What worries me is that about a mile and half or so into it the walk my left arm started to feel really weird. Not entirely numb, but I didn't have full control of it either. Now I admit I'm not the most healthy person alive. I'm overweight (though I'm working on that) and excersize little. However, I take a physical about every year, year and a half, and my cholesterol has never been in any danger zones.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe your left arm going numb is a sign of a stroke. But wouldn't I need to have clogged arteries to have a stroke at the age of 24? And wouldn't my cholesterol be in a danger zone for my arteries to be so clogged?
Anyway, I would appreciate anyones insights on this. I'm guessing you're all going to say "GO TO THE DOCTOR YOU FRIGGIN MORON!" but I don't have health insurance, sooo...if it is a stroke I don't think I can afford the costs of any kind of treatment. 
left arm numb is one symptom of a heart attack, but that should go along with chest pains and ermm... bowel troubles.
could also be a pinched nerve or something like that.
I would go to a doctor if you're worried about it.
quote:
Ragabash had this to say about Duck Tales:
As stated above, 24
skimmed over that part 
sorry.
You can get a stroke from things other than high cholesterol, though the aforementioned high cholesterol remains a highly possible cause of a stroke. A stroke is caused by a blood clot to the brain. Are you sure you're not paranoid enough to have a tumor?
Also, do you live somewhere that you could've gotten heat stroke? Might it be cold enough there to cause a joint or joints to lock? I've seen both happen, and both happen more easily to people who don't get exercise.
Wasn't carrying anything at that point.
--
A joint can also lock up if you don't move it for a while. Is this the first time you've had problems in your left arm? Have you had any similar problems with other body parts, like a leg?
Sometimes if I sneeze or cough really hard my left shoulder hurts like hell.
This sounds most like what it could be. But it wasn't one joint, it was the whole area. Took effort to make my elbow bend. Fingers didn't respond as rapidly or fully like they should. Shoulder felt fine, but there was a kind of cold ache in my bicep area.
--
You can get a stroke from things other than high cholesterol, though the aforementioned high cholesterol remains a highly possible cause of a stroke. A stroke is caused by a blood clot to the brain. Are you sure you're not paranoid enough to have a tumor?
How does paranoia cause a tumor?
--
Also, do you live somewhere that you could've gotten heat stroke? Might it be cold enough there to cause a joint or joints to lock? I've seen both happen, and both happen more easily to people who don't get exercise.
It was about the 70's that day, but I was wearing my heavy leather jacket. I haven't switched over to my summer jacket yet, and I always wear a jacket. I didn't feel particularly hot though, or sweaty.
--
I don't want to make too much of this. I basically just want to know if most of you think it's something minor, or is it something I should see the doc about. I honestly don't know.
Since you don't have insurance, may want to snoop around there a bit.
quote:
Trent spewed forth this undeniable truth:
WebMD - Shoulder Stiffness, Weakness, Decreased Movement.Since you don't have insurance, may want to snoop around there a bit.
Thanks! With this site I think I've had a Transient ischemic attack (TIA). Good news is it's temporary. Bad news is, in 1/3 of the people who have it, a stroke isn't far behind
This is just one possiblity. And after walking in the sun for the time you had been out, it could be what happened.
This happens to me alot living in Texas. One day my entire body was numb, I could barely walk, just drank power aid and water, relaxed for an hour and was fine.
An ischemic heart attack isnt too good, I would go get it looked at. With any luck, they would only have to do an angiogram and leave it at that. However, if it was something like a pulmonary embolysm, worse could be coming up fast.
Go to the doctor.
Basically i would start walking around more.. watching your diet and shit like that.
Does this happen when say.. you get out of a chair? or when you take a dump?
Prolly only when your Cardio system is over exerting itself..
BUT
could also be a sign of Latent Diabetic <how over weight is the question you should answer> or high blood pressure.. all of which i would say go to a doctor and let him check up on because noone here is qualified to make that jump..
ALSO.. poor circulation could run in your family and that WOULD be something to worry about.. seeing as that means you would have a higher risk of heart disease and shit like that.. ask your family questions and etc..
this IS the first time you have had this feelng right?
[ 05-20-2003: Message edited by: Timpofee ]
PS.. this also has alot of indications that it was a mixture.. sounds like you were Dehydrating to me though.. everything else is just stuff to think about and leg work on your own..
As for jumping conclusions, I haven't made up my mind as to what exactly it was. Merely saying that, according to that site, the symptons I had mostly resembled that. I'm certainly HOPING it was something like dehydration or something simple.
But, message loud and clear. I'll bite the financial bullet and see a doctor.
(Holy crap, I actually learned stuff in that physiology class!)
On the last day of Archery in my Gym class, I was pulling on the bow too hard. The arrows were all going at least a foot through the foam target. Anywho, a few minutes later, my left arm and shoulder felt almost entirely numb, except for a slight pain. I thought nothing of the numbness, and thought the pain was just a muscle in my back cramping up. It tends to happen.
So, I continued on with my day, and the pain just got worse, and worse, and worse. I ended up having to come home and put some ice on it. My gym teacher said I'd probably pulled a muscle, as it hurt to lift my arm over my head.
A couple of days later, I went to the doctor, and got it checked out. Tendonitis in the left bicep and pectoral.
So, it might not be a heart attack.
