Re: spine attacks
Barbara Meese (brmeese(AT)ma.ultranet.com)
Sat, 21 Dec 1996 08:49:48 -0800
Karen, just read with interest your description of spine attacks.
I am a 45 year old female who experience a gradual numbness in my right leg
starting in Feb 96. Over a few month period I lost all feeling from my
waist down on my right side. In May,
I started having similar experiences to your spine attacks only it was my
legs that were affected. As with you there was no common occurence except
that it seemed to happen after I had been sitting, particularly driving and
would get out of the car. When I started walking this sensation would
start spreading through my legs. They would get very weak and I would have
to hopefully find a place to sit. I took to grabbing shopping carts if I
was in a store so I would always have a source of support. I had about 10
of these occurences over a 3 month period. AFter the first 3 or 4 I could
tell when it was going to happen and if I would stop or sit they wouldn't
be as bad. I agree that they may have part of the healing process because
when they subsided I gradually have been getting better.
I also discovered I had a B12 defienciency in October and since taking B12
have noticed a significant improvement. Have also been going to
acupuncture which I believe restored the really "dead" part of my leg. I
only have a slight numbness in my toes and fingers now and most of my
energy is back. I know my case was a very mild case and it has taken
almost 10 months to feel
close to normal, so I think time is really the key.
I had two MRI's done, one in June and one in July. The second was done
with a higher resoulution machine because the lesion wasn't spotted in the
first. I would definitelly get a second opinion before having a biopsy!
Barb