3 Procedures in 7 Days. Weak arms & Fear of Meningitis

[Elle_A]

Day 1- lower left molar extraction, 2 shots of local anesthetic caused my arms to get suddenly very weak and like wet noodles for 15 minutes
Day 2- run down, low energy, pain, eyes hurt, weak arms
Day 3- run down, low energy, eyes hurt. Weak arms
Day 4- back to normal, occasional soreness, weak arms and clumsy with holding glass of water (it felt heavier than it was)
Day 5- normal, occasional soreness, weak arms
Day 6- Filling. 3 shots of local anesthetic, arms and legs felt same "wet noodle" effect
Day 7- run down, low energy, headaches, eyes hurt, weak arms
Day 8- extraction #2 of upper left molar. 2 shots of local anesthetic, same arms reaction. Relaxed all evening then arms felt very weak and had a tickle feeling inside them. Clumsy feeling with arms and manual dexterity was clumsy.
Day 9- run down, eyes hurt, low energy, sore, weak arms, occasional ear ache that comes and goes
Day 10- headaches, occasional ear ache that comes and goes, extraction sites not painful
Day 11 (today)- weak arms, clumsy feeling with arms and hands. Headache at base of skull (back of head) on either side pains (is that a tension headache?). Ibuprofen helps. Eyes hurt. I don't feel run down though.

To be honest I'm so scared I have bacterial meningitis or an infection. I recognize symptoms of anxiety and I a certainly very anxious over this. But this arm weakness is scaring me. Dentist office is closed until Monday (it's Saturday). Is what I'm feeling normal? I have pretty bad TMJ disorder but it hasn't caused me pain in years except for the 2-3 times a year where it might hurt for a day.

I checked my temperature every day and always normal.

The dentist said arm weakness that happens immediately following the local (which is when it happened) wasn't a usual symptom but still nothing to be concerned about. But should I STILL feel clumsy weak arms days later?

 

[Sevena]

Wow, it sounds like you've been through a lot! I'm not surprised you're anxious and achy.

It doesn't sound like you have meningitis, at all. You'd be a lot sicker, drowsy, vomiting etc. I think maybe because you're super anxious, you're focusing on your arms and it feels worse than it is.

Do call your dentist and have a chat with them when you can, but if you had a bad infection, you would have a high temperature (a fever is your big warning sign for infections that need prompt medical attention). It sounds like you've been through it, and dental procedures can be more taxing on the body than we realise, but there's no reason to fear the worst.

Hang in there and have a hug

 

[Elle_A]

Wow, it sounds like you've been through a lot! I'm not surprised you're anxious and achy.

It doesn't sound like you have meningitis, at all. You'd be a lot sicker, drowsy, vomiting etc. I think maybe because you're super anxious, you're focusing on your arms and it feels worse than it is.

Do call your dentist and have a chat with them when you can, but if you had a bad infection, you would have a high temperature (a fever is your big warning sign for infections that need prompt medical attention). It sounds like you've been through it, and dental procedures can be more taxing on the body than we realise, but there's no reason to fear the worst.

Hang in there and have a hug

Thank you so much for the reassurance! The next day I felt better and today I'm pretty much back to normal. I think it was the anxiety that was magnifying my symptoms for sure!

 

[Sevena]

I'm glad you're feeling better! I have health anxiety, and oh gosh there are some days where I'm convinced I'm dying - like it feels to me as though there's no logical explanation other than my impending doom. So I sympathise!

 

[jjh6ytrh]

+1 on not having meningitis or infection. It wouldn't cause those symptoms and you would have much worse symptoms. As far as the arm thing, that is weird. Although, having had anxiety and panic disorder for 15+ years, I know it can do really crazy things in terms of causing the weirdest of weird symptoms.

It is possible that you were very tense around and during the procedure, which certainly can cause a weakness feeling. But then in your anxious state, your brain picked up on that sensation and is keeping it around, you know..to drive you crazy, Hopefully it will all subside quite quickly.

Mike