Just looking for some friendly words, and although I shouldn’t,maybe some reassurance

[Gee]

I’m stuck in a bit of a rabbit hole with MS yet again.

I have had three instances of symptoms
2011/2 6 months on and off maybe
2016 (1 month duration)
2019 (1 month duration)


Heavy numb inside shoulder
Buzzing foot - infrequent
Smelling smoke - 2016 and 2019 for 2 weeks prior to the other symptoms - on and off
Fuzzy tension headache/floaters
Finger/Toe joint pain here and there very infrequent
Tingling usually only when anxiety is really high and I focus on it
Burning skin sensation only the first 2 occasions

In 2012 I saw a neuro and he said no ms - I will scan you to put your mind at rest - nothing found

Thought I got over it then the 2016 instance started

Again tried to get past it and doctors kept saying anxiety, got on with life (still had HA and worried about cancers and all sorts in between, I had a lump in my boob needing testing and then an abnormal smear to worry about)

2019 symptoms start.

Now back in the hole.

I’ve booked a private neuro app for the 6th March, I have my wedding this year and many things to look forward to, I need to get over this and hope to god I don’t have MS :( but this set of symptoms keep repeating! As you can see above I try and rationalize symptoms in a way by noting frequency but I can’t stop being terrified about this - I’m doing CBT but it’s not helping atm because I’m too lost in this disease!

[Allochka]

Hello Gee,
been there, MS was my first real long-term HA scare. Had all your symptoms except smelling strange things, had even couple of unspecific white spots on MRI, but don’t have MS!
And you don’t have it either, especially with clear MRI! These are classical anxiety symptoms, no wonder MS is one of the most favorite disease for us HA sufferers...
Actually, I wouldn’t be worried about MS even if I would be diagnosed. Nowadays, after reading so much about it, I realize that it is FAAAAR from being a death sentence.
But you don’t have it anyway, you have HA, as 100% people here.
Congratulations on your wedding!

[pav1984]

I have had MS since 2004. I am happy and well. Most people with ms live happy normal lives. What you will end up doing if you dont stop worrying is ruining a very special day.

You have had a clear MRI. I'm far from being an expert but I'm not sure all of your symptoms are ms symptoms. And the ones that are are also common symptoms of anxiety etc..

Even if you did have ms. What is the point in worrying about it? Yes some people really suffer but most as I say lead happy normal lives.

Shouldn't you be more worried about guest list and seating arrangements? :)

[Tui911]

I'm the same as Allochka. MS was my first real HA scares. I also had all the symptoms you listed except strange smells. But I've had some additional ones too. Over 10 years on... 2 MRIs later... I don't have MS and I am well. I still get some of the symptoms occasionally (e.g. burning skin, buzzing feet, pins and needles, etc) but I've learned to ignore them. One thing that's become clear to me over the years is that the symptoms seem to flare up when I am stressed, which also includes being overly excited. So perhaps for you it's your upcoming wedding which is causing the flare up? There are a lot of things to organise, and while it's all very exciting, it's probably also somewhat stressful?

[Gee]

Yeh tbh the smelling smoke thing really worries me, it was on and off for a couple weeks, any GP when I mentioned it just looked at me like I was mad but if you google it it says it can be seizures and all sorts of very serious things so I’m not sure why I wasn’t taken more serious and I’m panicking what that could be :(

Seems not many others have had it before

[Nicole0134]

Are you sure you are smelling smoke and not sort of....tasting it? I felt for months that I had a smokey taste in my throat, and still do at times. I also mentioned it to my GP who looked at me as if I was mad. It was sort of though I had been exposed to a bonfire or something. Anyway .....I came away with a prescription for Omaprazole as I also had other symptoms which she suspected might be linked to GERD. They seemed to do the trick and the smokey feeling/taste went away.

I still get it on and off as I'm no longer taking the Omaprazole as I'd prefer to try and manage the GERD without them.

Just a thought......

[NoPoet]

Heavy numb inside shoulder
This might be frozen shoulder. Do you have problems reaching out, or rotating your shoulder, or applying strength with that arm? It could also be linked to repetitive strain injury - for example, sitting uncomfortably. Maybe you lie on that shoulder while asleep?


Buzzing foot - infrequent

Finger/Toe joint pain here and there very infrequent

Tingling usually only when anxiety is really high and I focus on it

Burning skin sensation only the first 2 occasions
These could potentially be linked to tension, and/or repetitive strain (for example if your wrist seems to buzz, it could be that you're holding your mobile phone awkwardly/for too long). They also sound like symptoms of hyperventilation, overbreathing caused by panic or anxiety.


Smelling smoke - 2016 and 2019 for 2 weeks prior to the other symptoms - on and off
Strange smells seem to be part and parcel of life. It is possible that people could have been burning wood, eg in gardens/allotments etc. It's been said that the sense of smell is actually the strongest sense in humans. You don't have any other signs of a stroke, so it is likely just linked to hyper-awareness.


Fuzzy tension headache/floaters
Stress and tension due to hypervigilance (overly focusing on something, in this case your symptoms.) Tension headaches are tough to get rid of initially and can be very painful, but they are not dangerous.

[lofwyr]

I have had literally every symptom you have had for decades, it is just part and parcel of the anxiety dragon. I am smelling smoke right now, and pretty sure nothing is burning. Hang in there.

[Gee]

Lofwyr that’s good to hear! I’ve struggled finding anyone inc doctors who get that one and so I resorted to what we never do... google and other than sinus problems which I read you can’t have unless stuffy nose etc which I didn’t everything else is serious like brain tumor, Parkinson’s, doesn’t ever mention MS to be fair which is nice and a bloody change!

I’m just getting very nervous and scared for my app on March 6th with the neuro - my doc so I could talk to a neuro and try and help the anxiety plus she didn’t know about the smoke thing, referred me but on the routine path which meant not until my birthday of all days in July and I can’t have it hanging over my head until then so I booked privately! I just want to get it over and pray to god everything is ok I actually hope they didn’t want a mri because that prolongs everything - I just want them to speak to me and explain with confidence why it’s not serious and then I can get on with life and my wedding, house, another baby... all the things I’m desperate to enjoy but can’t with this!