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Does anyone else feel sick and dizzy when they lift their arms up? They ache really badly even if it is only for a few seconds..any ideas?

louise78 profile image
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louise78
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Jade profile image
Jade

I don't feel sick and dizzy but I can only lift my arms for for a few seconds as they ache like crazy and feel weak. Hanging out the washing has always been a major chore and takes me ages.

But to be fair any physical activity even if it is minor for other people is very difficult to maintain.

CanaryDiamond10 profile image
CanaryDiamond10

Hi Louise: I have pain if I keep my arms over my head for even short periods of time, for instance washing my hair in the shower or curling my hair. My arms, neck and across my shoulders ache as though I were Atlas carrying the world on my shoulders. My rheumatologist attributes these symptoms to "fibromyalgia-like" disease. I don't know what it is going to take to make it just fibromyalgia, but she won't come right out and say it so I must have some border-line results. Another symptom in this category is that my head feels too heavy for my neck. It is as though I were walking around all day balancing a heavy, big, book on my head. This is pain I have only found relief from with 2 Vicodin/ 3 hours (a Fentanyl patch I always have on that delivers 100 micrograms of medicine every 72 hours) and laying absolutely flat with support under my neck and the curve of my lower back. At least these meds keeps me mobile after they knock me flat on my back. Try looking up fibromyalgia and see if it sounds like familiar symptoms. Best of luck.

Warm wishes,

CanaryDiamond10

Mijmijkey74 profile image
Mijmijkey74 in reply toCanaryDiamond10

Hi CanaryDiamond10 I know you posted that 4 years ago, but so pleased to finally have found someone else (you) with the exactly same symptoms and remedies for the heavy head as me. Lifting my arms above my head to hang washing out or put things away higher up leaves me zapped of energy, nauseous and needing to lie down also. Did you ever find out the cause of your symptoms? My doctor's don't listen to me. Had an MRI on head, neck and chest. Nothing showed up. Made me feel like I'm a liar making up symptoms, but unfortunately not.

TJSTICKYBLOOD profile image
TJSTICKYBLOOD

I have this and at the Lupus clinic they said that I have Thoracic outlet syndrome. I'm not having treatment but at least I have a name.

GinaD profile image
GinaD

I used to have this problem. It was quite mild and went away after my first round of physical therapy for my bad hip. A quick, Internet based strategy may be to google or YouTube info on " The Alexander Technique" in case you are carrying yourself in a way which strains the spine.

louise78 profile image
louise78

HI guys, thanks for all of your responses. I am at st thomas' for an appointment next week so will definatley mention it this time. I have had it for so long, sometimes its worse than others (like now). I find i forget to mention things at my appointments so I think I will need to make a list. Its very annoying as well as exhausting always having some weird symptom that stops you getting on with every day life. xx

Mijmijkey74 profile image
Mijmijkey74

Hi APsnotFab How long did they want you to hold your arms up in the air for? And what symptoms were they on the look out for when you did that?

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