I have CKD for the last 11 and half years, a failed transplant about 10 years back, 6 years of PD after that and now on daily nocturnal home hemo.
From about a month, my left foot becomes a little numb. There is a vibratory sensation. This lasts for a few hours or so at a time and happens about 3 or 4 times a day with differing intensities. There is also some numbness in my left hand some times but it is much less compared to the foot.
I met my nephrologist and explained the symptoms. He looked a little worried and mentioned the word ‘stroke’ while explaining what we should rule out. He asked me to get my blood tested for lipids (cholestrol, triglycerides etc.) and to also test my blood’s Homocysteine levels. He asked me to consult with a neurophysician with the results.
I have the results with me and everything is within normal ranges except HDL cholestrol which is a little below normal.
I am seeing a neurophysician on Monday.
Before that, I was wondering if anyone on this list knew anything about this.
[B]On and off yes, it does happen to me here too, but not often. I am not diabetic…perhaps I can say might be restless leg syndrome, due to the fluctuations in the cardio vascular system of long term dialysis. Other things include steal syndrome caused by the maturing fistula. It also has been reported that long term dialysis causes some nerve damage, carpal tunnel sybdrome. Further diagnoses is good idea, that way they can rule out any serious illnesses.
I hope its not something serious you have. Luck![/B]
[quote=kamalshah20;16865]Hi all,
I have CKD for the last 11 and half years, a failed transplant about 10 years back, 6 years of PD after that and now on daily nocturnal home hemo.
From about a month, my left foot becomes a little numb. There is a vibratory sensation. This lasts for a few hours or so at a time and happens about 3 or 4 times a day with differing intensities. There is also some numbness in my left hand some times but it is much less compared to the foot.
I met my nephrologist and explained the symptoms. He looked a little worried and mentioned the word ‘stroke’ while explaining what we should rule out. He asked me to get my blood tested for lipids (cholestrol, triglycerides etc.) and to also test my blood’s Homocysteine levels. He asked me to consult with a neurophysician with the results.
I have the results with me and everything is within normal ranges except HDL cholestrol which is a little below normal.
I am seeing a neurophysician on Monday.
Before that, I was wondering if anyone on this list knew anything about this.
But I don’t think its is any of these. I have had RLS in the past and this is very different. I looked at the links on Steale’s Syndrome and Carpal Tunnel. Both seem to be related to the hand rather than the foot.
But yes, I really hope this is nothing serious. I am only 33 and CKD has effected my liver (indirectly), spleen and heart. I could do with some healthy organs!
Have you had doppler or other circulation studies to see if the blood is flowing as it should through your blood vessels? Have they done nerve conduction studies to test the nerves? I assume they’ve checked your blood for various levels. Have they checked your Vitamin B-12 level?
It says one of the causes is uremia. How is your dialysis adequacy?[/QUOTE]
I think I get very good dialysis. I dialysis atleast 7 hours each night, 6 nights a week.
Numbness in the left foot is my main symptom and it is listed in this site. So, I guess it could be a possibility. My neph had scrawled “TIA?” in his notes. This is again listed in the causes. Transient Ischemic Attack - I’ve read up on this. This usually resolves in a very short period. My symptoms have been around for a month now.
I’m going to visit the neurophysician today. Let’s see what he has to say.
Kamal, to me, the thing that is odd is that your symptoms are just in one foot. IMHO (as a NON-doctor), that argues for a physical rather than physiological cause. In other words, how do you sit? Do you cross one leg over the other? Do both of your shoes fit the same way? It seems as if something is affecting one foot differently from the other. If you can figure out what that might be, you might be able to stop doing it.
I visited the neurophysician today. He is not sure what it could be. He got me to do a CT scan, a carotid doppler and Nerve condition studies. I will be going over with the reports to him tomorrow morning. I have not yet got the reports myself.
Dori, I rarely cross one leg over the other. And my shoes fit the same way. I really can’t imagine what could be causing this. One thing that strikes me is that my fistula is also on my left arm.
I can’t see your fistula affecting your FOOT, Kamal, but I’d forgotten about your hand being involved. That means your problem is more likely to be related to your central nervous system than your peripheral nervous system. So, please ask your doctors to look closely at your spine. Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the canal that your spinal cord runs through) may cause symptoms of this sort on one side of the body.
The nerve conduction studies are important to rule out a demyleninating disorder (a condition where the sheaths that protect the nerves are damaged).
Apparently the thalamus can also cause odd symptoms of this type. I know this has to be really, really scary for you. Getting a diagnosis is key, because that will drive the treatment. Here’s a book chapter I found online that might help you get an overview: http://www.aan.com/familypractice/html/chp3.htm.
[QUOTE=Dori Schatell;16877]I can’t see your fistula affecting your FOOT, Kamal, but I’d forgotten about your hand being involved. That means your problem is more likely to be related to your central nervous system than your peripheral nervous system. So, please ask your doctors to look closely at your spine. Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the canal that your spinal cord runs through) may cause symptoms of this sort on one side of the body.
The nerve conduction studies are important to rule out a demyleninating disorder (a condition where the sheaths that protect the nerves are damaged).
Apparently the thalamus can also cause odd symptoms of this type. I know this has to be really, really scary for you. Getting a diagnosis is key, because that will drive the treatment. Here’s a book chapter I found online that might help you get an overview: http://www.aan.com/familypractice/html/chp3.htm.
You also might ask about mononeuritis. It can affect a single nerve or can come and go in several nerves. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=8419[/QUOTE]
I just got back from the neurophysician. The problem has been diagnosed as Sensori-motor peripheral neuropathy. The Nerve condition studies showed this. You were right Dori.
I have been put on two additional medicines - Rejunex and Glam - the trade names might be different in the US though.
The doctor said neuropathy does occur in people on dialysis for a long time.
Does anyone here have this? What is the prognosis?
[quote=kamalshah20;16880]I just got back from the neurophysician. The problem has been diagnosed as Sensori-motor peripheral neuropathy. The Nerve condition studies showed this. You were right Dori.
I have been put on two additional medicines - Rejunex and Glam - the trade names might be different in the US though.
The doctor said neuropathy does occur in people on dialysis for a long time.
Does anyone here have this? What is the prognosis?
Thanks all.
Kamal[/quote]
[B]
Over 30 years with kidney disease I never had neuropathy, but I hear its more common on people with diabetes. Your not diabetic? Do you exercise often?[/B]
Over 30 years with kidney disease I never had neuropathy, but I hear its more common on people with diabetes. Your not diabetic? Do you exercise often?[/B][/QUOTE]
I am not diabetic. I swim every day. I guess each one of us is different!
Its all research, you never know,it might go away. I am on Daily-Short myself and never tried Nocturnal. What you can do is switch back to Daily-Short temporarily for sometime and see how your numb left foot does…
[quote=kamalshah20;16887]But isn’t nocturnal supposed to give better dialysis than short daily?
I really like nocturnal. I did try short daily for about 20 days about two years back and then switched to nocturnal.
[QUOTE=kamalshah20;16887]But isn’t nocturnal supposed to give better dialysis than short daily? I really like nocturnal. I did try short daily for about 20 days about two years back and then switched to nocturnal.
Why do you think daily short might help?
Kamal[/QUOTE]
There is no physiological reason that I’m aware of that short daily would do better than nocturnal for neuropathy. OTOH, it really is important not to necessarily conclude that because you are on dialysis, every other health issue is related to your kidney failure or treatment for it. It still concerns me that your problem is one-sided. If it were neuropathy from dialysis, wouldn’t you expect it to affect both sides equally?
Actually the nerve conduction studies did show some damage even on the right foot. And when I think about it and carefully ‘feel’ both my feet, the numbness is there in both feet but most definitely it is more in the left foot. That is probably why I thought it was there only on the left foot.