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nausea followed by temporary hand paralysis
Recently I had a very terrifying experience. I felt fine all day until late afternoon, when I began feeling quite nauseated. It's been going around in my household, so I thought I was coming down with a stomach bug. I laid down on the couch for a few hours, sleeping on and off. At one point I thought for certain I was about to vomit, so I sat up a little and reached for my bowl. At this point I became extremely lightheaded and my hands began to feel tingly and numb. Quickly it progressed to the point that my hands were clenched tightly closed and I couldn't open them. They were cramping and it was really painful. The tingling and numbness spread to my legs, my abdomen, and my face. My legs were going all over the place but I really can't say if this was involuntary or if I was just panicking and squirming.
My husband called 911, and as the paramedics evaluated me I began to feel a little better. My hands were still stiff, but I could open them with effort. The numbness and tingling gradually went away. I still felt nauseated and weak. My vitals were fine so my husband drove me to the ER. At the hospital, urine and blood tests were done as well as an EKG. The only thing that showed up was that I was slightly dehydrated. I typically drink plenty of water but by this point it had been several hours since I had had anything to eat or drink. I was given two bags of fluids via IV, my blood pressure dropped (70-something over 40-something) and my heart rate went over 100. This eventually got into the normal range by the time the second bag was gone.
After waiting for hours a nurse came in to discharge me, with no explanation. My papers said "dizzy spell - unknown cause." I never told anyone I was dizzy. My husband tried to convince them to give me a CT scan but they refused, saying my symptoms did not warrant a CT scan. I am going to see a doctor tomorrow who will hopefully point me in the right direction for testing, etc. I don't have medical insurance, so I'm afraid this is going to be a problem.
For a little background, two months ago I had something similar happen. I began feeling nauseated in the early evening, went to bed, and woke up a few hours later feeling like I was going to vomit. I got out of bed and passed out, falling flat on my face. (This is why I had a bowl with me this time, for fear I would pass out on the way to the bathroom). When I came to my hands were tingling and numb and clenched closed a bit, but I had some control. I made it to the bathroom to get sick and the feeling in my hands eventually returned to normal. Due to the no insurance, I didn't go to the doctor that time, thinking it was a strange fluke. Also, since childhood I have on occasion passed out when about to vomit - not every time, but it has happened more than once. One time during a particularly violent episode of food poisoning a few years ago, I passed out several times in between vomiting. After the incident the other night, my mom and husband reminded me that another time I felt very nauseated, several years ago, I complained of numbness and tingling.
All of these incidents being years apart, I never thought much of any of them. However, what happened the other night was too scary. I have four young children and I can't take the chance of something like this happening again. If anyone has any leads, tips, ideas, or anything useful I would very much appreciate it. Since I have no insurance I am quite convinced I won't be getting top notch health care. It might be helpful if I have something to go on. Sorry this is so long, but I felt the details were necessary for a full idea of what might be going on here. Thank you for taking the time to read.
My husband called 911, and as the paramedics evaluated me I began to feel a little better. My hands were still stiff, but I could open them with effort. The numbness and tingling gradually went away. I still felt nauseated and weak. My vitals were fine so my husband drove me to the ER. At the hospital, urine and blood tests were done as well as an EKG. The only thing that showed up was that I was slightly dehydrated. I typically drink plenty of water but by this point it had been several hours since I had had anything to eat or drink. I was given two bags of fluids via IV, my blood pressure dropped (70-something over 40-something) and my heart rate went over 100. This eventually got into the normal range by the time the second bag was gone.
After waiting for hours a nurse came in to discharge me, with no explanation. My papers said "dizzy spell - unknown cause." I never told anyone I was dizzy. My husband tried to convince them to give me a CT scan but they refused, saying my symptoms did not warrant a CT scan. I am going to see a doctor tomorrow who will hopefully point me in the right direction for testing, etc. I don't have medical insurance, so I'm afraid this is going to be a problem.
For a little background, two months ago I had something similar happen. I began feeling nauseated in the early evening, went to bed, and woke up a few hours later feeling like I was going to vomit. I got out of bed and passed out, falling flat on my face. (This is why I had a bowl with me this time, for fear I would pass out on the way to the bathroom). When I came to my hands were tingling and numb and clenched closed a bit, but I had some control. I made it to the bathroom to get sick and the feeling in my hands eventually returned to normal. Due to the no insurance, I didn't go to the doctor that time, thinking it was a strange fluke. Also, since childhood I have on occasion passed out when about to vomit - not every time, but it has happened more than once. One time during a particularly violent episode of food poisoning a few years ago, I passed out several times in between vomiting. After the incident the other night, my mom and husband reminded me that another time I felt very nauseated, several years ago, I complained of numbness and tingling.
All of these incidents being years apart, I never thought much of any of them. However, what happened the other night was too scary. I have four young children and I can't take the chance of something like this happening again. If anyone has any leads, tips, ideas, or anything useful I would very much appreciate it. Since I have no insurance I am quite convinced I won't be getting top notch health care. It might be helpful if I have something to go on. Sorry this is so long, but I felt the details were necessary for a full idea of what might be going on here. Thank you for taking the time to read.
After doing some research, I discovered this tingling/numbness issue may be something called Tetany, which is a calcium/electrolyte deficiency that causes muscle cramps/contractions - often in the hands and feet.
I'm not 100% sure, but this seems to make the most sense.
Here is a link describing it or you could just google it.
https://www.healthline.com/health/tetany
I'm not 100% sure, but this seems to make the most sense.
Here is a link describing it or you could just google it.
https://www.healthline.com/health/tetany
1 Comments
Unfortunately, I don't have an answer to this problem, but I thought I'd share because the same thing that's been described here happened to my 13 year old daughter today.
We had a bug run through our family this week, bringing nausea and general malaise to our kids. Nothing really out of the ordinary, except for my daughter today, who was the last one to get it.
She woke up in the morning throwing up, and continued to do so about every hour until late in the afternoon. Then on what I figured was just a regular trip to the bathroom to throw up, I heard instead a scream for help. When I rushed into to bathroom, I found her there sobbing and saying that she couldn't move. I wasn't sure what to do, as I had never experienced or seen anything like it. Her hands were clenched in like claws and toes were locked in with her feet immobile.
I picked her up off the floor and carried her to the couch. While on the way to the ER, the numbness and tingling moved to her face, mouth, even her tongue. She wasn't able to enunciate her words normally.The numbness/tingling did not subside until we had finally been admitted into the hospital, and even then, would return when she felt the need to throw up.
The doctor at the hospital simply attributed it to hyperventilating, and said for her to control her breathing or breathe into a paper bag. I know no one, including doctors, like to admit when they don't know something, but I think sometimes they find something "convenient" to explain symptoms. Of course not all doctors are this way, so if a medical professional happens to be reading this, I am referring to doctor we had tonight.
Anyway, they checked her blood, which like most all others who posted here, came back normal. They gave her an IV drip and some anti-nausea medication and sent us home.
After we got home from the hospital, which was much later in the night, she "locked" up again - hands and toes tingling and clenched up. Not as bad as the first time, but still happening.
I'm going to try to keep her on vitamin D and make sure she gets more potassium/electrolytes as others have suggested. I wish there was an explanation to this strange issue, but hopefully just reading these posts by others and realizing you're not alone gives some level of comfort.
We had a bug run through our family this week, bringing nausea and general malaise to our kids. Nothing really out of the ordinary, except for my daughter today, who was the last one to get it.
She woke up in the morning throwing up, and continued to do so about every hour until late in the afternoon. Then on what I figured was just a regular trip to the bathroom to throw up, I heard instead a scream for help. When I rushed into to bathroom, I found her there sobbing and saying that she couldn't move. I wasn't sure what to do, as I had never experienced or seen anything like it. Her hands were clenched in like claws and toes were locked in with her feet immobile.
I picked her up off the floor and carried her to the couch. While on the way to the ER, the numbness and tingling moved to her face, mouth, even her tongue. She wasn't able to enunciate her words normally.The numbness/tingling did not subside until we had finally been admitted into the hospital, and even then, would return when she felt the need to throw up.
The doctor at the hospital simply attributed it to hyperventilating, and said for her to control her breathing or breathe into a paper bag. I know no one, including doctors, like to admit when they don't know something, but I think sometimes they find something "convenient" to explain symptoms. Of course not all doctors are this way, so if a medical professional happens to be reading this, I am referring to doctor we had tonight.
Anyway, they checked her blood, which like most all others who posted here, came back normal. They gave her an IV drip and some anti-nausea medication and sent us home.
After we got home from the hospital, which was much later in the night, she "locked" up again - hands and toes tingling and clenched up. Not as bad as the first time, but still happening.
I'm going to try to keep her on vitamin D and make sure she gets more potassium/electrolytes as others have suggested. I wish there was an explanation to this strange issue, but hopefully just reading these posts by others and realizing you're not alone gives some level of comfort.
This just happened to me. I woke up at 2 AM vomiting and diarrhea work from when I believe was from food poisoning. But my hands were pulled in and I could not move them I felt paralyzed. I have been drinking Pedialyte and eating bananas and drinking seven up and I do feel better. However I have not gone to the doctor yet. All of your responses do help to know that there is something that I should look into deeper. My family has a history of autoimmune disease.
2 Comments
The exact thing happened to me yesterday after I caught a virus. I'd thrown up a few times and then by the fifth time suddenly my hands, legs and face went completely numb which happened to me a couple times about 10 years ago in my teens but not this bad. That's why I continued to try to control it by breathing in an out and trying to make myself throw-up. However, this time was different because I felt paralysed and the numbness spread to my stomach and chest and I felt like my body was shrivelling up. It was hurting and I felt like my fingers might snap when I tried extremely hard to move them (which only slightly moved and my hand turned claw-like). I was breathing really heavy and my throat began to close up for about 10 seconds which is when we rang up emergency services.
My family started to massage my hands and were shocked to find my hands completely stiff. I already knew I was dehydrated and after taking sips of water and some fizzy drink (which I was able to stomach more than water) it began to calm gradually so it lasted 10-15mins. The doctors in England are useless, the emergency services contacted a local on-call doctor (we call them General Practitioners (GP)) who telephoned me and said to try and wait it out until the morning (during the phone call it gradually began to subside). After that phone call it started up again 5mins later. I was sat on the sofa with my whole body numb including my legs, one kept sticking out in front of me and I was making so much effort to push it back down but it just sprung back up again several times. I was then given sips of warm mint tea with sugar and this helped more than the water. I had two cups first and then a third to make sure it was gone. I then had another two in the next 2 hours and my mum massaged my back and arms to make sure all stiffness was gone. Finally after this I could only stomach a banana before I had ibuprofen and went to bed with a tired and aching body.
I have been to the doctors in the past because i have been concerned about my blood circulation. My hands, arms, feet, legs numb very easily if I put slight pressure on it. I feel like an old lady when I sit on the floor because it takes just 5mins before my butt, legs or feet go numb, my hands also go numb if I lean back on them. The doctors always say it is down to low iron however, I have taken iron tablets regularly for nearly 5 months with no difference. Doctors in England never do expensive tests until it is too late (seriously it is how they treat you if they profile you as a young and healthy person based on your age). I wake up in the middle of the night with a numb arm, shoulder, hip knee or something random like that most nights. I'm not overweight for my height and age.
Anyway, if anyone has figured out what causes this paralysis during vomiting please let me know. I will then need to push my doctors to send me for tests at the hospital in case there is some long-term underlying issue. I even gave a blood donation 6 months ago (after they asked me several questions and tested my blood to see if it was good enough) and they were shocked by how blue by arm went during the actual donation process. Seriously, this isn't normal and my GP was not concerned despite me explaining this. They seem to think it is a one-off when I numb all the time!
My family started to massage my hands and were shocked to find my hands completely stiff. I already knew I was dehydrated and after taking sips of water and some fizzy drink (which I was able to stomach more than water) it began to calm gradually so it lasted 10-15mins. The doctors in England are useless, the emergency services contacted a local on-call doctor (we call them General Practitioners (GP)) who telephoned me and said to try and wait it out until the morning (during the phone call it gradually began to subside). After that phone call it started up again 5mins later. I was sat on the sofa with my whole body numb including my legs, one kept sticking out in front of me and I was making so much effort to push it back down but it just sprung back up again several times. I was then given sips of warm mint tea with sugar and this helped more than the water. I had two cups first and then a third to make sure it was gone. I then had another two in the next 2 hours and my mum massaged my back and arms to make sure all stiffness was gone. Finally after this I could only stomach a banana before I had ibuprofen and went to bed with a tired and aching body.
I have been to the doctors in the past because i have been concerned about my blood circulation. My hands, arms, feet, legs numb very easily if I put slight pressure on it. I feel like an old lady when I sit on the floor because it takes just 5mins before my butt, legs or feet go numb, my hands also go numb if I lean back on them. The doctors always say it is down to low iron however, I have taken iron tablets regularly for nearly 5 months with no difference. Doctors in England never do expensive tests until it is too late (seriously it is how they treat you if they profile you as a young and healthy person based on your age). I wake up in the middle of the night with a numb arm, shoulder, hip knee or something random like that most nights. I'm not overweight for my height and age.
Anyway, if anyone has figured out what causes this paralysis during vomiting please let me know. I will then need to push my doctors to send me for tests at the hospital in case there is some long-term underlying issue. I even gave a blood donation 6 months ago (after they asked me several questions and tested my blood to see if it was good enough) and they were shocked by how blue by arm went during the actual donation process. Seriously, this isn't normal and my GP was not concerned despite me explaining this. They seem to think it is a one-off when I numb all the time!
I’ve had these episodes for years. I hate it. They’re painful and scary. (About 4 times per year for 20 years!) Gastro nor neurologist could help me with an answer.
I'm so happy I found this page! My partner went through this tonight. He's been out at work in hot weather all day, only had breakfast and a 2ltr bottle of vimto to drink all day. It gets to 7.30 pm and he asks me to start tea as he was hungry, so I did. Half way through cooking tea he starts to complain of really strong stomache cramps. He goes to the toilet and has serious s**ts. 10 mins later he says hes feeling sick. He goes back to the loo and once again has serious s**ts. Then while doing that he starts to violently be sick. He then passes out on the floor. He was out for a good 10 seconds (may not sound alot but actually felt a life time considering I didn't know what was wrong with him) when he finally came round his hands where all cramped up and he kept saying they felt numb and he couldn't feel his feet.
After 15 mins he was back on the toilet. This time I couldn't leave him as once again his hands cramped and he looked like he was going to pass out again.
It took around half an hour for his hands and feet to start feeling normal again. But he carried on going to the toilet on and off while being sick most of the night.
This is the second time this has happened how ever he never passed out the first time and this time he was alot worse.
Reading through various comments on here this seems to be more common than I expected.
A few replies had me thinking.
1: yes I do think he was dehydrated as drinking a fizzy drink just isn't good anyway!
2: I think he's over worked and stressed
3: I feel hes lacking certain vitamins.
One things for sure it was scarey as hell to see my man like that passed out and cramped up. He's off to the doctors first thing for a vitamin D check too as that's what causes my numbness and blackouts.
After 15 mins he was back on the toilet. This time I couldn't leave him as once again his hands cramped and he looked like he was going to pass out again.
It took around half an hour for his hands and feet to start feeling normal again. But he carried on going to the toilet on and off while being sick most of the night.
This is the second time this has happened how ever he never passed out the first time and this time he was alot worse.
Reading through various comments on here this seems to be more common than I expected.
A few replies had me thinking.
1: yes I do think he was dehydrated as drinking a fizzy drink just isn't good anyway!
2: I think he's over worked and stressed
3: I feel hes lacking certain vitamins.
One things for sure it was scarey as hell to see my man like that passed out and cramped up. He's off to the doctors first thing for a vitamin D check too as that's what causes my numbness and blackouts.
2 Comments
Oh my goodness. I'm dealing with this right now!! I've been feeling this way for about 8 hours and all I want to do is sleep but I can't due to traveling numbness/chills/sweats in my body (and abnormal breathing). I'm so scared right now but I feel like the ER won't do me much good. I've been drinking coconut water, fruit/vegetable juice and bottle water but I don't feel much difference. If anyone has any diagnosis or findings, please let us know. Thanks
I see I am not the only one. It started in July of 2016. I was at the cheesecake factory eith friends and our dinner was about to be served. My friends called my name and as I looked over they asked if I was ok. I heard the talking of everyone turn to a buzz and start to go in and out, next thing I know, my head slammed backwards. I managed to recover quickly, however,it was followed by hyperventilation, muscle seizing in the hands, numbness in my face and arms, abdominal cramping and my body felt extremely cold. After about a half hour, I was fine. Blood work was normal. Saturday September 3rd, I went to a party. Was out in the sun and felt very cold. My skin was cold as well. It had to be 80°+ outside. After I left the party, I went to work. I felt very nauseous and when my boss asked if I was ok I looked up at him and toppled over. I then started having the tingly numbness feeling and hyperventilation. I thought I was dehydrated as I thought last time. So I drank 2 cups of water and vomited. My whole body started locking up and was all starting to go numb. I managed to call a friend to take me to the hospital, and apparently blacked out in my car there were a few times I have stopped breathing. I was diagnosed with low potassium. Again, Tuesday September 6th. I was about an hour into work when the tingling and numbness started again. Major vertigo started. I talked to a coworker and he said I should go to the hospital. I told him I was gonna stick it out. I don't want to get fired for whatever keeps happening and not being reliable. About two hours go by of trying to remain alert and I went to use the restroom. I got up off the toilet and had a very bad dizzy spell and my ankle caved in, I fell to the floor. I got myself up quickly before I was unable to get up at all, the hyperventilation was starting again and as I pulled the bathroom door open, the muscle seizing started again. I clocked myself out and told a coworker I was going to the hospital. I tried staying aware while driving down the road and felt myself falling out of being aware of my surroundings a few times. The doctor told me this time it is my body probably saying I'm physically or mentally exhausted. All three times everything was different. Thinking maybe a lack of food or sleep. Lack of fluids. Exhaustion. The first time was on a day off, with almost no physical activity. Haven't eaten in 29 hours or had a drink of water in the past two days. Thought maybe it was dehydration. Second time, I had food, and fluids. I was thinking.... maybe it's dehydration from the sun?!? This time, I did everything right with poor results. Doctor says I have low potassium and magnesium but not enough to be concerned about. Now, I lie in bed awake at 3 am, not able to sleep with a severe headache and slight neck pain. I don't want to seem crazy, but something is wrong! I should mention during all this time, I have not had any alcohol. Also only had vomiting once and never any diarrhea. If someone finds out what it is, please comment to this. I keep trying to stick it out. From the looks of most posts, it's potassium. However... it may be something more.
Five days ago I awoke feeling nauseous. I stayed in bed a bit longer, then felt abdominal cramping. In the bathroom I had some loose stools and then severe abdominal pain. I started vomiting which was mostly dry heaves, then both arms went completely numb and my hands clenched into a frozen position. We called 911, and they arrived in less than ten minutes. By then the numbness and hand clenching had subsided. All vitals including an EKG were normal. I declined transport to the hospital, but an hour later I went to the ER with pain again which was possibly a kidney stone. There is still no explanation for the numbness, but a common theme I see here is vomiting.
So I posted one back and just wanted to follow up because it seems people still find this page often.
a couple of days after my episode I got so sick I couldn't even get out of bed to go to the doctors. After sleeping for almost 2 days straight I managed to get enough energy to go. They took a bunch of blood samples and found my vitamin D was dangerously low and starting to effect my thyroid. Everything else people have suggested to cause this hand paralysis, like electrolytes and vitamin b was normal. Honestly I thought it was Lymne disease and thank god it wasn't. So the only conclusion I can draw at this point is somehow a combination of dehydration, lack of vitamin D and the extreme nausea triggered some kind of temporary nerve blockage to my hands.
I have to go on prescription supplements for a few months, so I was suggest getting your blood tested for anyone this happens to again.
a couple of days after my episode I got so sick I couldn't even get out of bed to go to the doctors. After sleeping for almost 2 days straight I managed to get enough energy to go. They took a bunch of blood samples and found my vitamin D was dangerously low and starting to effect my thyroid. Everything else people have suggested to cause this hand paralysis, like electrolytes and vitamin b was normal. Honestly I thought it was Lymne disease and thank god it wasn't. So the only conclusion I can draw at this point is somehow a combination of dehydration, lack of vitamin D and the extreme nausea triggered some kind of temporary nerve blockage to my hands.
I have to go on prescription supplements for a few months, so I was suggest getting your blood tested for anyone this happens to again.
1 Comments
Thank you for posting an update, as I was in the process of posting one myself. I had another episode this past Monday. While making a cup of coffee, I began to feel dizzy and had tunnel vision. I knew I was going to pass out so I tried to hold onto the countertop. Well I passed out anyway and woke up in my husbands arms, disoriented and my arms and hands were drawn into "praying mantis" stance-paralyzed. There was a puddle of vomit on the floor. 911 was called, spend the day in the ER, and my Dr. is seeing me Friday to wear a Holter monitor (heart). I will show him your post and God willing...maybe have an answer to post here.
Omg thank you for posting this. I just had a similar experience and thought I was dying. I get motion sickness a lot and there are certain types of cars that I can't even be in. I was a passenger in my friends car that I know I can always expect motion sickness. My nausea became so bad that I didn't know what what would happen next - then all of a sudden my hands became tingly and soon after they started to become numb. I started to feel it spread to my tongue when I started to freak out. we were on the highway so we couldn't just pull over. I have a history of panics attacks so I assumed it was just that. However I have not had an anxiety attack in almost a year and it felt different - like I didn't have the usual outer body experience i usually have when experience a panic attack, it just felt it was actually physical rather than in my head. Also with a panic attack I have never felt need to go to the hospital and with this experience I felt like I needed to go to the ER immediately. Luckily, this girl is practicely my sister and I had no problems sharing everything I was experiencing. I tried to shake it off but it got worse so I decided to stop moving completely. I started to instruct her the fastest way to get to a hospital but by the time we pulled off the highway it started to subside. The strangest part was that when my hand numbness got severe my nausea vanished. Almost like that's what it had to do to correct itself. Once I got to my destination I immediately stretched and within 30 min I felt completely normal.
Anyways, by the number of responses I'm surprised there aren't more websites that mention this motion sickness side effect.
Today I accepted I can never go on a cruise or into outer space.
Anyways, by the number of responses I'm surprised there aren't more websites that mention this motion sickness side effect.
Today I accepted I can never go on a cruise or into outer space.
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