Prickly numb feeling

[Stradbroke13]

Hi does anyone else get a numb prickly feeling in their face? I'm back on 40mg prednisolone which had affected my blood sugar & now have to take metformin , but around 3 hours after prednisolone I get prickly numb feeling in my face & head lasting around 8hrs , consultant & gp dont seem to know why , Thankyou in advance , its really getting to me .

[powerwalk]

Yes i've had that. I have never seen anyone really explain it. Ive seen it explained as a hormone type thing, sometimes feels like a cobweb over your face. Definitely had it when i went on pred. I used to google it but could never find proper explanation!!!

[Hidden]

My nose and chin have had the prickly numb feeling. I have diabetes and have take metformin for years. I think more like the blood sugar which can make various parts of my body do weird things when very high or very low. Maybe the vascular issues aren't helping. It pre dates pred for me.

[Stradbroke13 in reply to Hidden]

I'm wondering that too .I was just diet controlled type 2 until went on prednisolone .they say the steroids have made blood sugar worse & i have to monitor it 4 times a day & now have to take 2 metformin a day .think i see what diabetic nurse thinks love .its so awful .

[RecentPMRdiag]

Hi Stadbroke13,

I think pins and needles and numbness in the face, and elsewhere, are listed as potential side effects of Predisolone.

Secondly - I have PMR and I am currently undergoing investigations for GCA. I have not had any facial numbness or tingling - but only this morning I was examined and asked if I had experienced any facial numbness, or pins & needles. I was tested on forehead, cheeks, top lip and jaw for numbness as well as temples and scalp etc. It was explained to me that these were potential GCA symptoms.

Whilst my GCA is being investigated I am also back on 40mg daily. One symptom I have noticed since raising the Pred is odd 'sensations' in places I didn't have any oddities whilst on lower Pred doses. These include pins and needles in front of shins (a la Sciatica), prickly skin on top of one shoulder, aches in lower arms that are not like Carpal Tunnel. I think these are symptoms of the Pred - possibly too much, not that I am inclined to reduce until I have the results of the Arterial Biopsy.

I hope this is helpful.

[Blearyeyed]

They can't explain it exactly , and if it is mild they often expect it or brush it off when you tell them , as many people suffer from tingling and numbness in the face and extremities with lots of different conditions and drugs , especially drugs like Steroids.

It's probably because there are lots of potential causes for it , and sometimes more than one cause will be acting at once to cause this if it is a side effect symptom rather than a separate Health Issue.

The reasons can range from the changes that Steroids cause to your skin , fat and muscle distribution and connective tissues to immunity and hypersensitivity reactions or nerve message changes made more intense especially on higher doses.

It is more concerning though if these side effects are more severe , daily or last for long periods of time during the day without relief. Repeating your concerns and explaining that the side effect you are experiencing may be common but is more severe than you would expect is sometimes necessary .

This may indicate that you do need some extra investigation ( in case it is a separate cause or having a damaging impact on your system) and you may need more help or an alteration to your medication .

If it continues , or gets worse , go back to your GP and firmly request that they investigate this properly , perhaps with a referral to Neurology or for Nerve Testing to those areas to make sure that you aren't experiencing something that needs attention. Monitoring chronic side effects is important , no matter which of your conditions or drugs might be the cause of it.

[SheffieldJane]

I am familiar with the Pred prickle and the cobweb feeling. Just another thing to try not to obsess about. It went away for me on a low dose.

[Cobnut]

Hi. I too experienced prickly feelings in my scalp which one GP said could ne neuralgia. As others have said Prednisolone does all sorts of weird things to the body but for me they affected my mood most if all. I experienced huge highs and lows and one doctor told me they can give you bipolar symptoms. I have come down from 60mg four years ago to 6mg but even using the super slow method I still get depressed when I reduce and have to live with it until my body accepts the lower dose. I too had diabetes as a side effect but now my blood sugar is fine. All you can do is accept these side effects and thank goodness they are fighting the illness. It will get better one day.