Fuan
06-05-14, 04:30
Hello everybody,
Apologies if I have posted in the wrong sub-forum, please move it if you feel it is better suited in a different sub-forum.
I'm new here; have been lurking sporadically but have finally reached a point where I feel like I need advice from those who are in, or have been in similar situations. I'm a 23 year old man for the record.
My story spans about a year and a half, so I'll try to keep it nice and as concise as I possibly can.
Starting January last year, I woke up with minor numbness in my left hand's pinky and adjacent finger tips; assumed it would go away - it didn't. Over about a year, the symptoms would spread to the other fingers, then the other hand, then my toes, then the side of my face, all starting at mild numbness and getting worse over time. So as it stands my left hand is worse than my right, which is worse than my feet, which is worse than my face.
Sporadic involuntary muscle twitches kicked in after approx 9 months, muscle pain after about 12, thought process has slowed up a little and memory seems to have gotten a little bit worse.
Preceding this by approximately 2 to 3 years, I suffered a few random panic attacks over a period of a few months, the first one being the worst by far, no obvious trigger to any of them. I rarely get them now, but they still happen once in a blue moon with varying severity from a "ah, a panic attack, I'll just sit still and control my breathing and it'll be gone in a moment" to a full blown "oh dear I might actually be dying this time, maybe?". Now, I had a fleeting experience with marijuana prior to this, with which my final experience stopped me from using it ever again - my heart started beating ridiculously fast and I was filled with fear like I have never known. This settled down gradually after several hours, but I am not ruling this out as the possible cause of this anxiety issue and now advocate better drug education and research as a result.
I started seeing my GP because of heart palpitations at first not too long after the marijuana experience; this was consequently put down to stress as I did not divulge my marijuana experience at the time. Then I went back for panic attacks and was told similar and/or anxiety; I arrogantly refused medication for something that was in my head and I thought I had the ability to control. Then I went back a few months after my neuropathy symptoms started and over a period of months of being told to simply relax and avoid stressful activities, I finally got them to take things seriously.
Over a period of months, I had an ECG, bloods, two nerve conduction studies and an MRI on my brain and spine, none of which pulled up any problems. My GP and two separate neurologists all are telling me my neurology symptoms are pretty much the result of my anxiety.
Which led my back to my GP who is suggesting some kind of talk therapy, CBT and/or a prescription of 20mg Citalopram, which I now hold in my hand (the prescription, not the medication, I have yet to decide what to do).
Does anybody have, or has had a similar experience? Can anxiety really cause all this? I keep hearing it can, but I have yet to hear from somebody who has had this and has been able to link it to anxiety. Quite frankly, I want it to be anxiety and at this stage, I think it unlikely to be anything else, despite there being a period I was convinced I had something somewhat serious. Could it be anything else? Could my anxiety and neuropathy be coincidentally unrelated?
I am concerned about the side-effects of Citalopram, particularly the ones surrounding sexual dysfunction, as they are unnervingly listed as somewhat common. If such side-effects weren't listed, I would have little hesitation in trying it to see how it works out for me.
As stated in the thread title, I really am quite lost and would be enormously grateful for any advice received.
Apologies if I have posted in the wrong sub-forum, please move it if you feel it is better suited in a different sub-forum.
I'm new here; have been lurking sporadically but have finally reached a point where I feel like I need advice from those who are in, or have been in similar situations. I'm a 23 year old man for the record.
My story spans about a year and a half, so I'll try to keep it nice and as concise as I possibly can.
Starting January last year, I woke up with minor numbness in my left hand's pinky and adjacent finger tips; assumed it would go away - it didn't. Over about a year, the symptoms would spread to the other fingers, then the other hand, then my toes, then the side of my face, all starting at mild numbness and getting worse over time. So as it stands my left hand is worse than my right, which is worse than my feet, which is worse than my face.
Sporadic involuntary muscle twitches kicked in after approx 9 months, muscle pain after about 12, thought process has slowed up a little and memory seems to have gotten a little bit worse.
Preceding this by approximately 2 to 3 years, I suffered a few random panic attacks over a period of a few months, the first one being the worst by far, no obvious trigger to any of them. I rarely get them now, but they still happen once in a blue moon with varying severity from a "ah, a panic attack, I'll just sit still and control my breathing and it'll be gone in a moment" to a full blown "oh dear I might actually be dying this time, maybe?". Now, I had a fleeting experience with marijuana prior to this, with which my final experience stopped me from using it ever again - my heart started beating ridiculously fast and I was filled with fear like I have never known. This settled down gradually after several hours, but I am not ruling this out as the possible cause of this anxiety issue and now advocate better drug education and research as a result.
I started seeing my GP because of heart palpitations at first not too long after the marijuana experience; this was consequently put down to stress as I did not divulge my marijuana experience at the time. Then I went back for panic attacks and was told similar and/or anxiety; I arrogantly refused medication for something that was in my head and I thought I had the ability to control. Then I went back a few months after my neuropathy symptoms started and over a period of months of being told to simply relax and avoid stressful activities, I finally got them to take things seriously.
Over a period of months, I had an ECG, bloods, two nerve conduction studies and an MRI on my brain and spine, none of which pulled up any problems. My GP and two separate neurologists all are telling me my neurology symptoms are pretty much the result of my anxiety.
Which led my back to my GP who is suggesting some kind of talk therapy, CBT and/or a prescription of 20mg Citalopram, which I now hold in my hand (the prescription, not the medication, I have yet to decide what to do).
Does anybody have, or has had a similar experience? Can anxiety really cause all this? I keep hearing it can, but I have yet to hear from somebody who has had this and has been able to link it to anxiety. Quite frankly, I want it to be anxiety and at this stage, I think it unlikely to be anything else, despite there being a period I was convinced I had something somewhat serious. Could it be anything else? Could my anxiety and neuropathy be coincidentally unrelated?
I am concerned about the side-effects of Citalopram, particularly the ones surrounding sexual dysfunction, as they are unnervingly listed as somewhat common. If such side-effects weren't listed, I would have little hesitation in trying it to see how it works out for me.
As stated in the thread title, I really am quite lost and would be enormously grateful for any advice received.