First the back story....... I have been doing push-ups and sit-ups for about a year and a half, 50 of each every morning. About 6-8 weeks ago I got bored and decided to do something different. I tried an exercise app from Johnson and Johnson and I started yoga from a YouTube video....yoga with Adriene. About the same time I started the new exercise routines my left foot and left leg started going numb. I thought I popped something in my left leg like a vein, nerve or muscle. I assumed it was from the yoga, I twisted and stretched in ways I did not know were possible. If I sit too long my foot feels cool. Much cooler than my right foot. That is not normal when it is 85 degrees in Texas. If I walk on it too long then the numbness moves to my knee and sometimes up to my thigh and hip. Are you familiar with how your leg feels after you sit on it too long and you get up and have that tingly feeling? That is how it often feels like. But my leg often feels 'wooden', I can't step properly using a full movement. My knee does not hurt but it is a struggle to get it to 'flex' and move with a full movement. Sometimes when I walk, my left foot rolls to the side. The numbness continued for two weeks and did not improve on its own so I went to see my doctor. He Xrayed my back to see if there was any nerve damage but it came back negative. But he did not Xray my leg....the part of me that is injured....go figure. I got a blood test but it was only for my Thyroid, not the full table that gives glucose, cholesterol, etc.....He said that he could not do the full blood test because my last physical was in June and I saw him on the 12th of May. He said I would have to wait until June to get the full blood test (before a year elapses) or I would have to pay for it. Anyhow, he said my Thyroid result was 3, down from 5 last year. I am not sure what that means but he was happy with the results. He gave me a prescription for Gabapetrin.......a generic pain killer. It's not working. My leg still feels numb and it still hurts to walk. Besides, I don't want to mask the symptoms, I want to cure the problem. I returned on the 26th of May and he prescribed me Vitamin B12...'because no one takes as much as they should and we are all deficient'........well.......he does not know that without a proper blood test which I did not receive and it has absolutely NOTHING to do with my numb leg and numb foot. He also prescribed me a more powerful dose of Gabapetrin. He upped it from 2X100MG to 2X300MG. It's still not working. He said the numbness was a function of aging. I don't believe that. Numb legs are not a typical degenerative illness......Gray hair and receding hairlines are, but numbness in your extremities are not. I swear I did not injure myself, not in the traditional sense. I don't recall pulling anything or hurting anything.....the numbness just started. I have an appointment with another doctor on the 26th of June to get a second opinion, but my leg and foot still hurt and I would like some reassurance it is only temporary. Does anyone have any idea what is wrong with my foot and leg? I assume it has something to do with nerve damage or circulation but beyond that I am only guessing. I have never had any other major problems: good heart, no broken bones, never get the flu, my blood pressure was 110/70. I thought about seeing an acupuncturist or a chiropractor if modern medicine can't figure it out. I have never been to one but I'll try them if they can heal me. Any suggestions or educated guesses?
You're talking about your health (your life). Therefore, pay to have the full blood tests performed and see a neurologist for brain scans (a good one will do several different types of scans especially the one that specifically looks at the blood flow in your brain)...the problem with your leg...you may be getting early warning signs of a stroke or blood vessel problems in your brain. Everybody is different. Some may have "all" the warning signs or just a few or just one of them (leg numbness, vision problems, dizziness, sudden headaches, feeling of pressure in your head like someone is squeezing, sudden loss of the ability to dream, sudden problems in speaking or understanding someone's else speech etc). When you have all the blood work done...make sure they check your potassium, magnesium, phosphorous levels and other electrolytes.
Thanks, I should have insisted that the full blood test to be done but I did not know it was only a partial test until I received the results. When I discussed the results with my doctor he was nonchalant about the results and then he gave me a lecture about B12 vitamins and returning in 8 weeks. I am going to call the insurance company Monday morning and ask them about getting a second referral and a new blood test. So far I am good on the dizziness, speech and hearing. I dream every night but I don't always remember them. I record them in a dream journal. I rarely have a headache. I can count the ones I have ever had in my life on both hands. I 'll pester the insurance company and be more aggressive the next time. Thanks !
Just spoke to my brother who has experienced a similar condition, his coming after a visit to a chiropractor. After many visits to doctors running him in circles, he finally went to Mayo Clinic. Nerve damage in the spine and some vascular damage causing poor circulation to the lower extremity as well. You need an MRI, not an x-ray, and someone looking at the results who knows what to look for. It sure as hell isn't normal aging process, and a vitamin deficiency is unlikely given the symptoms you're experiencing.
Thanks, the doc suggested an MRI but when the Xray came back negative he declined the MRI. But Xrays and MRI's are two different tests. It's like checking your oil to fix your brakes. I am going to call the insurance company Monday and see if I can visit another doctor and if they will cover the expense. The visit I have on the 26th is with another insurance company. I am playing them off each other...) What were the consequences for your brother ? Did it require an operation or did medication correct it? What kills me is what caused it. It seems like it happened overnight.
He has not had surgery nor does he take any medication. They decided the risk/reward of an operation was not worth it considering his level of discomfort, which he describes of more of a nuisance than anything else. He's been living with it for three years now. Age is 62. Better than average fitness level. Can no longer run much, and he was a distance runner for many years. He told me than swimming helps, and leg massages. Swims everyday. Try some natural foods and vitamins to improve circulation was well.
Wow I've had similar symptoms for the last year. In my case I had slight numbness in my left leg/foot that coincided with chronic lower back pain. The symptoms recently got worse so I saw the doc and got an x-ray and MRI. The conclusion is I have age related disc compression and 2 of the discs are bulging. One of the bulging discs is pressing on a nerve, causing the pain and numbness. The doc suggested I stop running (I run 5K 3 times a week) which I did and the symptoms have subsided. At this point it looks like I'll have to give up running entirely. Also, to prevent the bulging discs from rupturing I'm on lifting restriction now, also for the rest of my life. I'm not supposed to lift anything heavier than 20 lbs. Surgery is not an option at this point. I just have to adjust my lifestyle to prevent further problems. For reference I'm a thin, fit, non-smoking 59 year old with a good diet. Sometimes life just isn't fair.
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