numb tongue, lips

[Guest guest]

I'm hoping someone can help me determine what is causing this. I started having

episodes in early June where my tongue and lips would become somewhat numb.

They don't go totally numb, but it is incredibly annoying and it sometimes lasts

for hours. I have no trouble talking, eating, or drinking when it happens but

it feels sort of like when your foot goes to sleep. When it first happened, I

was having a bad panc flare. I assumed it was caused by my potassium going low

as I had been throwing up and unable to keep anything down. I took a potassium

pill 10 mEq, which I normally take daily but had been unable to take since I was

throwing up. I managed to keep it down and about 45 minutes later the numbness

went away. I had it several times over that weekend but just assumed all my

electrolytes were out of balance from so much puking. However, I've had it

numerous times since then even at times when my potassium is definitely not low.

I had a panc attack yesterday afternoon and went to the local ER - hoping that

the jerk doc was not there. I was having substantial numbness of my tongue,

lips, around my mouth, and it even progressed to my right cheek for a while. It

went away a few hours later but I'd like to know what is causing it. My blood

sugar was 84 when the numbness started so that couldn't have been the cause. My

potassium was low when they did the labs, but only slightly (3.4 with 3.5 being

the low end of normal). My calcium was low (7.0 with 8.0 being the low end of

normal) and I don't know what's causing that because it has been low with every

attack I've had since May.

The jerk doc wasn't there when I got to the ER at 4:30 p.m. Another doc saw me

and gave me demerol/phenergan at about 6 p.m. It knocked the pain down from a

10 to a 6-7 for about an hour and then it was back to an 8. Unfortunately, the

jerk came on duty at 7 p.m. My liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and Alk Phos) were all

elevated but panc enzymes were normal. The jerk insisted that there was no way

I could be having any pain since my panc enzymes were not elevated. I gave him

the spill about having cp and that my GI says patients with CP absolutely have

episodes of severe pain with normal panc enzymes. He said that he knew that but

that he has seen me with my panc enzymes elevated so obviously my pancreas can

still produce enough enzymes for them to elevate if I am 'truly' having a flare

of pancreatitis. Therefore, when my panc enzymes are not elevated, there is no

way that I can be having pain because if I really had pancreas pain without

elevated panc enzymes then my pancreas enzymes would NEVER elevate. I told him

that my liver enzymes are always normal (as long as I am on imuran) except when

I have episodes of increased panc pain, so how can he explain the elevated liver

enzymes. He told me only one liver enzyme was elevated but I quickly told him

I'd seen the labs and all 3 were elevated. That just pissed him off more. He

then said, " Well, I was taught in medical school to go not just by the labs but

also to treat the patient and I can tell that you are not in any pain and do not

need pain medication. " The amusing part of this statement is that he had

already made up his mind that I was perfectly fine and he had not even walked in

my room! He simply sent the nurse in to tell me I could go and give me a shot

of bentyl, which works great for IBS type stomach pain, but does nothing for my

panc pain. Not to mention that I still have a quarter sized knot and a hand

size bruise on my left hip from the IM Bentyl I was given about a month ago. I

refused the Bentyl and told the nurse my pain was already back up to an 8 and

that I was in no shape to go home. I told the nurse I wanted the ER doc to call

my local pcp. I am pretty sure I heard the ER doc tell my pcp that I had been

given pain med twice (NOT true) and that all my labs were fine (also not true).

The ER jerk then came in and told me that Dr. Boone was in complete agreement

with him.

I don't believe that but I will discuss this with Dr. Boone and if what the ER

jerk said is true then I will go to plan B and find a new internal med doc in

Huntsville. I live in Athens, which is a small town about 25 miles west of

Huntsville. I did have a phenomenal internist in Hsv but he and his family

relocated to Destin, FL in June. Dr. Boone is a general practice doc and a very

kind, caring man. My GI and I discussed things and we both decided that since

Dr. Boone has no problem with contacting my GI regarding my care and Dr. Boone

has been my doctor for over 15 years, is familar with my history, etc. that for

now I would not bother trying to find a new internist in Hsv but would simply go

back to having Dr. Boone oversee my care and work with my GI.

I was supposed to see Dr. Boone today but his office closes at noon on Thursday

and since I managed to sleep through the night by not having anything to eat or

drink from 3 p.m. yesterday until about 2 p.m. today, I decided that sleeping

was more important than going to the doctor. I faxed him my version of the ER

visit yesterday along with my labs. I've had hot tea and popsicles and have

managed to keep that down and the pain to a tolerable level. However, it's

getting worse right now and that's why I'm not in bed. I'm trying to deal with

it at home. I have said this before but I absolutely have to stick to it from

now on. I can NEVER go to the Athens ER again, even though it is only 5 minutes

from home. The jerk doctor is apparently full-time at the local ER and I will

not subject myself to his attitude ever again.

Last night my hubby told me that he had a feeling Wed morning that an attack was

coming because Wed morning I had diarrhea and a lot of gas. He says he can tell

a lot of times that an attack is coming because I often have a lot of incredibly

foul gas. Sorry - what a fun thing to discuss!

Anyway, if things don't settle down I'm not sure if I'll just contact the GI doc

on call in Huntsville (my GI is still out of town - I think) or if I'll talk to

Dr. Boone and see if he'll do a direct admit to Athens Hosp. Thankfully, almost

all the nurses at Athens Hosp are very good. I guess either way, I need to talk

to Dr. Boone because if he is going to go along with the jerk ER doctor then I

see no reason for me to continue as his patient. I really think Dr. Treimer is

lying. I know for a fact he lied in the past. He told me once that he and Dr.

Boone both agreed that I probably had the flu. Dr. Boone got very mad when I

told him that and said that he specifically asked Dr. Triemer to give me IV

demerol and phenergan and to call him back if that didn't settle things down.

Dr. Boone said, " Dr. Treimer mentioned the flu and I told him that it's not even

flu season! " So, hopefully, my beloved Dr. Boone is still on my side and from

now on I'll just have to bother him at home when I have problems after hours.

Well, I'll quit griping.

Weston

w@...

Alabama State Representative

Pancreatitis Association International

[Guest guest]

,

I understand what you mean about jerk docs! I am so sick of my GI doc that

is local, I could just scream. He was fine for a while but the best thing he

ever did for me was send me to ton. Now that he has sent me and found out

that I have pancreas divisum and SOD he doesn't want to deal with me anymore.

I went to see him last week and he would not prescribe oxycodone for me and

said he never prescribes it. I told him he needed to look at his chart because

he gave it to me before. (That is when he was afraid I was going to sue him

because he missed all of this in the 2 years he was treating me.) I am going to

try and find a better GI that is local that understands pancreas problems

better. Also, my pcp who has always been good to me about prescribing pain meds

(

well at least darvocet and other things in emergency situations) called last

week and said that after he got the report from Adam's about my surgery that he

wanted him to handle all of my pain meds and care for my pancreas because he

didn't know what to do with me. I have been going to my pcp for 25 years or

longer! Talk about frustrating! I have copies of everything that Dr. Adam's sent

to them and all it has in it is that he diagnosed me with cp and sod and how

he performed the surgery. My local docs freaked because they have never had a

patient with sod and they don't know what to do! I could wring both of their

necks. I actually called the pcp's office and told them I was going to a pain

man. doc but not until the 4th. And that I would be out of my pain meds before

then and I would appreciate it if they didn't make me drive to ton and

they said no, that I would have to go to ton! I wanted to go through

the phone! Oh well, I will call ton again tomorrow and have to make a 2

1/2 hour trip just to get pain med scripts! At least I am going to a pain man.

doc on Thursday and I pray that she will help.

I took all of the copies by that scared my docs half to death so that she

could read them before I go into her and told her receptionist to please ask her

to review my case before I came in so she would know what she was dealing

with. She told me that the doc I am going to is really good and that if she

could

not deal with my case she would refer me to another pain doc who could. I

hope this woman is good! I am so tired of dealing with idiots!

I hope you don't have to go back to those jerks!

Take care,

Angie in SC

" The happiest of people don't necessarily have the

best of everything; they just make the best of everything that comes along

their way. "