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BlueMoon24
06-05-18, 23:54
I recently had a flair-up with anxiety again - and again coinciding with a fear that I have ALS.

This time, it was triggered by a weird feeling in my left forearm/wrist/hand a week ago. It's difficult to describe; it doesn't hurt but it also doesn't feel right. The only way I can describe it is that my wrist feels weak or fatigued all the time. There's also sometimes a strange tugging feeling in some of the muscles. I've fallen in to the trap of doing frequent strength tests on myself and haven't noticed any physical weakness, but just can't shake the feeling of it not feeling right. Sometimes it especially feels tired and fatigued and I can't understand why - I even feel like I can feel small spasms in my wrist sometimes. I don't notice anything in my other arm.

Has anyone had an issue like this before? I've looked in to the possibility of carpal tunnel but as I don't have any real pain it's hard to believe it's that. I also struggle to believe that anxiety can be responsible for such a sensation.

My last flair up like this was in 2015. I was getting twitches around my body (probably a side effect of anxiety) and after consulting Dr Google had convinced myself that I had ALS. I had a few GP appointments, blood tests etc and everything came back fine. Eventually, after being prescribed Sertraline for my anxiety & depression, I got the anxiety under control and hadn't worried about it since. In January I came off this medication and seem to have gone straight back to the way I was before starting it.

What's got me worried this time is that I've never had a feeling like this in my wrist before, I can't understand why it feels weak and whether I'm giving it way too much thought? As it's something that's gone on for a week now it has my anxiety levels pretty high and I guess it's time for a GP appointment again!

Fishmanpa
07-05-18, 00:15
You say the "feel/feeling" several times in your post. ALS is about "failing" not "feeling" Please read THIS (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=196071)as often as you need to.

Positive thoughts

Stars123
07-05-18, 02:21
This is like me
2014-2015 I had wide spread muscle spasms my anxiety was awful at this point but now since feb/March I've had muscle spasms / twitches again this time different because I get this weird tugging feeling in my face asif it's been pulled or something I feel my shoulder goes week slot recently

BlueMoon24
07-05-18, 02:28
I feel as though the rational thoughts are there but get completely eclipsed by the anxiety thoughts. Everything was going pretty good until recently, and I thought coming off the sertraline after 2 and a half years was the end of a pretty long and difficult road. Turns out, it wasn't. :unsure:

Has anybody had successful therapy or something for health anxiety? Medication alone kept it away for awhile but as soon as I stopped it, I'm straight back to this.

Stars123
07-05-18, 02:36
Medication doesn't work for me
Cbt and having the right support only helps.i guess we all have our own thing that'll help but it's how long for.
Have you tried change of diet and pushing yourself to only do things you enjoy I know it sounds too easy but before I fell back into this I was near free of anxiety from 2016-mid17 all because of life changes.
Also coming off meds will set symptoms off like this so you need to allow your body time to settle back it sounds like you've done pretty well.