Carpopedal Spasms!? [Archive]

Petesy

13-06-14, 23:07

Hi all

Made an emergency appointment for my gp today and explained about how I'm not coping atm and that I'm getting new symptoms cramps in my hands and spasms in my forearms, and he spotted my hand tremors as he was taking my pulse and asked if my hands shake like that all the time which they do, after telling him about my day to day routine he says it sounds to him that I have a (generalised anxiety disorder) which I thought strange after me telling him my main worry is what's going on in my body heart, brain etc thought that would be under HA.

Anyway he asked if I get numbness on my face, mouth arms, and he put his own hands out and put them in a claw and asked me if this happens I said YES! It's been frightening me obviously along with the numbness, he said this is called (Carpopedal Spasms) due to hyperventilation I had never heard of this and DON'T GOOGLE IT EITHER!! I had to get my mother to do it for me :blush:

He prescribed me 40mg of propananol.

Has anyone heard or went through this with their Anxiety?? :shrug:

Thanks

Petesy.

Carnation

13-06-14, 23:27

Hi Petsey,

I personally haven't heard of this, but do you do regular breathing exercises? You know, the in through the nose and out through the mouth, slowly counting 5 in and 7 out. A few times throughout the day?
Forgive me, if you already doing this, but it does help hyperventilating. :hugs:
Since my last post to you, I have had some new symptoms crop up.
My Therapist says that Anxiety does this and its telling us that our Body and Mind needs more time to repair.
Relaxation, Fun, Good Diet, Sleep and Exercise.:hugs:

Petesy

13-06-14, 23:36

Hi carnation

Thanks for the reply

I'm the exact same ain't heard of it until the doc said it. :huh:

I only seem to do it when I feel the anxiety take hold like today but maybe I should do it three or four timesa day and get back to exercise well saying that I walk a lot, i'm eating well too.

I hope the new symptoms haven't been to distressing for you.

It's all easier said than done though but your therapist is right :)

Thanks again

Petesy.

Carnation

13-06-14, 23:58

Unfortunately, every Symptom is distressing me, but I have this thing where I tell it to stop and go away and reassure myself that I am OK and nothing bad is going to happen to me.
As I am typing this I have a sharp pain going up in to my left shoulder, crackly head pain shooting up, down, left and right, like I am been cut inside my head. An aching Jaw, tingling in my legs, shooting pain in my right arm and a twitching eye-lid.
No doubt, there will be other symptoms tomorrow. Can't wait!:ohmy:

nomorepanic

14-06-14, 00:04

Yes I have seen it before and yes it can be caused by anxiety so you need to treat the underlying problem and the rest should fall into place

Petesy

14-06-14, 00:14

Hi Nicola Thank you for your reply

You've heard of this thank goodness. :hugs:

By underlying problem you mean anxiety??

---------- Post added at 00:11 ---------- Previous post was at 00:08 ----------

Sorry too hear that carnation sounds like a portion of the week i've had plus these corpopedal spasms.

Have you been sitting in front of the computer for long..?

---------- Post added at 00:14 ---------- Previous post was at 00:11 ----------

Yes I have seen it before and yes it can be caused by anxiety so you need to treat the underlying problem and the rest should fall into place

Hope their ain't some problem causing this other than anxiety :-(

Daisy Sue

14-06-14, 05:23

I have had anxiety rise to the level of making my hands and arms feel 'fuzzy', but it didn't go to the next stage of spasms.. however I did once take my friend to the emergency doctor's due to this - she was in such a state that she couldn't even fasten the seat belt in my car - her hands were seized up, her body was rigid and painful.... and it was all anxiety.

nomorepanic

14-06-14, 12:30

Yes sorry I meant the anxiety not something else sinister

Annie0904

14-06-14, 14:03

Petesy this is what I was telling you the night it happened to you. It is just caused by hyperventilating (over breathing). That is why I was saying you had to slow your breathing down :) It has happened to me and that is how I knew about it. It actually happened to me while I was having a panic attack in the doctors surgery and he brought some of the nurses in to show them 'classic symptoms of hyperventilation' hands going like claws etc.! It is caused by not having enough oxygen in your body by over breathing. Nothing to worry about. I have GAD too.

Petesy

14-06-14, 18:21

Thanks Nicola for that, lol thought you knew something I didn't lastnight :doh:

---------- Post added at 18:09 ---------- Previous post was at 18:06 ----------

Thanks Sue

Long time no read :)

It's a frightening symptom as they all are sure enough

But it's certainly good to hear I'm not on my own with this ty

Petesy. :hugs:

---------- Post added at 18:21 ---------- Previous post was at 18:09 ----------

Hi Annie

Yeah that's right I think it's just when the doctor explained the right name for it, i was like shit what is this lol, hit me with laments terms especially when my brain is constantly on what's happening to me plus I'd never heard of it.(Corpopedal Spasms)

Hence him showing me with his own hands and that's when I said yeah that's exactly what happens too me.

I'm going to practice breathing exercises from now on, in for 5 and out for 7.

Hope you're enjoying yourself Annie :hugs:

Petesy.

Daisy Sue

15-06-14, 08:26

You're definitely not on your own with it, Petesy - that's the beauty of this forum. You can post a symptom here which seems crazy and scary, and then find in the responses that it's all quite 'normal'. :)

Remember when you're doing your breathing exercises, to put one hand flat on your belly, and concentrate on feeling it rise as you breathe in, rather than just breathing through your upper body.

Petesy

15-06-14, 12:14

Annie0904

15-06-14, 17:12

I'm back home now Petesy :) have had a lovely time :)

Daisy Sue

15-06-14, 23:58

Yeah you're right this forum is great Sue

Hand flat on the tummy and the other on the chest in for 5 and out for 7 I had to do this lastnight and managed to control myself and the panic subsided, i felt good afterwards a sense of achievement, that could sound trivial to someone who doesn't suffer from it or doesn't understand, but I was proud of myself :yesyes:

Hope things are going well for you Sue :bighug1:

Thanks again

Petesy.

Well done you! :D It is an achievement, and it's a deep subconscious realisation that you can control the anxiety symptoms, which is a really important step to getting better.

I'm not doing too bad ta... ups and downs, various stresses, but all that's quite normal in my life. lol ;):hugs:

Cambrian49

16-06-14, 20:34

Hiya. Thanks for this post. I had a similar experience on the weekend after a stressful and quite boozy few days. Never had a hand cramp before and then suddenly it seized up while I was holding my phone. Cue panic attack, throwing up everywhere and obsessive googling of MND/ALS. Slightly better today but worrying that it might happen again and put me back in the panic zone :( x

Petesy

16-06-14, 22:07

Hi Cambrian

I couldn't hold my phn or even dial, my hands went like claws and forearms cramped up, emergency appointment at my g.p to be told corpopedal spasms (hyperventilation) is the cause.

If it ever happens again listen to the ladies on this thread about the breathing exercises it's all down to controlling our breathing.

I'm glad this put your mind at ease.

And take care :winks:

Petesy.

---------- Post added at 22:07 ---------- Previous post was at 22:01 ----------

Hi Annie

I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself stress free, and now Malta is one of your "comfort zones" your family must have been proud of you too.

I look at it as an achievement because it is.

Sunshine a view of the alps. I'm jealous lol :D

I'm really happy for you :hugs:

Petesy :bighug1:

Cambrian49

17-06-14, 07:06

Thanks Petesy x

Petesy

17-06-14, 22:15

Your welcome CB 49 :hugs: