DUers, need some advice (About the sickness I'm feeling today)

[Champ]

Before I describe it, I have to point out I did drink alcohol (not much at all) on an empty stomach last night. Though I felt perfectly fine after drinking it despite throwing up my meal hours BEFORE I took a drink. The occasion was my friend's birthday.

This morning I woke up feeling (I did not have a hangover headache) dehydrated, nauseated, and sick to my stomach. Something I have felt plenty of times in my lifetime. It was affecting me like a roller coaster, one second I would feel better like it was going away, then all of a sudden I feel like puking. Well after drinking some water and some Tums, I felt like I was recovering and wasn't experiencing any feelings of readiness to puke. I decided to try a bite sized habanero bite size snack made with habanero pepper, cream cheese, and little pieces of bacon on the inside my mom made for me last night. They were very delicious and incredibly HOT!!! Here is when I started to feel seriously concerned, minutes later I feel my entire head(lips, nose, ears, forehead) go unbearably numb. Shortly after that my arm went numb and locked up! I could not move forearm, wrist, or hand without extreme discomfort. The feeling was extremely painful, the bone in my hand right below my thumb felt like it was powerfully magnate to the bone underneath my pinky finger. I could not open up my hand whatsoever. I have NEVER in my life experienced something like that, I started to seriously freak out. I was hoping it wasn't anything severe that I would have to see a DR for. I decided to lay down(forgot to mention, I was feeling dizzy once my head got numb) for a good 10 minutes. Thankfully the numbness and the pain in the arm went away but since I have never experienced something like that in my life, does anyone know exactly why my body reacted the way it did? Is there anything I should do? Should I be worried since I'm feeling much better but still somewhat nauseated? I was planning on going to my friend's(not the one who had the b-day) workplace this afternoon, planned on leaving about a half hour ago but chose to wait until I felt a little better. Do you think I'm able to make it ok walking outside without something like this happening again? Thanks in advance.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. You need to call a doctor or an advice nurse with your healthcare

provider since you have a dr based on your OP. I have no idea what your illness might be but you may have had an anaphylactic response to something you ate or you may have had an event involving elevated blood pressure. Either way..getting diagnosed on DU with symptoms like that is not a good idea.

[yardwork]

2. Yes - call the doctor's office immediately!

Nobody can diagnose you over the internet, and it's dangerous to fool around with what you are experiencing.

This could be life-threatening. Call immediately!

[mcscajun]

3. I second that call...

...forget visiting, call your doctor.

Nausea, numbness, pain, dizziness? Bad enough to make you lie down?
These are signs you need some medical attention, not a trip to visit a friend.

I wish you well.

[Champ]

8. You're right

I was thinking the same thing, I don't think it is life threatening(I sure as hell did at the moment) and I think eating that habanero popper was not a very smart thing to do considering how I was feeling at the time.

[Champ]

5. Not looking to get diagnosed on here

Just wanted information on why that may have happened, I'm pretty sure many DUers are knowledgeable in the area of health and medicine and could possibly explain why that may have happened and if I should expect to feel that way again. Though right now at this moment, I feel much better about 80%. The nauseating went away for now.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

7. And I explained why..it could be your blood pressure, a food reaction

or even Bell's palsey although not all your symptoms fit that one..either way...even if you are feeling better those symptoms warrant at LEAST a conversation with your doctor...I don't know enough about your medical history nor does anyone else..

[crispini]

4. That's weird.

Ok first, eating something spicy while feeling nauseous is just asking for it, but I guess you know that, eh?

The numbness is EXTREMELY odd. I hate to say it but I looked in my "Guide to Family Symptoms" book and they say, possibility: stroke or "temporary interruption in the blood supply to the brain."

Both say "Call your doctor NOW."

[Champ]

9. That is frightening

The numbness is EXTREMELY odd. I hate to say it but I looked in my "Guide to Family Symptoms" book and they say, possibility: stroke or "temporary interruption in the blood supply to the brain."

I will be having a conversation with someone at the local general hospital. Believe me, considering getting a doctor was DEFINATELY the first thing on my mind before I posted this. I guess I should've stated it more clearly in my OP that not only did I want to learn about what may have sparked the reaction but I also wanted to read experiences of other DUers who have had similar reactions and what they did and how they recovered. Believe me, I'm freaking out over what may have very possibly been a life threatening situation. I was never looking to get diagnosed here, just educated.

[SmokingJacket]

6. Definitely an unusual reaction.

Please see a Dr.

[RevCheesehead]

10. GET HELP NOW!!!!!

1. If you are insured, then go IMMEDIATELY to the ER.
2. Take an aspirin NOW. Not Tylenol. The anti-coagulant will help your blood flow, and may save your life.
3. If you can't get someone to take you in, then CALL 911!

Seriously, you are describing classic symptoms of a stroke or heart attack.

PLEASE DON'T TAKE ANY CHANCES - GET HELP NOW!!!!!!!!

[Champ]

11. I just spoke to someone from the General Hospital

I told him every little detail that may have explained why that happened. He stated that It was probaly because I worked my body too hard yesturday for a body that had lack of food and water in my system, alcohol no matter how much made did not help, and he was pretty confident the habanero popper which was HOT sent it over the edge. He did ask about the food I threw up yesturday, all I had yesturday was cream soda and chicken breast, I told him I threw it up when I felt nasueted from riding my bike last night. Basically I was active pretty much the entire day when I shouldn't of with lack of necessary food or water. Basically I overworked a car that was low on fuel. However since I am feeling pretty ok now he recommended that I take it easy, eat something healthy(NOT a pepper), drink plenty of water, not too do anything active or hard on my body for a few days. He said the second I feel even the slightest symptom come back, visit the ER immediately even if it is a false alarm.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

12. Glad you called..yeah get some fluids and things like dry toast

and white rice are good for upset stomach..in fact soy sauce will make you drink water and get rehydrated

[Nay]

13. It does sound like a reaction to the pepper, except for the

numbness and locking. THAT sounds like a stroke. Didn't your doctor ever tell you that you can have TWO things go wrong with you at once?

In other words, you may have had a food reaction AND a stroke (or something else). See your doctor at the earliest opportunity.

And please stop abusing your body, OK? To exercise, you need to feed it correctly. A bit of alcohol is fine, but stop overdoing.

Love,
Yer mom

[Champ]

14. I know

I'm usally good with that, taking care of my body. Just the last couple of days I haven't really found the time to eat. But believe me, I will be more careful about what enters my body.