Legs like twitchy water

[Anxious Canuck]

Hello, first post.

I am a 30 year old male. Big, strong, healthy, happy. Married 2 years, just built a home, love my job.

All my life I've blown up small things into their worst form. Wouldn't ride the roller coaster for fear of it derailing, wouldn't give blood for fear of a dirty needle, wouldn't use a public phone for fear of germs etc...

As an adult, the power of suggestion has a hold on my and simple TV show with mention of a medical condition (CSI, House etc...) and my body freaks out.

What happened recently was, when using the washroom, my feet started to tingle when seated, then after about 2 minutes, got heavy pins & needles, then about 3 minutes later, were numb. I get up, walk it off, no problem, right?

Not for me. The next day my left leg felt slightly less potent than my right. I began feeling like it was heavier, and my shoes felt heavier on that foot than on the other. I have muscle twitches like a babbling brook from the arch of my foot, in my calf muscles (like crazy!), and my thighs. I feel like someone is leaning on me from my right pushing me to my left as I walk, and my legs have the strength of a 5 years olds under my body.

I had the MS/ALS scare about 2 years ago. Similar symptoms, muscle twitches especially, and had a CT, full neuro exam and even an MRI of my head and cervical spine, all out of my own pocket, revealing that I was in perfect neurological health.

So why am I back here again? I have flashes of thoughts from "What did they miss?" to "It must have been too early to detect last time?" to being tremendously embarrassed, especially with my wife while we are at home for being such a defenceless little baby about my problem.

I get palpitations daily while in this condition, dizzyness, Light headed, confusion etc...

I would like to hear from some folks who have had something like a similar experience. I want to know that I am not alone in this process. I won't know what you look like, or what you do or where you're from, but I feel like if I can return my body to it's proper state, even for an hour, I am a smart man and will learn that I am in control of my body, not the other way around.

Looking forward to hearing from you, hope you are all safe and well.

Thanks in Advance,

Steve

[yorkylover]

Hi steve and welcome.There is lots of support and advise here for you.Your not alone in how you are feeling.:hugs:

[Florida Gator]

Hi Steve,

I feel I am in a similar situation as yours. I am 35, in great physical health, and should be in the absolute prime of life. Just got married, have a great(although very stressful) job, great wife, friends and family.


My issues started about 18 months ago on the drive into the office. I got a weird headache and some light headedness. For some reason thought it might be an anuerysm and drove myself to the er. Up to that moment I had never suffered from anxiety (that I know of). I was given a ct scan at the er and given the all clear.

But 18 months later I have suffered fear of many different dreadful diseases each of which was accompied by some very real symptoms. Headaches, palpitations, weakness, dizziness, tingling, confusion, blurry vision, sharp pain for a moment in many different areas, etc.

I saw a neurologist that sent me for mri of brain and like you it was all clear.

Currently I fear some issues with my lungs (the c word) and my eyes as they have been a bit fuzzy. I can really work myself up with this thinking. I was worried about the heart but had an ekg and it was fine.

It is so hard to believe that these very real symptoms are just related to anxiety. But from reading this site and some other books it is clear that this is the case.

We just have to re-train our brains into not catastrophizing every little symptom or thought. I think CBT is great for that.

I never had the worries you had in terms of roller coasters etc. However I grew up with a mother that would somehow worry about the problems associated with winning the lottery :) No doubt I got the gene but it surfaced later in life for me. As a kid I was borderline reckless in terms of sports and thrills. Probably rebelling from mom a bit :)

Hope it helps to know there are others with similar backgrounds feeling the same way. I know it helps me a bunch.

Hope the weather is nice up in Canada. It's hot as Hades down here in South Florida.

Take care,

Chris

[miff]

g'day steve i am a 35 yr old male with the same sort of issues mine started 4 years ago outa tha blue ive always got some sort of health thing in the back of me head and i feel like a woos at home in front of me wife too.I have had scans for stuff and couple of fair dinkum illnesses i deal with but mate u wanna know sumthin this is the best place for reassurance (still go to the docs if you are really worried bout sumthin but the people on here your fellow worriers (warriors) are just great they have helped me through the ruff times and hope we can all help you keep ya chin up mate and remember you not a woos i bet you love your missu very much .Take care mate

[Anxious Canuck]

Gator and Miff,

Thanks for telling me about your experience. I can seriously take something completely harmless and turn it into a life ending catatrophe. The irony there is that if we don't get control of this problem, it takes life from us on a daily basis.

I sit in bed in the mornings understanding this. I will flex a muscle that is twitching, just to watch it twitch, then get more worked up as I watch it do it, then flex it harder, watch it twitch harder etc...

By the time I roll into the shower, I'm convinced I won't make it out...

I am working on making the transition from understanding to practice, but I am not finding alot of success.......yet. What have you guys done to get over the symptom obsessing and move forward? Do you have the muscle twitching when you are worked up as well? Did exercise help or increase your fatigue?

Appreciate the reply, thanks again.

Hope you are both well today and every day hereafter.

All the best,

Steve

[nomorepanic]

Hi there

If you enjoy reading then have a look at this post ....

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7784

You may find some previous threads you can relate to on there.

Lovely to see you here.

[debera]

hi steve and welcome
debera

[Be-still]

Hi Canuck,
This might sound silly, but is it possible you have a bruised or pinched nerve? I've heard of symptoms very like this when people have a pinched nerve somewhere from the lower back to the upper leg. Quite possible if you've done any hard physical work like building, which you mentioned in your post.
(Sorry, this being my first post, I will now disappear to the Introductions area.):blush:

[Florida Gator]

hi,

I have the muscle twitching at any time. Exercise seems to help in the long term but short term it can cause some symptoms to flare up.

CBT has been my best bet with overcoming the obsession with symptoms. My brain is trained to fear every little twitch. CBT helps retrain the brain not to think every little twitch is horrible.

When I get busy at work I almost never have any issues. This must be due to my mind being stimulated with other thoughts. This has always brought some comfort to me. If I was really sick would it really be so kind as to back off while I was busy with work. Not bloody likely....