didnt think Id be back here but here I am....

[scared_ter]

I had a huge bout of anxiety brought on by an ms fear over Christmas.
I got over it, it was very tough and took a number of months.
Ive been on 50mg of sertraline since then and the last two months Ive been good and felt I had gotten back on the right track.
If Im honest I will say that the ms fear has never quite gone away, but Ive rationalised it and managed to stop letting it take over.

Until now that this. Since middle of last week Ive felt my anxiety creeping back up on me, and its now back at a pretty severe level.
As a longtime sufferer, I know when its bad, and its bad now.

My right leg has always felt a little off ever since Christmas and now I am convinced that something is up.
Ankles, knees, hips all very sore and feeling strange today, so much so that I have just now got home after leaving a wedding very early.
It feels worse when I sit down. Arthritis runs in the family, very badly in fact.
I know I probably have a bit of it even tho Im only mid 30s, especially given that I was a keen runner for 5 years or so and only packed it in when my body just didn't seem up to the level I wanted to do.
So I guess my fear is actually that this isn't arthritis, and possibly ms.
Even tho Im a worrier and an anxious, Ive always been able to except the extreme power of anxiety over the body, but even with that understanding I cant completely agree that the problems Im having now are just down to HA.
They seem too real.
Not looking for answers as such, just someone to talk with here I guess.

[Adam0412]

Anxiety can mimic symptoms, even if you're not thinking about it! The more you focus on one symptom the more it will most likely progress! Our minds are very powerful, I hope you feel better soon! And don't worry, its not MS.

[scared_ter]

Anxiety can mimic symptoms, even if you're not thinking about it! The more you focus on one symptom the more it will most likely progress! Our minds are very powerful, I hope you feel better soon! And don't worry, its not MS.

Cheers Adam, I honest to God hope its not, and want to believe that so much.
But I just am not the same man I was a year ago, and I cannot put my finger on why.
I put my back out recently, and went to a&e as a result. They checked my reflexes and said they were very brisk, which again is a symptom of ms as far as I understand.
I am terribly afraid of the unknown of living with this condition if I were to have it, and the huge impact it would have on my life.

[Adam0412]

I'm exactly the same, I hope its all anxiety and not something more deadly/serious, how pathetic right? Just don't google anything, it'll make matters FAR more worse (I learnt the hard way).

[Adam0412]

I actually suffered from HA after I was spiked in a night club 3 years ago now. It was my heart I was mostly worried about, fast heart rate, stabbing pains, burning sensations, dizzy and feeling weak! You name it I had it.

It took time for me to accept what it was and get on with it Eventually I did, I was my jolly self again, feeling normal, doing the stuff I loved!

Now two weeks ago I came back from holiday, I felt a tad unwell the last day being there. I was with my girlfriend, was the first ever trip I've done alone with someone. It was amazing, absolutely awesome. But I felt weak, worried sick that I had malaria or some deadly disease. I arrive back in Manchester and went straight to A&E had malaria tests, full blood count, constant blood pressure and heart rate checks. Everything you could possibly think of! All came back negative. I hate to say it but my girlfriend said to me "I told you so"

I now finally feel so much better, sometimes I get tingly sensations in my legs, arms or hands! My GP said its all anxiety I explain now, because I was so stressed about having something I don't have. I've always thought the worst in situations which hasn't helped. And I googled so much stuff that I progressively made myself think I had symptoms I hadn't, and anxiety can totally mimic that! I have my last stool and full blood count on Monday, but it takes me so much to be reassured haha.

[scared_ter]

I'm exactly the same, I hope its all anxiety and not something more deadly/serious, how pathetic right? Just don't google anything, it'll make matters FAR more worse (I learnt the hard way).

Been down that road so often.
HIV was my first HA subject, I now know more about it that most gp's in all likelihood.
But what Ive come to know about HIV, that it is actually not easily caught and largely within your own control as to whether you catch it at all, this is not the case with ms.
And with HA and its close relative OCD, control plays a huge part.
I know my own body too, and I do know it isn't the way it was 12 months ago, in many ways. I just don't know why. And ms is the thing I cant shake from my mind.

---------- Post added at 23:04 ---------- Previous post was at 23:03 ----------


Hi Adam and Scare Ter - I'm new here and new to the Health Anxiety also. But it has hit me like a ton of bricks. Just wondering how long both of you have been suffering with HA. I mean after a while one would think it would just go away. I mean after so many times of worrying you had something and then it turned out you didn't after a while (maybe years) don't you just recognize it as HA? I hope I made my question clear. Thank you.
Joe

On and off since 2005 my friend.
PM me if you wish to chat about it.
I actually get something from helping others with the thing I find so hard to shake myself, as crazy as that sounds.

[Adam0412]

Well I'm in the NMP chat if anyone wants to come in and chat! haha.

[joe2014]

Well I'm in the NMP chat if anyone wants to come in and chat! haha.

Wish I could but I haven't been a member for more that 5 days (or 5 hours for that matter) Haha. But thanks.