Unsolved Temporary Paralysis and other symptoms

[9986mkoh]

Hi,
My wife has had an unsolved medical issue for the last 9 months and we've been to several doctors and ERs.  First off, she's 20 years old and very active. The last incident occurred 2 days ago while backpacking.  

So here's how it usually goes...
First, she'll start to feel a funny sort of dizzy/lightheaded feeling.  Then her hands/fingers will start to tingle.  After this, nearly all of her muscles start to tense up and she becomes mostly paralyzed with occasional intense muscle cramping.  She stays conscious throughout, but sometimes has trouble talking because of the intensity.

As a little bit more background information, these seem to happen at times when she hasn't been eating particularly well or regularly. In the summer, they just started happening all of the sudden when we'd spend the weekend on our boat eating a lot of snack foods, but still eating a couple good meals a day.  This last time, we had pretty good eating habits, but it was still camping food.  She feels very tired and fatigued after these happen.

Also, she has lost vision a couple of times, but nobody's sure whether that was a symptom or a result of the stress.  She has been checked out for MS, epilepsy, diabetes, seen a cardiac electrophysiologist, neurologist, and a couple ERs.  The ERs have been all but useless since they made her wait in the waiting room long enough that nothing was happening anymore.  The neurologist and electrophysiologist weren't a ton of help either, but the neurologist thought it pointed toward some kind of deficiency, but levels came back in the normal range on all tests.  So, maybe these levels aren't good for her, or they are some short term fluctuations if that is the case.

The most recent episode occurred about 6 months after the last one.  She has no history of them, other than this year.  She also said she just hasn't been feeling as good as normal the entire time.

We're stumped (as well as the doctors) and have a hard time giving them more money to find nothing. We'd be happy to answer any other questions pertaining to this.

Thanks for any help,
Mike

[LowCortisol]

A few things come to mind:

1. Get her cacium, B vitamins, Vitamin D, Magnesium and Potassium levels checked.

2. If she has something like Lyme Disease then the attacks can be sporadic. Once the tick's toxin is in the body she does not have to be outside or be camping to experience symptoms

3. If it is joint related or similar (arthritis) then a rheumatologist can explain this. The rheumatologist can check for Lyme and I am sure can direct you as to who to see if he thinks that the problem is a deficiency of some sort.

If I were you I would now do those bloodwork and book to see a rheumatologist at a leading centre.

[9986mkoh]

Honestly, we both liked the neurologist.  All of the symptoms seem to point toward some deficiency because of the muscles tensing and resulting partial paralysis.  However, we're still searching for some definitive answers before we start a 3 month trip this summer.

She hasn't been examined for Lyme Disease because every doctor said they didn't think that was it, but it has been in the back of our minds since we're outside so much and see ticks around in the spring a lot.

Like we said, the attacks can be very sporadic and are independent of where we are.  We're probably going to find a new doctor and start the process of searching over again just to be sure nobody can find anything.  All others have said she is healthy as can be.  One possibility mentioned has also been some sort of rare migraine.

We really appreciate the answers and help!

And to answer other questions, no she doesn't regularly have pain and there normally isn't even any with these attacks unless she gets a cramp in one of the tensing muscles.  Also, the doctor did say they ruled out MS but we don't remember the exact test.

Thanks!

[LowCortisol]

9 months is a very long time to spend without a diagnosis.

Are you happy with the expertise of the neurologist? If not then find a better neurologist. Two specialists can look at the same test results or medical images and arrive at very different conclusions.

I see you live in Cleveland. Have you seen anyone at the Cleveland Clinic?

Given you mention camping and tingling, I wonder if your wife has been examined for Lyme Disease?

If I were you I would

* forget the ER visits, these folk are great but not who you need at this time;

* consider seeing a good rheumatologist to check for Lyme Disease; and if he/she doesn't give you a diagnosis then

* you could see a clinical immunologist (allergy doctor) as many allergies manifest themselves in numbness and tingling.

Best of luck!

[tinahays]

I have the tingling in my fingers and hands and feet ,numbness also I have been diagnoised with multiple sclerosis and also fibromyalgia which have almost the same feelings except there is no test for the fibro but there are alot of test to tell if she has ms , it could be flare ups of ms and the food she eats will not make it worse in either one does she have pain all over all the time? what kind of test have they ran on her?