Pain on back of left side and numbness in left hand and leg

[quppie]

Hi,

I've been experiencing pain on the back of my left side (near the bone above the buttocks) for about 3-4 months now, and it has not been getting better. Occassionally it gets worse, and about 1.5 mths ago I was also hospitalized with weakness and numbness in both legs. The weakness soon turned to tremors, and I was trembling badly whenever I lifted up my legs or hands. The doctors did MRIs of my brain and back, but everything seemed pretty normal to them. They also did a lumbar puncture and did tests on my spinal fluid but the results returned were also normal. They then diagnosed it as conversion disorder and discharged me. I was unhappy with the diagnosis as I am sure that my condition wasnt due to stress or emotional disorders, and so I went for a 2nd opinion. The doctor at the 2nd hospital did another MRI on the lower back for me, and told me that there was a mild slip disc on my right side, but he couldnt see any nerve compression there or anything else that could be causing the symptoms I have (since the pain is more on the left side).

The tremors sort of subsided soon after, and I was gradually able to walk. Now, I can walk longer, but I am still experiencing weakness and numbness on my left side (arm and leg), and the tremors return occassionally too. I have been feeling very tired ever since the pain started, and it seems to be getting worse. I can't sit longer than 1 hr, or the pain would start affecting the whole waist area and I'd feel giddy and breathless. The pain on the back of my left side is always there. Can you please help as I really hope to be able to return to my normal activities quick. Thank you!

[Purple98Lady]

Was the Dr. who gave you the diagnosis of conversion disorder a neurologist? If so did he advise any medications or therapies such as counseling,psychotherapy, physical therapy,antidepressants etc.? What speciality was the Dr. of your second opinion? Did he offer any treatments? Since you have had 2 separate opinions and hopefully by neurologists I certainly could not even begin to guess since your testing has revealed no major physical disorder. If your physicians are not neurologist seek one and ask his opinion on your diagnosis of conversion disorder. Also ask for a referral to therapies that he would suggests. I do empathize with you and hope you can feel better soon. Let us know.

http://www.psychological.com/RSDpain.htm

[quppie]

Hi,

The doctor who gave the diagnosis didn't exactly gave the diagnosis as well, they just wrote as likely to be in the medical report. They were however, from the neurology department. However, they didn't exactly provide any other information, just referred to a psychologist 2 weeks later, whom I saw and he said that he could find no cause of stress or emotional disorder in me that could have led them to think its conversion disorder. I was supposed to see the psychiatrist in Jan 2009, but have since brought it forward as I want to see what they would say, and to clear me of the 'likely diagnosis'. Have did some research on conversion disorder, though a few of the symptoms seem similar, I still can't really think of any stress which I was facing for the past few months.

The 2nd doctor which a General Practitioner referred me to was from orthopaedics, and he did a lower back MRI on me, found a mild slip disc on the right. He thought it was weird that they diagnosed as conversion disorder, and gave me some nerve tonics to take to see if the weakness will improve. He also asked me to consider this injection at the lower spine area, that would effectively numb that area for 3-6 mths to see if the pain originated from that area.

Should I consider that?

[bobtisoy]

hello quppie,

I wish you the best of health always!:p

Try to read these links it might offer some help.

http://askdoctorjoshua.com/2007/01/08/spinal-cord-injury-as-a-complication-of-cervical-spine-surgery/.

http://askdoctorjoshua.com/category/muscles-and-bones/.