Struggling

[MrsBritty]

My story began about a year ago. I'm 26, I'm a stay at home Mom, I woke up with pain all over my body. The only way I knew how to describe it was,"bone pain" I had pain in all of my bones particularly in my hands, feet, and spine. It felt almost like the flu but intense. It did not improve over a 3 day period & new pains developed such as chest pain, I had also been suffering from migraines. I went to my GP for blood work & everything came back fine. He recommended that I go see a rheumatologist. I went to see the rheumatologist, described my symptoms and he tested me for everything that could cause those things. He called and said I had elevated ANA levels and lupus was a possibility. I was thinking back to the only things that had changed and luckily I journal so I could see when I began having migraines and it was shortly after getting my IUD birth control so I immediately had it removed. I had to go in for a second lupus panel everything came back clear but while waiting for the results I was so filled with anxiety. Anxiety is also supposedly a nasty side effect from having the IUD removed. He suggested that I just had anxiety. I was relieved but the next day I started experiencing muscle twitches, full body jerks, pain and stiffness in my legs, dizziness like vertigo, muscle fatigue, cramping. Google then suggested ALS, Parkinsons, MS. I went to a neurologist. I have had a CT scan, an EEG, a brain MRI, and a spine MRI all showing no abnormalities. Neurologist said I have anxiety.While going through the testing I acquired many new symptoms one being extreme tongue pain so excruciating I did not want to eat, one of my eyes began acting as if though it was shorting out it's almost like I can see neon out of my peripheral I had it checked by one of the top ophthalmologist in the state...fine neurologist attributed it to ocular migraines, pain in eyes. I've also had the flu twice, a stomach bug twice, and shingles. I can't even think of every physical symptom I've had. You name it, I've had it. I did really well for months so many of these strange symptoms faded the muscle twitches never completely subsided, but did become less frequent. Last week I was watching a movie with my family and the tongue pain began to come on, followed by lots of muscle twitches, eye pain, pain in hands. I kept thinking oh no not again. These physical sensations came over me at a time when I was not stressed or anxious. So here I am feeling many of the same physical sensations and struggling to accept that this is just anxiety. Could something have been missed in all of those test? Why do these physical sensations completely take over my body? Why do they come out of the blue? When will this ever stop? Does anyone else have these struggles? Have you overcome them? Anyone else with a similar story? It feels like something completely foreign takes over my body it's just so hard to believe it's some subconscious stress or anxiety.

[snowghost57]

First, stop googling your symptoms. Trust your doctors and the tests results are negative, you had some intensive testing. The neurologist said you have anxiety, so I would talk to your doctor about that. Anxiety is a wicked ailment and can effect many people in different ways, even the symptoms you have described here. I wish you the best and keep us posted.

[Ellecee]

Chronic illness sucks. It just does. How long ago were you tested? If you've had one positive test, you should be checked yearly to ensure that it hasn't developed. Particularly if you are still experiencing symptoms.

I hope you get relief soon.

[MrsBritty]

First, stop googling your symptoms. Trust your doctors and the tests results are negative, you had some intensive testing. The neurologist said you have anxiety, so I would talk to your doctor about that. Anxiety is a wicked ailment and can effect many people in different ways, even the symptoms you have described here. I wish you the best and keep us posted.

Fortunately I have stopped googling my symptoms because I realize what that's like. You are right I should find comfort in the fact that all of these extensive test come back normal. The irrational side of my brain wants to say that's because they haven't figured it out yet not because there is nothing there to figure out. It's a struggle, one I thought I had control of but this relapse is really messing with me. I was just cuddled up on the couch with my husband and children and had a small body jerk and immediately began feeling the dread of anxiety. I'm doing my best not to go down the downward spiral right now. I even had to wake my husband so he can calm me down. I never in my life imagined going through something like this. Thanks for replying it's hard dealing with this because it's not easy to talk to others about. There aren't many people that I know of who understand what it's like yet apparently health anxiety and all of my symptoms are rather common.

---------- Post added at 23:57 ---------- Previous post was at 23:42 ----------


Chronic illness sucks. It just does. How long ago were you tested? If you've had one positive test, you should be checked yearly to ensure that it hasn't developed. Particularly if you are still experiencing symptoms.

I hope you get relief soon.

Thank you.

All of the testing has been done within the last year. I stay in contact with my neurologist regularly, he is completely convinced I just have anxiety after reviewing my complete medical history & conducting all of those tests. It's hard every time I feel anything unusual I question his diagnosis.

[pablo0977]

Not googling is so hard. As I type this I am resisting the temptation to do so myself. I think many of us are analytical people. When doctors cannot find "what's wrong" we take the case on ourselves. We is think that there must be some overarching illness that explains all our symptoms. Maybe there is. But the chance that we will find it and definitively diagnose is low. If your worst fears are eventually confirmed, none of this anxiety and stress will have made a positive impact. Try to relax and trust the process. Feel better.

[MrsBritty]

I just developed vertigo. I am so sick I cannot move. I'm trying really hard not to let the panic set in. I am so tired of being sick.