Has any other fibro sufferer had lack of feeling in 1 hand with a tingling kinda numb feeling.

[insomnia1]

All day I have lacked full feeling in my left hand with fingers tingling and numb feeling and dropping things and it's freaking me out as don't know what to do

[fibrodave]

Hi Insomnia1 yes yes yes and it's mostly in my left hand to although I do get the same feeling in my right hand but not as often, it's awful when it happens and yes it did freak me out at the time. I am sure that there will be many people on here who will agree that it could be connected to fibro

[insomnia1 in reply to fibrodave]

It has me not knowing what to do as never had this b4 is there anything to do ? Been trying to use left hand as still have movement and tried picking things up and just droppin them

[fibrodave in reply to insomnia1]

Hi Insomnia I have not been able to c my gp since it happened to me and feel as long as I can move my arm then I just have to be very careful, it could just be a trapped nerve in which case the doctor is only going to suggest that I rest my arm, One of the more frightening conditions linked to fibro is insomnia I am still unable to get to sleep even though I have taken a large amount of pain meds plus sleeping meds which is ridiculous really, if I had a dangerous job like blowing up old buildings then I would be a danger to everyone.

[LindseyMid in reply to fibrodave]

All symptoms, especially new or worsening symptoms, should be properly checked out.

Numbness & tingling can be symptoms of myofascial pain syndrome (which is itself a common symptom with Fibro but requires different treatment), Carpal tunnel syndrome, trapped nerves (which can be caused by joint impingement (which can sometimes be treated surgically) and numerous other chronic conditions. It's worth getting checked out as it may be a sign of something else or may be able to be treated.

[insomnia1 in reply to LindseyMid]

what is myofascial pain syndrome ? and is it part of fibro?

[insomnia1 in reply to fibrodave]

with me I either struggle to sleep due to severe pain or have days where for some reason all I want to do is sleep like tday but usually get about 4 hours or so a day.tday im in tears as feel have no life and wasting life as spent loads of time sleepin and missin out on time with my 13 yr old and my partner

[Hidden]

Fibro and sleep.. Catch 22 I didn't sleep properly for 21 years yet drove and held down a job for the first 7 years of my diagnosis... Now I have meds that make me sleep I get 7 hours a night wake up refreshed but in pain... Take my pain meds and now am classed as unfit to drive due to meds..... So the car has gone and very inconvenient it is too , but its still better than not sleeping...

VG x

[siver52 in reply to Hidden]

Please tell me what meds you are on that lets you have 7 hrs sleep. Would love to give that a try x

[Ginsing]

Hi guys,

I suffer this in both hands they think the men in white coats it is all to do with carpel tunnel syndrome . Some days no prob I have splints I wear at night and when doing things that bring it on. Need to talk to rheumatologist or physio good luck xgins

[siver52 in reply to Ginsing]

I have the same, but can't wear night splints coz I kept hitting myself in the face with them lol x

[insomnia1 in reply to siver52]

ouch that could be nasty lol

[Jjudith in reply to Ginsing]

Mine is caused by compression of the nerves in my neck, I am learning Alexander Technique to try to improve my neck posture.

[insomnia1 in reply to Jjudith]

What is Alexander Technique?

[Jjudith in reply to insomnia1]

Its a technique that you learn to use your body with more poise and more efficiently. Throughout life you pick up bad habits of misusing your body and they put strain on your body, and AT helps you to unlearn those bad habits. It's very good for fibromyalgia, because there is evidence from some research centres, notably from Seattle USA, Prof Andrew Holman, that shows that 71% of people with fibromyalgia have narrowing of their cervical canal, causing the cord to be 'massaged' as you move your neck. This is turn causes the autonomic nervous system to dysfunction and the signs of fibromyalgia. If you have this - I do - it shows on an MRI of the neck. Alexander Technique really concentrates on the use of the spine, and the neck, so it is very relevant. Also because you find eventually you use the body more efficiently, you can use maybe 25% of the energy that you used to use, so you can do more without getting tired. You can either find a practitioner or you can buy a book, I am doing a BSY correspondence course because it is cheaper than going to have treatment every week, and also when I have done the course I am going to help more people in my fibro group because a lot of people with fibromyalgia can't afford complementary therapy as they are on benefits. I did consult an Alexander Technique practitioner a few times at first to really assess me and find out what muscles I am habitually tensing. I have improved and I must say that my tingling in my right arm, and the pain in my left arm are starting to improve, although the loss of fine function in my left arm is probably permanent because the nerves have probably been damaged. Hope this helps - you can google it. I found a good second hand book on Amazon by Richard Brennan (I think that is his name). Sorry I did say left hand for tingling at one point on your blog and I meant right hand, fibro fog!

[insomnia1 in reply to Jjudith]

thanks so much for your help judith, Can u tell me the name of the book please

[Jjudith in reply to insomnia1]

He has written a number of books, they are all good. The Alexander Technique Manual or The Alexander Technique Workbook are good starters, if you go on Amazon and google his name you can see if you can get one cheap second hand.

[fibro in reply to Jjudith]

i had a physio who specialised in this, try to teach it to me but as I'm not straight it was so difficult for me. I think its something thats better done whilst you are being watched basically because you think you are doing the right movement but you can't tell.

Its similar to Pilates in that you need to do the exercises correctly before they will do you any good and its very easy to read a book thinking you are doing the right things, but not!! only saying this because i have tried it. Its not easy having good posture with a curved spine!! Although they were determined that it would just disappear!!! xx

[Jjudith in reply to fibro]

Yes, I note that my practitioner seemed to think that my face would go back to normal, and it was caused by years of misuse of my body, whereas I know that the left side of my face happened on one day and is pathogenic and it will never be normal, and I am not aiming for that because I think it is unrealistic. Never the less, if you can relax the muscles in your body and use them more efficiently it could help you. I found it useful to just keep noticing in the day which muscles were tense, and not do anything about it. This happened even when I was totally relaxed. Gradually over a time I have found that my muscles have got less tense. Maybe you could just try this. The idea of AT is not that you learn anything new, like Pilates and Yoga, but to unlearn bad habits and you might well have quite a few relating to your lack of straightness.

[fibro in reply to Jjudith]

i can't undo a curved spine from having one leg shorter than the other. they tried, i tried, but sadly it didn't work for me. I go to a hydrotherapy self help group run at the hospital , been going practically every week for over 10 yrs now, its the only place i can relax my muscles. i feel i live with permanent 'tenseness' if thats a proper word but you know what i mean. and that does help pain at all. sadly OH has had to change his shifts for this week and next so I'm unable to get to the pool. I can't even get into a bath otherwise i'd have a long soak on weeks that i can't go. I really miss not going and as its 14 miles away… thats the local hospital!! its not like i can just get a taxi. i try to make up for it on my next appts but you know what its like when you over do it!!

I think if you are able to to do the AT and do it correctly, its a great idea and a shame they don't teach it in schools from an early age, I'm sure many 'later age related' problems could be helped by us all being educated differently in how to look after our bodies….. when we were kids i remember being told…..;sit up straight'! I have to admits if i think about it i most probably put into auto pilot mode some of the things i was taught, esp when my neck is vey bad, but the use of a mirror or better still someone who knows the technique, watching your movements, it would help to get it right as doing them wrong is not just a waste but can do more harm depending on your initial conditions. Apparently Thai Chi (??)is very good and it can be done sitting as well so it you can't do all the standing and balancing, you can still do the stretching of your upper body. xx

[sadoldred]

Yes I have this too. I was sent for a Brain Scan to rule out MS and anything else that might have been going off in my brain. But it came back ok! So worth ahving a word with your GP just to check it out x

[jjojay]

Yes I get this, infact I have two other friends that get it too, and they don't have fibro as I x

[gloglo]

Well I had it in both hands for years and although it was suggested by a consultant who was

looking after my knee at the time suggested that I might have carple tunnel syndrome and should let my GP know. So I did but they just ignored it. This went on for three years until I could no longer even hold a book to read. Mentioned it to another doc at the surgery and was finally diagnosed as having the condition. Would you bwlieve it, the only reason why I was being miss diagnosed was because I was using the wrong terminology. I was saying was experiencing cramps in my hands when really I should have been saying numbness. The difference was only pointed out to me by the last doctor out of god know how many over the years. Cramps are to do with muscles and numbness is to do with circulation.

[gloglo in reply to gloglo]

Oh had to have both wrists operated on.

[insomnia1 in reply to gloglo]

hope that sorted it out

[gloglo in reply to insomnia1]

Well put it this way its way better than before at least I can use it now.

[jodieshock]

Yes, had x3 ops for carpol tunnel syndrome. Helped a lot; but still experience lack of power in hands and pain if use them too much. When operated on, told that each time the nerve was deviated and compressed (as found in cts). But also told that probably cause by fibro. Ask your g.p to refer you for a Nerve conduction test at hospital; don't leave it too long as can become impossible to put right (if CTS), as long term nerve damage can occur apparently.

Best Wishes.

[insomnia1 in reply to jodieshock]

hope ops helped u .my adoptive mam had 3 2 on 1 hand and still has trouble

[gloglo in reply to jodieshock]

When I had mine done the surgeon asked how long I had been suffering with it cause the nerves were very grey and all stuck to the tendons. Six months later when he did the left one he said it was worst than the right one. Would have thought it would have been the other way round. Great thing was got to watch the first op they didnt know I could see lol. Was really amazing

[jodieshock in reply to gloglo]

DID IT SORT THE PROBLEM, OR DO YOU STILL HAVE SOME SYMPTOMS?

[gloglo in reply to jodieshock]

It sort I'd say 95% of the problem out. Cant maneuver my wrist as freely as before. But was worth the op. One thing I'd say though is make sure you have someone to help you out after op. Could have done with someone to help with my bathing.

[insomnia1 in reply to gloglo]

No way I could stomach watching that I would be ill.

[gloglo in reply to insomnia1]

It was really fascinating the way the tendon were but they were in a right mess

[insomnia1 in reply to gloglo]

sounds fascinating seeing your tendons etc but id pass out seeing that. I barely stomach seeing them take out my implant in my arm every 3 yr

[Jjudith]

Yep left hand - dropped a cup of chocolate over my pale beige bedroom carpet.

[insomnia1 in reply to Jjudith]

I'm forever dropping things have been like this few years now and I'm only 34. But the numbness is just new usually it's sharp shooting pain down my hand. My 13 yr old thinks it's funny when I drop things.

[gloglo in reply to Jjudith]

Thats one thing I still find I'm doing now, forever dropping things. After op on wrists its important to continually exercise the wrists to keep tendons supple . But I can bare with that minor complaint compared to what I had before.

[teresa-67]

i have had this for about 10years test after test for carpal tunnel i lays dorment for abit then all of a sudden it comes with avengence i have read that it can be linked to menstral cycle and just recently read it can be linked to inflammation of the oesophicus and the digestive system sometimes it is so seveer i think i'm having a heart attack , it weaken my arm i mainly get it in my left arm

[anbuma]

I have this in my left hand.i am unable to hold anything in my left hand and the symptoms I get are coldness,tingling .pins and needles and numbness,pain and stiffness in my fingers.i cannot carry heavy shopping or hold my dogs' leads in my ands.

[fibro]

the problems in the hand sound like carpal Tunnel syndrome, I'm still recovering from the op on my right hand which was operated on 11 weeks ago tomorrow. its still not right, but i've been advised it could still improve as some people its taken a year after th sop to get full feeling back…but don't delay get it looked at. Sadly there was a long waiting list where i had it done and the results to the nerve conductivity study took an extended three weeks to come back to the gp, although they said severe carpal tunnel, nothing was treated as urgent! I'm no better than i was before it was done, only worse with extra pianos in fingers and wrist….. but you must go and get it checked out xx