behindblueeyes, you could be hyperventilating especially since you are so stressed and your nerves are running very high, your body can act out stress in alot of ways.....I know after my mom passed my nerves were shot, and I was having trouble breathing and it felt like my hands were getting stuck with hundreds of pins when I exhaled out and I felt like I was on the verge of passing out..I was miserable!, this went on for a year, they did breathing test(the lady was so sweet)She asked me had I been stress,I told her everything my mom and aunt passed within days of each other my husband fell broke his neck and back. She was so wonderful she told me what was going on because of the stress, come to find out I was hyperventilating (shallow breathing) but if you get real bad your hands will cramp up bad...when this happens lay down flat and take very deep breaths and blow hot short breaths do this like 20 times and do it in a calm manner..I hope this will help you. When I feel it in my hands or lips tingling I take time out and breath....I google this for you hope it helps... Hyperventilation or overbreathing is the state of breathing faster or deeper than normal,[1] causing excessive expulsion of circulating carbon dioxide.[2] It can result from a psychological state such as a panic attack, from a physiological condition such as metabolic acidosis, can be brought about by lifestyle risk factors or voluntarily as in the yogic practice of Bhastrika. It often occurs together with labored breathing, which, in contrast, can also be a response to increased carbon dioxide levels.
Hyperventilation can sometimes cause symptoms such as numbness or tingling in the hands, feet and lips, lightheadedness, dizziness, headache, chest pain, flexor spasm of hands and feet,[3] slurred speech, nervous laughter, and sometimes fainting,.....I had know exaggerated systems to another person that could tell, only I could tell by the way I felt.....I hope you get feeling better try really hard to calm yourself which will help greatly..please take care
I would also mention this to your doctor, maybe it will help you if in fact this is what you are experiencing, ...they can easily miss this one..it took my doctor a year. It is worth a shot to talk to someone about it.