Continual pins and needles, numbness and burning sensations all over body

[Knittinganimals]

Does any one have what seems to be permanent pins and needles, numbness and burning sensations all over the body? Makes me feel really rough all the time. This has been for several weeks now and no solution from doctors, I think they think I’m making it up! I am trying to come off bisoprolol at the moment. Does it seem like multiple sclerosis? A recent ct scan showed sclerosis of C4.

[Ruadh]

Could be MS - I have the same problems - and it sure is a pest of an affliction. Which visits many an MS patient. Today it is my fingers, lower arms, and upper legs plus nose. Ho-Hum...!!

[Knittinganimals in reply to Ruadh]

Thank you for your reply, I’m speaking to GP tomorrow so will ask again! What about itchy skin do you get that too?

[Smarticus in reply to Knittinganimals]

Hi, are you on any anti-depressents??

[Knittinganimals in reply to Smarticus]

No antidepressants, am on Apixiban and trying to change bisoprolol to atenolol maybe

[Ruadh]

Itchy skin ? You bet. Drives me nutty. Today head, fingers and outer edge of hands, ears, nose and upper legs, and lower left arm. The itch and the burning, burning especially at night time, horrible, then again, just after starting to move around. As though blood flow starts it off again.

Today though, the itch in the fingers and the tingling iin the fingers, not good.

Seems part and parcel of MS. Easy to check on. Search 'itch and pins and needles in MS. Surprise, surprise, it's all therre. Have fun digging. And, *never let a doctor try to put you down - most of em are so bally clueless, never keep up-to-date, take but little notice of their patients. Waft around like load of fairies from some darn drama. Sheesh.

[ellj in reply to Ruadh]

I can vouch for that too.

But if you listen to my GP absolutely everything is the MS.

Easy for them to say.

Ellie

[Ruadh in reply to ellj]

<LOL> - Easy peasy innit !! Ho-Hum. Gotta be proactive, be aware, check everything, including any meds, but, be aware to check back with a knowledgeable consultant , or Holistic consultant before introducing or changing prescriptions. Always cover your ass, and remember, they will also be covering their own !

[Hidden]

This sounds like nerve damage. I suffered this badly after a short dose of ciprofloxacin antibiotics and it took me 14 months to recover. However, I'm now highly sensitive to a broad range of medications which appear to bring all the symptoms back. If it gets as bad as burning hands, it can typically take a couple of weeks to calm down after ceasing the offending drug.

[Knittinganimals in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for replying. How do you get a diagnosis for nerve damage I wonder? My gp seems to think it’s anything but!

[Sunnie2day in reply to Knittinganimals]

I have nerve damage (left arm after a car wreck in 1973), it's annoying and the past few years has progressed to the point of causing pain that perfectly mimics angina (which I also have) - once the pandemic is over I'm to be checked for thoracic outlet syndrome (a complication of the nerve damage).

To the best of my knowledge, they only want to investigate for nerve damage if there has been an injury OR if there is a history of a condition (like MS) that is known to cause nerve damage. You write a CT scan showed sclerosis of C4 - were you diagnosed then with MS?

If your GP 'doesn't want to know', you might find it helpful to remind her/him of the CT scan result, and that MS causes nerve damage - you may need to insist you need to be investigated on the grounds of possible MS (owing to the results of the scan showing C4 sclerosis). You would be referred to a neurologist for the investigation.

[Knittinganimals in reply to Sunnie2day]

Hi,the ct scan result was ignored as it also showed a lung problem which I have had tests for and got the all clear. I will mention it to the doctor but most of the time they says it’s due to degenerative issues but I’m only 68!! I don’t want to feel like this all the time it gets you down

[Sunnie2day in reply to Knittinganimals]

You may find going private helpful if you can. If not, try asking for a referral to a neurologist.

I really hate to say this but there does seem to be a tendency in many GPs these days to try fobbing off us oldies (I'll be 64 at the end of the month) with that 'Oh, it's all part of ageing...' when further investigation might well lead to a far different discovery than simple 'ageing'.

I can understand the fobbing off to a certain degree IF the patient has, like I have, been involved in extreme sports that do have cumulative effects on flesh and bone - don't ask, lol, let's leave it at for a life-long Heartie, I've had a really great time surfing, skate and snow boarding, skiing, rodeo riding, climbing (and falling, lol), tennis, field hockey and quite a few other 'extreme sport' activities. And I've had two somewhat difficult pregnancies and deliveries - it all takes a toll so when my medic runs that 'Oh, it's just ageing and comes to us all' I do tend to accept it.

But if you've had a more sensible life, cumulative affect shouldn't be the issue and your symptoms deserve better investigation than your GP seems interested in providing. If that lack of interest continues you may want to consider speaking with the practice manager to be assigned a new GP.

[Hidden in reply to Knittinganimals]

My GP said that I had peripheral neuropathy or perhaps polyneuropathy because of the symptoms I described and that it was listed as a potential side effect from the medication I had taken. He referred me to a neurologist. It was suggested that I could try ametriptyline or gabapentin to help with the pain. I refused these and tolerated it until I recovered, but some evenings could be particularly painful.