janef
10-08-15, 01:15
I have always been a severe worrier and definitely have anxiety issues, although I've never officially "seen anyone" or been diagnosed. Whether or not this is my main issue causing my symptoms, I don't know. It's hard to believe and I'm definitely scared.
About 6 weeks ago, after a prolonged stressful few months, I started to get a vague numb/heavy feeling in my right arm from time to time. (I do work on computer a lot). I also got a dull mid-chest pain that lasted 2 weeks. I saw the general dr, he did ekg (normal) and gave me priolosec for reflux. After 1 week I still had the chest ache so I saw the cardiologist. Echocardiogram was clear and he said he didn't know what it was and that the arm stuff was "not cardiac." The next day the chest pain mysteriously disappeared.
Then, over the past few weeks, I have had other odd symptoms. I think in the middle of this I also experienced my first panic attack with headache, tears, fear, etc.
So I've basically had numb/ weak/ heavy feeling arms, heaviness in legs, tingling spots, feelings like I'm getting goosebumps. Most symptoms have been on my right side but I've had them on both. Not usually the same symptoms two days in a row. I usually wake up fine but get some strange symptoms throughout the day. Some days are better than others.
I saw GP and neuro. Had lots of bloodwork (CBC, metabolic, ANA, ESR, B12, some other kidney,etc markers, lyme, others). All normal. MRI w/o contrast of brain and c-spine. Normal but for some osteophytes (bone spurs?) and minor disc protrusions in my neck that are supposedly normal for my age and not causing my symptoms (according to neuro). I'm 39 years old. Also, EMG in my arms was normal. Neuro exam normal.
My GP thinks it may be from anxiety and once I'm reassured of this, my symptoms will diminish in a few weeks. The problem is I'm not convinced. My neuro was a jerk and told me "I don't know what this is but it's not neurological and have you talked to anyone?" I told him I have started to see a therapist and asked if anxiety could be causing all of these symptoms. He said, "I can't tell you that. You can't prove anxiety." He was horrible, didn't even go over my test results with me, and told me "your emg will be normal and then you can go to 15 more doctors" before he even started the test. I had only been to my GP, cardiologist, and him.
Anyway, I have had symptoms almost daily for about 4 weeks now. Can this be typical of anxiety? I've noticed that when I get scared or upset, I feel a rush through my legs or arms and they become weak feeling. Like the jelly legs you feel when you get scared, but the feeling persists for sometimes minutes, sometimes hours. I don't actually lose any strength. This and the fact that I've been super jumpy (any little noise or sudden movement makes me hit the ceiling) and very emotional/ stressed, makes me realize there's definitely an anxiety component here. But today, I drove for a few hours, and my right arm feels a slight numbness and if I lift both arms over my head, they get a mild pins/needles feeling. So strange. I don't know how that can be from anxiety.
Can anxiety be causing all of my symptoms? I'm fearing lots of neurological diseases. And I most definitely have health anxiety :(
Any help or advice would be appreciated. My GP gave my klonopin (.25 1xday) for 3 days but I didn't notice much difference with it. She gave me lexapro but I'm too scared of the side effects I read about (more tingling! headache, nausea) to start. Help. Thank you in advance.
About 6 weeks ago, after a prolonged stressful few months, I started to get a vague numb/heavy feeling in my right arm from time to time. (I do work on computer a lot). I also got a dull mid-chest pain that lasted 2 weeks. I saw the general dr, he did ekg (normal) and gave me priolosec for reflux. After 1 week I still had the chest ache so I saw the cardiologist. Echocardiogram was clear and he said he didn't know what it was and that the arm stuff was "not cardiac." The next day the chest pain mysteriously disappeared.
Then, over the past few weeks, I have had other odd symptoms. I think in the middle of this I also experienced my first panic attack with headache, tears, fear, etc.
So I've basically had numb/ weak/ heavy feeling arms, heaviness in legs, tingling spots, feelings like I'm getting goosebumps. Most symptoms have been on my right side but I've had them on both. Not usually the same symptoms two days in a row. I usually wake up fine but get some strange symptoms throughout the day. Some days are better than others.
I saw GP and neuro. Had lots of bloodwork (CBC, metabolic, ANA, ESR, B12, some other kidney,etc markers, lyme, others). All normal. MRI w/o contrast of brain and c-spine. Normal but for some osteophytes (bone spurs?) and minor disc protrusions in my neck that are supposedly normal for my age and not causing my symptoms (according to neuro). I'm 39 years old. Also, EMG in my arms was normal. Neuro exam normal.
My GP thinks it may be from anxiety and once I'm reassured of this, my symptoms will diminish in a few weeks. The problem is I'm not convinced. My neuro was a jerk and told me "I don't know what this is but it's not neurological and have you talked to anyone?" I told him I have started to see a therapist and asked if anxiety could be causing all of these symptoms. He said, "I can't tell you that. You can't prove anxiety." He was horrible, didn't even go over my test results with me, and told me "your emg will be normal and then you can go to 15 more doctors" before he even started the test. I had only been to my GP, cardiologist, and him.
Anyway, I have had symptoms almost daily for about 4 weeks now. Can this be typical of anxiety? I've noticed that when I get scared or upset, I feel a rush through my legs or arms and they become weak feeling. Like the jelly legs you feel when you get scared, but the feeling persists for sometimes minutes, sometimes hours. I don't actually lose any strength. This and the fact that I've been super jumpy (any little noise or sudden movement makes me hit the ceiling) and very emotional/ stressed, makes me realize there's definitely an anxiety component here. But today, I drove for a few hours, and my right arm feels a slight numbness and if I lift both arms over my head, they get a mild pins/needles feeling. So strange. I don't know how that can be from anxiety.
Can anxiety be causing all of my symptoms? I'm fearing lots of neurological diseases. And I most definitely have health anxiety :(
Any help or advice would be appreciated. My GP gave my klonopin (.25 1xday) for 3 days but I didn't notice much difference with it. She gave me lexapro but I'm too scared of the side effects I read about (more tingling! headache, nausea) to start. Help. Thank you in advance.