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Mixed diagnosis -cervical disc herniation or neuropathy problems

Posted , 15 users are following.

heather60265
heather60265

Hello. I'm 43 yrs old with 2 young children. I have been struggling with progressive symptoms for few months & no solid answers. I have had progressive numbness, weird sensations, discomfort in feet, hands, arms. Random limbs back & forth. Recently, developed deep ache in wrists, hands, lower arms. Neurologist did full brain & Cervical MRI to rule out MS etc. in January Came back with 'c5c6 disc bulge/herniation with tear abutting the sac causing mild central canal stenosis'. Also small protrusion c4c5. Neurologist waving back & forth on symptoms being from disc because I don't have solid 'neck pain' (just stiffness/ache). She first told me it was all from disc, may need neurosurgeon-now she says my symptoms don't match?? She said looking at slides closer my disc is not pinching spinal cord or anything so she completely brushed it off. She is concerned of neuropathy, fibromyalgia etc?? I have EMG scheduled next week. In last 6 days I have been stuck in home. Can not function well, clumsy hands, weak arms, upper legs. Radiating ache, tingling in shoulders, upper back/neck & at times my body feels like in shock. Radiating vibration feeling or what may be nerve pain wraps around to my abdominal area, upper back/neck, shoulders, upper & lower arms, hands. I'm shaking, quivering inside constantly. Some spasms. I am afraid to drive my children to/from preschool as I feel uncoordinated, foggy headed from it all. I am clumsy in typing this all now as hands are clumsy/numb

Anyone have symptoms like these from disc herniation? Neurologist was never clear on nerve roots being impacted/irritated.

Grateful for any response.

Thank you

1 like, 27 replies

27 Replies

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  • Sally4Edgar
    Sally4Edgar heather60265

    Posted

    Evoked potentials test normal, blood tests normal! A relief, yeti the the same time frustrating as like so many others experiencing similar weird symptoms we don't seem to have any decisive answers as to what's causing them. Now wondering whether to switch from a neurologist to a rheumatologist to se whether they can turn anything different up. 
  • sherry03951
    sherry03951 heather60265

    Posted

    Heather, not sure if you have found your answer or not? I hope so!

    If not I wanted to tell you as weird as it sounds, have your B12 checked along with, methylmalonic acid, and homocysteine. If Your methylmalonic acid, and homocysteine is elevated this would reflect your active B12 is low and can cause a range of symptoms that leads Doctors to believe your crazy. It is debilitating and can leave you with permenant damage if left undiagnosed. I to have cervical issues in C4 thru C6 which is being dealt with but all of my neurological symptoms disapated with B12 injections daily for 5 days now 1 weekly.  It is absolutely amazing the change that this has brought for me. I now can drive and function doing household chores and getting back to work soon!

    Hope this may help.

     

  • kirsten54121
    kirsten54121 heather60265

    Posted

    Hi Heather.

    I'm hoping you recieve this message...I don't like my chances as you posted over a year ago.

    I would really love to hear how you are doing? If you got any answers? So much of what you were going through is my story exactly today.

    I would really love to hear from you and know your outcome.

  • maryisContrary
    maryisContrary heather60265

    Posted

    You should ask your physician to check you for Lyme Disease which is caused by the deer tick bite. This is something a lot of doctors seem to overlook... esp when you have a lot of weird symptoms. You might have herniated disc problems but if you're having so many random issues that aren't just associated with your cervical disks Im no to genius but maybe something else is going on. Unless they put you on pain meds and narcotics- feeling shaky, quivering and feeling foggy plus the wrap around pain you're having in your abdomen wouldn't be neck related. Now some people have degenerative disc problems and maybe you have more than just cervical neck problems. I have a bad lower back and 8yrs later, now I have a bad neck too. I've been tested for everything but no one has ever checked me for Lyme disease and I've often wondered why not. I have achy muscles and tight stiff muscles. Sometimes my head feels too heavy for my neck. I have major sleeping issues. Stuff like that. Anyway- I'm definitely going to get checked for Lyme. I've had the same symptoms for 15 yrs with no relief. I wish you luck. Please post whatever you've figured out. Good luck.

  • Hunty
    Hunty heather60265

    Posted

    Check for craniocervical junction disorder see an upper cervical specialist. Many doctors cant see this disorder and its widely over looked. If you still suffer from it of course. It can slip back into place with just a turn of the head. Im going through alot of the symptoms as you and i did about 4 months of research and there is such little information that when you type it in on google there is like only 3 or 4 pages that pop up.
  • philbodean
    philbodean heather60265

    Posted

    Do you get L'Hermittes sign when looking down.  i have all your symptoms and get vibrating sensations in inner thighs when looking down.  Burning in feet, across back and shoulders and fingers all in a C6-C7 dermatomal pattern.  I'm also starting to get autonomic dysfunction.  All this comes and goes and always goes away when laying down for naps or at night when sleeping.  My C6-C7 bulges into my spinal canal and also impinges on both nerve-roots.  I can almost guarantee you your disc IS causing the issues and doesn't have to be touching any nerves to cause symptoms.  If the disc is leaking, and I'm sure it is if it is herniated, then it releases all kinds of inflammatory cytokines and other substances that irritate all the nerves around it and will cause your weird symptoms.  NSAID's and Sam-E will stop my symptoms for a few hours since they stop the effect of the inflammatory chemicals being released by the bad disc.  Bad discs can lead to Syringomyelia and spinal cord irritation.  You can get a steroid injection in the problematic cervical area to see if it helps.  Let me know if it gets better at night or when you do cervical traction on the neck.  My only option will be to get my diseased disc removed and I will go with an artificial disc and not the ACDF.

    • philbodean
      philbodean

      Posted

      Forgot to ask if it is relapsing/remitting.  Also, driving long distances and using my back/shoulders for heavy work outside exacerbates my symptoms.  Checking for Lyme is not a bad idea as MaryisContrary mentioned.  Also, not to scare you but, if you smoke, you need to be checked for Small Cell Lung Cancer as it can cause a paraneoplastic condition known as Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome so they need to check your lungs.  I am paying out-of-pocket just to get a thoracic MRI to look at all my organs and spine.  I do suspect I might have some herniationn in my Lumbar area......most men my age who have done lots of sports and physical activity will have some.
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