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Dear all,

I had quite a few responses wondering if I could describe exactly my
experiences with peripheral neuropathy and I thought perhaps I should post
it.  Here goes...

I found that when I first started reducing my gluten intake, I developed
tingling in my hands and feet.  It was worst when sitting still or lying
down.  Then the two times I went on a gluten-spree last month they escalated
into "screaming pins and needles" that shot all the way up my arms and legs.
It was very painful and scary.  The leg pains were mostly intermittent, but
the arm pains lasted continuously for several days.  I had difficulty
extending my fingers completely without experiencing pain, they just seemed
to want to curl towards my wrists.  The pins and needles feeling felt similar
to when your arm falls asleep really, really badly and just starts to wake
up, (only my sensations were worse).  Speaking of which, it also seemed like
my arms and feet fell asleep on me quite frequently and for no apparent
reason, and took a long time to "wake up". I also had a scary experience
where the left side of my face felt "fuzzy", almost like it was numb.  I
still get tingling in my hands and feet that "alternates" with the GI
problems, and the fuzziness on my face comes with the tingling.  My
neurologist has checked out my sensation and motor abilities and I still
register as perfectly normal, and my blood test for vitamin B12 level was
normal (and the blood was even taken during one of my tingly experiences).
However, I really do think I have dulled sensation to light touch on the left
side of my face.  They only tested for deeper sensations at the neurologists.

Also, the plot thickens...I just found out that the reason they put me on
Metranidazole is because I have blastocystis hominis.  From the little info.
that I can find on this, I think it might be an "opportunistic" yeast-like
parasite that may be taking advantage of a weakened GI tract?  I also read
that they get all riled up on sugars and starches (which might explain my
recurrent abdominal pains/bloating after eating any of those previously
listed things, especially the corn products).  I also read it can be rather
recalcitrant to treatment.