Tingling Face

[cristiana]

I would be very interested to hear from any celiacs who have ever experienced tingling in their face.  

 

I was dx'd two years ago.  About six months prior to my dx I went through an incredibly stressful time while my doctor did blood tests trying to find out what was wrong with me.  I developed eye twitching and buzzing in my face which after a couple of months went away.   These symptoms came back again just before my dx and hung around for a few months.  I read on this excellent site that magnesium and B12 help with these symptoms so supplemented and they gradually faded.   At that time I think my B12 was at about 160, so on the low side.  I never found out about magnesium levels.

 

Fast forward to this January - again I had to go through tests which involved a long drive and stress and too much coffee at the hospital but, thankfully, all was clear.  But I noticed that that very day the buzzing and twitching came back in my face.  I then started a new job about a fortnight later and the symptoms came back again..  I didn't really pay too much attention but thought I ought to start on the sublingual B12 again and magnesium.  

 

Then a fortnight ago I went to a musical and the music was very loud so I spent the evening with my fingers in my ears and my neck badly crooked to try to deflect the worst of the noise.  It was then that I noticed that one area where I have this buzzing, along my cheekbone on the right, the slightest brush of my hand induced a small electric shock type feeling.  Nothing terrible, just a bit like alka selzter bubbles on the skin, if you know what I mean.  That day I got v. dehydrated and only had coffee really, I am sure it made things worse.

 

Since then walking into the cold wind causes this same sensation.   Unfortunately we have had some extreme winds in the southwest of England over Easter so it might have made things worse.  

 

Sorry this is such a long ramble but I am wondering if anyone is on the forum who has had facial tingling and found that just touching the skin could set it off? I realise that I need to see my doctor about this and may a new round of tests (I can hardly wait....) but I would be most interested to know if peripheral neuropathy can be set off by touch.  

 

Thanks!

[cyclinglady]

I know it is not Bells's Palsy (hubby had it last year), but maybe your issues involve the same set of nerves that get pinched or inflamed. Instead of paralysis, maybe yours is presenting differently. No one knows what sets off Bell's but the theory is that it is a virus. Something to research......

[cristiana]

That is so interesting...  thank you Cyclinglady.  My friend's son and a distant aunt had this; I have done some research just now as you suggested and it seems that stress can bring it on, among other things.  Interesting...

 

I have been taking B12 for the last two weeks and PN symptoms in my feet and hands are much better, therefore  I think I am low on B12 too and hopefully this thing in my face might be helped by the B12 too.  I just wish I could remember how long the tingling and buzzing in my face took to clear up before, I had so many things going on with my health at the time I didn't focus on them so much.

[Porcelain-dissonance]

That is so interesting...  thank you Cyclinglady.  My friend's son and a distant aunt had this; I have done some research just now as you suggested and it seems that stress can bring it on, among other things.  Interesting...

 

I have been taking B12 for the last two weeks and PN symptoms in my feet and hands are much better, therefore  I think I am low on B12 too and hopefully this thing in my face might be helped by the B12 too.  I just wish I could remember how long the tingling and buzzing in my face took to clear up before, I had so many things going on with my health at the time I didn't focus on them so much.

 

Have you looked into peripheral neuropathy? It's more common among gluten sensitivity (from what i've read over the past few days but i could be wrong there), but it's still possible to get with Celiac's, as the disorder is an autoimmune, and you risk destroying your nerves. It is possible that perhaps your stress levels are effecting you so much that it's also effecting your nerves, and therefore can cause the twitching in your eye (which i get with stress as well but i never thought it was connected to the gluten), and the tingling, which is a symptom of neuropathy. It's more commonly in the hands and feet, but i suppose it's possible you could get it anywhere?

[cristiana]

Thanks so much Porcelain-dissonance.  I have looked it up and it could be what is happening here, too.  The attached seems to suggest sometimes these things get better with time - which is what appeared to happen when I had my first big experience of it around the time of DX.  In recent months I have taken my eye off the ball really, not compromising on gluten-free but eating foods that may well have been cross-contaminated.  Also dropping the supplements.  And drinking too much coffee!  I read elsewhere that supplements might be for the long haul for some people.  My nutritionalist never understood why I wasn't offered B12 injections at DX but I have just ordered some really good quality B12 sublinguals and I am hoping they will work.

 

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Thanks so much again for your contribution.  If anyone else has anything else to add, I'd be really interested to hear.

[dancingmama]

I know this is an older post but I have experienced this twice. Once maybe 5 years ago and once last Fall. I can't remember what circumstances surrounded the first time I've felt this but Last year when it happened it occurred after and extremely stressful time and was accompanied by anxiety. I also had it in my hands. The sensation was strange, it was almost like my face and hands weren't as sensitive as they used to be, but not exactly numb. Both times it went away after 1-2 weeks. Not long after the second time it occurred I was diagnosed with Grave's disease (hyperthyroidism).  I'm still waiting to see if I do indeed have celiac disease but if I do it certainly would make me feel better about this fluky numbness! I keep getting worried it will come back and is a symptom of something very serious.