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Menopause and paresthesia?

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molly54321
molly54321

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

501 Replies

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  • mike77748
    mike77748 molly54321

    Posted

    Menopause is the number one condition associated with women and aging, and the symptoms linked to this mid-life change can be quite devastating for some females. Some doctors (typically gynecologists) are quick to recommend some form of estrogen or estrogen/progesteronetherapy while others (especially holistic practitioners) often suggest natural herbs and supplements.
    • shona53538
      shona53538 mike77748

      Posted

      Hi mike assuming this is also what i have with tingling .burning a cold sensations then yes it is im so over it .its there when i wake up and go to sleep 2o months now
  • DrSanders
    DrSanders molly54321

    Posted

    Human growth hormone HGH for women over 40 is crucial in balanced amounts. Experts even say that needing HGH to help a depletion can start after 30. The hormone is responsible for help with growth of all cells and tissues in the body, bone mineral density, energy and stamina, strong emotional stability and mental capacity, a youthful looking appearance and a better sexual life to name a few of its benefits.
    • DrSanders
      DrSanders shona53538

      Posted

      U can reach clinics known like hgha . c(o)m, fill out the form, or call the doctors. I hope my information was useful.
  • DrSanders
    DrSanders molly54321

    Posted

    Menopause is the number one condition associated with women and aging, and the symptoms linked to this mid-life change can be quite devastating for some females. Some doctors (typically gynecologists) are quick to recommend some form of estrogen or estrogen/progesteronetherapy while others (especially holistic practitioners) often suggest natural herbs and supplements.
    • shona53538
      shona53538 DrSanders

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply.what is best the natural way or the gynaecologist way
  • a32139
    a32139 molly54321

    Posted

    I get numbness and tingling in my left hand, I'm currently being treated for osteoarthritis so I ignored the symptoms. Could this be linked to peri?

    At going to see the doc tomorrow, see what she thinks. 

    Hope things settle soon x

    • a32139
      a32139 shona53538

      Posted

      I've got a condition called DISI in my wrist but more recently I've had tingling sensation on my hand. Unsure why?

  • InnerGrace
    InnerGrace molly54321

    Posted

    I am so entirely excited/not excited that I found this forum!  How could I not when I can't pull myself away from google trying to figure out what is wrong with me!!!!  Right????  I have most recently, like, just two weeks ago, started experiencing a prickly/tingling sensation.   The first time I felt it, it was actually on my scalp.  I feel it on my arms and hands mostly now though.  It comes and goes.  It doesn't last long when i have it.  I still feel it on my scalp from time to time.  Now all these other things I am wondering about that I've been feeling for a long time.  #1.  My right hand..... when I go fishing... the way I hold the rod, my thumb, pointer finger and middle finger completely fall asleep after 15/20 minutes of fishing....(I may have a bout of carpal tunnel, too)... and my feet.  I have thought for awhile now that I am suffering from Plantar Fasciitis but now I wonder.  Most of the time, it is the bottom of my feet that hurt.  On and off.... depends on what shoes I am wearing as to how uncomfortable/comfortable I am with my feet.  But the sides of my feet..like, it almost feels like it's in the bone, get achey/shooting pains.    Now a little background.  Two years ago this past May, I had a 10 hour surgery to remove an acoustic neuroma that developed on my vestibular/hearing/facial nerve.  Therefore, I suffered nerve damage that affected my hearing..(no hearing in left ear) and left me with some facial paralysis on my left side.  Also, my balance isn't the greatest as the vestibular nerve was compromised.  So I cracked the sore feet thing up to me catching my balance on the sides of my feet.  Now I wonder.  I went to my PCP last Wednesday and told her my concerns... I started off with telling her about my horrible bouts of sweating!  I am almost certain these are hot flashes....which i thought I escaped as I believe I've been peri for quite some time now.  I haven't had a period, like a REAL period for maybe almost a year..  Last February I had what I call "the pinking"....or "the dusting"... it wasn't anything to cry about for sure.  My hot flashes set on like BAM!  They last for like five minutes but I feel the flush then I sweat like I just walked out of a sauna then the next thing you know, I am cool to the touch.  When i told her about the prickly skin, she said that it is definitely a symptom of peri/meno as the change in hormones wreaks havoc on the CNS.  But when I mentioned to her about my feet, she suggested Peripheral Neuropathy.   We did some blood work and are waiting the results.  Now I am a googling fool and think I am dying.... which, as I have seen many of you state, only gets my anxiety worse and ups the symptoms.  There are so many other things that carry the same symptoms and when you have already been thru something that is supposed to be rare...(brain tumor).... you believe that you are prone to get anything!!!!  So it is very relieving to see that many of you are also experiencing CRAZY symptoms.  My arm, particularly my right one..but have experienced in both, comes and goes with this REAL weak feeling....dullness.... it concerned me so much at one point back in January that I went to the ER to check to see if it was my heart!  My heart is great!  So, I'm going to believe that this is just hormonal, until I hear different!  

    ~~Laura

    • shona53538
      shona53538 InnerGrace

      Posted

      Wow you have been through the mill.yep im a google queen too.Got everything google says .well i know its easy for people to stay off google but when your experiencing something as mind crushing as this its hard not to try to find a answer
    • Gwenn1120
      Gwenn1120 InnerGrace

      Posted

      Hi,

      Yes I think hormones can wreak absolute havoc on our bodies. I had an mri which did say I had a few non specfic small spots on my brain and my neck is pretty much full of arthritis, small prolapses and bone spurs.

      I am still concerned about the possibility of MS but a host of symptoms have also started as I have entered into the menopause phase. I don't think that is a councidence either.

      Things have improved a bit on hrt but scalp tingling still goes on/off and after an initial good start on hrt I still get muscle/joint pain.

      Im seriously thinking of tring to get a tailor made hrt. Im 53 and my gp said Icould be menopausal for another 5 years!

      I spoke to my Mother and whilst she did not have tingling she had severe joint and muscle pain., headaches, fatigue and bad insomnia

      I sincerely have a lot of sympathy for other women suffering with bad menopause symptoms because it does impact so horribly..

    • jane58999
      jane58999 InnerGrace

      Posted

      Sounds like a lot of us have same symptoms and we all

      Do the same ...we google everything and it makes our anxiety even worse.  I started getting pins and needles in my feet the sensation lasts for a few minutes it comes and goes. My hands started later on. If I hold my phone for 20 min they go numb. I have shooting pain my feet toes and my heels. I’m going on 2 years with these symptoms. I’m 42. No hot flashes yet ! Last year my anxiety was so intense I think I saw my doctors every other week.  

      I finally convinced my self my hormones are so wacky this most Be the issue. 

      All the best to you. 

    • shona53538
      shona53538 jane58999

      Posted

      Yes Jane you do feel you going whacky at times and im sure it hormonal as well.my period just stopped one day 7 years ago at age 50 i though ok i have hot flushes but nothing else then whamo coupled with shingles its a dynamo duo ...
    • MarieLouise
      MarieLouise InnerGrace

      Posted

      We could be sisters!!! Exactly the same apart from the neuroma but I do have vestibular problems and migraines.
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