[Minionkitty]

Hello everyone!

I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel a while ago, while I was still on Loxapine, an antipsychotic. I woke up one morning after having my Loxapine raised, and my fingers were numb and I couldn't move my hand. I called my family doctor, who told me to go straight to the ER. When I went there, the doctor did some tests on my hand, seeing if the way he pressed on them and moved them and my fingers made them numb, and then diagnosed me with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. He gave me a wrist splint to wear, and it drives me absolutely NUTS.

I was wondering... Is it possible I just couldn't move my hand and my fingers were numb and tingly from the antipsychotic raise, or can you really, reliably diagnose Carpal Tunnel that quickly? Sometimes my hands and fingers still feel tingly, when I wake up, or if I'm on the computer for a long time. But I haven't had any problems where I couldn't move my hand since then. I don't wear my splint that often, I find the feeling of it intolerable.

[HALLIEBETH87]

I have carpal tunnel and I was diagnosed in like 5 minutes and I know the dx is legit. I have the pain, shooting pains in my forearm, tingly and numbness etc. Its horrible. I have had it for ummm 8 years.

The doctor who diagnosed me pressed on my hand and moved it in certain ways to see how it made it feel. It made it go numb! The splint REALLY helps. Maybe if you get a different one? I have one from Wal-Mart....mostly just to keep you from keeping your hand curled up all night pressing on that median nerve...it really does help. Try ice as well. And texting on your phone will aggravate it too. Ibuprofen will help with inflammation when it is acting up.

My chiropractor saw I was wearing my brace when I went for tmj treatment last week and asked about it. Id forgotten to take it off before going inside...he did some thing to my wrist as well and boy did it help!

Hope you get to feeling better.

[Minionkitty]

Thanks Hallie! I tried one on at Walmart, and unfortunately, it was too small. I hate wearing it at night because I go on my iPod or tablet before falling asleep, and it makes it impossible to use them. Same with when I'm on the computer. I can't type whilst wearing it.

[Fresia]

I was diagnosed pretty quickly as well and at the time, I was not on an antipsychotic to cause symptoms. I was doing repetitive work at the time and to this day, I can not move my hands in those positions or I get pain.

However, I am now on an antipsychotic and the difference I notice between the inability to move, numbness, and/or the tingling between the two is that: the carpal tunnel can be relieved with warm soaks in a warm water baths/soaks in a tub/try/or sink or wrapped with a moist heating pack (can be found at pharmacies), or with pain relief to start out with ( like anti-inflammatories such as motrin/ibuprofen or aleve/naproxen sodium); the symptoms caused by antipsych med cannot be helped except by lowering the dose. Meanwhile, I have learned to find a balance between the dose I can function with and the side effect of the antipsych.

Do more research to see how your symptoms fit. Talk further with your doctor to get his opinion on how to proceed. It could be a process of elimination by trying the soaks/heat packs and anti-imflammatories to see if they help, which will give you a better idea if it is the carpal tunnel; if not helping, you will know it is the antipsych med and can evaluate this further with the doc who prescribes it. OR talk to your doc about decreasing the psych med, to see if the symptoms decrease or are eliminated. Be sure you are in touch with them though if you do this.

I hope you find help soon no matter which category it falls into. Hang in there.

Loxapine Side Effects in Detail - Drugs.com
Carpal tunnel syndrome Definition - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo Clinic

[Minionkitty]

Fresia, I'm no longer on Loxapine... Now I am on Saphris, a very new antipsychotic. But the symptoms persist. At least, when I am typing, they do. I don't find that they're really there when I wake up in the morning that often anymore, and I haven't had any times where I couldn't move my hand again... Just numbness/tingly feelings.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Well....why don't you just wait until youre actually going to bed before putting it on? The best one I have is from a medical supply place near me. It wasn't too much money and its great!

[Minionkitty]

Hallie, I could try that.. I guess I could try an actual pharmacy too, like Shoppers or Rexall. They may have more variety in sizes. Mine is from the hospital, and it's quite big and very uncomfortable to wear.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Oh yes I bet it is...the point of it is to keep your hand from being all bent and curled in all night which presses on that nerve and aggravates it causing all the issues youre dealing with. It will help!

[Maizie88]

Originally Posted by Minionkitty

Hallie, I could try that.. I guess I could try an actual pharmacy too, like Shoppers or Rexall. They may have more variety in sizes. Mine is from the hospital, and it's quite big and very uncomfortable to wear.

Hi. I am new to the forum and some how came across your post. There is a wrap that I highly recommend. It is made of neoprene so it is pretty comfortable. There is one that has cold gels inside and one that has an insert that emits electro-magnetic energy to promote blood flow and heal carpal tunnel. It is called BFST (blood flow stimulation therapy) from King Brand Healthcare Products. I have heard so many great results of people avoiding surgery, etc. I agree with everyone above....cold therapy is very important, especially right after you've spend quite a bit of time typing. It not only will help with the pain, but will bring down the inflammation, which needs to occur before the healing process can begin and/or continue. I wish you all the best.

[HALLIEBETH87]

My chiropractor helps with Carpal Tunnel he said the problem with the surgery is that he see patients come in not even a yr later with the symptoms again!

[Maizie88]

I have heard that a lot too unfortunately. But with the BFST treatment, which is just a wrap you plug in for 20 minutes, 3-4 times a day, people have been able to avoid surgery completely.

[Minionkitty]

I went to a head and neck surgeon about my ears the other day, and she said I have arthritis in my jaw. I've been taking arthritis medicine for it, and it's helped my wrist a bit too. And the pain I have in my back when I walk, that I haven't seen a doctor for recently. So I wonder if the pain in my wrist and back could be arthritis related as well.