tjb113
16-08-16, 06:20
So I've been dealing with my health anxiety and fear of ALS or another neurological disease for a few months now. Ever since I did the stupid thing and searched Google and got ALS as a result I've been an absolute wreck. About a month ago I did see a neurologist who actually specializes in ALS and he decided an EMG would help get to the bottom of things. Finally today I had that EMG and in spite of actually managing my anxiety better these past few weeks the results of the EMG have set me right back in to panic mode.
The nerve conduction test went fine and everything was normal there. But the EMG itself did show, as he called them "findings", in my right leg and arm. Now, we know I have an impingement on my right C7 side so I could have maybe handled that finding. The leg finding though was completely unexpected and now I'm totally freaking out (made worse by a chronic dry cough I've had for a week now). He said it was likely caused by a nerve and ordered an MRI on the rest of my back (lumbar and thoracic) and that has been done, though I don't have those results yet. He told me he still doesn't believe it to be ALS but I can't stop fearing he's just trying to assuage my fears and anxiety. I also fear that if the MRI comes back without showing any issues that my panic is going to crank up to 11 since no physiological source makes it more likely it's a disease.
This anxiety is going to kill me before any disease can at this rate, and there is nothing I've been able to do to get it to stop. The fear is just so overwhelming it has destroyed nearly every day since this all began and it was only the past few weeks I've been able to actually enjoy life even a little again. Now this happens and it's like I'm back at square one. I can't keep dealing with this but I can't see any possible way I can control it or stop it either. Everything just feels so hopeless now.
The nerve conduction test went fine and everything was normal there. But the EMG itself did show, as he called them "findings", in my right leg and arm. Now, we know I have an impingement on my right C7 side so I could have maybe handled that finding. The leg finding though was completely unexpected and now I'm totally freaking out (made worse by a chronic dry cough I've had for a week now). He said it was likely caused by a nerve and ordered an MRI on the rest of my back (lumbar and thoracic) and that has been done, though I don't have those results yet. He told me he still doesn't believe it to be ALS but I can't stop fearing he's just trying to assuage my fears and anxiety. I also fear that if the MRI comes back without showing any issues that my panic is going to crank up to 11 since no physiological source makes it more likely it's a disease.
This anxiety is going to kill me before any disease can at this rate, and there is nothing I've been able to do to get it to stop. The fear is just so overwhelming it has destroyed nearly every day since this all began and it was only the past few weeks I've been able to actually enjoy life even a little again. Now this happens and it's like I'm back at square one. I can't keep dealing with this but I can't see any possible way I can control it or stop it either. Everything just feels so hopeless now.