Tingling, Buzzing And Twitching

[cristiana]

Hello All

 

Well it is nearly two years now since my gastro symptoms started, although I think I could say that before that I had tingling in my fingers, buzzing on the back of my legs, twitching in my face, for about six months - minor but annoying.  I was then diagnosed with celiac disease in the Spring of 2013. My blood iron and B12 levels were very low so I took supplements, plus magnesium and cod liver oil and all this nerve stuff faded, with a few blips en route.  

 

Odd thing some of this tingling and buzzing has started up again over the last three weeks although the twitching hasn't (yet!).    I am as strict as I can be with avoiding gluten.  The only thing that is happening at the moment is I am going through a raft of tests for other conditions and I do feel a bit edgy about them at times.  Do you think anxiety in itself can reignite old nerve problems?  Is there anyone out there who gets this nerve stuff come back from time to time?  

 

In case of interest, I have had some MRIs on my brain and spine since DX which were all entirely normal.

 

Thanks.

[icelandgirl]

Hi Cristiana,

I think that stress and anxiety can bring out our physical ailments or make the existing ones worse. That's been my experience at least.

I have also had tingling in my feet, toes and fingers. I always wonder if it has something to do with my thyroid because that thing is having issues.

Have you had your b12 and ferritin levels checked recently? If not it might be worth having them checked.

In the meantime, take good care of yourself...a nice Epsom salt bath with a good book is my favorite. Or go for a nice walk or just whatever feels good to you.

It does feel, to me at least, that there is always something.

(((Hugs)))

[cristiana]

Do you know, Icelandgirl, there is always something!  I think I shall change my user name to alwayssomething.   Just back from hospital tests on Friday, looking forward to a bit of a breather until the next blood tests, and then this buzz in my face starts up again!  And in my legs! I am thinking I will go private to get my iron and B12 checked again.  My nutritionalist told me when my B12 level wasn't improving much with supplements that she was surprised I wasn't offered an injection just to get me started back on the right track.  I have lapsed with the sublinguals so perhaps it is time to take them again, religiously.  Thank you for your tip about the bath with Epsom salts, that sounds a really good idea too.

[icelandgirl]

If you do that I shall change mine to alwayssomethingtoo. Because that's what it feels like! I do think getting the levels checked is a smart idea. If they're low you know that supplementing can help. I get very annoyed with my tingling when it becomes pronounced...it can be hard to ignore.

[janpell]

Do you get all over tingling? Do you have inflammation that may be compressing nerves in that area? When my knee swells I get tingling down my leg because I think my nerves are compressed. I hate it so much. I find if I eat too many sweets (had a prune binge over a couple of days) and noticed an eye twitch during this time. I am staying away from fruit all day and so far so good - I don't really eat sugar but over indulge in some natural sweets at times and get bothered by even that. I have no idea where any of this comes from but my own conclusions what is happening with me.

[cristiana]

janpell... hi.  Not all over tingling.  The ball of my left foot, around the ankle; sometimes in the toes (left and right); sometimes up the back of my left calf; a spot on my right calf; I sometimes wake up feeling my fingers have gone to sleep (I do have a DX for carpel tunnel and ulnar compression but some days are definitely worse than others) and the odd twitch and buzz on my face.   I took a good dose of magnesium the other day and the facial twitching ended overnight. Maybe it is partly inflammation, not sure?  I think malabsoption might also be the cuprit - and as icelandgirl says - stress.  One phenomenon I have noticed is since around DX if I get pins and needles, say, after kneeling for a while or sitting in a bad position, it takes much longer to recover.  I asked a clinical neurologist about this and he says after having had all these deficiencies our nerves start to complain.   I am beginning to think that my gut can't have healed as well as I'd hoped if my nerves are still complaining!  

[MomBTired]

Read about small fiber neuropathy. My son has the automatic one. His neuromuscular doctor told us that many people who have celiac end up with this form of neuropathy.

 

Open Original Shared Link

[cristiana]

Hi MomB - thanks for sharing.  Apart from all the other things I mention, I have noticed that for about a year now I have found it really painful on one side of my body if I wear tight clothing.  I thought it might be shingles without the rash - a line along my chest to my spine on the left, it has really hurt to the point of it feeling almost like a burning sensation.  I had the same thing on my left hip round to my spine.  If I wear tight waistband or bra I still feel bruised there.   It is a pain which gets worse as the day goes on, I don't have it at night but at night I wear loose pyjamas.   I wish I knew what it was caused by - celiac, shingles.  All I know is I didn't have it pre-diagnosis!

[cristiana]

Back on this topic, again.  I am thinking about going back to my doctor as I do think I have small fibre neuropathy symptoms returning to the levels I had at DX -   MomBTired's posted link has really made me think.   I guess I could have blood sugar issues but I am not so sure.  In recent months I have stopped supplementing and the tingles and buzzes have got worse.  However, in the last couple of weeks this has prompted me to go back on magnesium, B12 and other B vitamins and I believe I am already feeling the benefit.

 

I have also found the following link helpful and I realise, in reading it, I need to go back to trying to get more calcium in my diet, too.  Posting all this in case it is of help to anyone else.

 

Open Original Shared Link

[icelandgirl]

That was a good read Cristiana. I wonder sometimes if I'm getting the right nutrients. Besides cutting out gluten and soy, I'm very dairy light. I don't know if I get enough calcium or magnesium or any of the B's. So much of the gluten food I used to eat was fortified with all of this. If you look at the breads, cereals, pastas that contains gluten they have a lot of vitamins and minerals. Most of the gluten free ones don't. So...how do we know if we're getting enough? I don't know. Thanks for sharing that...lots to think about.

[cristiana]

I don't understand why gluten-free alternatives aren't fortified in the way that mainstay stuff is, such as bread and cereals, here in the UK.   I am sure we need the vitamins more than the average person!