Sudden Weakness in arms

[Vasi]

In the last few months I have been getting a sudden weakness in both arms.  It comes on suddenly and lasts a maximum of 5 minutes.  When it happens I cannot lift anything.  I feel so weak that I have to sit or lie down until it passes.  This week it hit me twice.  Before these 2 incidents, the last time this happened was a month ago and before that was probably another month (2 times in a week).  The sensation is from the shoulders down to my hands.  Any ideas?

Thanks

[klewis0906]

Hi - I am still waiting to figure out what the episode was.  Yours sounded a lot like mines other than you said you couldn't call out to your wife?  Could you not speak?  I know that I was able to because I began talking out loud because I wanted to hear how I sounded.  I thought I had a stroke, so was checking to see if my speech had changed.  Unfortunately I was home alone, so didn't have anyone to yell out to.

[OldFord29]

I just got discharged from a 2 day hospital stay, having gone there in belief that I had a heart attack while attempting to brush my teeth on Saturday morning.   I had awaken and laid in bed a short time on that day.  I got up and tried to squeeze toothpaste onto my toothbrush.   It felt like the toothpaste tube had turned to stone overnight and I was amazed that it could be so difficult to make it come out of the tube!  I managed to get a little bit onto the brush and then it hit... Both of my arms turned heavy, severely weak and numb, along with my whole upper chest region.  I struggled to move the toothbrush up to my mouth and move it at all across my teeth.  I sat down on the toilet and continued in amazement to try to use my arms.  I then had the cold sweat sensation of being about to pass out and considered laying down on the floor as opposed to hitting the tile floor unconscious.  I couldn't call out to my wife who was 15' away, still in bed.  After what seemed like 3 minutes of sitting there, still conscious, the "heart attack" subsided and I staggered back to bed and mumbled to my wife that something super-weird just happened and I slumped onto the bed.  After a few more minutes I began to try to explain to her what happened.  She was certain that I had just had a heart attack and off we drove to the ER.  

Now, I am a 52 year old, male, construction worker, non smoker, non drinker, very fit, ballroom dancer who never gets sick and takes no medicine whatsoever... And eats an apple a day!

The hospital ran every test, short of the cardiac catheterization, and determined that my heart is in perfect condition.  Bye bye.  While waiting to be discharged, I came across this website and was amazed to read so many identical occurrences by so many people.  Mentioning this multitude to my doctor at the hospital went nowhere, real fast.  If you read it on the internet.... Yeah.  Anyhow, i'm going to stay tuned and hook up with my Chiropractor about this tomorrow.   Thank you all.

[JaimeC47]

Not sure if that is it since I don't take any antacids. If that works for you, great. Good luck. My doctor said it is from neck/disc injuries that flair up months or a year later. If stenoisis becomes a problem this warm wave of weakness and limp tired feeling can suddenly come on without doing anything.

[johnjesse]

Solved the problem.  I quit taking 14 day antacid pills.  Episodes immediately stopped.  Somehow related. An unknown side effect perhaps.  No more 5 minute arm numbness for last year.

[bigfish777]

Did the chiro stop your episodes?  Thinking about going to one tomorrow, wondered if it continued to help you?

[earthyartist]

i was taking over the counter refux pills..the one that is pink and blue.. forget the name...and i too had a similar feeling come over me..a weakness in arms..and general overall weirdness and i drink a lot of water.and it goes away quickly... have to go to doc and see what it is all about..I'm 77 gal and in general good health... but this bothers me.. only on occasions..thought at first it was the beginning of allergy to shell fish... judi