I woke up this afternoon and soon after I lost all the feeling in my left hand. I then had visual disturbance like when I get migraine headaches. I've never had the numbness before.
I called my nurse who was out and then a temporary nurse told the intake lady to tell me to go directly to the emergency room. Well, I did and sat there for almost 3 hours (after they took my vitals and my symptoms). When I learned that tons of people were still ahead of me, I left b/c I didn't want to be around all the sick people there, and obviously the ER didn't think my situation was an emergency or they would have tried to see me sooner.
Anyway, I'm 5 weeks pregnant. My symtpoms of migraine and numbness went away completley shortly have I got to the ER. Does anyone think there is any potential problem with my pregnancy???? I don't have any cramping or bleeding. I really think I just had a migraine headache and the nurse from my normal doctor probably just told me to go to the ER just to make sure (and so she doesn't get sued). I never actually talked to the nurse from my normal doctor, just the intake lady.
Any thoughts would be appreciated!!! I'm really nervous that somehting is going wrong, though I'm not having anymore problems now.
I was just reading your post and thought I would respond since nobody else has yet. I don't think your problem is pregnancy related seeing that you are so early on in your pregnancy, however, I do think you should see your doctor just to make sure everything is alright with you, so that you don't have problems in your pregnancy. If you were later in your months it could possibly be things that were pregnancy related, but being that you are only 5 weeks, I doubt it. If you get migrains alot with visual, then I wouldn't worry so much. Maybe you hand was numb from sleeping on it? If you don't think that is the case, then maybe you should see your docotor.
Does that make sense? I hope so. Best of luck to you!
Hi Nancy,
I am not pregnant but I do suffer from migraines w/headaches and migraines without. I typically get the aura first and then the migraine headache and also get just the occular migraines. I also will at times get numbness in my gums tongue, lips, teeth (yes teeth!!), and hand. These types of migraine symptoms have only started since the birth of my second son. Before that I would get the aura first and then the headache. I would mention it to your dr the next time you see him/her but it sounds like a migraine symptom to me.
Good luck!!
Thanks so much! I feel a little better now. I woke up tonight thinking my hand was numb again, but it wasn't. I think I'm starting to get paranoid now. It's kind of scary to have the numbness think. I have an appointment on Monday, and I certainly will bring it up...if it happens again, I guess I'll have to go to the ER again even though they don't seem to want to help.
Those are stroke symptoms, go back to the hospital!!! If someone tells you to go to the ER, GO and STAY THERE!
Stroke Warning Signs
If you notice one or more of these signs, don't wait. Stroke is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 or your emergency medical services. Get to a hospital right away!
The American Stroke Association wants you to learn the warning signs of stroke:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Last edited by pittbulllover; 04-07-2006 at 06:19 AM.
Exactly -- those are stroke symptoms! There are little "mini-strokes" that usually happen before "the big one hits" that sound exactly like what you described.
While there's not alot they can do for in the ER after your episoded, your doctor can refer you to a cardiologist for some additional testing.
Stroke?! That's scary. I'm only 32 and not overweight, have low blood pressure (it was 102/56), don't have diabetes.....I don't really have any risk factors for stroke.
Do I need to go to the hospital now when I have no risk factors? I only have two of the symptoms which also are migraine symptoms (and I've had the visual disturbance before with migraines).
I was going to wait and tell the doctor on Monday. The ER didn't think I was an emergency at all after I told them my symptoms.
How soon does the big stroke happen after the mini-stroke????
The big stroke can happen anytime after a mini stroke. I mean, hours or years, you never know. If you think it might be stroke, go immediatly.
However, numbness in the hands is a common symptom of pregnancy. It happens to me all the time, and very easily. And if you have a history of migranes then that might just be pregnancy symptoms kicking in.
Put it this way, if a 28 yearl old female basketball coach, who is also military personell can drop dead from a heart problem, you can too.
Do whats best for you and your baby, your pregnant all bets are off. Go back to the hospital, even if it's nothing!
I've read something about ectopic pregnancy and numbness in the arm as well. Also, anytime I've ever had to go to the ER while pregnant (and it was a lot) they took me before anyone else. Did you tell them you are pregnant?
Unfortunately migraines and their symptoms can mimic strokes. I would have had 2 mini strokes/week if I thought I was having a stroke for every migraine I get. I have been checked out at hospitals and had CT scans, sent to an opthamolosist and EKG's in the past all with normal results. I regularly suffer from migraines and visual disturbances, dizziness and numbness/tingling in my hand and mouth and all it is for me are migraines. I would call your family DOCTOR and ask what they would advise you to do.
THe family doc told her to go to the ER. Just becuase you have all these sypmptoms and only have migranes, does not hold true for everyone else.
SHe should at least have it checked out.
Pittbullover,
I am not suggesting that she ignore the symptoms-I'm merely telling her that I do suffer from these stroke like symptoms and for ME they are migraine related. She talked to an in-take nurse and I was saying maybe her DOCTOR would be best on advising her on what she should do. I am also not saying that just because I suffer from these symptoms that everyone else does-for most people it could be mini strokes but Nancy has said that she does suffer from migraines and visual disturbances so the numbness COULD be migraine related, it could be a mini stroke, could be caused from her low blood pressure, etc. I hope things are well with you Nancy and that you have found out what is causing this.
It was an intake person who asked some random nurse who advised me to go the the ER. And I did tell the ER that I was pregnant. I thought they would take me back fast, but they didn't. I was there forever with no hope of being seen anytime soon so I left b/c I was worried that I would get sick from all the sick people in the waiting room. I think the ER people thought it was a migraine b/c they put me way down on the priority list.
The symtpoms have not returned at all and I have an appointment with my real doctor on Monday, so I thought I could wait until Monday and tell him about it. I agree that it is important to get things checked out so I will definitely bring it up to him....I would have gone back to the ER but my husband thinks things are fine, and I've had migraines in the past which leads me to believe this is also a migraine. Out of all the symptoms of a stroke, I only have two (visual distrubance and numbness in hand). This makes me think it is not an emergency, though I will definitely get it checked out.
I went to the doctor and mentioned that I had a migraine with visual disturbance and numbness and he wasn't concerned at all. He told me not to take prescription medicaition and that was it. I guess everything is fine. I haven't had any other problems and my doctor didn't think it was a concern so I guess I'll just not worry anymore.
I've been reading the posts and if you NEVER had a migraine episode before then I could understand all this stroke talk, but where you HAVE had them, chances are it was just a migraine! I get them too and WITH numbness sometimes. I've had MRI's and I've had migraines for years!! Luckily they have gone down dramatically the last 10 years for me. I think my nerves brought them on alot when I was younger. Just try not to worry so much during your pregnancy. I think alot of girls were concerened because they are indeed stroke signs, but for a normal person without migraines. Like I said, if you were someone that did not get migraine episodes, I might worry more. Where you get them, I'm sure that is all it was. I'm glad to see that you saw your doctor regarding this. Like the other poster said, we would be having strokes twice a week if that were true for the last 15 years for me!! LOL.
I too get migraines with numbness down my left side--face, arm, leg. It can be scary when it happens, because numbness is a sign of stroke. If you have another episode, I suggest you see a neurologist to properly daignose migraines with numbness or other neurological problems. That way you will have peace of mind.
Migraine and Numbness in left hand 
Re: Migraine and Numbness in left hand 
