Sometimes my legs won't work. Is this something to worry about?

[Rooners]

It's like in a nightmare where you are trying to run, but you can't make your legs do it.

But in real life. It's been happening on and off for the last maybe a year.

I'll be walking with the children or on my own, and I realise that I am having to concentrate really, really hard to make my legs work - and hold on to something like a railing, if it is there, to pull myself along.

I mean I can still walk, but I get much slower and it feels like I could just stop and not be able to do anything about it.

It's quite frightening. I had a dream last night about the same thing and suddenly realised it might actually be worth mentioning to the Dr, but I hate going unless it is really important so thought I would ask on here.

Has anyone got a clue what I'm talking about?

Thankyou for reading

Rooners, you really do need to see your GP about this. I'd ring today and make an urgent appointment - the appointment doesn't need to be today but does need to be soon, ie Monday/Tuesday.

Hope you get some answers soon and in the meantime DO NOT GOOGLE! No one can tell you what this might/might not be without proper examination and investigation.

Yes see a doctor.

I have experienced similar. After a very long time and many tests I was diagnosed with low B 12. It causes low oxygen around the body.

Thankyou both

I wondered about some kind of deficiency - I had a baby nearly a year ago and had an epidural (could that have affected the nerves or something? It never happened before then) but also I had low iron, so maybe it will be something to do with that.

I think I will try taking some of my iron again and see if that stops it happening. It is by no means constant - just occasional at the moment.

I realise it could point towards a neurlogical problem - I'm not scared about that but would want to know what was going on. It sounds from what I have read that it is common to take a long time to diagnose anything like this.

Please go to the doctor. This is not common or normal. Taking iron won't help if you have a vitamin b12 deficiency.

It may be related to the epidural but it needs checking out. OK?

Isn't a B12 deficiency something more sort of genetically determined?forgive my asking...I'm not a vegan or anything. Is that quite common then?

I don't mean to be weird but what would the Dr actually do - I don't think I could demonstrate it in action iyswim. I hate going when I have nothing to show.

I think an iron deficiency could maybe cause these symptoms. Iron carries oxygen in the blood. However I am not a doctor but if I had these symptoms I would definitely see one.

Why not start keeping a log / diary do you can be really specific about where when and what?

Please go to a doctor. Delaying it won't help, neither will self diagnosis.

Yes - good idea. I can't believe it has not occurred to me to mention it to anyone before. Every time I have been so afraid that someone would notice - it was all about getting home iyswim.

It's really strange.

I will start writing it down when it happens and see how frequent it is. Then at least I will be able to give them a rough idea when I go.

Thanks everyone.

Happened to me but my legs completely stopped working when I woke up. It was so scary. Turns out I was hyperthyroid. Went on to mess then all was fine. Definitely go to docs.

the doctor can certainly test to see if your iron or other things are deficient.

i had a friend who started feeling her legs go and it turned out to be early symptoms of ms but she was literally collapsing as in they really didn't work. it is extremely doubtful it's something as serious as this in your case but you can see why these kind of symptoms can ring alarm bells for some people.

Blood tests for a start rooney, you don't have to have 'something to show', you just tell them what you've said here, they will decide what investigations are required. It might be a deficiency of some sort or something else completely.

Oh my mum has a thyroid condition. I wonder if it could be that.

I'm just kind of wondering what the differential diagnoses are, you know, to MS. I wondered about MS.

I will go and see someone if it persists. It hasn't happened for a few weeks and I am more leaning towards anaemia now I think about it.

yy blood tests. Thankyou. That would give an idea wouldn't it. I might even be able to get a path form by phone consult.

I will give them a call today in that case. Sorry I do hate going to the Dr especially with all the children in tow.

but we're near the hosp so can easily go for a blood test.

Thankyou everyone x

there are lots of alternative explanations than MS rooners but i mentioned it because i somehow felt that might be what you'd thought of and i'm not a fan of elephants in the room.

it is seriously massively unlikely! but i tend to jump to terrible conclusions myself so i guess i'm aware others may do the same.

What you describe is not a symptom of iron deficiency anaemia. Just because you have nothing to show is not a good reason for putting off seeing your GP - symptoms are what a patient experiences, signs are what is found on examination/investigation; both are needed to reach a diagnosis.

You wouldn't (I hope) put off seeing a doctor if you were experiencing intermittent episodes of chest pain or loss of vision or blackouts or any of a shedload of other symptoms with 'nothing to show' in between episodes. Please get the ball rolling and make the appointment.

Meds, not mess. Op, my first thought when my legs stopped working was MS but honestly it's likely something much more simple like a deficiency or very common in hyperthyroid. Have you lost any weight recently? Had any other symptoms?

Ah, my slow typing means that you've already reached the right decision

Pick up that phone Rooners!

Don't worry about elephants - I am quite interested in medical stuff - not to minimise the impact of such a disease, at all, but it isn't one of the ones I feel terrified of if that makes sense.

I think we all have our worst fear type illnesses and other ones that may be awful but we don't freak out at the mention of.

I will call this morning. Thankyou all very much.

Excellent! Do let us know how you get on

Oh, and re B12 deficiency - this is a good explanation.

Hi, I know this was an old thread, but did you ever figure it out? I have the same problem but it’s every time I walk for more than a few minutes

Hi
My husband has this happen to him and sound love to know how to tackle it as he hates drs !