What are you more afraid of: MS or BT?

[matrix123]

I'm dealing with left side weakness (arm and leg) and I'm worried it's MS or BT. Between them I'm not sure what I would choose (of course both are terrible).

Sometimes MS seems better because in "good" cases for many years you can have a fairly normal life (especially if its RRMS). On the other hand in "bad cases" (PPMS) you can end up quickly in bed.

As for BT, if malignant you can die in 1 year, but if benign and in early stages often it can me removed without complications and you can get back normal.

I'm wondering what are others more afraid?

[BlueEyes28]

Hiya, i've personally known 2 people one with MS and one with a BT, the person with MS is mu sisters ex husband and I can tell you there are soooo many other symptoms than weakness one of them being excruciating pain! You'd know for sure if you had it and it's pretty rare. The guy with the BT was a very good friend, I helped look after him when he was sick, and again it's not just weakness his infact that was something he didn't get that much, his pain was unbearable! And caused many horrible side effects again you'd know for sure if you had it. I can tell you from my own experience that weakness in one or both sides of the body is a VERY common symptom of anxiety infact I found out I had anxiety due to not being able to walk properly or pick up my newborn daughter due to terrible weakness, I was convinced 100% that there was something terribly wrong with me, I mean how could anxiety cause something so dibilatating as that? But you know what that's exactly what it was! That was 11yrs ago, I'm still here I don't have any serious or life threatening illnesses and whenever I have a bout of anxiety I still experience those feelings but I just tell myself it's just anxiety and it disapears! If your really worried go to your GP for total reasurance but i'm sure he/she will tell you the same, god bless :-)

[matrix123]

Thank you BlueEyes for your supportive answers.

Unfortunately I've read a lot about MS and it seems each case is different, depending on what nerves are affected. Some times there's pain, sometimes there's not. That applies to a certain degree to BT also. I'm sure in the advanced stage there are a lot of side effects, but in the initial stage weakness in one side can be a sign of MS or BT.

As for the anxiety, I had some hope that it was just anxiety, but with the days passing I'm loosing hope. As far as I have read, in case of anxiety the weakness comes and goes. You can have it for a few hours or days...and it can come back after some weeks or so. In my case it's there since about 6 weeks or so. I don't know if you had it for a long period of time?

On the plus side, since I've started meds 1 month ago, it has improved. 1 month ago, I had trouble standing for 10 minutes when taking a shower, while last weekend I drove to me hometown and back for a total of 8 hours with a manual gearbox car, where I had to use my legs all the time. But still the fact that the weakness is there for 6 weeks doesn't sound like anxiety :(

[meche]

Personally I'm scared of any disease that is going to make be bedridden and dependent on other people - I guess MS & BT warrant both. I'm also having trouble with weakness on my right side. It has come and gone in the past but this time around I'm on my second week of it. No aches or pains just a feeling of laziness down the whole of my right side - face included. It feels weak but I have strength. I struggle to walk on my right leg and my gait has changed - I have to make a real effort to put one foot in front of the other. I'm ok once I get going though. I feel a bit panicky today because a couple of times I've felt like I was going to pass out. I have to pull myself together though because I have a wedding to go to in a couple of hours and I have to be happy/smily. I wish I felt that way!! xx

[BlueEyes28]

Have you had any tests? And I completely agree with you about it effecting people in different ways, but if you say that since starting your meds it has helped a little if it were MS or a BT it wouldn't of calmed with anti anxiety meds, also I suffered with this for 6+ months even after I knew it was just anxiety! I had a lumber puncture a CT scan numerous specialist tests and blood work ect... I promise you that I was 100% sure I had a terrible discease! Everything came back normal! I decided to just figjt it and it took time but eventually it went! I had a lot of other symptoms too, headaches, severe dizziness, pain, heart palps the lot. For more than 6 months I could only walk if pushing my daughters pram, when I stood in the shower I felt so weak I had to hold on to the wall! If I was in a situation that I would have to stand unaided I would panic and have to hold on to something, I know how hard.it os to beleive people beleive me. I'm currently going through a bad bout and i'm also expeariencing the weakness and all other symptoms but they no longer scare me, they are there as a result of my high anxiety and I know this, that doesn't make them go away because I am still anxious! Not because of the symptoms but because I recently had a real health scare, not anything like MS or a BT but as a HA sufferer it still frightens me none the less, you will be totally fine, if it worries you that much go to your GP and maybe have some therapy, you may also need a med change, I've just had mine changed and i'm currently waiting for them to kick in xx

[matrix123]

Thanx a lot for your reply. Since starting the meds it has definitely helped. As I said 4 weeks ago I had trouble standing in the shower and stayed mostly at home, because was afraid of not being able to get back home. Now I'm working normally and walking for 1 hour or so although sometimes it seems like my walking is not normal. I've had some tests (blood, chest x-ray, ecg, heart echo, abdominal echo, etc) and they were normal, but didn't have any neuro test. Before doing these tests I had other issues as well, such as palpitations, difficulty breathing, sweating, problems with sleep, etc, but they are mostly gone. Now my biggest issue is the weakness in my left arm and leg. Sometimes I feel lightheaded also, but that doesn't worry me too much. Also in the last month I've had only a few minor anxiety attacks and mostly I'm not anxious, while the weakness persists :(

With my insurance I can have a MRI anytime, but I'm afraid to do it, because something bad will turn up...

One more question: Did you have the weakness constant for 6+ months? from the morning to the evening? I have it almost constant every day, although sometimes is better than the others. Sometimes when I'm working on something I forget about it, but as soon as I have to walk I'm reminded that the weakness is there.

[BlueEyes28]

I was exactly the same that's how I ended up ignoring it, I noticed the patern like you say with the dizziness, palps ect now that they don't bother you they've gone! Once I ignored it eventually it went away, the weakness is not your imagenation it's real but It's due to the stress of anxiety where your body was under so much stress from being anxious for a while it keeps the body on high alert which makes us weak and tired and the things like palps dizziness are part of the fight/flight responce, getting your body ready for danger! I too was like you, when my mind was otherwise occupied ot seemed to disapear or at least lessen, in fact this is how my anxiety was diagnossed 11 yrs ago, I was in the specialists office at the hospital explaining that I couldn't stand without holding on to something, that I especially my legs felt very weak like they couldn't support me, he said so how do you stand if you have to, I said I have to hold on to something! He then said REALLY??? well that's funny because since you entered my office 10 mins ago, you have been standing there fine and not holding on to anything! OMG it clicked, then I went down the anxiety road and a nasty one it has been :-( xx

[matrix123]

Thanx BlueEyes...you gave me some hope that it may be only anxiety. I'll give some more time to the meds and hopefully things will improve. Otherwise I have to find the courage and get a MRI.

[Oink]

There are some great posts there by BlueEyes. She knows what she's talking about so try to be reassured. I know it doesn't help, but I had similar worries and I was fine. The reason our minds trick us with brain tumour or MS is precisely because they are hard to pin down.

I recommend you go and get the brain scan if that's what you need to set you at ease. If you are sure you have one or the other, then what have you to lose? I think the fact you are on this site posting under health anxiety shows a part of you realises it's probably down to the anxt.

I hope I don't sound pushy. I hope you can put your mind at ease.


Oink

[matrix123]

Thanx Oink for your reply. In the beginning I had some hope it was anxiety, but after still having it after 6 weeks I was loosing hope and convincing myself it was either MS or BT (or something worse such as ALS).

You're right about getting a MRI, but from what I have read it has to be with and without contrast and it has to include brain and spinal cord. And if nothing comes out of it, I will jump to ALS, Lyme or something else.

So for the moment, I'll give some more time to myself and hopefully things will get better.