What condition was my condition in?
November 3, 2011 5:31 AM Subscribe
What medical problem did I experience I few years ago? It baffled the doctors at the time - can you diagnose it now?
In 2006, I began to feel a numbness in the area roughly were the liver is - the hollow beneath the ribs, on my RIGHT-HAND SIDE. For the first day or so, I put it down to a long session crouching on the floor playing computer games. But over the next few days the numbness grew worse and spread to my stomach, side and lower abdomen. I was quite a heavy drinker at the time, so I was terrified something was going on with my liver.
I went to the doctor. He declared that I wasn't medically numb, because I could (faintly) feel when he touched me in the affected area. But it definitely felt numb - like an arm slept on. I did some tests - urine, blood - and nothing came up. After a couple of visits to the doctor, he basically said, "I don't know what it is, but it might get better."
About three weeks after the symptoms started, I had a similar weird feeling at the top of my nose, between my eyes. This time, for a day or so, I put it down to wearing sunglasses and possibly squinting on a sunny day. But this numbness spread too, all down the side of my face, the jaw, my lips and tongue - and this time exclusively on the LEFT-HAND SIDE. I couldn't taste food properly, and everything I ate felt as if it had the texture of hummus. Again, I wasn't totally numb, and I could speak normally (apart from being constantly aware that I was numb). It just felt like I'd not long left the dentist.
Back to the doctor, who referred me to a neurologist. The appointment took ages to come through (and shamefully I slept it and missed it), and by that time, about ten weeks after the whole thing had started, my numb right-hand side began to get better. After a few days it felt fine again. Then, again about three weeks later, my face recovered too. Apart from an occasional mild twinge, the whole problem disappeared.
Short version: numbness in RIGHT SIDE of body, followed three weeks later by numbness in LEFT SIDE of face. Each lasted for about ten weeks.
I know it wasn't Bell's palsy or anything like that, because I was numb on both my face and the side of my body, on opposite sides. But what could it have been? If I haven't experienced it since, should I still be concerned?
PS: I am male, if that makes any difference.
In 2006, I began to feel a numbness in the area roughly were the liver is - the hollow beneath the ribs, on my RIGHT-HAND SIDE. For the first day or so, I put it down to a long session crouching on the floor playing computer games. But over the next few days the numbness grew worse and spread to my stomach, side and lower abdomen. I was quite a heavy drinker at the time, so I was terrified something was going on with my liver.
I went to the doctor. He declared that I wasn't medically numb, because I could (faintly) feel when he touched me in the affected area. But it definitely felt numb - like an arm slept on. I did some tests - urine, blood - and nothing came up. After a couple of visits to the doctor, he basically said, "I don't know what it is, but it might get better."
About three weeks after the symptoms started, I had a similar weird feeling at the top of my nose, between my eyes. This time, for a day or so, I put it down to wearing sunglasses and possibly squinting on a sunny day. But this numbness spread too, all down the side of my face, the jaw, my lips and tongue - and this time exclusively on the LEFT-HAND SIDE. I couldn't taste food properly, and everything I ate felt as if it had the texture of hummus. Again, I wasn't totally numb, and I could speak normally (apart from being constantly aware that I was numb). It just felt like I'd not long left the dentist.
Back to the doctor, who referred me to a neurologist. The appointment took ages to come through (and shamefully I slept it and missed it), and by that time, about ten weeks after the whole thing had started, my numb right-hand side began to get better. After a few days it felt fine again. Then, again about three weeks later, my face recovered too. Apart from an occasional mild twinge, the whole problem disappeared.
Short version: numbness in RIGHT SIDE of body, followed three weeks later by numbness in LEFT SIDE of face. Each lasted for about ten weeks.
I know it wasn't Bell's palsy or anything like that, because I was numb on both my face and the side of my body, on opposite sides. But what could it have been? If I haven't experienced it since, should I still be concerned?
PS: I am male, if that makes any difference.
Response by poster: This was five years ago. I am OK now. I just wondered what might have been going on.
posted by cincinnatus c at 5:58 AM on November 3, 2011
posted by cincinnatus c at 5:58 AM on November 3, 2011
If it's gone, I think you should let it go. You've written it down and can explain it at length to a doctor if it comes back. You're currently asking an online community to diagnose something you experienced 5 years ago that a professional doctor, who knows you, and saw you in person, could not even diagnose when you were presenting symptoms. I don't think you'll find answers here. If I were you I would write down EVERYthing you can remember about the symptoms when you had them and file them away. Next time you are at the doctor, or if it starts to happen again, bring it up!
posted by pazazygeek at 6:05 AM on November 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by pazazygeek at 6:05 AM on November 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: A lot of things might have been going on, including a swelling or a growth pressing on nerve cells in your brain or neck. You'd have to go to a neurologist to find out.
posted by empath at 6:05 AM on November 3, 2011
posted by empath at 6:05 AM on November 3, 2011
Best answer: You had no externally verifiable symptoms and a story relating it to a perceived unhealthy habit (drinking). Could have been a conversion disorder.
posted by phrontist at 6:21 AM on November 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by phrontist at 6:21 AM on November 3, 2011 [2 favorites]
I (used to have) occasional numbness and tingling in parts of my body. I have a neurological thing. Now the symptoms are mostly controlled with drugs, but occasionally my face, fingers, and toes go tingly anyway. My toes are going right now, in fact. What I have (Chiari Malformation) isn't life threatening, but it is quality-of-life threatening; the sooner you get your symptoms under control, the better you are long-term.
So. I don't think you should be overly concerned or all omg brain tumors, but I do think you should go re-up that appointment with the neurologist sooner rather than later. Good luck.
posted by phunniemee at 7:19 AM on November 3, 2011
So. I don't think you should be overly concerned or all omg brain tumors, but I do think you should go re-up that appointment with the neurologist sooner rather than later. Good luck.
posted by phunniemee at 7:19 AM on November 3, 2011
Response by poster: You're currently asking an online community to diagnose something you experienced 5 years ago that a professional doctor, who knows you, and saw you in person, could not even diagnose when you were presenting symptoms.
I'm not really "not letting go" or worried, or asking for a proper medical diagnosis, or anything, to be clear.
Probably my question is misleading. Here it is reworded:
This morning, I suddenly remembered this condition I had a long time ago. I thought, "Yeah, that was a funny one - wonder what that was all about. Pity I slept in and missed that appointment. Guess I'll never know what it was - OR WILL I?' Cue AskMetafilter question...
The motivation for the question is light-hearted curiosity rather than concern for my health at this moment. I am pretty sure it was not conversion disorder (though I would think that, wouldn't I?) but that is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for.
posted by cincinnatus c at 7:19 AM on November 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
I'm not really "not letting go" or worried, or asking for a proper medical diagnosis, or anything, to be clear.
Probably my question is misleading. Here it is reworded:
This morning, I suddenly remembered this condition I had a long time ago. I thought, "Yeah, that was a funny one - wonder what that was all about. Pity I slept in and missed that appointment. Guess I'll never know what it was - OR WILL I?' Cue AskMetafilter question...
The motivation for the question is light-hearted curiosity rather than concern for my health at this moment. I am pretty sure it was not conversion disorder (though I would think that, wouldn't I?) but that is exactly the kind of answer I was looking for.
posted by cincinnatus c at 7:19 AM on November 3, 2011 [3 favorites]
Have a look into myofascial trigger points asnd how they cause pain and symptoms.
posted by Not Supplied at 8:52 AM on November 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Not Supplied at 8:52 AM on November 3, 2011 [1 favorite]
The face thing sounds like Bells Palsy. My ex-husband got that and he was a heavy drinker too. Not saying that drinking is the cause! And basically, it's one of those things that you just wait for it to go away. Not sure about the abdomen numbness though... but my ex also ended up having his appendix removed after a heavy drinking session, so maybe there is some connection to the drinking. Hard to say now that it's all better!
posted by Eicats at 9:57 AM on November 3, 2011
posted by Eicats at 9:57 AM on November 3, 2011
A friend had periodic episodes of numbness like this that were a precursor (by several years) to her being diagnosed with MS.
posted by anastasiav at 10:09 AM on November 3, 2011
posted by anastasiav at 10:09 AM on November 3, 2011
I'm a nondrinker and have had a few episodes of facial numbness on one side over the last decade. After having lots of neurological workups, MRIs, etc., I've been diagnosed with "migraines with accompanying paresthesia" ie, migraines with unexplained yet harmless numbness. The big things the doctors ruled out were: brain tumor, MS, Lyme disease, and shingles; maybe you had one of those brewing. Or maybe you're harmlessly paresthesiac like me.
posted by apparently at 10:55 AM on November 3, 2011
posted by apparently at 10:55 AM on November 3, 2011
Best answer: If you're describing this to a doctor, at some point, what you had really wasn't numbness. In our language, it's, as apparently pointed out, 'paresthesia'.
Numbness: Not being able to feel something touching you at all.
Paresthesias: Pins and needles sensation that many people refer to as 'numbness'.
It's not like a Bells palsy, because a palsy means that you had actual weakness on that side of your face, not just numbness/paresthesias.
I think if you're curious about this and have insurance, it's worth getting that follow up appointment despite the years that have passed by. Yeah, my first thought was 'it's just crazy numbness and tingling stuff/somatization stuff', but I think putting myself in your own shoes I wouldn't really want to accept that as an explanation. You could wait to see if it happens again, but the problem is that appointments with neurologists, as you've experienced, are hard to come by on short notice.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 1:41 PM on November 3, 2011
Numbness: Not being able to feel something touching you at all.
Paresthesias: Pins and needles sensation that many people refer to as 'numbness'.
It's not like a Bells palsy, because a palsy means that you had actual weakness on that side of your face, not just numbness/paresthesias.
I think if you're curious about this and have insurance, it's worth getting that follow up appointment despite the years that have passed by. Yeah, my first thought was 'it's just crazy numbness and tingling stuff/somatization stuff', but I think putting myself in your own shoes I wouldn't really want to accept that as an explanation. You could wait to see if it happens again, but the problem is that appointments with neurologists, as you've experienced, are hard to come by on short notice.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 1:41 PM on November 3, 2011
Best answer: a possibility: heavy drinking can cause nutritional deficiencies, and nutritional deficiencies can cause neurological weirdness. Maybe you were deficient in something at the time, but the deficiency has since been corrected.
posted by Corvid at 3:11 PM on November 3, 2011
posted by Corvid at 3:11 PM on November 3, 2011
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posted by The White Hat at 5:45 AM on November 3, 2011