Slight left sided numbness. Don't know what to do.

[ArmchairMD]

Hi there! I'm a 27 yr old male and I've had anxiety issues a lot in the past but this is new to me. About 5 days ago the left side of my body got kind of numb and weak. I can still feel hot, cold, be tickled use my arms and everything, my left side just feels a little off. In the past when I've had anxiety issues I've had numbness in my fingers on both hands, shortness of breath, chest tightness the whole thing. This is new though. It started one afternoon and hasn't left since. My speech isn't slurred, my face isn't noticeably drooping, it hurts when I pinch myself, it just feels kind of weird mostly on my left cheek and my left hand.

I've also been having a headache on the top right of my head for the past 4 months. I was working abroad teaching English and got the headache about 2 months before I was going to move back to the States. I saved up in my time abroad so I have a very small financial cushion for a few months and haven't gotten a job yet. In the meantime I've been catching up with friends and looking into graduate programs, GRE testing, unpacking etc. So while I haven't had too much stress there's been things in the back of my mind. The headache comes on randomly, feels like its right under the scalp and seems to get better when I take some ibuprofen. I also have had some pain in the back of my head right where my neck meets my head. I just put this down to tension headaches but I've never had them before.

The main reason I'm getting freaked out about this is twofold. First, because the numbness never goes away; it's there when I wake up, when I try to relax and just watch something, all the time. Secondly, and most importantly, I don't have health insurance right now and can't go to the doctor. I've been in the process of getting insurance through the healthcare.gov site and was able to because I had a 'life event' but I won't be covered for another month.

I'm not a wealthy person by ANY means. My girlfriend and I are living with my mother right now bc we have nowhere to go. I have no car, no job, no insurance and this feeling of weakness on my left side that whenever I look up on the internet about it I only find things like MS, tumors, crushed vertebrae and I can't do anything about it.

I know I sound like I'm smashing at my keyboard freaking out right now but my demeanor is really calm. The last two days I've tried my best to not actively think about my symptoms and calm myself down even though they are still there. I even went jogging a little last night to take my mind off of it. After I took a shower and the numbness seemed to subside but came RIGHT back after I stepped out and hasn't gone away since. This morning my left side felt a little like it was sunburned for a bit so I'm not sure if that meant I was getting sensation back or what.

Has anyone had this happen to them? I just need someone to give me some advice here. My mom and girlfriend both always just tell me it's in my head and try their best to help me. It's just difficult to believe it's in your head when half of your damn body is feeling weird for almost a week.

[ArmchairMD]

Hey there. Just updating in case anyone ever reads this who has the same symptoms in the future and no one anywhere I posted answered me back.

I went to an appointment with my doctor to at least ease my mind about what my symptoms might be. When I brought up that I was also getting a burning sensation on my scalp and shoulders she said for me to pick up vitamin B complex as it might be a deficiency and it absolutely worked! By the end of the night yesterday the numbness was barely noticeable (kind of an oxymoron) and when I woke up this morning it was gone for the most part! The headache I've been getting wasn't nearly as intense either nor have I had it yet today. I went looking around the internet and found that being vitamin B deficient can in fact lead to some neurological sympotoms.

She also told me to take some Valerian root to take the edge off as I was freaking out and I wouldn't be able to afford a prescription for something. I got it as a pill at a vitamin shop and it was really cheap. It also seemed to work better than Chamomile to get me more relaxed.

I don't eat food that is too bad for me normally so I was kind of confused as to why I was deficient. Considering how fast a lot of my symptoms went away I guess that must have been what it was. The reassurance from the doctor not being all that concerned with my symptoms helped me out too.

I'm not sure if I was really deficient or just having something to take and the doctor telling me I was probably ok helped me out but after about 8 days I can feel my left side again and I don't have that impending doom cloud in my mind anymore.

So if anyone reads this who has something similar, if your normal methods of dealing with anxiety aren't working it's super likely you're not dying still ;) Don't believe everything on the internet when you're in panic mode. You'll get tunnel vision and focus only on the most dangerous stuff while missing the easy fixes. Good luck!

[creative ineptitude]

Glad you found out what the problem was. Sorry no one came on to help you. I just joined today so no way I could have helped. It's people not responding to posts that has made me keep seeking new forums. I may rethink staying here after seeing your post.

I find that if I have something going on with my body that I can't track to one of my illnesses I go to a doctor. Well if I could afford it and have the time.

[sarah37]

My same sentiments as "creative ineptitude". Seeing a Dr. is best and I'm also glad you found out what your problem was. Valerian root and St. Johns Wart are good natural remedies.
PS. to Creative...hang around awhile it may get better! I'm here .. :)

[Estelle2008]

Hi there! I'm a 27 yr old male and I've had anxiety issues a lot in the past but this is new to me. About 5 days ago the left side of my body got kind of numb and weak. I can still feel hot, cold, be tickled use my arms and everything, my left side just feels a little off. In the past when I've had anxiety issues I've had numbness in my fingers on both hands, shortness of breath, chest tightness the whole thing. This is new though. It started one afternoon and hasn't left since. My speech isn't slurred, my face isn't noticeably drooping, it hurts when I pinch myself, it just feels kind of weird mostly on my left cheek and my left hand.

I've also been having a headache on the top right of my head for the past 4 months. I was working abroad teaching English and got the headache about 2 months before I was going to move back to the States. I saved up in my time abroad so I have a very small financial cushion for a few months and haven't gotten a job yet. In the meantime I've been catching up with friends and looking into graduate programs, GRE testing, unpacking etc. So while I haven't had too much stress there's been things in the back of my mind. The headache comes on randomly, feels like its right under the scalp and seems to get better when I take some ibuprofen. I also have had some pain in the back of my head right where my neck meets my head. I just put this down to tension headaches but I've never had them before.

The main reason I'm getting freaked out about this is twofold. First, because the numbness never goes away; it's there when I wake up, when I try to relax and just watch something, all the time. Secondly, and most importantly, I don't have health insurance right now and can't go to the doctor. I've been in the process of getting insurance through the healthcare.gov site and was able to because I had a 'life event' but I won't be covered for another month.

I'm not a wealthy person by ANY means. My girlfriend and I are living with my mother right now bc we have nowhere to go. I have no car, no job, no insurance and this feeling of weakness on my left side that whenever I look up on the internet about it I only find things like MS, tumors, crushed vertebrae and I can't do anything about it.

I know I sound like I'm smashing at my keyboard freaking out right now but my demeanor is really calm. The last two days I've tried my best to not actively think about my symptoms and calm myself down even though they are still there. I even went jogging a little last night to take my mind off of it. After I took a shower and the numbness seemed to subside but came RIGHT back after I stepped out and hasn't gone away since. This morning my left side felt a little like it was sunburned for a bit so I'm not sure if that meant I was getting sensation back or what.

Has anyone had this happen to them? I just need someone to give me some advice here. My mom and girlfriend both always just tell me it's in my head and try their best to help me. It's just difficult to believe it's in your head when half of your damn body is feeling weird for almost a week.

Hello, I was wondering how you were getting along now? I kinda of had that feeling today, my left hand is kinda warm and of course it makes me panic. I am new to this whole panic thing, I had no idea what was going on, I thought foresure I was loosing my mind. I am a mother of 2 beautiful boys and I try to hide all this feeling from them as I don't want to burden them or have them worry. They are 2 1/2 and 7 1/2 which being young, they do notice something is up. I am currently taking stress ease by Jamison which as vitamin b in it and a vitamin d, but no other meds other then that.