posted March 19, 2003 12:11 AM         

I used to have a pretty big drug problem and at times when I would come to my parents house and I couldn't smoke pot around them so I would (this is so embarassing) (but I was a drug addict at the time) huff this stuff that blows air onto the computer keyboard. So I did this all the time when I would come over here.

Well then I got worried because the effects lasted a little longer that they were supposed to. Like I would inhale it so many times that later that night even if I didn't do anymore I still had a hard time regaining feeling in my hands and feet.

Well lately that feeling has come back. And no I haven't been doing that! It is actually happening right now and hard to type. Basically my hands and feet and arms and lower legs sort of go numb and if I touch something, I have to push really hard to feel it and even then it's only in waves.

It's kind of scary for me and this was a characteristic that used to happen right when I would huff the computer stuff or other inhalants such as nitrous or freon which some of you might be more familiar with.

Basically I want to know what the heck is going on! It's kind of embarassing because it's kind of obvious sometimes when I start grabbing things really hard because I can't feel right.

I don't even know if I've made sense here. Oh! Maybe I should mention that they gave me nitrous when they removed my wisdom tooth and I lost the feeling then too. So maybe that triggered this? But what is this? Has anyone ever heard of this. Is something wrong with my nervous system?

posted March 19, 2003 12:18 AM         

It may not be your nervous system but maybe your circulation. I don;t really know, and truly wish I had more info for you (i'll look around though, I promise).

But why don't you see a doctor? You really should....

Don't worry about it. I know you'll be ok. Try to relax tonight, okay?

posted March 19, 2003 12:21 AM         

I suppose maybe I deserve this for doing so many drugs and doing such stupid stuff to my body. Boy was that stupid. I have learned a lot of lessons let me tell you. I may still like to have a good time but I have learned alot.

posted March 19, 2003 12:35 AM         

It's not my circulation- it's my feeling, my sense of touch! I guess I should go to a doctor though. I don't want my parents to know though. This is sooooo embarassing

thanks for your support

posted March 19, 2003 01:38 AM         

Well, forget the drugs of the past-- their effects probably did not last. If you keep up a non-toxic lifestyle, most cells regenerate over time. But it does sound as if your nervous system is being affected by something.

Have you fallen or had a big body shock in recent months, theFajita? You may have a pinched nerve in your back or neck -- your body could be out of alignment, that could account for the numbness in your extremities. A vertebra could be slightly out of joint and causing this. Sometimes stress or a lack of sleep can make a smaller underlying problem worse; certainly Neptune is quite prominent in the sky these days, and in Capricorn, too-- which may indicate increased neural/skeletal problems (anyone else here had any neuralgia headaches lately?).

I recommend that you go see a doctor, or at least a nurse, immediately (I don't know if you're in school or something and have access to a clinic there). If that all checks out normal, then consider seeing a chiropractor, accupuncturist, massage therapist, or other alternative medecine professional who can advise on subtle blockages of energies and/or nerves, and gently manipulate your body to correct your alignment.

My Chinese back doctor once helped "fix" my wrist and hand, which had gone numb off and on after I made the vain mistake of wearing a jade bracelet that was too small that kept banging exactly on one of my wristbones. I wore it for 3 weeks until I got scared at my hand feeling numb more often (yup, we get scared after abusing ourselves!!). I went to see him about a back problem and after he worked with my energies for a few minutes he asked if I had been having trouble with my hand and wrist-- yessir!-- and he corrected the blockage and I have never had problems since.

Also, I am very sensitive to anaesthetics/drugs of many kinds-- and after I had a knee operation and a spinal anaesthetic (like an epidural), I had weird numbness off-and-on in my body for weeks afterward. If your dental work was recent, you may be one of the sensitive ones like me. What I did was go see a Polarity massage therapist who did special sacro-cranial work, and two sessions later I was feeling much less numbness. I am going to have to look into alternatives to anaesthetics, in case I ever have to have surgery again.

But please check out the medical side first -- before the weekend!! -- and then maybe you can get a 2nd opinion from alternative medecine.

posted March 19, 2003 01:39 AM         

[SNIP]

see embarrassed message below!

posted March 19, 2003 01:41 AM         

[SNIP]

see embarrassed message below!

posted March 19, 2003 01:43 AM         

[SNIP]

see embarrassed message below!

posted March 19, 2003 01:46 AM         

Yikes!!!

At least theFajita knows that I care!!!

posted March 19, 2003 02:23 AM           

Danita, you don't deserve this at all!!

Being a bit of an anxiety neurotic I know what its like when you have an unusual bodily sensation (or lack of) and you don't have any real reason that it would be there. It's a bit scary!

First I would see a dictator(Dr.) to rule out any physical reasons this would be happening (even if just to put your mind at ease). Then if you are ok physically think about how this might be a psycological thing. For instance, your mind associates being at the keyboard with this feeling you once had and mimicks it. I remeber I had a panic attack once when I was going for a walk and hyperventilated. That was ok and didn't totally scare me off walking but then I walked the same route one day and at the exact same spot I had another attack. I avoided that particular track for a very LONG time (to be perfectly honest I haven't ever been back).

I know its not exactly the same but something you were doing the frist time this happend may have been similar to a time when you had this loss of sensation. Now, because it was something you associated doing the inhaling with it spun you out because you weren't inhaling this time!! Now it probably happens more often because you are worried about it.

I don't know..I may be totally off track, not every situation people have is a similar case to mine

Anyway, I hope you are feeling better soon!!

posted March 19, 2003 07:36 PM         

Well I was taking vicodin for the tooth pain..I don't know what an epidural is though.

I WILL go to a doctor. It's really annoying and embarassing. I really appreciate your guys's support and I will keep you posted.

It could be psychological too I don't know the mind is a powerful thing. I felt it over the years come back a couple times when I was really drunk. But I haven't been drinking lately? Hmmm. Well thanks for the suggestions guys! Love ya!!!! HUGS d

posted March 20, 2003 05:29 AM         

I'm going to remember that one, RubyRedRam, and I cracked up when I read what you think of DictatoRs. Good one!

theFajita, an epidural is the big needle they give women in labour to numb their bodies all the way below the waist. It's massive anaesthetic! I think I'm spelling it right. And BTW good for you, daring to bring up this topic-- it's important.

Oxychick, that's the exact term -- cranial-sacral! Thanks.

posted March 26, 2003 01:28 AM         

Which reminds me, I must haul my keister down to the gym for a nice stretching class, so nothing in _my_ bod pinches up!