Neurological dilemma of an 18 year old

[samuel32230]

A few weeks ago the bridge of my nose and behind my right eye went numb and tingled. Right as this occurred, I experienced some diarrhea. The next day, I began to feel strange (out of body, especially when moving or driving) and experienced light sensitivity and floaters. The tingling went away after three days, but then I began to notice tingling in my legs (only when I am wearing jeans, which tend to be on the tighter side for me), and now when I press on the nerve inside my elbow my entire right arm will tingle. I feel as though I am walking in a cloud, and I have anxiety which doesn't help the problem (although I am convinced as is my doctor that that isn't what is causing this as others have suggested). I feel some slight cognitive dysfunction (some slight memory loss, strange feelings), and as I am falling asleep I have strange thoughts that I can't remember a few seconds later that make absolutely no sense in situations that don't exist. My legs and arms tend to fall asleep easily (especially while sleeping). I had a brain MRI with and without contrast two weeks ago and they found absolutely nothing. All that has showed up abnormal is my red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, which the hematologist doesn't feel are related to this. One thing I should mention is that I had mononucleosis about nine months ago and about three weeks after my recovery I experienced some strange numbness on my cheek that stayed for a day and a half, although it was not accompanied by these other symptoms so i am unsure if they are related, although the tingling was similar. Any suggestions for me on the next step or any idea of what this sounds like? I am terrified of having some kind of brain tumor which my neurologist assures me is not an issue, but the doubts are lingering. I am extremely frustrated at the medical process and am looking for any help I can get. Thank you.

[ggreg]

Your abnormal bloodwork is the clue to your health problems.  You still have the mono virus in your body, or at the very least your body is so rundown from all that, that you're getting spaced out and feeling bad.  When you almost fall asleep and have strange thoughts, that's your dreaming happening while you're still not quite asleep.  This means you are sleep-deprived from your previous illness and/or continuing illness.  Your limbs going numb is because of not enough oxygen traveling thru your bloodstream, which your bloodwork shows your blood cell count is off and those cells carry oxygen.  

You should go back to your regular doctor, you should make sure he has your labwork results, and you two should discuss those in relation to your symptoms, and also you need to bring up the idea that either you still have the mono virus or your body is at least rundown from that illness.  Hopefully he will know what to do to get you sleeping better, to get your blood counts more normal, and in general to build your body systems back up.

As for you fearing brain tumor, trust the MRI and neurologist on that.  And as for your swollen lymph nodes leading to lymphoma, that is not how that works.  The swollen lymphs are an indicator that they are fighting off infection, which I think is the mono virus still in your system.  I've known people who had mono and symptoms resulting from it for more than a year, as evidenced by your own relapse for a couple days, and as evidenced by your current problems.

While you wait to see your regular doc, try some of these ideas to help build your body back up:  Try to spend a couple times a day doing some stretching exercises and deep breathing (helps anxiety too), drink plenty of water, eat more red meat protein like steaks and hamburgers, take a multivitamin and mineral supplement twice a week, and maybe drink a little V-8 juice.  Let us know what the doc says when you get in to see him.

[samuel32230]

One thing I forgot to mention is that the lymph nodes on my neck have been swollen since I had the mono and I was convinced I had some kind of lymphoma that had traveled to the CNS, but the neurologist called me crazy as did my primary doctor. I have two (one is a little bigger than the other, both are about the size of a small peanut).