Episode of partial paralysis or quadriparesis???

Hi all,

I had a scary episode yesterday...  I over-exerted myself by washing down the side of my house, which I should not have done.  I was using my arms a lot...  I took and break, came in the house, and I felt sick and shaky, my tremors were going crazy.

I went back out and finished up.  I came back in, turned on the fan, and sat in a recliner.  I thought after I cooled down, I would be okay.

It did not go away and became worse.  The numbness tripled in all 4 extremities.  I felt as if I could not move almost like I had temporary quadriparesis.

My husband was not home and my cell phone was in the next room.  I knew I had to get to it some how even if I had to crawl.  I made myself get up and got my phone.  I got back to the couch thankfully and called my husband.  He got there in 10 minutes.

I have NEVER felt this way before.  I thought I might be dehydrated or something, but I noticed I was having trouble swallowing, as well.  My husband iced me down and forced me to drink Gatorade.  After about 2 hours, I started to come out of it.

Lastly, I noticed my vision seemed different.  I sat on my porch for a short time and noticed the plant foliage seemed to be wavy and moving.  I knew at that point this was not dehydration and must have been an exacerbation.

Has anyone else had something similar to quadriparesis/temporary before?

thanks...

terri

[Quixotic1]

All your friends are right.  You must report this to your doctor.  You had a very severe reation - a mightly powerful pseudoexacerbation.  Rarely these can leave behind some permanent worsening, but usually they go away with proper cooling.

You must take steps to avoid this.  They are not only a nuisance and scarey, they can be dangerous.  I'm so glad you're better.

Quix

[michelleislay]

hi terri,

how frightening for you!

i haven't had that happen, but quix wrote somewhere in a post i've read of late about how a woman became paralyzed permanently after being subjected to a hot bath test during part of her diagnosis process.  apparently this lead to the test being disallowed (thankfully!!!).

it does seem like over exertion can have dramatic effects--particularily in the heat.

best of luck and please do take it easy over the next few days/weeks!!

xo  michelle

[essdipity]

Wow, that is scary. Please call your neuro now and report this. It's important!

Sending hugs,
ess

[figuerpa]

What a scary experience. I am glad your husband was there for you and came to your aid. It is great that he knew what you needed to help you.

I am so glad you are doing a little better, but like ess said, call your neuro he/she needs to know about this.

Wishing you the best
Paula

[opie74]

Once while useing the weed-eater in the late summer something similar happend.  Thankfully, it was just the fore arm on both sides.  My right arm could not move from the elbow down.  I was shaking and was week as when I had heat exhaustion before.  My vision was like watching the refreshrateonthe computer.  After a cold shower and some suggary drink, I began to imporve.  That was one of the triggers for my first round of IV Steroids.  Be verry careful for the next few days, and definately call your doc.  

keep us updated!
Ann

[Sparkysarah]

I have never experienced anything like this..but it is a lesson to us all that we should keep our mobile or handset with us at all times!

I am really sorry that you went through this..it sounds extremely frightening...but at least you were at home rather than somewhere else and thank goodness your hubbie was not too long.

Rest up, make sure you report this to your neuro and don't overdo things (says the person who was so tired from doing too much yesterday that she collapsed into bed very early). This is a reminder to us all that when we are feeling OK we shd not go mad and do too much as we often experience payback in some form.

Take care Terri

Love Sarah

[jensequitur]

Sounds like you got way too hot.  This can feel like a pseudo-exacerbation.  Some people think that this causes permanent damage, while others think that it's just a temporary problem.  My vote is to avoid it entirely.

[Quixotic1]

All your friends are right.  You must report this to your doctor.  You had a very severe reation - a mightly powerful pseudoexacerbation.  Rarely these can leave behind some permanent worsening, but usually they go away with proper cooling.

You must take steps to avoid this.  They are not only a nuisance and scarey, they can be dangerous.  I'm so glad you're better.

Quix

[tjj3761]

Thanks to all my friends.....

Yes, it was very scary for me.  Yesterday then, I had 7 1/2 hours of I think optic neuritis pain in my left eye.  I have found that the Tramadol does not work for this kind of pain.  I was out of Vicodin, but a friend had one, which gave me instant relief.

I was "this far" from going to the ER.  After all this the past 2 days, I kind of feel like a mack truck hit me, tired.

I so appreciate all of you.....  

I am going to call my neuro today!

terri

[tjj3761]

It is now 8 days post this severe pseudoexacerbation.  This pseudo caused a relapse for me.  

That night, I noticed my vision was wavy and blurry.  Monday, I had 7-8 hours of deep, boring, left eye pain that was only relieved with Percocet finally.  Tuesday had forehead pain, far left and then far right, back and forth.  

Wednesday morning, I woke up itching and a prickly rash on my thighs (which since childhood for me is a sign of being sick).  I then noticed trouble swallowing sputum and numbness in the roof of my mouth.  I had slight panic attack and then my neuro told me to go to the ER.

The ER was a waste of time altogether.  My neuro wanted a speech pathology evaluation, but I declined.

All the above symptoms after the scary incident are the way in which my relapses have happened in the past.  Now today, day 8, I am slowly working my way out of it, except I have had the severe fatigue at the end of all this.

It will probably take a couple more weeks from past experience to get myself out of this.  What I have learned is that "I cannot exert myself in any way in the future."  I never want to have that quadriparesis feeling again......

terri