View Full Version : MS Anxiety
Hi.
Having a terrible time at the moment. Have pain in arm which is apparently tennis elbow and also sore shoulder on same arm. Physio says caused by bad posture at work (am always on mouse/keyboard!)
Had water trapped in ear whilst showering a few months back and have been aware of tinnitus ever since, had ears syringed but the noise remains.
Also have sore left knee which hurts when standing up after crouching.
One night when trying to sleep I put all these together and thought it might be MS.
Now around this time (I cannot remember exactly when) I started getting a weird, woozy head which became all consuming. I have a young family that I adore but I was getting to the stage where I didn't want to be with them as much, as it was upsetting me (because I just want to be normal 'Daddy' around them but couldn't be). I was also trying to hide these feelings from everyone.
I then noticed that my left arm was feeling a bit numb going down to my little finger. By this stage I'd Googled myself silly looking these types of things up and was more convinced than ever. I started to feel scared and upset and just wanted to cry all the time and was frequently taking myself out of work and going to bed early to be by myself.
The numb, tingling arm seems to be more common and I'm also getting it in my left leg. The woozy head remains but is centering at the back of my head, top of neck area and feels really heavy. I also started becoming obsessed that the vision in my left eye is odd.
I've been to the docs who thought virus at first (didn't tell him enough about the anxiety as was not that bad then) and this morning I have had a blood test.
Am so scared and getting myself into such a state. I understand what anxiety can do but it seems too much of a neat way out to explain tinnitus, sore limbs, numbness, woozy head etc. I have at least now opened up to my wife so don't feel so alone but is so hard to explain.
All comments appreciated - sorry for long first post!
Hey Hunny
And :welcome: to the board. I really feel for you and understand the absolute desperation you feel. I used to google, and frighten the life out of myself with what I could have. I even rung my DP once and told him that I thought I had Adult death syndrome panicking after a session on the internet.
I ache alot, I feel generally spaced, dizzy. I get numbness in my fingers and toes and other parts.
It never ceases to amaze me how many symptoms and bodily reactions that Anxiety brings on. So we end up in a viscious circle of being worried about our health which brings on physical symptoms etc...
I am glad your Doc is doing tests, please keep posting here, I have found it a fantastic support network, and a chance to get to know like minded bods!
Love and Hugs
Emira:hugs:
"but it seems too much of a neat way out to explain tinnitus, sore limbs, numbness, woozy head etc"
There's plenty of other neat ways to explain it.....muscle tension being the most obvious (in fact, I very much doubt MS would cause all of these symtpoms at the same time...)
You sit a PC all day, with poor posture. It causes a strain on your neck and arms, which can explain every single one of your symptoms.
Go and see a Chiropractor, see what they think.
It's also interesting that the woozy head started at the same time that you had convinced yourself you had MS. What might that tell you? That it's anxiety perhaps?
Thanks guys. Yesterday afternoon I really tried to be positive and take control. Went out and bought some Quietlife tablets that were recommended to me and wasn't too bad for the rest of the day (still felt a bit lightheaded but didn't let it overwhelm me) - even went to sleep straight away.
Woke up ok-ish today with the usual dull head but by the time I was walking round the shops with the kids my head started to feel full of pressure which seemed to be more prominent behind my left eye. By now I was really struggling to retain my upbeat outlook!
We came home and I crashed out on the sofa. I was very aware of how my head was pounding with my heart beat (not with pain like migraine etc, just the pressure, as if I could feel the blood pumping each time).
So I'm still left in limbo wondering/worrying what the hell is going on. Have to wait till Thursday for the blood results test and I don't know what I'm hoping he'll say!!!
This is such a horrible situation and I truly sympathise with everyone on here who is going through their own torment. Thanks for taking the time to read - helps just to get it out on the page sometimes!
AngelHeart
22-03-08, 02:18
Hiya, just to let you know you are not alone ! :hugs:
I think I have had every anxiety symptom that is available. Just recently I have suffered from light headedness, like the floors moving, pins and needles in quite a few places, aches that are constantly there, tinnitus ( I started suffering from pulsitile tinnitus 2 years ago ) indigestion. These are only my recent ones that I have been suffering from since Christmas! There are many more I could add to the list and yes, it is amazing what anxiety can cause.
I try to stay positive and link them with anxiety but I know sometimes this is hard. I agree though in not googling every symptom! Thats my downfall too and something I seriously have to stop myself from doing!!
Hope you find this site useful hun :)
Po xx
Hi there,
This post struck a chord with me because in the past I have also worried that I might have MS.
Firstly, the blood test will not show whether you have MS or not. The Dr is just checking to see whether you have had a virus or are anaemic etc and they do this test as standard when anyone presents any non-specific symptoms.
I have auto-immune problems and see a Rheumatologist (she is supposed to be one of the best in the country) and I have had all the tests under the sun. During a one hour consultation with her I asked her if I might have MS and she assured me I had none of the symptoms of MS. I had weak, painful, trembling muscles and numbness/pins and needles as well as vertigo (and a whole host of other symptoms).
When we google a sympton we automatically think we have it, but what the Dr is looking for is usually quite different.
If your Dr thought there was even the slightest possibility of MS he/she would run muscle tests and send you to have an MRI scan.
Please try not to worry about your symptoms and don't let thoughts of 'what if' spoil your enjoyment of life.
I hope this reassures you a little bit. :flowers:
Love and hugs from shoegal xxx
Hi , sorry to read your worrying like this ,
when i used to be a secretary I used to get tennis elbow and shoulder pain and it used to cause numbness down my arm and fingers too.
ms , usually causes a burning prickling/tingling feeling in the body ,
other symtpoms are unable to keep your balance.
These are my symptoms , but the hospital are keeping an eye on me and say they dont think its anything serious, they are now saying i may have a hole in the bone in my ear. But after being so worried about ms , I researched on it and decided there are lots of people living with it , it does "not" shorten your life , but like most illnesses you have to adapt to it.
So , please try not to worry , but tell your gp your concerns cos he will put you straight.
Hope you feel better soon.
Feeling rubbish this morning. Left arm feels really heavy (this is not the one with tennis elbow) and my neck/back of head is heavy and stiff which usually leads to a woozy head and pressure behind my eye. Just feel damn grumpy too....
As it's Easter we have lots of family visits etc and a big family dinner later which I'm now dreading. I just want to go back to sleep.
To those who have confirmed anxiety - is this typical? Do the symptoms start pretty much when you wake up and last all day? I'm still really battling with the internal 'anxiety Vs. illness' debate. One minute I think I've resolved it, the next I'm desperately worried and depressed. Could it be some sort of muscle tension in the neck/shoulders which in turn causes the funny head and numb arm?
Facial pressure! Join the club. Muscle tension in the neck, every time :o)
Saw doc this morning - blood tests came back fine. Spoke to him about how I've been feeling and he does subscribe to the anxiety/stress theory. Said I should give it a month and try to forget about it till then. If still problems he'll refer me for further tests. Have felt ok for last few days, arm hasn't bothered me for numbness or tingling. Head seems a lot better too. Still a bit concerned about heartrate/palpitations though - does seem to race away when I'm just lying/sitting and relaxing etc. I guess I was just expecting everything to go back to normal straight away.....?
Hey Eleven,
Right. Since the start of the year, I've been having, neck tension, saw arms, facial pressure, tinnitus, ear pressure, headaches. I've been to the docs 4 times and got the old "sinus" mumbojumbo.
Yesterday I went to the physio, just to see what they thought. The physio took one look at my posture and laughed. She said I looked so tense and frightened!
Long story short, she bashed me about a bit, massaged my back and neck, massaged my jaw and gave some exercises.
I feel like a million dollars today....
Hi eleven
just caught up with this post. Glad you are feeling a bit better. The symptoms you describe are really common of anxiety and the fact that many of them have got better since the reassurance from the doc is more evidence. It does take time though for things to really settle down and of course if you start to worry again then you may find they come back. But again this just proves the anxiety theory. I started to suffer from globus after Christmas (lump in throat) and was of course convinced it was cancer. Once I was reassured it has still taken til now for it to no longer bother me and even now I can bring it on if I think about it. It amazes me how much the mind can cause symptoms and equally heal the body. The whole idea of placeabo is fascinating.
Today's worry - left elbow aching. Seems to be copying the tennis elbow on my right arm. So I have two tennis elbows, a painful right shoulder, muscle tension/achy neck, woozy head, tinnitus, sore ligament under left knee and a pain at the top of my right leg. I keep adding these together and making my anxiety worse. Feel like such an idiot.
I already have two elbow pads, deep heat cream, a hot/cold pad and now a craving for an orthpaedic pillow. :blush:
Hoping to see an osteopath this week. He's gonna be busy..... :ohmy:
Haven't posted for a while as have been ok, sort of! Feeling very low today though. :( My left arm just feels so tired and it's really worrying me and my neck has gone all stiff and achy too.
Saw an Osteopath on Thursday. He spent a while running through everything and then focused on the tennis elbow on my right arm with some massage and dry-needling acupuncture. He said next week he would have a good go at my neck to try and sort that out.
I'm just so worried that I have so many aches and pains though. Have just been having a go on my Xbox (one of my favourite things to do but have hardly touched it in 2 months) and had to quit coz my arm felt so rubbish. This has really depressed me!!
Really don't know what to do with myself at the moment. Can feel my legs tingling now.
My worries are still continuing. My osteopath has done his best to reassure me that all is fine. Apparently my right shoulder is far too tight and he believes this has actually caused my tennis elbow. He also thinks my spine/neck is a bit off and could be causing my other symptoms.
I'm still worried by how I feel though. Is mainly aches all over now just like flu, though I am obsessing a bit about perceived vision issues in my left eye. Gonna go back to the docs next week if no change.
All advice greatly appreciated
I please read Dr John Sarno mind over back pain - and let me know how you get on. I'm reading it now - I think it will help - got to rush but back here on Wednesday and will see if you got it.
best wishes
x
Hi Eleven, I wanted to see how you are doing?
Am going through pretty much the same thing as you at the moment - my problems really started back in March.
How are you feeling?
Hi Veebee. Still have a lot of things that are worrying me...
Ache in right hip/thigh (had for ages but seems worse now)
Tennis elbow and sore shoulder in right arm (Having Osteopathy but stubborn!)
Behind left knee pain that hurts after crouching (result of earlier ankle injury maybe says osteopath)
pressure and tense neck and back of head
vision doubts in left eye (sure this is in my head)
Heart pounding/palpitations (sometimes - usually when resting)
General fatigue/muscle aches
Not so sure it's MS now but must be something. Too much going on! Arthritis? The worrying has got worse in the last few days after being ok for a while.
What's happening with you Veebee?
Hey there
Sorry to hear that your still feeling rotten. I've got the MS fear - waiting on an MRI at the moment. Neuro things MS unlikely, doesn't think I have anything progressive, GP is saying anxiety.
Panic comes and goes - sometimes I'm ok, the next I feel awful. I'm up and down all the time...sometimes I think Neurologist is right, other times I think 'what if he's missed something?'
Its torture!!
What sort of pain do you have?
Kind of varies from day to day - yesterday, believe it or not, it was a numb right toe, and dull pins and needles in the backs of my legs (the pins only appeared after I got stressed about something that happened). Today, its stiff feeling fingers - same fingers on both hands. But I've had the lot - pins and needles everywhere, muscles twitching everywhere, palps, aches everywhere, waking up not able to get my breath with cramp etc. Also thought that maybe my vision was blurring esp in left eye - but it only seems to happen in work, which is very weird...
I've been reading everyone's posts on these kinds of things and its so common. Reading about it has really helped me, but you know what it's like, one day you feel ok and can rationalise the symptoms, the next you think that your time is up.
Have just got a date for my MRI - 10th June (only a month later than I thought it would be). Keep your fingers crossed for me!
How are things with you today?
I'm in a bit of a state today. My right elbow and shoulder are still painful and this has sort of crept into my collarbone on that side too. This has made my neck feel stiff and achey. Still have sore hip and left knee tenderness too.
Feeling very sorry for myself. Gonna see the Osteopath later and just open the floodgates of everything that's going on and see what he says! I feel I just need a couple of hours with a specialist who can analyse everything that is going on and advise me what to do! I also have a fourth appointment with my doctor next week (although I feel embarrassed going back to see him again) and I want him to refer me somewhere. I guess an MRI scan would be the ultimate diagnostic tool?
I'm still Googling symptoms like an idiot - 'multiple joint pain' is my favourite at the mo. So far I have arthritis, osteoporosis, MS, Tendonitis, Lymes Disease... Now I have no doubt that I am suffering from Anxiety at some level but with the specific pain I have there must be an underlying cause for it. This has gone on for months now and I am sick of it :(
My neuro thought I had a trapped nerve initially. I think that's definitely what triggered everything for me - its insane to think that something simple and common could be something serious and progressive, but I did think that (sometimes still do), and that's why I'm in the mess I am in now! I think this happens to a lot of people, esp if there's been unacknowledged stress/anxiety there in the first place. I'm becoming more and more convinced of this every day, even though I have lapses when I freak out and do the whole 'what if?' thing.
Tell your doc how you are feeling - and don't let him dismiss it. If you need the tests to convince you you are fine, ask for them. And please, please try to stop googling symptoms - if you feel that irresistible urge to surf, come on this site rather than those freaky health sites that cause panic - remember a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.
How did you get on at the osteopath?
He's a bit stumped and can't figure out why things are not really improving. Has suggested I see his colleague to get a fresh pair of eyes on it. Now I'm really worried again and in a very grumpy mood. :lac:
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