Tingling… caused by anxiety and stress?

[Theoriginalinvisiblewoman]

Has anyone suffered from this long term?

I’m at my wits end with it right now. I’ve had a very stressful time since just before the pandemic started, all due to various health issues that are either going undiagnosed (despite lots of investigations) or I’m struggling to get any help with. For the past 18 months I’ve been experiencing tingling in both my lower legs and feet. Sometimes I get feelings of burning, sometimes I get pins and needles where one or two toes will temporarily go numb and just lately I’m getting sensations of something touching the area (like a hair or an insect). Sometimes it feels like a sweeping feeling over a large area, a bit like goosebumps but without the actual bumps. I’ve had nerve conductions studies (didn’t pick anything up in my legs or feet, but did finally confirm that I have bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome), GP examinations and I have been seen by a neurologist who also examined me and declared I did not have any nerve issues (he also ran bloods for various autoimmune diseases etc. which were all negative). I’ve had many blood tests to check for deficiencies like iron and B12, plus had my thyroid checked and my blood sugar and all came back ‘within range’. The feelings I’ve described are intermittent but will flare up now and again, lasting for a day or two to a few weeks, before going back to a very low level tingling, which isn't so noticeable. I had an MRI for an unrelated issue which flagged up 2 ‘slightly’ prolapsed discs in my lower back but apparently these are not causing the issue, although the NHS physio believes they are (she is making an assumption based on my discs and nothing else, even though she said my symptoms don’t fit where my discs are prolapsed) Aside from the more serious diagnosis’ like MS (neurologist did all the preliminary examinations for these and nothing unusual was flagged up), I’m starting to wonder if all of this is not caused by me being in an almost permanent state of anxiety and stress? I have noticed it is worse when I am more stressed than usual. Anyone think this might be possible? I don’t know where to turn to next for help…

Are you taking any medication that might be causing a side effect?

My sister has this. The tingling goes all the way up to her knees on very bad days. And she gets it in her fingers and her the top of her head is numb. She's also lost her sense of balance. She had private health insurance, fortunately, so she's had ct scans and every test going to check everything out. They couldn't find anything physically wrong. They put it down to anxiety and stress - both of which she definitely is. (I bear the brunt of it regularly! 🙄 😄 )

@RedeeeOrNot I take metformin for PCOS (been on it for years) and omeprazole (started taking that after the tingling started) so nothing that I’m aware could be causing it?

@MarshaMelrose Oh wow, do her symptoms contribute to her anxiety or stress aa I find them very frightening at times? Or does she cope better with them now?I’m glad she had herself thoroughly checked out though and nothing sinister was found.

I’ve no idea if those meds cause tingling but just a thought. Hope you get some relief soon.

That's a good point. I don't know. She's fed up, though, because there's nothing they can do to cure it. She does have stress in her life now but at the time it started, she didn't. At least she wasn't aware of any. So when she was advised to deal with the stress, she couldn't because she couldn't think what she was stressed about. But she's a big worrier.
She also can't touch her nose with her eyes closed most of the time. Nor could she walk the line like a police drunk test. And she used to trip a lot. I'm not sure that's still happening though. And she can't shower anymore because if she closes her eyes, she starts to fall over because of her poor balance.
But at least there's nothing physically wrong because the doctor assumed it was going to be MS. But it turned out not.
I hope you find out what it is and you can get treatment for it.

What's your B12 level? Never mind if your GP says it's in range, get the actual result (plus for all the other tests you had).

Your symptoms could be a number of things but B12 deficiency could definitely explain it (you have the classic symptoms) and the neurological symptoms you've described could become permanent (and a lot worse) if you don't treat properly

Oh and Metformin is well known to impair absorption of B12 (and I believe Omeprazole is too).

Hi.
I have had this. Not just tingling but twitches and jerking and myclonus. I've even had what feels like water droplets on my body. It was all caused by stress. My first symptom was tingling hands. I had all the tests done, including ultrasounds, nerve studies and an mri. I saw a neurologist and she said she is seeing an increase in stress related symptoms over the last few years.
I was diagnosed with Benign Fasciculation Syndrome because I have so many symptoms.
I found meditation, B12 and magnesium helped.

Also just to add. Once I knew it was nothing to worry about the symptoms pretty much went away.

Absolutely it's the prolapsed discs causing the tingling. I have the exact same. It's not painful but tingling in one particular foot due to a bulging disc. Took a year to get diagnosed. MRI and diagnosed by neurologist consultant. It's all linked and do do with nerves being pressed upon.

Classic anxiety symptoms. Hope you find some relief soon

Autonomic problems? I have POTS (also PCOS and endo), this can cause tingling (have had this before too).

Classic anxiety.
When I had tingling in my arms/hands it was low ferritin.

I had this and like pp as soon as I knew what it was it went away, I can tell when I'm anxious/stressed now as I'll feel it in my feet and I try and calm myself down before it gets bad.....I was really ill with it I genuinely thought something was really wrong with me! Hope you feel better soon

@MarshaMelrose That sounds really tough, especially if there is nothing they can do to help her. I sometimes find that I get like ‘delayed’ stress, where I can be stressed and have few symptoms but then after the event, my symptoms will go into overdrive (a bit like they are at the moment!) so it just becomes a vicious circle.

@FavouriteMug I have copies of the results, my B12 was in the 400’s. Yes, that was my first thought when the tingling started but all my levels came back in the middle of the range (I do take lots of supplements for my various issues). I also haven’t developed any other symptoms relating to B12 deficiency (my DSis has pernicious anaemia and had lots of symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, weak limbs etc. and I have none of these).

@user1471499545 Weirdly, I have recently started to get muscle twitches in my legs, mainly in my left thigh and I know they can be caused by stress. I already take a good multivitamin that includes B12 and magnesium. I’m not surprised your neurologist said she is seeing more stress related issues of late, I think it is only set to get worse over the next few months unfortunately. I’m glad you have found ways to manage it and that your symptoms have significantly eased with the knowledge it’s nothing sinister.

@Butterfly44 Sorry that you are suffering with disc issues too. Of course I realise some of it may be down to my discs but both chiropractors and the physio have said my symptoms don’t correlate with where my disc herniation is. I recently went on holiday and had no symptoms for a whole week (because I was relaxed and enjoying myself) but since I came home my symptoms have flared up massively (post holiday blues and I am not happy with my life currently so back to reality etc. which is what is making me wonder if this is mostly stress and anxiety). Hopefully the MRI I’m due to have tomorrow will give me some answers on that score.

Thank you @yduvyvhvyvj

@Namechange600 Thank you, all ruled out my the neurologist (although he wasn't very thorough so I am considering seeing one privately). I do have suspected IBD which I read can apparently cause tingling, I’m waiting to see the Gastro department currently.

@KangarooKenny That’s interesting as my ferritin levels aren’t usually much above the minimum but of course according to the GP’s they are ‘fine’. I did start taking an iron tablet off my own back and I did see positive changes, especially in my hair thickness (which had massively thinned after a huge weight loss) but unfortunately I have undiagnosed gastric issues so I stopped taking them and am currently waiting to see the Gastro department at my local hospital. I’m hoping that once I get a diagnosis I can resume taking them (I should add that the tingling started whilst I was still taking them and my ferritin level was 56).

@Rldx2 Sounds exactly like me! It’s so hard isn’t it to switch yourself off, I’m glad you’ve got techniques to keep your symptoms at bay when they start again. Thank you.

Just wondering if you’re still experiencing this?

@SB1990 Yes, unfortunately so! It’s now officially been put down to stress/anxiety as my MRI came back normal, I’ve had loads of autoimmune blood tests done, which are all negative and my bloods are all normal and within range (plus I take a shed load of supplements, including magnesium, B12 etc.). I’ve also seem a rheumatologist who ruled out connective tissue disorders.

Are you suffering from similar issues?

Thank you for replying! I’m sorry to hear you’re still dealing with these symptoms but also happy to hear that anything sinister has been ruled out!!

sadly, yes. Since the birth of my second daughter about 2 months pp my feet started to tingle and haven’t stopped since. I’ve seen neurologists, osteopaths, general doctors, had an mri and seen a chiropractor but nobody can give me any answers.

i have 2 under 2 and am under alit of stress. My dr tells me that it is anxiety/stress related but I’m just finding it really hard to believe that it can cause these symptoms.

@SB1990 I’m so sorry that you’re also experiencing similar issues. I don’t have any children but I can well imagine how stressful having 2 under 2 must be! It is frustrating not getting any answers to something that is worrying you, do you find your symptoms come and go in severity like mine or do they go completely at times? Mine is constant and I was initially worried about nerve damage but it’s all been ruled out. I’m seeing my GP again this month and I expect her to say there is nothing more they can do so it is hard. I’m going to try and do something about my anxiety and the stress and see if that helps…

When my symptoms first started they were constant and severe. Sometimes my feet were so numb I couldn’t even feel the floor beneath me. Recently my symptoms haven’t been as bad. They’re deff still there but they’re more of a light tingling now. I am also worried about nerve damage and of course because of my health anxiety I now think I must have a brain tumor. Pls let me know how you get on with your gp x

@SB1990 Wow, that sounds awful! 😳 I’m sorry you haven’t got any answers for your symptoms, have you had nerve conduction studies to out your mind at rest regarding the nerve damage? I will do but I expect that she will just say there is nothing further to be done 😫

Were you taking b12 supplements when you had the blood test? It's advised to be off supplements for 3-4 months prior to testing as otherwise it can skew your result. Also, as your sister has pernicious anaemia you'll be aware that if the issue is b12, supplements won't help and you would need injections. Also, have you had an active b12 test which is more accurate and might be more revealing. It just seems like it would explain all of your symptoms.

No, as I take a daily multivitamin that includes B12 so have always been on those when having blood tests. I did have a private blood test that included active B12 and it was within range (can’t remember the actual value). Yes my DSis has monthly B12 injections now, her levels were so low she was called into hospital during the night! 😳 I’ve seen lots of consultants and GP’s and they’ve never once asked me if I’m taking any B12 but it does stand to reason. I can’t be off my vitamins though unfortunately… 😬 I don’t have any other B12 deficiency symptoms, my ferritin levels could certainly be improved though.

I get tingling with anxiety. I knew for certain after I was looking forward to an event last year with anticipation, but also anxiety about the travel there. Once I was there, the tingling sensations disappeared. I was diagnosed with severe anxiety last year and had a host of other physical symptoms, such as dizziness, palpitations, headaches, fatigue, heavy limbs, hearing my heart thumping, feeling off-balance. They have all reduced in severity with therapy and my anxiety is manageable. Good luck with your GP appointment 🍀 It is miserable to have unexplained symptoms and I hope you get the help you need to feel better.

www.sepalika.com/drug-side-effects/metformin-side-effects/#:~:text=Tingling%20or%20Numb%20Hands%20and%20Feet%20(Diabetic%20Neuropathy)&text=Metformin%20interferes%20with%20B12%20absorption,like%20having%20a%20short%20circuit.

Looks like it's a side effect of the meds OP.