View Full Version : Can't believe my thumb has set me off so much.
Hello once again everybody.
I'm here, yet again, and whilst I would concede that this year thus far has perhaps been better for me in the health anxiety department than years prior, I can't really given how bad a state my latest fear has left me in.
Last year, over summer, I was terrified of ALS. A twitching index finger set it off, and I eventually got over it and got on with my life. I always remained conscious of it, particularly nervous about tongue twitches, but otherwise giving it very little thought.
Over the past month, it has somewhat been on my mind due to getting thumb twitches in my left thumb, but I appreciated that twitches were normally a late stage symptom. Despite that, I had some However, my full blown panic began when I noticed that holding a glass in my left hand, and wrapping my thumb around it causes a numb, weak feeling down my thumb and into my wrist- as well as making my thumb shudder. Pressing specific points on the pad of my thumb can somewhat trigger the same effect. I've had aches in the bottom of my palm as well as at the base of the thumb, and where it connects to the wrist. Following this, I have been despondent. I'm just awaiting the day when I wake up and can no longer move my thumb. The only thing keeping me together is the fact that this phenomena somewhat correlates to the way I hold my thumb on my keyboard and how I type- and typing this does feel like it's stressing it. I've considered going the Doctor's, however feel far too embarrassed after my last visit was for the same reason- only this time it's moved to a different finger
I don't know what to do anymore. I have no recollection of a time in my life when I didn't spend a good proportion of my time worrying about an illness. My family are long past the point of being sick of hearing about it, counselling has never done more than abate it for a short period of time, and by the point it returns they've signed you off. I wish I could see an announcement for the release date of a film and be able to think that I look forward to seeing it on that date, rather than I hope I'll be there to see it.
I don't know what to do at this point, and I just don't think my prospects are very good.
Did you learn any techniques in counselling that you can put into practice now?
You must know that because you’re focused on it, and putting it into weird positions, prodding it and twiddling it that you’re just making this worse?
When you start to ignore it, stop feeding the negative thoughts, it will get better.
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It was predominantly CBT, but I'm having a great deal of difficulty because I've worked myself up into such a state I can't rationalise why my thumb seems to go weak and numb properly, other than actually having something very wrong.
The prospect that it might just be strain from the position I hold it in on my keyboard is just the last shred of hope I'm clinging to. If that was the cause- then why didn't it happen sooner, I'm at the computer a great deal.
So one way to climb off the ledge your on is to time periods of time where you don’t self check. Start with 30 minutes. Then don’t check for an hour or two. And for that time, go for a walk, to the gym, clean the bathroom, cut the grass, play a game, cook, read...whatever! Just occupy yourself and force yourself not to check. Try to get through the day like that and get a good sleep. Just try to have faith that your symptoms are all anxiety/self checking induced. Just believe it at some level and don’t check.
Thanks. I've managed to calm myself down from my prior terror, but still am finding I'm very worried all the time.
I hope with time I'll calm down further.
roseanxiety
09-09-18, 12:15
That is good advice , Tyler. I do that sometimes myself and it works. Also, to the OP, you’re clinging to the possibility that it could be your computer use that is causing your thumb problem. That was the first thing i thought of when i read your post . That is the likeliest reason for your thumb problem. It’s very common to have things like that happen from repetitive motion.
Regards.
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I'm truly hoping that it is just from repetitive motions on the computer, however I'm constantly using my left hand for things now to test if I am still able to, and it unnerves me to no end for it to feel a bit numb or weak.
I'm still checking if I am capable of moving it first thing in the morning, and have a horrible fear of it getting progressively worse, however I'm doing a lot better than I was a few days ago.
Thanks a lot everybody.
I just want to say that, for what it's worth, I empathize with your situation, and have some understanding of what you're going through.
I had a twitch in my index finger for a while. It was really prevalent for several weeks and of course you look it up on google and it says all these awful possibilities. This was a couple years ago. Recently I had some numbness in my face and freaked out thinking it was a tumor in my brain.
I mean, I really freaked out.
I have had some twitching and weird feelings since, particularly in my legs, but they come and go and I'm fairly sure they're from anxiety. I have changed my sleeping patterns and started yoga and done some breathing exercises and I think that's helped.
Anxiety is a cruel disease. It is OBVIOUSLY not as a cruel as cancer, ALS, NMD, etc, but remember.
Anxiety is FAR more common. And if you're on here, you almost surely have anxiety. Keeping this in mind has helped me a lot. Good luck to you!
Thanks for the replies everybody, I've woken up today, and whilst I feel a aching strain around the base of my thumb, the strange nerve feeling that made it feel numb and weak when pressure was applied to certain parts has largely subsided. I hope I'm right in saying that if it was something bad, it wouldn't sporadically improve.
Anyway, I really appreciate everybody's responses, and all the best!
Well, my cautious optimism about getting over this was misplaced. Today I woke up to find my left index finger really hurts to move it. Furthermore, my left bicep has began hurting in a "sore muscle" way, and I am convinced that it feels connected to my thumb and is a sign of progression. I just can't fully convince myself that it may have been due to carrying two heavy bags of shopping (far heavier than I'm normally comfortable with) a mile or so yesterday.
I've been trying to stop myself checking, but can't really help myself spending all day using my left hand for everything to check if I can do it, as well as other stupid things like only lifting mugs with my thumb and index finger, and grasping my keyboard in a corner with just my index finger and thumb and lifting it up to see if I am able to. As a result, I've regressed into worry quite significantly.
My left thumb (which started the concerns) does feel like it has less "stunned" moments when pressure is applied to certain parts, and strange sensations from holding a glass and what have you seem largely to have gone- however it still feels weird using it- as if I'm not fully used to it.
Does this sound like progression at all, or am I just working myself up over nothing again?
Many thanks.
How are you doing? Are you still worried or have those ache's and pains gone away?
I'm a lot better than when I posted the thread, thank you for asking.
The numb/weak sensation I described in my left thumb when holding things has disappeared, and any twitching has been greatly reduced. However, I still can't quite get the worry out of my head. When holding something between my left thumb and forefinger, I'm certain it shakes more than if I were to hold it between my right thumb and forefinger, and I'm still on the look out for shaking and twitching. I've managed to calm myself somewhat by thinking that if it were something truly bad, it wouldn't get better, as has occurred with my thumb.
I also know the chance of somebody my age getting something like this is incredibly low- however news of the ex Liverpool player being diagnosed with it at 29, which is only 9 years older than me has refuelled my fears somewhat.
I'm a lot better than when I posted the thread, thank you for asking.
The numb/weak sensation I described in my left thumb when holding things has disappeared, and any twitching has been greatly reduced. However, I still can't quite get the worry out of my head. When holding something between my left thumb and forefinger, I'm certain it shakes more than if I were to hold it between my right thumb and forefinger, and I'm still on the look out for shaking and twitching. I've managed to calm myself somewhat by thinking that if it were something truly bad, it wouldn't get better, as has occurred with my thumb.
I also know the chance of somebody my age getting something like this is incredibly low- however news of the ex Liverpool player being diagnosed with it at 29, which is only 9 years older than me has refuelled my fears somewhat.
Your symptoms are not really symptoms of the thing you fear. Especially if any weakness is only mild and not getting worse. You are healthy, just very anxious and hyper-aware of your body right now.
I honestly hope I am, and I think on some level know I am.
I mean, coming up to 4 weeks on- surely there would have been some progression?
As awful as it sounds, I've worked myself up again due to seeing a couple of people afflicted with terrible neuro-muscular conditions on a recent trip to town. Due to the number being significantly high, I'd imagine there was some support meet up going on or something.
Whilst I was focused on my thumb, and my fear of it developing weakness- I'm now focused primarily on jolts and twitches and shakes throughout my body- as well as a weird "squelching" feeling I can sometimes get if I rapidly move a finger.
I definitely feel as though I'm on the precipice of moving past this health anxiety flare up, but it just seems insistent on persisting.
Progression is the key. After a month, very very likely in the clear. After 2 or 3 months it’s next to impossible.
I know that since my thumb, which originally set it off, is now fine, I really ought to stop worrying- however I can't help but focus on additional tremors and so forth in other parts of the body. Most particularly, today, my jaw feels jittery, and holding my teeth close together- but not quite touching makes a chapping sound implying my jaw is shaking. I've tried reasoning that it's probably due to hitting my jaw against my dresser while getting out of bed quickly the other night- it even feels incredibly tender and sore to touch, however I can't help but think that it just might be something worse, and can't help but constantly check it.
I have also had that. Particularly on days where I’ve clenched my jaw the day before. Jitters and tremors are probably things that non-anxious people would ignore or not even notice. Try not to worry!
We'll, I've just woken up to find a strange popping sensation in my right forearm, my right thumb to be twitching, and my right pinkie and ring finger to have a pins and needles feeling in them.
As this is the other arm, and most of the things start asking a single nerve, I'd have to be the most unlucky person in the world to be worrying about it in my left arm, and then my jaw, only to actually develop it shortly afterwards in my right arm.
My thumb feels like it is quite aggressively twitching at some points, and as much as I want to just put it down to lying on my arm strangely, it's just not going away and I can't help but fear the worse.
Well first of all, numbness isn’t a symptom of als. ALS doesn’t cause numbness, it causes loss of function. Sure maybe you’ll feel weakness beforehand but it will be very very bad, you wouldn’t be asking about it, you’d know. I would trade my symptoms with you in a heartbeat. My symptoms have been progressing over a 3 month period, I even had an EMG and am awaiting results for that. My legs don’t wanna hold me up for long periods of time and I have twitching EVERYWHERE, except my tongue! Also have excess saliva and a hoarse voice. But hey if you wanna trade symptoms with me be my guest (;
I think at this point, I am just worrying about twitches and sensations, and not actual early symptoms. A lack of progression over a month also seems pretty indicative that my fears are unfounded.
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