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blangjr21
31-10-08, 02:42
I've been lurking for a couple weeks on this forum, which has helped me somewhat. I wanted to tell my story however, see if what I'm suffering from is what I now believe is Anxiety/Depression.

It started about 2 1/2 months ago while I was changing jobs (from a night shift to a day shift as well). I was having trouble peeing, having to go all the time. Finally one day I passed blood. GP said with my family history it was most likely a stone or kidney sludge buildup.

About a day or so after I started getting a tingling pins/needles feeling in my left arm as well as a left sided headache. Dr. Google said MS or a tumor, I freaked out and convinced myself it was a tumor (after all I had just read Bobby Murcers memoir about his battle with a tumor, and shockingly I had many of his symptoms, except the important ones! which of course i ignored).

I thought I'd tought it out but the tingling came and went for the next week or so, it then started in my lower left leg. Sometimes the tingly feelings would move to my right side but not all that often. At one point while laying down I couldn't catch my breath, started sweating, what I considered a panic attack.

So after about a week and a half of this tingling feeling went back to the GP office, had a different GP see me (regular was out of the office). Stated that all my blood work from prior kidney problem was fine/normal no problems. My nuero findings were not in line with a "mass lesion" and that I should try to relax, and if necessary breathe through a paper bag.

Felt a little bit better after that, but then less than a week later all the symptoms came back (this is now 2 weeks into a brand new job/lifestyle). Then my muscles started to get achy, my forearm, biceps, calves, thighs...sometimes twitches, feeling very tired.

After that I just didn't feel right, tired all the time, not interested in doing anything, mostly because I felt to tired. Sometimes I would cry for no reason, but not often...but my muscles ached and I was so tired.

Went back to GP, told him what was going on he stated to the effect of "it may be MS" GREAT! Wanted me seen by a nuero as soon as possible, this only seemed to make symptoms worse. Saw the nuero (at 6am a week later!!! which is way early btw.) did a full workup and assessment. Stated that my findings were not in line with those normally presented of an MS patient, and that I had no nuero deficits accept possible carpal tunnel. However, wanted me to get an MRI of the Brain and Spine.

Got those all findings were clear, no MS, no Tumor. Have had 4 sets of blood work, thyroid is fine, no lupus, no low b-12, no nothing.

However I'm still very tired most days, feeling very depressed, not smiling hardly ever, not laughing, way to tired to do anything, and my calves hurt almost every day, sometimes my thighs. I don't sleep very well, although have no trouble falling asleep, i just toss and turn most nights. Last night I slept well, but that was abnormal. I feel like Stress/Anxiety/Depression are the root of all these problems, I'm just wondering if that sounds like it's possible.

Do all of you suffer from these problems? The pain in the legs, tingling feelings in various areas of your body?

I worry that it may be something like Fibromyalgia or CFS, although those possibilities are so low it's asinine for me to think that. I'm a 24 y/o male, no family history of anything but kidney stones *(dad) and hypothyroid (mom).

What do you guys think? I'd love to hear from you. If nothing else I feel better getting all this out there.

blangjr21
31-10-08, 02:51
I also wanted to add that I will be getting married within less than three months, and I'm moving out of my parents house and into an apartment in the next two weeks.

LeeBee
31-10-08, 05:28
Welcome aboard, blangjr. It sounds like you've been thoroughly checked out medically. Has your doctor suggested that anxiety/depression might be the cause? Or suggested any treatment?

I don't know if you've read the Symptoms page on the site (under the main menu on the left), but all of the symptoms you have described could be caused by anxiety and/or depression.

Everyone gets different combinations of symptoms and different stages of anxiety and depression. I've had dizziness, tightness in the chest, breathlessness, palpitations, upset stomach, frequent need to urinate, dry mouth, trembling, tingling in hands and face, dizziness, headache, neck/back stiffness, insomnia, leg weakness and panic attack. In no particular order :).

Worrying about your symptoms can create more symptoms. Also, how are you feeling about how things are going in your life right now? It sounds like you have a lot on your plate.

blangjr21
31-10-08, 13:05
While the wedding and everything else has added stress in my life, I'm not sure that is what is causing all the anxiety. It would seem like a perfect storm of events all at once to me, which has caused a lot of stress, add to that the fact that Dr.'s were investigating possible MS, or that I had convinced myself I had a tumor and I guess this all has just come to blows with my system.

I was just curious if you guys have constant aches and pains that come and go. Mine are now just mostly in my legs. The pain and tingling in my arms has mostly come to an end. I was curious if it takes months for built up stress and pain to go away.

I just want to reverse my thinking and convince myself that I don't have Fibro or CFS...because the chances of that are so small that again it's stupid for me to think I have those, but I still have a hard time convincing myself otherwise.

I have had very thorough doctors, and I will be speaking to an MD on the possibility of Stress/Anxiety/Depression within the next week. I'm just looking for some advice, and hearing about others experiences.

LeeBee
01-11-08, 00:03
I think that the effects of emotional stress can last for several months even after the source of the anxiety has been removed. It's like your nervous system takes a long time to heal and recover from a sustained bombardment of stress hormones and constant stimulation. I know my trembling symptom goes on for ages after my anxiety has passed. The mental symptoms (e.g. intrusive thoughts) may do the same.

You might want to see if you can get some help with the intrusive/unwanted thoughts? Perhaps just a decent book on the subject, if not therapy. Good luck with it all, sounds like you're on the road to recovery, you just need to be patient with yourself :).

blangjr21
04-11-08, 02:05
Just thought i'd throw an update out there.

Went to the Nuero today, results from the MRI were good, no MS, no tumor, no lessions, no spots, no ALS. So we are good on the lack of degenerative neurological disorders.

I've now kind of moved on to worrying about Fibro. Heres the thing, I find myself palpating the trigger points, and lacking pain in any of them really. Every now and then i'll get a twinge or tingle near one of them, and worry that "oh god, i have fibro!" is this normal for everyone?

i went and worked out at the gym tonight, felt good, i could tell my muscles were tight/tense, and my left shin/calf and left elbow joint was painful at times, but other than that no issues. sauana felt good afterwards. went 5 miles on an excercise bike, did lots of free weights. with all that being said i think it's kind of rediculous to worry about fibro don't you agree?