Really worried - Please reply

[ChrisMayo]

Hello.

I'm in a real state today.

Basically, i'm worried I have muscle wasting, or atrophy caused by liver damage or cancer.

I noticed today lines on my arm that appear easily when I lean against something, also when I bend my arms by the muscle there is a dent on both arms, which I've read is a sign of muscle wasting.

I've had blood tests recently which have all been normal.

I also went to the hospital today (A&E) and she said I don't have muscle problems, but didn't really examine me.

I haven't lost much weight recently, it fluctuates by a couple of pounds up and down each week, and i've always been very thin (underweight) but as I read up on these muscle signs, and have only noticed them today, I'm really worried I have ALS, or Motor Neurons or another form of wasting.

So scared right now. Have called the Doctor on the out of hours service, so waiting for a call back, don't want to have to go to A&E tomorrow for the 14th time this month!!

Would appreciate if anyone knows anything about these diseases or muscle wasting, as I also get twitching I was scared that's what it was related to. (The hospital said it wasn't and was common with anxiety, and tiredness and not eating properly etc)

Please reply.

Chris xx

[cunny1980]

Hi Chris Im sorry I dont really know anything about this I just wanted to say I hope your ok and try not to worry if there was anything seriously wrong Im sure your blood tests would have picked up on it. :hugs:

[ChrisMayo]

Thanks for the reply.

Also forgot to say, I've had a couple of neurological exams done recently (reflexes, eye tests, pushing away, pulling forwards, etc etc), all which have been normal.

But i'm convinced something is going on and really scared.

x

[Utility]

Hi

If, as you say, you have visited A&E so many times then they would have picked up on anything that was wrong. Have faith in the medical profession. Blood tests normal - please, please try to get these thoughts out of your mind.
What you have is anxiety over your health and nothing else.

[cunny1980]

Chris it sounds like they have given you a good testing so they would have picked up if anything was wrong I know its difficult to believe that theres nothing wrong but you need to try and have faith in the doctors. I really hope you feel better soon xx

[marcc64]

Yeah I have twitching also, and i don't mean now and then, I have it everyday :( "twitching is common with anxiety" yeah but is twitching all the time??

[Gazman]

I have twitching all the time too, and i mean everyday always when i sit down or stand completely still i get the bump bump ba bump thing going on and it can be anywhere from my head to my toes and i got whole finger twitches too lol and it does tend to worry me from time to time.


Yeah I have twitching also, and i don't mean now and then, I have it everyday :( "twitching is common with anxiety" yeah but is twitching all the time??

Do you still suffer with anxiety all the time though? If you feel you don't have you ever looked into BFS? which is benign fascicultation syndrome and is harmless it just means you twitch more than others. here are some links if your interested?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benign_fasciculation_syndrome

Chris I have been and i still am, on this path and trust me it looks like anxiety, ALS affects those over 40 and is very rare in younger people and is a rare disease in itself.

You would have different symptoms than the ones you listed which are not visual.

You are jumping from 1 disease to another which is classic health anxiety, it is clear from your post that you are very aware of your body and i'm pretty sure i'm right that you check your body alot and have noticed alot more things with your body recently? If you do then it is clear to me that you are suffering from health anxiety.

HA is horrible i know, i am waiting to see a neuro in december as i think i could have something wrong with me neurologically, some days i think i'm daft and sometimes i think i really do have something wrong but the thing is, these symptoms started from having anxiety about something else then i googled the symptoms from my anxiety and it led me to ALS and all the other neuro diseases.

I honestly believe your just suffering with health anxiety mate.

[looking4answers]

I don't really know much about this illness but im sure others can and will help you . I can say that I hope you feel better soon and we are all here for you .. Michael :hugs::hugs:

[ChrisMayo]

Hello all.

Thanks for replying. I woke up today feeling really weak, and horrible. I phoned a Dr last night, saying I was worrying about muscle wasting diseases, and she said, that she wasn't even concerned to see me and I didn't have any of the "red flag" signs that I should be investigated.

She also said like Gazman, the diseases are very rare, and even more unlikely in a young person.

She said I obviously have to deal with the underlying anxiety.

But as I feel so much worse today, i'm worried I am gradually deteriorating.

I'm so scared right now, I ache all over, and feel weak.

Have rung the out of hours Dr again who is calling back, and I will get seen by them.

I went to A&E yesterday who said I was physically healthy, but i'm worried they missed it , and that my muscles are wasting away, as my arms are so thin and there's barely any muscle (though I have always been very thin)

Don't know what to do really, feel terrible :(

I do suffer from constant anxiety Gazman yes. Ive been really bad lately, going to hospital everyday, not eating, not working (not much anyway) and just wanting to stay in bed (depressed too).

Any words would be great from anyone, just in a horrible place right now
x

[ChrisMayo]

Anyone? Feel at the end of my thread, just can't do anything..

[Gaza]

Hi Chris, you are definitely showing classic signs of anxiety and the morphing of one ailment for another is a very distinctive feature of anxiety related problems. You are overly-concerned and as most of the posts explain you are exasperating your condition, you need to calm down. You have visited the A&E and the doctor seemed a little distant or by the most part uninterested, clearly you were displaying no physical signs of any type of disease and they recognised the anxiety in you and believe me, having visited A&E god knows how many times my self they lose patience with you and look very uninterested in your condition. Don't be offended by this, imagine for a moment, how many people visit A&E with similar complaints. The pull and push tests, reflexes, foot scratch, etc, etc are very affective methods in diagnosing particular ailments.

Your anxiety is feeding your worries, I used to look at my hands and see a lot of weight loss and then my arms and then look in the mirror and it all connected to my late father who had died of cancer and I saw his weight fall off, this made my anxiety sky rocket and I began to self obsess about weight loss. Please don't do this to yourself, your making your life a misery I know I have been there and it was hell.

You need to distract yourself from yourself - if that makes sense and stop listening to those negative thoughts about your health. Of course your in a horrible place, look at what your doing to yourself, be strong and don't let this thing beat you down. My old lady used to say to me, control it or it'll control you. Be firm and push that negative thought about your health to the basement of your mind and say get the hell outta my life. You have no red flags for disease concerns so let that go my friend.

You feel like hell because you are using up all your resources, energy reserves and that will make you feel weak and wobbly. No energy sounds like depressed or as Dr Claire Weekes likes to describe it depleted.....you need to be built back up to your old self and you cannot do that if you constantly keep beating yourself down with anxiety and worry. Use this Chris, I do and it is a marvelous phrase or mantra, keep repeating it to yourself, NO HURRY - NO WORRY. If you don't worry or hurry, you give your body the chance to rebuild its energy reserves and you will feel better for it....guaranteed.

God Bless and Take Care

[Gaza]

Here Chris, read on another thread about distraction, works brilliantly, takes a little time but you will benefit greatly from it.

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=65169

[ChrisMayo]

Thanks for the post Gaza, it's so hard to think that I am OK, when I feel so bad. Have so many problems, just can't deal with it.

Waiting to see my GP on Monday, but seems like forever to wait.

Chris x