Numbness

[Stanya]

Hello MS World,

I have read here for a long time since I was diagnosed with MS in Oct 2010 but have not posted very much.

Over the last week I have noticed a big change in the feeling, sensitivity, and numbness of my right hand and in my right foot and into my leg.

Its hard to brush my teeth without hitting my gums, hold the soap in the shower without dropping it, open the refrigerator, hard to type this, hard to use a fork and knife.

I have been trying to use my left hand for some of these things and switching back and forth to see if it will make a difference, its hard to switch to my left hand when your right handed.

My Gabapentin was increased to 600mg at night recently, a total of 900 mg daily.

Do other people experience numbness and feeling sensitivity like this? What do you do? What have you done?

This feeling is new to me. Any responses would be helpful.

Thank you,

Stanya

[labms]

The major episodes I have hadb have given me numbness and simular sensations to those you mention. I have some in both legs and my hands that has never gone back to the "old normal" so I have adapted to this "new normal". I turn so the water in my shower hits my right side as the left does not feel the temp change. I have to look at my feet when I slip into my slipper so I don't miss. I don't hold a baby unless I'm sitting for fear of dropping. I have to be careful when cooking so I don't get cut or burned or if I do as long as I see it I can take care of it. I hope you get your feeling back but if you don't just try to learn how to be safe and happy with your "new normal". Best of Luck.

[Stanya]

thanks labms this does help. When this started a lot of things became a "new normal" for me too. This last episode flare up?? was the most sudden. I understand about getting burned or cut in the kitchen too and the need to be careful.
I appreciate your response, I am hopeful too about this.

[Thinkimjob]

Yes indeed, that sounds like me. I didn't notice how bad it was at first because your body automatically favors your good side ( if you've still got one.)

Socks, shoes, slippers - nothing slips on anymore, feet have to be levered in.
I started holding my right arm with my left hand when I lifting a glass to my mouth.other people noticed before I did.
I use a fork with my right hand, instead of my left.
No more clothes that need buttons, belts or knots for me.

I can feel hot and cold, so I wouldn't burn myself on, say, an iron, but pick up a hot plate and it really doesn't hurt.

I miss my fingertips. Patting a dog is just not the same.

[JayEm]

I've had numbness in various spots for fifteen years or so. Some of it comes and goes, some of it has been more permanent. Mine isn't total--I can feel pressure, but can't tell the difference between being poked with the sharp side of a pin or the top of it.

The most annoying was my finger tips. I lost most sensation in those about ten years ago. It took a lot of adjusting, but mostly I've learned to do things visually (hard when I'm having a bad vision day) or to adjust so that I can feel things with the parts of my fingers that *do* have sensation.

The one good thing about numb finger tips is that a day or two after doing some hand sewing this winter, I noticed that my skin seemed dry in a weird way--lines across my finger tips. Then I realized, no, that's not dry skin, that's where I apparently jabbed the needle through the top of my skin and didn't notice. At least it didn't hurt, right?

My right hand is a lot worse, but fortunately, I'm left handed. It's still hard, though, because I used to be fairly ambidextrous, and I'd carry things in my right hand. Now, though, I've learned to expect that anything I pick up with my right hand is likely to get dropped. So I pretty much only use cups with handles (so that instead of carrying it with the hand, I put my hand through the handle and trust to gravity).

With toothbrushes, you might try an electric toothbrush. It's got a bigger handle, which might make it easier to hold on to.

It might be a little embarrassing, but if you can get someone to cut your food for you, that is a help. And they sell pre-chopped vegetables and meat at the grocery store, which helps with cooking.

[Tomjadg]

Yes, I am like you and many others here.

My feet and legs are numb. Moreso the left.
My right hand has numbness, which causes me to drink coffee using both hands. My right hand will shake.

I quit using tie shoes. It became too hard. Buttons are a task.

I also drop things more often, and my co-ordination and balance get steadily worse.
I am still working and driving(safely).

Not much else I can do but adjust continually.

[gardeningb]

Yup

One of my longest symptoms is numbness in my right hand. Mostly in the fingertips, but sometimes in the palm. This last flare brought numbness to my left hand as well, though not as bad. As well as my torso, belly, back and sides. It comes and goes. I hope yours goes

[Stanya]

Thank you all so much for your responses.

Jayem we have an electric toothbrush and I did not think about using it to help me, I will try it. Good idea about cups with handles. Thank you.

gardeningb I am glad to hear that this feeling comes and goes for you. This is what my husband also said last night.
Thanks for sharing.

Tomjadg - Both hands on a cup is what I started to do after a small spill of water. Watching my coordination and balance is important for me as well. I guess the best thing is adjusting continually for me too. Thank you.

Thinkimjob - That is a good idea about using my other arm to hold my arm and hand when drinking with a cup, plates too. A double hold grip on things is the best thing for me now. I miss my fingertips too. Thank you.

Its good to hear from you all, that this type of thing happens to many of us. Thank you again.

[CGMoonbeam]

My left hand is less cooperative and I have tingling in both hands. My left cheek and the teeth on my left side and the left half of my tongue are numb. I am also numb from the waist down, but can still walk -- another weird thing that people don't understand about this stupid thing.

[sprint]

numbness

Early on in my MS i felt like someone drew a line down the middle of me and everything on the right was cold,tinglily and in some areas physically twisted. Steroids and CRABs curved some of the symptoms but some remain. Optic neuritis and restless leg is bad right now. Lehermites went away then came back. Im trying to live my life but MS seems to be taking over more and more.

I excercise and stretch to relive symptoms and it helps a little. Listening to music seems to help.

[Stanya]

CGMoonbeam Thanks for your response. My right hand and side is less responsive right now, but with tingling too in both hands and numbness all over legs too. Numbness from the waist down both still walking sounds great. I need support from a cane/walker.

Sprint Thanks for your response. Its good to hear that exercise and stretching seems to help you a little, me too with the stretching, just hard to get up off the floor. I understand about living your life with MS about changes and new things happening.

Thank you both.

[JudySz]

I forgot about the eloectric toothbrush. I use mine all the time. My right side is pretty much numb and I am right handed so it is tough. Today U sliced my finger while opening a package and I did not know it till I saw it bleeding.

My little area that I use on my coffee table has pop spilled, ashes all over cause I drop stuff all the time. I ruined my laptop keyboard cause I spilled coffee on it, so now I use a plug in keyboard. Kind of defeats the purpose of a laptop, but right now I cannot afford a new one.

I have to hold both dog's leashes in my left hand cause if I use my right, I just drop the leashes and the dogs run off dragging them

My gabentin is at 1800 daily, so I guess I just have to get used to this no feeling. It is now going into my legs so we will just see what this crazy disease attacks next.

I like you have started using the other hand, I use jar openers, and anything else I can do to help or not use my hand. Some days, I just use paper plates for lunch and have staqrted to order finger food when I GO OUT. aM BETTER WITH THAT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO USE UTENSILS.

JudySz

[JudySz]

Me again, It is kind of funny when we do go out to dinner cause around my mouth is numb, so my famioly knows to teol me if I have food on my face. At a party a few weeks ago and they were elsewher at the party, when they found me, I guess I had food on my mouth and no one told me. It was my 2 yr old grandson's party, so we just told everyone, we ate the same way and I would not be offended if you told me about food spills. We all had a good laugh about that one

JudySz

[SNOOPY]

me too with the stretching, just hard to get up off the floor.

Stanya, you don't need to get on the floor to do stretching exercises, you can do them from the comfort of your bed Same benefit but without the concern or difficulty of getting off the floor.