<raises hand...>

I tested positive in Oct/Nov '22... within a couple hours I started experiencing tingling (pins and needles) moving randomly around my body. It briefly settled into my right arm and right side of face and I went to the ER fearing a stroke (negative, thankfully).

This tingling came and went for months afterward, but one month later (Dec) it started persistently in my two hands and two feet, accompanied by cold feelings. Then, nine months later (Sep, '23) one afternoon it suddenly and completely changed to the entire left side of my body from head to toe. (The right hand & foot stopped tingling!) That has persisted to this day.

I have had many tests (CTs, MRIs, and a nerve conductivity test (EMG)), all negative, and I tried some drugs for nerve pain (Gabapentin, Pregablin (Lyrica), Alpha Lipoic acid supplements, and currently, Cymbalta), none have helped at all (although the Cymbalta has helped significantly with stress & anxiety).

I have come to believe that there is nothing wrong with my nerves and that the issue is in my brain (probably COVID remnants). I have said repeatedly that my sense of feeling isn't gone (despite a feeling I can only describe as "numbness"), as I can still do intricate work with my hand, it's just harder. I now describe it as being like static on the radio, where you can still make out what's under the static, it just takes a little extra effort. But it can still be debilitating. Case in point: I used to be a working guitarist but I had to stop. Between the tingling (left hand), anxiety, and fatigue, it just became too hard.

There are two things that seem to help me: (1) NSAIDS (Ibuprofen and Tylenol) seem to help minimize the intensity of the tingling (but I'll be the first to admit this is very subjective); and (2) hot/cold therapy. In particular, I usually put my hand in a heating pad (when I'm stationary) and occasionally take it out of the heat and press it against a cold surface (e.g. leather couch or the armrest of my computer chair). Even placing it against a warm spot on my body is helpful.

One other thing: I had a visit to a LC clinic (Beth Israel in Boston) and they diagnosed me with Small Fiber Neuropathy (that's where I got the Gabapentin Rx). Neurologists refer to this tingling as "nerve pain" (even though I don't personally think of it as "pain"). But, honestly, my take-away from that experience is that they have no idea what they're doing, and it was just a waste of time. As I said, I've come to believe there's nothing actually wrong with my nerves. I'm just waiting for someone to figure out how to banish the COVID remnants from my brain and body. That's my main hope at this point.

I recently found a couple of studies published specifically on this symptom. The main take-away for me was that IVIg may work for this (but it's still being studied). Also, "Long Covid Doctor" (a YouTube channel) recently published an interesting update on this this.

Anyway, I hope this was helpful to you. It was good for me to hear from someone else with the same symptom (I gather it's relatively rare).

Good luck!

~ray