Hi, Probably should post elsewhere but new to site and on a small screen. Not yet diagnosed with MS but suspected. Anyhow, my leg is numb, can I just relax and go with it? It’s not going to die and drop off is it, it’s still circulating. Should I walk around or just relax and go to sleep? Thanks J
This happens to me everytime I walk or when I lay on left side…been the same for 20 yrs or so and it hasn,t dropped off yet !
Seriously I do understand you feel worried, just make a note of it so you know when it started to tell your GP and then relax hon.
Ell
Thanks. I’ve had the results from my blood test (reception from surgery phoned) and they said iron deficiency and to buy over the counter iron supplements. When I asked what was low, she said Ferritin was 13. That doesn’t sound like that would cause my symptoms, websites say B12 would but she said everything looked okay? Does anyone have this or had this. I’m not even sure my symptoms are inline with MS but then I know very little. Most of my body has a weird numbing feeling on the skin surface but I can feel. My leg is not too bad today but goes numb from knee down, like I said, and I get tingling and occasional numbness in arms, mainly left side affected. Headaches, but intermittent and feel more like weird surrounding pressure that’s hard to describe. Odd urge incontinence but very little. Oh and tinnitus but normal hearing - I’m 37 not that it makes much difference 
When I saw the GP last week he’d tested my fingers and said I had fine sensation problems and possible MS. Kind of stuck on what to think and what I should be doing. Thanks
Hi J,
It may be a mild relapse, or the start of a larger one, but no, it isn’t going to die and drop off!
As Ell says, do remember to tell GP or neuro, as it could have a bearing on both diagnosis, and what treatment may be available to you.
But (assuming the problem is MS) the leg itself is fine. The numbness occurs when sensory signals from it just can’t get through to the brain properly.
It’s one of the confusing things about MS that the bit that hurts or feels odd isn’t usually where the damage is. The damage is in the brain or spinal cord, and interfering with communications.
Tina
P.S. I forgot to answer the last bit - there are really no hard and fast rules what you should do. Most people prefer to rest during a relapse, but if you feel OK to carry on with things, it’s completely your choice. Your body will soon tell you if you’re doing something that isn’t helping - whether it’s being too active, or lying in bed for too long.
Tina
Mine are still numb from my relapse im getting over i take gabapentin and im now ignoring it and getting on with things my left side is numb my ms nurse said its a lesion in right side of brain x
ferritin is measured in nanograms per millilitre, 13 is at the low end of normal (12-150 is normal for a female, 12-300 for a male), if your doctor has advised that you start taking iron suppliments then you should. If you do that then you are at least rulling out low iron causing any of your symptoms. I have the opposite problem, high iron levels.
Oh yes, have started on the supplements, no question of that. Suppose I’m a bit concerned that the symptoms are quite extreme compared to what they say on the NHS website. By the afternoon the tingling is worse and the numbing starting to kick back in. Thanks all for your help
I had the same symptoms J in two of my relapses, pins&needles and numbness in legs, hands, tummy. It was weird, even though it felt numb in my head everything still worked. I could walk even though my feet felt like sponges. I felt kind of bouncy. I only stopped when it moved to my ribs, then it was best not to move at all.
wilf
you just remimded me of when i felt bouncy.
it was quite a nice symptom if it hadnt been scary as i’d just been diagnosed with “a chronic, degenerative neurological condition”.
dont know who explained ms like that to me but i’ve obviously remembered it for over 6 years.
at the time i almost said that i didnt lkike the words being used but i didnt.
carole x
I am surprised they are not giving you a few ferritin infusions to kick start you back into a more normal range. That is what happened with me but then I guess it is another “postcode lottery” issue.
Ell
Well, if I wasn’t confused, I am now. I spoke to GP over the phone - he said one iron tablet a day should be fine. Bloods were normal. I asked re his comment on MS and he said I might need to see a neurologist. I asked if he was going to arrange that and he said we’d discuss it when I see him again next week as we need a follow up appointment. I mentioned my leg going numb and he said maybe it was a trapped Berne as I am quite slim. huh? Do you ever wonder if you’re actually dreaming rather than living the things that happen!
*nerve not Berne
Hi, Many, many years ago before I was Dx my left leg went completely numb. I was admitted to hospital, 7 weeks I was there. They put me on traction, had an epidural all to no avail. I came out worse than when I went in but, am pleased to say my leg never dropped off. The hospital had no idea what so ever what was wrong with me. It was about 30 years later did I realise that it was ms. Now my right leg is numb and that hasn’t dropped of. So stop worrying. Things have improved since it happened to me and a neuro will find out what is wrong. Nearly forgot welcome to the forum and here’s some ((((HUGS))))) Janet x
Sorry for many questions. I’m just trying to make sense of things. How does the numbing and tingling affect different people? Do you get it in waves depending on the position you are in and can the numbness last a couple of hours then go? Do you get sensitive nerve pain in the arm to hand like the pain of sciatica? Can the whole body have a weird touch sensation as if slightly surface numb? and do you get a weird hard pressure on the base of the head/neck? sorry to be a pain. thanks in advance J
Thanks Janet (and others)