No longer able to walk.

I've been having some issues with tingling/numbness in my legs for about two and a half weeks now. I was really concerned about it, so I went to see my surgeon on December 8th. At the time, I was also having some vision problems and the nutritionist that I saw there said that everything that was going on was lack of nutrition and that I needed to start eating more. I was also having problems eating because I got sick and started dry heaving after putting anything in my mouth.

Anyway, I started eating and I pushed through it all and my vision improved, but my legs just continued to get progressively get worse. It started in my lower legs and worked it's way up. Over the course of those two weeks, it worked it's way up to my abdomen and made it extremely difficult to walk. I had fallen several times and I could not walk if I didn't have something to hold on to.

So my mom took me to the doctor several days ago and my doctor feared it could be Guillain Barre syndrome, which affects 1 in 100,000 people and can be very serious. I was scared to death when my doctor told me about it. She tried to get me in with a neurologist, but all of them were closed for the holidays. She then recommended that I go to the ER and a neurologist would be on call there. My mom and I were extremely worried at that point, so we went straight to the ER.

A million tests and three days later, the neurologist thinks I have a vitamin E deficiency. I also have a small cyst on my brain and a herniated disk. After reviewing my MRIs, they don't think either of those have anything to do with my condition. So now they have me taking vitamin E, thiamin, and some other vitamins that will hopefully clear this up.

I really don't know when I'm going to recover, or if that's even possible. Has anyone ever gone through anything like this or heard of anyone going through this? I really hate not being able to walk and I just want some kind of idea of when I'll be better. :[

Ashley, I hope your are improving. I'm sorry I can't give you any information. Did they check your B12? You are in my prayers. Sending you hugs and strength.

Did they do labs?  Did they test your vitamin E?  They should not "think" you have a vitamin E deficiency, they should do a blood test and know if you do or not.

Did they test your B12?  Was it above 400?  If not, that could be the cause of your problems.

It sounds really scary and I hope you do recover soon.  What do they think is the cause of your problems, if it's not the things you mentioned here?  I'm really sorry you're going through all this.  Do you have lots of help at home?

From your post, it does not sound like your surgeon did any labs when you went to see him December 8th, which horrifies me!! Any bariatric professional with half a brain should have known to do that with the symptoms you had. I agree with the others- check your B12, too. 

You're in my prayers.

Laura

 Hoping you get to the bottom of this soon... unfortuanately this surgeon in Ga is known to have problems with lawsuits and lack of care.....Sad folks like this are still able to practice


I would get second and third opinions....

CC

They've checked my B12 and it's fine. I take a B12 shot once every two weeks. I had so many blood tests done it's not even funny. I had blood drawn seven times. They did say that my Vitamin E is low, and one of the neurologists that I saw is pretty sure that it is a Vitamin E deficiency, but he also thought that my Copper was going to be low based on something else in my blood, but my Copper turned out to be high. I'm not sure if that would change his diagnosis or not?

They did do labs the last time I had an appointment with them. When I went December 8th, it was my mom that actually had the appointment. She just brought me along because she was concerned about me and wanted me to see the nutritionist.

I spent three days in the hospital and received very little help and not many answers. It was a horrible experience. There weren't many doctors there and they were very understaffed due to the holidays. All they were really doing for me there was giving me saline in my IV to keep me hydrated and giving me vitamins, so we really pushed them to let me go home, since I get get the same care and be more comfortable in my own bed.

Thank God for my wonderful mother. I'm staying with her and she is taking care of me until I recover. It's just so hard for me right now. I'm only 20 years and I can't get out of bed or go to the bathroom or even put clothes on without help. :/ They gave me a walker, so I can halfway get around, but it's extremely difficult.

By the way, I actually had my surgery with Titus Duncan. It was supposed to be Hobson, I just couldn't figure out how to change it. :P

Thank you guys for all your prayers and your thoughts. I really appreciate it. If I don't improve at all in a couple of days, we're going to go up to Emory in Atlanta. I just really wanted to spend Christmas with my family. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and thanks again for your advice.

I can't offer any insight, but I just wanted to say I hope you're feeling better soon!  That must be very scary.  Wishing you a full recovery and a Happy Holidays!

I was thinking the same thing as Sununny.  Have you had your B-12 looked at?

 Yeah, my B12 is fine. I get a B12 injection every two weeks, so those levels are fine.

Wishing you a speedy recovery! Im so glad you have a wonderful Mom to care for you.