Question re: ok guys...I'm losing control

[sagelady1]

What do you think the likelyhood of HIV symptoms turning up 33 years after blood transfusion? That is my only risk factor.

Also what is the likelihood that my pinkie ring finger symptoms and my sciatica issues are actually 2 separate issues. And not tied together meaning some connective tissue or autoimmune disease? (ANA negative, if that means anything in the grand scheme of things). I have been diagnosed with a lumbar herniated disc ( undergoing conservative treatment for that). But no one seems concerned that finger symptoms are tied to this. Just ulnar nerve entrapment, and it will take awhile to heal. Both of these symptoms came on about the same time, in June. After some heavy weight lifting and overzealous exercising.

Could I really have 2 separate issues and not some horrible disease?

Sage

[Kris_99]

If you had HIV for that long, there is no way you would have gone so long without any problems, so you should feel confident.

On top of that, and even more importantly, even the earliest cases of HIV in the western world didn't appear until the 80s. And even then it was just a handful of cases. So the chance of you contracting HIV in the 70s is almost too small to measure 

[sagelady1]

Thanks Kris,

What you said re: HIV is EXCACTLY what me rationale mind was telling me. But the anxious mind kept over riding it. Now maybe I can put THAT fear out of my mind.

Any thought on the relationship of the fingers to the sciatica? I probably never would have linked the 2 together if I wouldn't have googled back in July To late now, I already did. And I did learn a lesson from googling.

I wonder even if I do have some ulnar nerve problems, if it's possible to make those kind of problems worse with anxiety? It's not the kind of numbness and tingling they talk about with anxiety. It's specific, pain, burning and such in the pinkie and ring finger. And the side of that hand. Any ideas on this/

thank you for your kind reply re: HIV.

Sage

[Kris_99]

I'm not sure about the other symptoms. I've got very similar symptoms myself, and I'm just as puzzled/worried.

I had very bad tingling/burning in my hands a month or so ago, saw my doctor and she said it was probably ulnar nerve-related. Then not long after I had numbness in my feet too, on and off. It's eased a bit now (that whole burning/tingling affected me so badly I finally ended up on medication after years of struggling on without any...).

Now I have occassional tingling in my right hand, especially the little finger and the one next to it. And I sometimes have pins and needles in my right foot.

Like you, I don't know whether it's one problem causing it all, or if they're all separate. I've mentioned it to my doctor many times though, and she doesn't seem at all concerned. She says it's all due to my anxiety. I try to find reassurance from that, but it's not always easy.

I've been fearing MS since last winter. It's not a fun way to live, is it!

[skires]

Hi Sage

The HIV one is a non starter like Kris has said.

I read your other post. I thought I'd replied to this ... I must have thought about it then got distracted.

Problem with us hypochondriacs is that one of our popular illnesses is MS. Lots of sort of non specific symptoms ... tinglings/ numbness etc.

The docs will look at this very logically.

For example ... If you banged your finger with a hammer and it was very swollen...

Is the swelling because of ....

a) Some serious illness
or
b) Because you've just hit yourself with a hammer

Sorry if that seems a bit sarcastic.... it's not. I was once hit on the big toe whilst playing cricket. Toe went blue and was very painful. I was taken to A+E ( ER ). X ray on toe showed clear break. Not a lot they could do, just said rest and painkillers. At home my toe was killing me. I actually started thinking ... what if this is nothing to do with accident. What if there was always something seriously wrong with my toe ..... I had to give myself a very sharp " You've just been hit on the toe with a rock hard cricket ball at 80mph you idiot ".

In your case ...

You had a MRI scan and it found a hernaited disc in the small of your back. This will put pressure on yr sciatic nerve and you will get pains / numbness in both / either leg ... in your case it effects your toes. So classic sciatic problems due to herniated disc. So the docs will be thinking .. here is a perfectly reasonable explination for these symptoms. What are the chances on you having that herniated disc but those symptoms are coming from some illness ?

The problem that you have is that I suspect you would be able to accept that if it wasn't for the arm issue as well. You are thinking these HAVE to be related.

Yet you have said that the conditions came on after strenuous exercise with weights. The symptoms in your hand is classic nerve problem again. You probably damaged that nerve or the surrounding tissues to it during your exercise. It will take a long long time to heal.

I had a car accident years ago. I had terrible neck pain and also numbness in my thumb and  1st finger in my left hand. Docs said it was nerve related due to pressure as far up as my neck. They said it could take months to improve. It did improve over many months but it never went back to 100% ( I'm not saying yours won't ).

The main reason I mention this is in relation to one of your other questions. These nerves all travel through muscles. I definitely notice that when I get stressed and my muscles tense up, the symptoms in my fingers are worse. Also remember that when we are anxious all the sensations in our nerves can be exaggerated. So again I would say that being anxious will highlight your symptoms.

Have you done the McKenzie exercises for your lower back . They are excellent for lower disc trouble. Just be careful to only do them to any point of pain.

Good luck

Skires

[sagelady1]

Wow Skires... your more helpful than my shrink And yes you are APSOLUTELY right, I would accept the herniated disc if it wasn't for the hand thing.  I keep thinking if the hand thing would go away, I would be ok with the rest.

My latest disease of the hour/ day is Lupus. I read somewhere you can have multiple nerve impingement's with this. When i googled mononeuritis Multiplex, Lupus came up. I have had a negative ANA, but not sure if thats really enough to exclude it. 97% of Lupus pt's are positive. But I could be that 3% with a negative ANA. Also many years ago I had a LE blood test. What ever that is looking for Lupus, that was negative also.

What do I do know? What if i have the back surgery and that wasn't the problem? All the Dr's are treating the back, and know about the arm, they say just ulnar nerve entrapment, takes a long time to heal.

I really can't continue with this much longer. It is affecting my relationships, my work and my life is consumed with this 24/7. I promise if I can be assured the 2 are separate issues, I will be on the mend.

Sage