Very worried about MS :(

[matrix123]

Hello,
I'm new to this anxiety stuff and also new to the forum. Probably I've had it for about 1 year, but started meds a few days ago. About two months ago I had a full checkup (because I had fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating, etc) and the heart specialist told me the heart is fine and it's from anxiety. I also had this tingling thing, but didn't gave much attention to it. However after I was told it was from anxiety, I started reading the forums and saw many people that had tingling/numbness etc that were very worried about MS (which before I didn't know what it was). So I started worrying about it also. Then about 10 days ago my left leg started to feel very weak. In a few days it got so worse than I though I couldn't walk for 5 or 10 minutes (although I managed to do it). After this I got so scared that I though I'll try something and in the morning took 0.5mg Xanax. It helped to calm down a bit and went out and walked for about 1 hour (the weakness was always there, but I still walked). This made me feel a little better. Next day I saw a psychiatrist and told her about this. She wasn't worried at all. However I was still worried because the weakness was there all the time. So yesterday when I got back home, I tried to do do some running in my "step machine". I managed to run for 30 minutes and didn't feel any difference. I could run, but the weakness was always there...I'm really confused now...on one hand I think this would indicate that it's not MS...on the other hand there are mild cases of MS...so I'm scared as hell. When I try to be rational I can list a few points:

The good

- Getting Xanax helped to calm down and to walk for 1 hour, although the leg felt weak.
- Psychiatrist wasn't worried
- I managed to run for 30 minutes

The bad

- Weakness is always there...for 10 days and doesn't seem to go

Not sure if good or bad

- I feel the weakness more when I'm sited or in bed. When I walk it seems better which is strange.

Please anyone with similar concerns or experience? Some support would be helpful...

Thanx a lot

---------- Post added at 14:26 ---------- Previous post was at 11:28 ----------

I forget to mention that I have a slight pain behind the knee...nothing big...but it's there mostly when walking/running, but I feel it at rest also.

[squeak]

This doesn't sound sound like a true "weakness" as a true weakness would affect your ability to excerciseand even to function, you would literally be dragging your leg. If you've already been diagnosed with anxiety it is probably just a heightened awareness, try the trick where you focus really intensely on one part of your body (not the part concerning you), and pretty soon you start feeling weird sensations in it.

If you try and distract yourself it will probably start to subside. Have you tried any self help books?

[meche]

I had very similar symptoms a couple of months ago. Thinking it was MS, I made the huge mistake of googling and my symptoms quadrupled!! My mind went into meltdown and I was a mess. I came through it (after being cleared by my doctor) but I still to this day get odd things happening - twitching, perceived weakness and tingles. The mind is very powerful so it's important to just carry on and brush it off. At the height of my anxiety I googled an MS site and although it's something nobody wants to get, MS sufferers live fairly normal lives - it isn't a death sentence. Anyway, I'm sure you're fine. I also get knee pain but I've had it for years on/off . I also get aches/pains in my right arm and have been diagnosed with mild RSI. There's usually a simple explanation for everything! xx

[matrix123]

Thank you for your replies. Do you get these weakness for weeks? Also do you get them in one side only?

[matrix123]

One more question please. In case of ms or other neuro diseases when people drag they leg are they able to lift the leg at all or they can lift it if they try but find it more comfortable to drag it?

[squeak]

It's hard to explain but a true weakness, for instance when somebody has a stroke, is not perceived as aching or heaviness, it is unmistakable as the limb actually doesn't function properly, it can vary in severity to an inability to raise a limb or to literally a limb which is incapable of movement. What you describe is sensory rather than functional.

However I'm not saying that a weakness like this would be anything to do with MS.

MS is very difficult to diagnose and every presentation is different. Symptoms such as numbness, tingling etc can have many more likely explanations, people with HA just jump to the worst case scenario.

I would see your regular GP, explain your symptoms and what youn are frightened of, and I'm sure they will be able to reassure you.

[matrix123]

Thank you for the reply. Probably I'll have to see a neuro and talk to him. My worry is that although I'm able to walk, run, jumb, run up the stairs, etc it feels weak and more tired than the right leg...and this scares me.

[rachael t]

Hi im having simular problems my left side feels heavy mainly my arm also my leg aches and feels numb pins and needles aswell allsorts av ran through my mind but im trying to be positive and put it down to anxiety x

[matrix123]

Rachael do your leg feels like it will not support you and kind of shaky? Or your arm wont be able to hold something although it can?

[rachael t]

Its more shakey and feels heavy is way to explain it x

[pAULspybeef]

Hi Rachael,

I've been suffering from the same thing for almost a year now. Left leg and arm feel achey/weak/not part of me. Been told by a neuro/GP etc it is anxiety but I still question. The logical side of me says it is somatic anxiety - that means your anxious state creates these real feelings. The feelings are always there but they feel better at times than others. I can still walk, play football and guitar albeit my weakness is always with me. I guess in time, the more we learn to focus on other things other than our feelings, and are able to "live" with this "weakness" then it gradually and SLOWLY gets better and becomes less of an issues. If we can feel our symptoms and not worry, we can then be free, but it is a gradual learning process.

Best of luck

Paul

[matrix123]

Today I'm feeling a pain behind my left knee which is making things worse :( probably it's just muscle tension but i'm scared

[matrix123]

Feeling a bit better now. Got out of bed, took xanax, felt better and the pain is nit there. It feels weak, but i tried jumping/running on it and was able to do it...feels a bit tired but thats ok I guess

[pAULspybeef]

hi Matrix,

this left-sided thing seems to be a bit of a common theme on the site. i wonder whether it is a bit of dissociation/depersonalisation caused by our anxiety.

try not to self-check as this only keeps the anxiety going. it provides only temporary relief and opens the possibility to questioning of symptoms, as does reassurance seeking, googling symptoms, rumination. of course, when you question, this keeps fuelling our anxiety.

accepting the way we feel is probably the best thing to do & putting our faith in time, in doing so giving our bodies the time they need to recover fully.

pAUL

[matrix123]

Thank you paul. Im new to this and find it very hard to ignore it. Mornings are terrible...because sometime I wake up at 5 and cant sleep until 9 when I get out of bed...znd in that time I'm thinking non stop about it :(

[pAULspybeef]

I know its tough at times I can manage it/tolerate it...at others I get so frustrated I cry! My worry was as the same. The longer I have this feeling and it gets no worse, the more I start to believe it is anxiety-related. Of course, when the symptoms flare thats when you have to avoid the unhealthy thoughts and behaviours.

[butterfly00]

HI
I am in the exact same posititon I have all those leg weakness feelings and my right arm also, sometimes when its cold my right arm and leg seem completely uncoordinated. I have a blurring spot onmy right eye the list goes on.
The fact that you can exercise is probably a very good indicator that nyour problem is not neurological. When I excercise my leg feel worse, I HATE it.
I am on the wait list for a neuro consult.
I have previously seen a neuro 4 yrs ago for similar problems he just said it was anxiety.

---------- Post added at 21:32 ---------- Previous post was at 21:30 ----------

Oh and the worst thing for me right now , is I cant seem to escape the topic of MS, every where i look there is someone just been diagnosed , or the chraity collectors for ms reserch, it just seems to follow me. I"m having trouble staying positive about it. It kind of feels inevitable

[southey]

HI

Oh and the worst thing for me right now , is I cant seem to escape the topic of MS, every where i look there is someone just been diagnosed , or the chraity collectors for ms reserch, it just seems to follow me. I"m having trouble staying positive about it. It kind of feels inevitable

Butterfly,

This is a classic symptom of anxiety. The MS related topics have always been there, no more no less. It's just your super sensitive to that subject at the moment and it makes you notice it and feel it's everywhere.

Be well,

Steve.:)

[matrix123]

Butterfly...I'm confused again...in the morning my lower leg feels achy/tired. In the afternoon I can jump on it...although it gets tired more easily. Dont know if its muscular or something nasty :(

[matrix123]

Confused again :(
Did 20 mins in my step machine...leg felt weak but not tired...only some pain behind the knee. However when in bath it felt so so weak that I panicked that would not be able to get up. Now lying in bed...still feels weak but not that much...its soo strange

---------- Post added at 20:34 ---------- Previous post was at 17:32 ----------

anyone please?

[butterfly00]

Matrix you are over thinking it way too much which will only make you panic. If you have these little episodes of symptoms get a notebook and write them down as the happen and then forget about it, and the end of the day or the the end of the week look over them to see if there is a pattern.
AFter saying that I have the exact same probems and they freak me out completly!

[matrix123]

Im so confused....on one hand xanax seems to help...on the other hand I have developed a constant pain in the left calf