Numbness and Tingling in Hands

[GG4362]

Hi, I have no idea if this is the right place to post this because I don't know what's wrong....  I have recently been waking every morning with extreme tingling and numbness in my hands.  Sometimes there is also significant pain, like a dull ache that eventually goes away when I readjust my sleeping position or hang my hands off the bed. The numbness is usually in my left hand most but often in both.  The numbness seems to stay more and more frequently throughout the day.  I have felt this before when working early in the morning on the computer after several hours but it never has lasted this long or began when I was sleeping.

My history:  I'm 37 and began Zoloft in June. I switched to Wellbutrin in September and seemed to notice the extreme numbness around that time. (Note:  I gained about 10 pounds while on Zoloft (could this al be due to weight gain?) and then I switched to Wellbutrin.  I am now back on Zoloft due to even more weight gain and irritability.)

I am having this numbness/tingling every day.  Also, my fingers feel very swollen first thing in the morning. My nails aren't brittle but very thin and my skin is very dry and cracks easily (circulatory issues?).  About one week ago, my right wrist began to hurt while pushing my kids in a stroller and it still hurts to this day but not as much.

I have no other meds or conditions.  Can someone please tell me if this is serious?  I don't have a "regular" doc so I'll have to find one and I don't even know what specialty I should go to....  Please help with any info at all. Thanks so much!

[jab901]

Hi, I also experienced severe peripheral neuropathy (numbness and tingling ) of hands and feet while on generic wellbutrin. When I was on it 7 years ago had same symptoms but was told it was not wellbutrin. Did your symptoms go away? If so, how long did it take?

[Godofredo MD]

Hi.

Are you of bupropion (Wellbutrin) now? How long are you off it?

Unfortunately, both sertraline (Zoloft) and bupropion can present with side-effects of numbness, irritability, and weight gain and it would be difficult to determine which one could be causing the symptoms. Aside from this there are other possible causes including improper sleeping posture, nerve impingement, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and endocrine disorders such as thyroid diseases or diabetes. Thus, it would also be difficult to say if this is something serious or not.

It would be advisable for you to consult a physician to evaluate your symptoms. There is no immediate need right now for a specialist and a consult with a primary care physician will be sufficient.

Hope this helps.