Sudden Weakness in arms

[Vasi]

In the last few months I have been getting a sudden weakness in both arms.  It comes on suddenly and lasts a maximum of 5 minutes.  When it happens I cannot lift anything.  I feel so weak that I have to sit or lie down until it passes.  This week it hit me twice.  Before these 2 incidents, the last time this happened was a month ago and before that was probably another month (2 times in a week).  The sensation is from the shoulders down to my hands.  Any ideas?

Thanks

[bykger]

interestingly I had too this episodes for several years. I am diabetic and taking insulin, ny weight was under the normal for several years and at that time I had the arms weakness episodes at least twice a week, during th eepisodes couldn't do anything (about 3-5 min at most) Interestingly I started to gain weight during the last year and the episodes totally stoped. I am now about 5 kg over the normal weight and no episode

[lorac247]

Hi,
Thanks for sharing your story.
I am having the weakness in my arms on and off and it was just recently followed by the vision impairment. I went to a doctor once about the vision thing and they said migraine too. I have problems with my neck and back as well.  I kept thinking the wave of muscle weakness might have something to do with taking meds for cholesterol as they affect muscles.  Do you take anything for cholesterol?  

[blowersm]

I said I would report back. I got my MRI results today and saw a neurologist.  The visual disturbance I had was attributed to a migraine, and the intermittent numbness in my arms is presumed due to a great deal of arthritis and bulging disks in my neck.  Certainly not the worst it could have been.

Signing off.

[blowersm]

I've just started having these episodes, had 5 in a week including 3 episodes of bilateral vision disturbance.  Spots were missing out of my field of vision.  If I moved my head I could read everything.  It is mostly the numbness/weakness/tingling in my arms.  They have started affecting the back of my neck as well.  I finally called our Ask-A-Nurse service and they said quite sternly to call my primary doctor right away!  I called her and she said, also quite sternly, to go to ER right away! So I went there and they did CAT scan, blood work, and EKG, and found nothing.  I have had many more episodes of the arm symptoms, sometimes with hand tremors, and I type for a living :(.  Once when driving I had to pull over and let my husband drive as I couldn't grip the wheel and I have been dropping things frequently.  I've been to the chiropractor twice and will go back if they don't find anything, but I had an MRI of brain and spinal cord, and expect to get those results today or tomorrow and I have a neurologist appointment tomorrow.  I do know that I have deteriorated disks in my neck and it does not have a normal curve. My eyes checked out ok.  So I am thinking it's either a disk problem or potentially a neuro disorder like MS.  The visual disturbance everyone said was an ocular migraine or a migraine aura.  I will post back.  

[ilikeglass]

Im so sorry this is happening to you. It has just started happening to me. It amazes me how much the doctors do NOT know!

[Inisfad]

Cervical spondylosis.  Basically a compression of the vertabrae in the neck, which compresses the nerves leading to numbness, and heaviness in arms and often legs, as well.  Neck exercises, physio can help.