Paralysed tongue after chemo,this one has the medical experts baffled.

[mum-two]

Hi first of all sorry this may be long.I have been having rituximab and Cyclophosamide every six months for the last seven years.Never had any problems up until when I had it six months ago,a few days after having it I was out shopping with my family and had what seemed like I was having a stroke.My tongue felt funny,speech went slurred and mouth drooped,after lots of scans and tests at hospital they finally put it down to a migraine.

So Wednesday and Thursday had my next lot of chemo,Friday about 5:00 pm whilst out I suddenly felt the familiar funny feeling on my tongue within five minutes my speech was slurred again just like last time.After speaking to Macmillan nurses my partner rushed me to a&e.

At first my partner and I thought it may be a reaction one of the anti sickness tablets I take metoclopramide,but doctor mentioned maybe a nerve in my head.

After lots of tests they again ruled out a stroke,the doctor said its as if my tongue is paralysed when its happening because if asked to stick my tongue out it goes to the right instead of straight,but as soon it wears off my tongue is normal again.

If I stop talking and relax it seems to go then as soon as I talk again after a few minutes it does it again.

The doctors are a bit baffled by it and several doctors saw it happen and all said they have never heard or seen anything like it before,it is very strange.I spent a night in hospital and am back home now as if nothing had happened the same as last time.The hospital is writing to my consultant and the neurologist I saw last time to see what their thoughts are on it.

Must admit it is worry me as it is very scary when it happens.

[Purpletop]

I would go to a neurologist who worked with lupus issues before and has experience in vascular issues too. It might be the medication that causes the numbness or there could be an inflammation of blood vessels in your brain or even at the back of your jaw due to lupus (I have assumed you have lupus, you don't say that in your post). There seems to be a stopper on the 'traffic' path but I'm no doctor, you need to go see a specialist soon, see if you cannot hurry these people up to send you, or better still, see someone privately of you can afford it. Good luck.

[mum-two]

Hi thankyou for your reply,yes I was diagnosed with systemic lupus 17 years ago,sorry forgot to say.I saw a neurologist the last time and they put it down to a migraine.The doctor at a&e however doesn't think that's what it is as my tongue seems to go completly paralysed on the left side.

I will be phoning my rheumatologist in the morning and hopefully see him tomorrow,he is very good.The hospital have written to let him know and also to the neurologist who saw me last time.

I just hope they get to the bottom of it this time as none of the nurses or consultants in a&e had ever seen anything like it.They had very confusing looks on their faces when it was happening in front of them,and couldn't work out what was happening to me.

[baba]

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