any help people might be able to offer.
I think I'm going insane. If this could be blamed on menopause, I would be SO relieved and could deal with it!!!
12 likes, 501 replies
sue58256 molly54321
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debbie03785 molly54321
Posted
jola24118 debbie03785
Posted
Hi Debbie,
I have burning and muscle twitching, sensitivity to cold and super cold hands for about three weeks now. I am 53 and on HRT and this is new. Went to doc to check my hormones including thyroid and I have very low T3 and very high T4 . This looks like hypothyroidism. Start taking Cytomel and hoping the burning and twitching will go away. I will keep you posted. Good luck to all in this journey:)
metamorphed molly54321
Posted
Hi molly
I am nearing menopause and have a similar problem. mine has been diagnosed as tendonitis, more severe in one leg (lower calf, ankle, back of knee mainly) but similar, less annoying feelings in left leg also. I don't have the usual night sweats, hot flushes that all the doctors recognise as peri/menopause symptoms, but I have these other symptoms similar to yours. They also have not put it down to plunging hormones, typical, but I have insisted it is. Every test is normal for me also. I have never had tendonitis before. If you look it up, there actually are loads of women suffering the same. It is just not recognised by doctors that a lot of women may not suffer the 'text book' symptoms and that dropping hormones can also cause different problems. After three weeks of constant discomfort from this, it has now eased off this week (I am judging myself that hormones levels are on the move again, up or down, who knows, so the symptom lessens). I have described it to several doctors as 'my type of hot flush' and they have basically thought I was a bit mad. They really don't know, but you know your body best. If they knew more it would help women not to feel so anxious!
just to add, I have slight heats, where my body does heat but from what I've read not the full blown flushes that women talk about, instead the 'tendonitis' hits. sometimes quite bad, other times tinglings etc., depending, I suppose, because I'm not an expert, on how much hormones are shifting at the time. It's awful that we end up having to work it out for ourselves!
maria101 molly54321
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your not going insane it will pass
joanne74105 molly54321
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Hi Molly! Goodness I have the same thing! I've had it for a year now and am 48. I have a very light period every 4 months or so. I know I am heading into menopause. BOTH of my feet are tingling and there is very sligh numbness on the toes and ball of feet. The zaps come and go all over my body but my feet have it all the time. Some days are better than others. I've been tested for everything! 2 MRI's, one of the spine and one of the feet, every blood test for every diseast you can think of and everything came back normal. My GYN also says she hasn't heard of menopause causing this. I think she is wrong! I am frustrated! I hate having this. I have just started taking an all natural menopause suppiment hoping it will take this away. I imaging it will take some time though since I've had it so long. I've even gone to a chiropractor and no relief. I too am told it is tendonitis in my peroneal tendon due to cycling. Could be but my bet is it's hormones! Keep me posted on how you are doing. I will let you know if the hormones help!
julie1026 joanne74105
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Hi Joanne,
I'm 48 and my girlfriend is the same age. She says she couldn't figure out where the crawling, biting and stinging sensations were coming from. She did hours and hours of internet research and self diagnosed herself having invisible biting mites. She scoured her house, put encasements on the bed, boraxed everything and everywhere - took baths in it. She got this non toxic enzyme spray and put it all over her body. Our peri-menopausal symptoms have been very similar. She takes black cohosh but she's not on HRT. So I had been feeling the same thing and when she told me she had mites I thought that's what I had too. I'm so sad to say that was almost 4 months ago and I've gone through the nightmare of all the cleaning, scouring, bleaching, boraxing, several permethrin treatments, ivermectin and trying everything I can think of+++. I went to 5 doctors from dermatologists to an infectious disease specialist. They did blood work but I didn't think to have them check my hormone levels. I'm going to make an appointment but I'm curious if your symptoms subsided after HRT. The tingling feeling started about 6 weeks ago. I've moved, went into quarantine and thank God I have an amazing friend who is helping me through this...it's gotten really lonely at times!!
Last week I contacted an entomologist (studies bugs) and she said it could also be delusional parasitosis - basically all in my head or neurological. After speaking with her, I decided to stop the madness, sanitizing everything, borax, bug bombing, etc to see if it is a bug problem, it would get progressively worse.
I did have lesions (hives) and one of the dermatologists took a biopsy and found it was a bacterial infection. I went on antibiotics for 10 days and the hives cleared up. My girlfriend had hives as well - that's the part that may be the argument for bugs and not menopause or delusions. I have felt like I'm going crazy at times since there is nothing to see...I can only feel the sensations or stinging.
So to be more detailed on my symptoms. At first I felt like something was biting me then I would get a crawling feeling and then stinging similar to a lite wasp sting or maybe a needle piercing my skin. I get these symptoms head to toe including my scalp. Don't know if nerve pain can feel like this. I noticed my symptoms completely go away when I'm drunk - it's tempting but I try not to drink too much or often. I also notice it seems to be worse when I'm stressed. I'm not taking any over the counter or HRT.
I would appreciate your experience or anyone else reading this that has had something similar.
jannap75 joanne74105
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All the best
Janna
Angelcate julie1026
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ilana10 jannap75
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Hi Janna, I'm also 42. I've been having tingling legs and feet for a month now. I'm scared to see the neurlogist. Did anything help you?
christi57275 molly54321
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Hello Molly
I was searching for information about parasthesia symptoms and ran across your post on here. I know it's been a year since you asked the question but was wondering what you ever found out.
julie227756429 molly54321
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I have searched the internet for causes of symptoms and came across this. 2 days ago my right foot felt numb and tingling. Then it went to both legs. Since yesterday I feel it from the back of my knees down to my toes. My feet feel cold. Yes, that slight burning sensation.,I figured it was circulation so I worked out, walked and it alleviated it. Went completely away... until I sit or lay down... comes right back. Have tried massages, hot baths, keep legs raised... nothing works except moving a lot. I'm 50, with regular consistent periods - no misses. Had hot flashes for a short while (1month on and off) about 6 months ago then they disappeared. From internet research -Worried it's heart/diabetes... none of which I've ever dealt with. Saw similar research saying it's definitely not menopause... til I saw this. I'll follow up with my Obgyn to see if this is an actual cause. It's so uncomfortable and annoying. Hard to sleep. Have feet propped on 2 pillows. I just want to run up and down the stairs all night because moving is only relief.
jacqueline23811 julie227756429
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there were sensations up my spine , the back of my neck, stomach area , even in my head, as of now it seems to stay with the shin area and thigh area, goes from tingling and sometimes burning.
whats even crazier is I could actually feel it transition from shin to thigh an vice verse.
since it started there hasnt been one day that it totally went away.
I have had lumbar spine scans MRIs chiropractors and even a neurological test, all this was clear, thought it was a case of anxiety, although I didn’t really feel anxious.
bottom line I eventually found articles about the symptoms being menopausal, there were sites that had pills you know there’s a pill for everything .
I never did purchase any but I did wind up purchasing a progesterone cream called pro-gest, they sell it in little packets it’s used twice a day I got the packets, did not want to put too much on .
just want to say it did help more so on the first 2 1/2 to 3 months it must’ve cut it down to maybe four times a week instead of seven, And those four days definitely felt better but never totally gone.
This was a purchase that I choose to try on my own I did not consult my GYN as of yet, hope this helps!
if you ever come across something that helps 100% we all would love to hear from you!
marianne19027 jacqueline23811
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sally054 jacqueline23811
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Hi Jacqueline....like you I wondered whether to comment as the original post is so old...BUT...you are the one person who has described the burning, prickling sensations so perfectly.....like bee stings. I have been getting them regularly now for a few months, but they are solely confined to my midriff area, i.e just under my breasts down to my belly button!! Very defined area, but oh boy, the feeling is so uncomfortable, wakes me up a lot. And I went from having no symptoms at all, apart from a bit of hotness during the night, but no sweats as such. Was feeling smug thinking, "I'm getting off lightly with this menopause malarkey..." then BAM...awake the next night feeling like I'd been stung all over my midriff..... I haven't had a period now for just over a year, and I'm nearly 55, so know I'm definitely menopausal. I must admit, I haven't had this feeling for a few days, but last night it woke me again. I'm not stressing about it as I'm convinced it's hormonal, and if does seem to be happening less and less..I get more 'prickle free' nights in between episodes .... I started regularly taking high strength cod liver oil and magnesium supplements a few weeks ago....maybe that has helped? Would be interested to hear from anyone else who gets this Paresthesia in the same place as me? Cheers :-)
shona53538 sally054
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Dded in evening primrose a week ago and i think helping
stav93427 sally054
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Hi Sally
I've posted on here before. Not sure if you've seen my posts. Anyway thought I'd reply to you because last year at age 55 too, I started getting the same symptoms as you. I would describe it as a sunburn sensation in my midriff area which, like you, would wake me up. I also had paresthesia, numbness and muscle twitching which started before the night time burning. I personally found it frightening because I didn't know it was hormonal or lack of estrogen at the time. My sister worked it out( because my dr didn't) and directed me to this blog. So I suggested to my doc that it might be hormonal and he prescribed hrt. So I've been on it for almost a year and all these symptoms gradually disappeared. Its also got rid of joint pain, anxiety and I have more energy. Its been amazing for me and Im staying on it for as long as I can.