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
dawn68509 molly54321
Posted
Hi all I've just found this forum I woke up in dec 16 with tingling feet within hours it spread to my knees then into both hands had numerous bloods all normal brain mto normal told by 4 neurologists it's not ms as symmetrical and acute ,diagnosed with idiopathic tingling no known cause there seem to be a lot of women like this this tingling is none stop I don't have a minute without it since it began I'm 42 any advice on tests to have as my Dr's have just left me like this
jacqueline06286 dawn68509
Posted
Are you in perimenapause,
What other symptoms do you have.
dawn68509 jacqueline06286
Posted
Since the age of 34 I have suffered severe brain fog week before a period to the point I feel disorientated heart ectopic beats very bad that week two I had hormone tests done at age 40 and they were normal I fell pregnant 3 months after tingling began and had my daughter on Nov so cannot be in menopause however I feel there is some dominance with a hormone that could of caused this as systems stayed milder during pregnancy and got really severe upon arrival of first period after having my baby they are absolutely horrendous brain fog is bk heart ectopic's and tingling driving me insane
jacqueline06286 dawn68509
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rebecca19258 dawn68509
Posted
I too woke up one morning in January this year with pins and needles joint pain and pretty much felt like crap.. periods all over the shop sometimes heavy sometimes none for months..
Thinking something was seriously wrong I started researching joining groups on Fb that are full of women in Peri and meno and so many are suffering just like you and I.
This feeling is due to a imbalance in hormones.. sends our nervous system crazy.. Google lack of progesterone and dominance of estrogen causing this.. Yiu hv to think these hormones hv controlled us our whole lives.. blooming as a teenager.. getting periods breasts PMS falling pregnant , miscarrying.. giving birth being a mum .. now Peri or meno... It depletes us of our sex hormones.. Read read and read more then seek some help from a hormonal specialist ..
dawn68509 rebecca19258
Posted
Hi Rebecca do you have the tingling constant I literally am that bad with this if I touch my arm I can feel it in my legs the tingling intensifies the neuro I saw said this is due to the nerves that are damaged being super sensitive ,all my nerve study tests are normal all bloods normal they said likely small nerve fibre damage which doesn't show on tests it is horrendous feels like buzzing rumbling vibration whatever you can call it ,how can I treat the hormone problem Dr's won't retest me
dawn68509 jacqueline06286
Posted
It's like buzzing rumbling it's the same feeling if you put your hand on a car door when it's moving and you feel the vibration through your hands legs I have that permanent none stop
jannap75 dawn68509
Posted
dawn68509 jannap75
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Yes I've had this 16 months now none stop I will ask my Dr again for tests I'm also 42
rebecca19258 dawn68509
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Bypass a normal gp and go to gyno and tell them you are in Peri and want to balance out your hormones ... I have been taking Bio Identical Hormones for 10 days now and can feel a difference already ..
dawn68509 rebecca19258
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Hi Rebecca where do you have the tingling mine is in a stocking glove patten I've had nerve studies that are normal they say likely small fibre damage in 16 months I've not had a second without I belive I'll have this for life now I asked my go today for bloods for hormones she dismissed it and said for me to just speak to neuro next week
rebecca19258 dawn68509
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Yes I have like pins and needles from knees down like I have tight stockings on.. They can go to my arms and sometimes face
shona53538 rebecca19258
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shona53538
Posted
rebecca19258 shona53538
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Yes my legs and feet are burning tonight!!’ Your not alone😀
shona53538 rebecca19258
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rebecca19258 shona53538
Posted
My joints ache and muscles ache deeply and sort of go prickly when I get hot flushes .. weird huh