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My Legs Are Going Numb

NatZag

By NatZag
in Related Issues & Disorders

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NatZag Rookie
NatZag
Posted

I am curious about nerve damage and its commonality with celiacs. Lately i have been losing feeling in my right leg. Not enough to cause me major discomfort but scary to have happen. Do any of you have nerve damage? I'm going back to the doctors this month so I'm going to have him take a look at it for me. Could it be from low iron levels? My hands and feet also get extremely cold all the time to the point where I don't even notice it until someone asks me if i need socks or a blanket. Should I have my doctor check my iron and vitamin d levels before I go right into taking supplements myself?

I also believe i have dermatitis herpetiformis. i have read a lot about it and it says it should go away with a gluten free diet. however, mine are spreading to my other leg and getting worse instead of better. I don't know what to do. being so young (almost 19) and so new to all of this I'm confident in saying that it is causing me to become slightly depressed. there seems to be nothing i can do about my dh other than deal with it. they itch all the time and i end up scratching them in my sleep.

any advice is welcome.

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rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling so bad right now. Regarding your neuropathy, yes, it can be caused by iron anemia....or even possibly low B Vitamins, especially B12. If you are, in fact, low in any of these nutrients, it could be that you're unable to absorb them right now. Therefore, I would recommend that you see your doctor first, and your doctor should definitely test you for celiac as as well as nutritional deficiencies. If he determines that you're having a malabsorption problem and you indeed have low ferritin levels, you might request receiving iron infusions (intravenous iron). Also, if your B12 is low, you might request B12 injections or take sublingual B12.

Regarding your rash, if it IS Dermatitis Herpetiformis, then you definitely have celiac. And if that's the case, you need to avoid iodine in addition to gluten. If you don't give up the iodine, you're going to have difficulty getting rid of the rash. Iodine is found in iodized salt (so avoid salt-laden foods at restaurants and buy non-iodized salt for home use), seafood, some dairy products, and asparagus. Also, if you doctor refuses to give you a celiac test or if you test negative (which is common), you can go to a dermatologist to request a skin biopsy of the rash. Be sure that the dermatologist biopsies the clear skin ADJACENT to a lesion and NOT THE LESION ITSELF; otherwise, the biopsy will result in a false negative.

I hope you get some answers soon--good luck!

Marilyn R Community Regular
Marilyn R
Posted

Be prepared that your doctor may not want to order the blood test. I urge you to go in prepared to argue, even demand the test.

Most GP's don't order it until a patient has constant diarreah. That is old school. I have permanent nerve and muscle damage from gluten, and those symptoms presented way before any gastro issues started.

Good luck to you, wish you the best.

NatZag Rookie
NatZag
Posted
  • Author

Ive already been diagnosed with celiacs. I had an upper endoscopy but it showed that i didn't have celiacs. however. my doctor believes that we caught it so soon that it didn't have time to destroy my villi. i have been taking b12 supplements. i didn't know about the iodine though. I will have to look into that. I'm pretty positive that I'm going to need to get my iron and vitamin d levels checked because like i said i don't even feel how cold i get anymore. is there any way to reverse the nerve damage or prevent it from becoming more of a problem? I've heard that building muscle can help reduce it but like i said i still need to talk to my doctor.

twe0708 Community Regular
twe0708
Posted

Ive already been diagnosed with celiacs. I had an upper endoscopy but it showed that i didn't have celiacs. however. my doctor believes that we caught it so soon that it didn't have time to destroy my villi. i have been taking b12 supplements. i didn't know about the iodine though. I will have to look into that. I'm pretty positive that I'm going to need to get my iron and vitamin d levels checked because like i said i don't even feel how cold i get anymore. is there any way to reverse the nerve damage or prevent it from becoming more of a problem? I've heard that building muscle can help reduce it but like i said i still need to talk to my doctor.

Did you have more testing on this? I am currently experiencing a burning pain in my calf area which looks like its linked to Peripheral Neuropathy. I found the article on this site.

AVR1962 Collaborator
AVR1962
Posted

Don't let this go. Assuming you have not had a recent back injury that could be causing your issues, it does sound to me like you may have nerve neuropathy issues, more than likely due to a lack of absortion. Makes sure you ask for your lab results if doc says your vit levels are good. I would be concerned about the B12 especially. I had terrible burning pain in my feet, stabbing pains in between fingers and toes. I found a wonderful B complex used my patients with MS and diabetes and it helped me ALOT. If interested, it is called WSN Nerve Support Formula which is sold thru Amazon. Take note of your iron and D levels as well, very important that your body receives the proper nutrients in order for it to function.

NatZag Rookie
NatZag
Posted
  • Author

Did you have more testing on this? I am currently experiencing a burning pain in my calf area which looks like its linked to Peripheral Neuropathy. I found the article on this site.

i have not had any testing on this yet. my next appointment is dec 22. my pains don't burn however. they aren't even really pains at all. i just have no feeling in certain parts of my legs and they "fall asleep" very easily lately.

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NatZag Rookie
NatZag
Posted
  • Author

Don't let this go. Assuming you have not had a recent back injury that could be causing your issues, it does sound to me like you may have nerve neuropathy issues, more than likely due to a lack of absortion. Makes sure you ask for your lab results if doc says your vit levels are good. I would be concerned about the B12 especially. I had terrible burning pain in my feet, stabbing pains in between fingers and toes. I found a wonderful B complex used my patients with MS and diabetes and it helped me ALOT. If interested, it is called WSN Nerve Support Formula which is sold thru Amazon. Take note of your iron and D levels as well, very important that your body receives the proper nutrients in order for it to function.

i haven't had a back "injury" but i have been having sharp pains in my lower right back and it travels all the way to right above my right hip. they come and go but they feel like someone is stabbing me repeatedly. i have no pains other than that. my legs just don't have feeling. i have tried to do some research on it but it all leads me back to diabetes. my upper endoscopy revealed that none of my villi have been damaged. could it still be possible that i have a problem absorbing nutrients?

rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

The limb numbness you're referring to has a name: paresthesia. It's sometimes caused by a deficiency in phosphorus. It sounds to me that you're having an overall malabsorption problem.

AVR1962 Collaborator
AVR1962
Posted

The pain that you are referring to in your back sounds like it could be the sciatic nerve. Have you spoke to a doc about this? The sciatic nerve can make your legs and feet go numb, you can have numbing in your bladder/bowel area. If you find yourself losing feeling in the bladder area though you really need to be seen by a doc. I'll have nerve pain all the way down my left leg, more felt in the bend of the leg, into the foot, making it hard to sleep, sit, stand. Read about it and if you don't think that fits the bill.

NatZag Rookie
NatZag
Posted
  • Author

i havent talked to my doctor about any of this yet. he is unavailable until december 22 which is my appointment. i have just been researching (or trying to at least) everything and anything that I can. it seems that every day i learn something new about my health.

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