I wish I knew the answer, Claire. I think it is because we scrunch up our shoulders and pinch the nerves in our neck! I think we have to do neck and head exercises gently to release! Even then I believe that under stress we still have a tendency to lift our shoulders and tighten those muscles! Good luck! Barbara

I have the exact same symptoms at night; I wake up with numb arms frequently, I can no longer lie on my side or rest my hands on my chest whilst on my back with out numbness occuring. I have no other conditions that I am aware of and I am 34 years old, female. Maybe i need to exercise my arms more in the day get the circulation flowing better? Good to know I m not the only one.

Thanks for your interest, nursing assistant. Hopefully you will buy the book so that you can have a better understanding of fibromyalgia! Best wishes, Barbara

My partner and I really enjoyed reading this blog post, I was just itching to know do you trade featured posts? I am always trying to find someone to make trades with and merely thought I would ask.

Dear Diane: Thanks for the tip. Keep in touch and let us know if Metanx works for you! I am happy to know that this problem for you has been “off and on” and hope it is “off ” for me sometime soon! You are right…stretching is necessary, but only gentle stretches because anything too dramatic causes a flare-up!
Kind regards, Barbara

I have had this same problem off and on for years. (23 yrs) I have CFS/FM and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
It’s all so very frustrating for sure. Did physical therapy for awhile and learned some stretching exercises which helped.

I am on day 2 of Metanx that my doc gave me for my numb feet. It’s by prescription and is a very high powered vitamin containing folic acid, B12 (equivalent to several shots) and other B vitamins that helps with blood flow to the nerve endings. It is being used with some success for peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients. I have read of FM patients that are also being helped.

So, I hope it will help my tingly arms that fall asleep as well as the numb toes. You might want to ask your dr about it.

Hope this passes for you soon!

December 9/09
I just watched another PBS documentary on positive neuroplasticity (changing the brain) and now trying to figure out how to use this information to give messages to the brain that will allow me a better sleep! I do so envy people who say they ‘slept like a log’ (does a log sleep?!) since I don’t know what that feels like. I think in 10 years from now the neuroscience community working with plasticity will have so many answers for us. In the meantime…here’s wishing for some better nights!
Barbara Keddy

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