Weakness in legs but no pain and clear scan of brain and lumbar, what could it be?

Hi everyone. I am a 22 y.o. who is suffering from leg weakness since 2 weeks+ now. I walk like a drunkard or baby just learning to walk, with knees bent awkwardly (during times I can walk) or legs outward in opposite directions/feet lightly almost on toes to keep myself up as legs feel very heavy and weak from thighs down. Most times I need help by holding something or family members carry me (since we don't have a wheelchair yet), sometimes I can only crawl since no energy/power in my legs.

It first happened after I had a panic attack due to stress from studies, we thought it was just that night that I was weak after the incident but it progressively became worse over the days, once or twice cannot move legs at all let alone get up or walk.

I did a CT scan of my brain, MRI of lumbar, blood and urine tests but everything was normal. I did have low blood pressure when I went to the emergency at hospital but it wasn't extremely low (56 on second number) and rose to normal when I left after two days. Doctors were not sure what it is and concluded maybe it's conversion thing, from psychological to physical - the panic attack/stress taking a lot of energy from legs. However we don't know anyone with stress/anxiety/depression having the same issue - and definitely not so soon or for weeks after being stressed?

In the beginning days I used to get migraine, chest tightness, shortness of breath whenever my legs became awfully weak, sometimes like fainting/falling but all these go away after about an hour. Now I get minimal chest tightness/dizziness/headache and frequent yawning but not all the time my legs are weak anymore.

If I walk for a few minutes my legs will get heavier and I wont be able to make it far or anywhere until I rest again. My energy feels like it's being drained like a battery of a phone decreasing with each use. I would also describe the experience such as the sand in an hourglass - the sand falling down is how it feels when legs are getting heavier/weaker, as the sand finishes the time it's like heaviness is piled up from lower legs to thighs so it's a "bag of sand", too heavy to move.

The final exam season is over and I have been on break since 3 weeks now so I don't think it's from the stress as doctors assumed but it's very worrying as they didn't have other explanation. My nerves are responsive, I can feel whenever they did the hammer thing, I just lack the strength to hold/move myself from places. I also get numbness/cramps in the legs and feet ache after some walking. The left leg is weaker than the right though both are affected.

What could it be as I searched online but not sure of any particular disease?

0 likes, 0 replies