OK, I'm a n RN, am I being stupid?

Question

For the past week I have been having tingling to my right arm and hand. 3days ago I had it to my R side of face, arm and leg. I left where I was and drove home and took a valium and the symptoms cleared up in about 2 hours.I did see one of my drs. the next day and told him about this and he wasn't impressed. It has happened a couple of times since but only to the arm. Today my NOSE is numb feeling, And the right arm is tingling again, along with part of my face but it is my nose that is driving me nuts. I want to wait to talk to my local Dr. on Monday, I DO NOT want to go to the local hospital due to long history of inappropiate medical care. If I were to go to the hospital I would have to drive an hour ways. Any one have any brilliant advice, esp why my nose is numb and feels really swollen. I have a history of High BP and heart problems but I am a healthy 53 year old.

Answer 1

Uh, duh! You know your symptoms are indicative of possible CVA/TIA, and I've seen it in patients much younger than you!! You DO have risk factors, as well. I question if you judgement is impaired, or if it's only very severe denial. Get your butt in the car, have SOMEONE ELSE drive you, and make a beeline for the ER that's an hour away. I totally get what you mean about sub-standard care at your local hospital; our community has the same problem. Don't let that deter you from seeking help ASAP!

Answer 2

Sounds like some sort of sensorary disturbance. Did you take or stop abruptly any medication or change in any dosage within the weeks and months around the time of these symptoms developing I wonder.
It is interesting that you say that valium helped to clear up these symptoms. The symptoms could be withdrawal phenomenom. I wonder if you regularly use sedative hypnotic drugs (tranquillisers or sleeping pills). You could be having withdrawal symptoms from say a sleep aid or a short acting day time tranquilliser that the valium is relieving as valium is a sedative hypnotic. If you are a regular user of valium you could even be having withdrawal symptoms of that. Valium is a very long acting benzodiazepine and withdrawal symptoms can sometimes not appear from anywhere from 5 days and even up to 3 weeks after stopping it, so many people don't connect cause and effect. Valium needs to be tapered very slowly over months and months, it can be dangerous to just stop it.
Look into side effects of any medication you are taking. Not all side effects start immediately after taking a medicine so just do some research.
You may also just as a precaution check the status of your blood pressure and heart function as well. I think that is important to do as well as there is a possibility that these symptoms could be related to heart function/blood pressure, but you say you are healthy.
No one here though can tell you definately what is causing your symptoms though. All we can do is just simply throw out a few ideas for you to think about.

Answer 3

Do you have a pinched nerve in your neck or back? If it were me I'd go to a chiropractor before I'd go to a medical doctor.

Lucky you with Valium...

Answer 4

If the Valium helped, maybe it's just anxiety.

Answer 5

is your bp normal (you failed to mention) they say we nurses make the worst patients!!!! You already know, you need to see a doctor NOW while the symptoms are present or before they become worse

Answer 6

Either a stroke coming on or too much valium?

Answer 7

if i were you forget your previous troubles with that hospital and just get your tail over there now! tingling feelings it the hands and feet on one side means heart troubles,and yes,youre being stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

My aunt reported those same symptoms to her doctor three days before she died of a stroke. Please go to the hospital.

Answer 9

diabetes,,,,,,,,heart problem? like minor infarction........sometimes ladies exp no pain,discomfort,except tingling,,,,,perhaps menopause symptoms