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Claire09
23-03-07, 12:58
Hi RLR,

and can I say thank you for your reply to my last message re. melanoma I had removed and cancer fears. I have since been back to doctor and he is not willling to entertain me regarding blood tests you suggested. My symtons are still bad am no longer able to go to work as had a panic attack felt like I was going to collapse and have not been back since. Can you tell me with regards to my twitch, my index finger twitches so much it moves from side to side I have noticed that it gets worse if I use the strength in my hand more like for opening bottles it will then twitch for about 20 seconds although sometimes it can happen when im in bed resting, also i have sometimes pins and needles in my fingers and toes which comes and goes and if I wear certain shoes get numb toes on my right foot, I also have strange little twitches all over my body. My doctor has put me on 20mg of citralopram I have been taking it for 18 days but for the first 7 days took half a tablet , dont feel any better actually probable feel worse more anxious last few days. Keep feeling like my legs are strong enought to hold me and also shaky hands. Started back running but when I finished my run my legs felt like jelly and I though they would give way, and then they were jittery all night. Sorry for babbling on but Im so scared have convinced myself that cancer has metastisied to my spine or brain that is why im getting all theses problems with my nervous system. Your advice would be much appreciated . My doctor did a examanation on my yesterday and checked my reflexes and strength in legs and arms he said it was fine also had eye test at opticians and they said the back of my eye looked normal as I sometime find it hard to read things usually when im anxious cant read words. and eyesight goes blurry.

Thank you

Claire

RLR
23-03-07, 18:50
Well, as I had explained in my previous posting, I doubted that these tests would be acceptable to perform because they are expensive and you have to have some sort of basis to undertake exotic tests like those mentioned.

The problem is neither with the tests nor the prospect that you may have metastatic cancer. The problem is unwarranted ruminations that you personally believe your symptoms are somehow related to cancer. Just because you have symptoms that seem strange to you, does not in any way equate them with a serious illness of any kind. You have anxiety disorder with somatic features. Physical symptoms are present but without disease. You are trying with a great deal of effort to convince yourself that your symptoms are directly linked to cancer. As a neurologist with more than 40 years experience, I'm going to have to tell you in a fairly straight-forward manner that the way in which metatstatic cancer presents itself and its effects on the body are nothing comparable to what you are attempting to try and claim. The fact that you lack specific knowledge where this is concerned has allowed fear to strip you of any logical assumptions and alternatively suggest that there's a greater chance than not that something dreadful is wrong.

Your legs feel like jelly because you are out of shape, plain and simple. Muscle twitches are an extremely common phenomenon and predominantly have more to do with early fatigue of muscle than of any type of nervous system malady. Parasthesias or numbness of the extremities is most commonly due to anxiety disorder. Cancer simply does not present itself in this manner whatsoever. You have to realize the illogic of your worries in that you've never been in an environment where people with true cancer are under evaluation and treatment for you to be able to make any sort of real-world comparison. It's like stating that because you have a headache, it's a brain tumor because people with brain tumors have headaches. Well far more people with headaches have sinus conditions, migraine syndrome, tension, etc. and a thousand more causes that we see on a daily basis.

Your melanoma was caught in plenty of time and the surrounding tissues were not suggestive of any infiltration. You're good to go, so take your husband's credit card, go buy a new outfit and have lunch with the girls.

Life is way too short to worry it away when nothing is actually wrong.

You're going to be fine. Move ahead with your life. The worst is behind you.