MS anxiety taking its toll on me

[Serenity1990]

Hi guys,

I've been ok this past week or so at accepting the physical things I'm suffering from are caused by anxiety. However Friday and today I've been awoken at 5am with tingling/numbness/stiffness in the jaw, arms and hands. It also seems to happen when I'm sitting down for more than a fee minutes.

When this subsides, doing one of the tests the neuro got me to do (pressing my ring finger and thumb together) causes my hand to stiffen for a few seconds, followed by a weird sensation up my arm.

I'm struggling to accept this is anxiety, which is bringing on all the MS worries again. :(

[Andrash]

First, odds are you don't have MS-tingling and muscle stiffness are hallmarks of anxiety which is a disorder that occurs far more often than MS. The illnesses like MS or ALS cause clinical weakness, not perceived weakness. The point is-if you can pass the neuro exam, as in doing whatever he asked you to do, you don't have MS (or ALS, for that matter). Doesn't matter what weird sensations you experienced afterwards-you still don't have it. :)

The second point is that MS is treatable and manageable disease, and affected individuals are able to lead completely normal lives. Yes, if someone has MS, he/she will probably have to use a wheelchair when he/she is 70, but there is no point to worry about it now, I presume. :)

We've got members of the forum here that have MS and live completely normally. I'm sure the lady who has it will check the forum soon and be able to help you-she made many MS fears go away. 99.999% you don't have it, and even if you do-controllable, manageable, normal living largely unaffected. :)

[Serenity1990]

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately this weakness wasn't perceived; moving my finger that way meant my hand couldn't move. My grandmother also had MS, so whilst I know many lead normal lives with it, I know what it can look like. I passed the neuro tests with flying colours but I wasn't having the sensation the time, it only tends to last 10 mins - 2 hours at a time (which I know is atypical).

I'm hoping this is a trapped nerve around the neck or something, especially as the involvement of the jaw could mean TMJ (I only learned this weekend that it wasn't normal to rest with your teeth clenched :o ) but the mere possibility of MS

[LunaLiuna]

Here I think this might help as you mentioned clenching. it's taken from a TMJD symptom page :)

Neck and Shoulder Problems:
- lack of mobility - reduced range of movement
- stiffness
- neck pain
- tired, sore neck muscles
- shoulder aches
- back pain upper and lower
- arm and finger tingling, numbness and or pain

Here I may as well add in the link: http://www.healthboards.com/boards/tmj-disorder-temporomandibular-joint/108754-symptoms-tmjd.html

[Serenity1990]

Thank you for that. I'm seeing a dentist tomorrow about the possibility of TMJD, especially as I've been receiving osteopathy treatment recently for extreme neck stiffness and pressure headaches behind eyes. However the crunching of my jaw muscles is only slight, and to my untrained feel there's nothing up with my bite.

I know that's far more likely than MS, it's just the mere possibility had drained me off all life right now. :(

[LunaLiuna]

Don't worry I completely understand, I thought I had something similar wrong until I got told :)

My jaw clicks every now and again but my main problem has come from always chewing food in a certain spot, I also frequently rest my hand on my jaw as well which nudges it out of alignment. Those are just two examples of many though.

I'm sure your going to be fine, good luck tomorrow!

[Andrash]

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately this weakness wasn't perceived; moving my finger that way meant my hand couldn't move. My grandmother also had MS, so whilst I know many lead normal lives with it, I know what it can look like. I passed the neuro tests with flying colours but I wasn't having the sensation the time, it only tends to last 10 mins - 2 hours at a time (which I know is atypical).

I'm hoping this is a trapped nerve around the neck or something, especially as the involvement of the jaw could mean TMJ (I only learned this weekend that it wasn't normal to rest with your teeth clenched :o ) but the mere possibility of MS

Clinical weakness is when you can't do it at all-can't as in can't press the fingers together. Never-ever. It doesn't come and go, it comes and stays. What happens after (your hand goes numb or weird or stiff)-that's another story. It could be your mind playin' tricks with you (good ole anxiety) or it can be, as you said, some localized problem-muscle strain or pinched nerve. The point is-if you're able to pass neurological exam with flying colours, that means there is nothing neurologically wrong with you-no MS, MNDs, MG and other scary things.

Sorry to hear about your grandmother!

[Serenity1990]

Thank you both.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that this is indeed musclo-skeletal, I can stop the weird hand thing by lying completely flat, and I can induce tingling in my entire body by clenching my teeth. Well, either that or it's in my head. Either way I'm not dying! :lol:

I fear I may have explained he hand sensation badly. When I touch those two fingers together, my entire hand becomes paralysed and I can't move it other than through forcing it open with my other hand. This happens on both hands.

[Andrash]

Thank you both.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that this is indeed musclo-skeletal, I can stop the weird hand thing by lying completely flat, and I can induce tingling in my entire body by clenching my teeth. Well, either that or it's in my head. Either way I'm not dying! :lol:

I fear I may have explained he hand sensation badly. When I touch those two fingers together, my entire hand becomes paralysed and I can't move it other than through forcing it open with my other hand. This happens on both hands.

I'm not a doctor but I'd ask yours about fibromyalgia-it's a harmless condition usually induced by psychological issues (like stress) with hallmark symptoms being jaw and joint stiffness and tingling. :)

[Serenity1990]

Thank you, I will. I doubt it is that though as I don't really have pain, but again I'm not a doctor either!

Tbh I'm just at the end of my tether with this, really don't know how much more I can take. I've never experienced anxiety or these weird symptoms in my life before, it's taken over my life, I just want these feelings to stop. :(

[Andrash]

Thank you, I will. I doubt it is that though as I don't really have pain, but again I'm not a doctor either!

Tbh I'm just at the end of my tether with this, really don't know how much more I can take. I've never experienced anxiety or these weird symptoms in my life before, it's taken over my life, I just want these feelings to stop. :(

I know exactly how you feel-my HA also started with real symptoms which were consequently explained and reduced but which triggered the whole cycle. However, your good test results together with some anti-anxiety measures can make you feel better both physically and mentally very soon. :)

[Serenity1990]

I notice you only joined in Dec 13. If you don't mind me asking, did your symptoms arrive in the relatively recent past? You seem very much over it!

[Andrash]

I notice you only joined in Dec 13. If you don't mind me asking, did your symptoms arrive in the relatively recent past? You seem very much over it!

My symptoms arrived in August, I developed HA in October (second time, first time I suffered from HA was in my teenage years) and when I joined it was really at its worst. Started online CBT in December and counselling in January-things got better.

Original symptoms were explained, treated and reduced-some new, anxiety related, show up from time to time. The truth be told-I still worry excessively about health issues and it will probably stay so in foreseeable future, but the important thing is that I learned (I hope :) ) how to control the panic and reduce the stress levels when there's an onset of HA.

Helping others (mainly at this forum) also helps me-being rational about issues of other people is, apart from trying to be useful to them, also a constant reminder for me that there are overwhelming odds that similar explanation(s) are also applicable to my problems. :) That's why this forum and the nice people I met here was (and still is) a godsend.

[Serenity1990]

I've just read your story and you seem so similar to me. I'm an academic as well, and the problem with being employed to do two hours a week teaching and 38 hours thinking is that your mind can go to all sorts of mad places. In all honesty I've dome nothing but teach my seminars since the Xmas break, I think I'm going mad!

[Andrash]

I've just read your story and you seem so similar to me. I'm an academic as well, and the problem with being employed to do two hours a week teaching and 38 hours thinking is that your mind can go to all sorts of mad places. In all honesty I've dome nothing but teach my seminars since the Xmas break, I think I'm going mad!

Luckily, I don't have to teach (apart from anxiety, I'm also a terrible pedagogue :D ), but,as a part of the project, I do have to think, read, write and analyse averagely 10 hours a day :)

[Serenity1990]

Well the fact you're managing to actually do that means you're doing far better than me! At the moment unless my mind is fully immersed in something my head is in this horrible cyclical state.

[Andrash]

Well the fact you're managing to actually do that means you're doing far better than me! At the moment unless my mind is fully immersed in something my head is in this horrible cyclical state.

That's why this forum and CBT are opened whenever I'm working/on a computer :)

Try to do something for a hobby-after work, I either play football or chess. Weekends I watch football, play it also and go for long walks in the nature. There's a lot of cultural events in my town so I also visit them. I'm actually a bit overactive at the moment and therefore constantly tired, but still-better tired than anxious :)

[Serenity1990]

I'd love to play football, I really can't imagine feeling well enough for that right now!

I think I might embark on an impromptu driving holiday around Europe next week, take my mind off everything. Just need to find a friend or two with a spare week and a sense of randomness to come along!

[Andrash]

I'd love to play football, I really can't imagine feeling well enough for that right now!

I think I might embark on an impromptu driving holiday around Europe next week, take my mind off everything. Just need to find a friend or two with a spare week and a sense of randomness to come along!

Well, physical activity is excellent for anxiety, it really helps. If you don't feel up to it currently, you can try simpler things-running short distances, or having long walks. As time goes by, your increase levels of activity. Your fitness levels will increase and your anxiety levels reduce. Eventually you'll be able to go on the pitch and slide into a tackle or two (I play defense and I LOVE sliding tackles :) )

[Serenity1990]

An yes I used to enjoy a good sliding tackle. That was until I broke my leg with a slightly mistimed one when I was 16, which hurts like hell if I try to run more than a few minutes!

Until all this started I was a regular gym-goer, seems like such a long time ago now even though it was only 6-7 weeks ago I last had a workout. I'd like to start going again, unfortunately when I'm not convinced I have MS I worry the doctors missed some fatal problem with my heart in one of their numerous tests!

You mentioned you use online CBT, I was wondering do you have a link to the resource at all? :)

[Andrash]

An yes I used to enjoy a good sliding tackle. That was until I broke my leg with a slightly mistimed one when I was 16, which hurts like hell if I try to run more than a few minutes!

Until all this started I was a regular gym-goer, seems like such a long time ago now even though it was only 6-7 weeks ago I last had a workout. I'd like to start going again, unfortunately when I'm not convinced I have MS I worry the doctors missed some fatal problem with my heart in one of their numerous tests!

You mentioned you use online CBT, I was wondering do you have a link to the resource at all? :)

I had my fair share of broken metatarsals and strained/sprained muscles too :D

As for the link, actually I do have it. Here it is:
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=131665

:)

[Serenity1990]

Thanks for that, have you found it useful? I've also started counselling, as I've got it available free through work.

[HealthAnxiety12]

MS anxiety is awful. I'm not worried about having MS anymore, but I still have "MS symptoms" that drive me crazy. I've found that regular exercise has helped me.

[Andrash]

Thanks for that, have you found it useful? I've also started counselling, as I've got it available free through work.

I indeed have! Counselling, CBT and this forum are (at least for now) a winning combination for me :)

[Serenity1990]

Right well I'm making you my role model in that case, I want my life back!