help with medical issue - lightheaded, left hand and face numb

Posted by undiagnosed123 @undiagnosed123, Jan 17, 2012

Thank you in advance for reading about my medical issue and hopefully replying back.

The following is the background on my health problems:

At the end of December 2006 I would feel light headed every time I was physically active, the light headed feeling would last 2-3 hours and then the symptoms would go away. Nothing had significantly changed at that time in my life and I had been consistently going to the gym 4-5 times a week. The best way I can describe how I feel is the morning after someone has been out too long during a night and had little to no sleep (a bad analogy but the best I can do). Not dizzy but light headed. This problem has continued and now occurs for no correlated reason (I keep a journal with every time I get light headed). I become extremely light headed sometimes during the day without physical activity and the symptoms can last a couple of hours. The symptoms still intensify with working out at the gym (which I have stopped) or with any physical activities.

There are some days in which I am so light headed that I cannot even drive a car. The only thing I can do when I have a bad episode is lay on the couch until it goes away. This problem has turned my life upside down over the past 4 and half years. I am a 37 year old male.

When this first occurred my doctor had no clue what was happening and tried prescribing a couple of different medications for my problem. I was prescribed lexapro, fludrocortisone, anti-dizzy pills, beta-blockers and sent to several specialists. Nothing has had any positive effect on me so far. So far I have done so many blood tests that I can’t even count them, seen a cardiologist, a hematologist, a neurologist, a urologist and many other specialists. I have done intensive tests and have copies of all the tests that I have taken. I have even seen several psychologist/psychiatrists and every single one says it is real and not in my head.

At this point I am lightheaded every day. For the past 6 months my left hand has been tingling/numb and my face cheeks are numb as well.

If this issue sounds familiar or you have a suggestion, please reply to me. Any help or direction is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

RA

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Have you had a CT scan? It sounds like that could be something serious. I once several years back experienced a similar lightheadedness. One day as I was going through what I thought was merely a routine dizzy spell, I had a seizure. I'd definitely have a brain imaging scan done and allow the neurologist to determine the cause.

For the record, I am not a doctor and my opinions do not constitute medical advice.

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I have the sane symptoms... See an endocrinologist and give then your symptoms. Have them check pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid... Also could be deficiency in something like B 12 or D. Always get copies of your labs so you can view them. Doctors I have noticed can overlook things. Good luck.

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Hello -
If you are interested in getting a consultation by a Mayo Clinic physician in MN, FL or AZ please click on the "request an appointment" link on the upper right hand corner of your screen.

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I wish I had the answer, unfortunately all I can give is empathy. I have the exact same symptoms, including numb hands and face cheeks (both mostly on the left side). It's to the point where I notice when I'm NOT dizzy. I'm lightheaded probably 90% of the time. I am so frustrated with doctors telling me, "All your tests are normal." Sometimes I feel I'm not being taken seriously.

I also have an additional symptom which I hope you are spared. For the past week I've had 24/7 ringing in my ears. I'm just about out of my mind. I'm female, 51. Just curious, what do you do for a living? I'm a teacher.

I have yet another visit to my PCP on Wednesday about the ringing. I'm sure he won't have a clue, but I'm getting increasingly desperate. I truly wish you relief, and will certainly let you know if I learn anything beneficial.

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@petere

Have you had a CT scan? It sounds like that could be something serious. I once several years back experienced a similar lightheadedness. One day as I was going through what I thought was merely a routine dizzy spell, I had a seizure. I'd definitely have a brain imaging scan done and allow the neurologist to determine the cause.

For the record, I am not a doctor and my opinions do not constitute medical advice.

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I am NOT a doctor; I can only empathize. I am lightheaded when I am upright, standing or sitting. It goes away when I lie down or swim in a horizontal position. It feels as if I am drunk.

I was diagnosed, by a neurologist, with Parkinson's; a movement specialist is in the process of diagnosing PSA, a Parkinsonism. I have had a CAT-scan, a DAT scan (which confirmed a lack of dopamine in the "sustancia nigra" of the brain), I will have some other test tomorrow: autonomic system test. I belong to a Parkinson's Support Groupl Afterwards I see the movement specialist; if there is no relief then, I will see a group of doctors, neurologists, specialists in movement disorders, in Dallas or Houston; then if I am not satisfied, I'll go to Mayo in Rochester, Minn. More later.

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@dizzy

I wish I had the answer, unfortunately all I can give is empathy. I have the exact same symptoms, including numb hands and face cheeks (both mostly on the left side). It's to the point where I notice when I'm NOT dizzy. I'm lightheaded probably 90% of the time. I am so frustrated with doctors telling me, "All your tests are normal." Sometimes I feel I'm not being taken seriously.

I also have an additional symptom which I hope you are spared. For the past week I've had 24/7 ringing in my ears. I'm just about out of my mind. I'm female, 51. Just curious, what do you do for a living? I'm a teacher.

I have yet another visit to my PCP on Wednesday about the ringing. I'm sure he won't have a clue, but I'm getting increasingly desperate. I truly wish you relief, and will certainly let you know if I learn anything beneficial.

Jump to this post

I have the same problem the ringing in the ears is the worst.
I’m on antidepressants and they don’t help the ringing. One of side effects however I’ve had it before the Wellbutrin.
The numbness or pins in needles in chain or face symptom scares me don’t Google it, it’s bad prognosis. It’s a rabbit hole to go down.
I have had a full work up the only substantial finding Vitamin D was low. I no longer know what to do.
Pray that’s all I have left.

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I have had lightheadedness (feeling like fainting) for over a year now. I have seen cardiology, nephrology, urology, neurology, vestibular specialist, hematologist, opthamology and internal medicine. Also did PT for 12 weeks until it seemed to not help anymore. Everyone states they can't find anything to cause the lightheadedness. I have spells where it gets very bad and I have to stop whatever I am doing for 10 - 15 seconds until it subsides. It never goes away completely as I always feel like I am walking around in a cloud. I can exercise, hike and play pickleball but all are challenging at times. This feeling has become the norm. All these physicians make you feel paranoid but they will never convince me that this is not real. I was even told it is part of the aging process. I am 72 and would fell great if this was gone. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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For ringing in the ear, I used Lipoflavanoid, an OTC pill. It took about a month to work, but it helped a lot. It's a big pill to swallow. Good luck, everyone!

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Check with a Neurologist. Numbness could be a sign of neuropathy.
Pat

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