MS Anxiety

[anxiousmumof4]

Hi all, I am new to the forums.

I recently went to see my doctor after experiencing vibrations in my leg. I didnt tell him what I was really worried about, and that was that it might be MS. My uncle died at 32..he had progressive MS and it took five years from diagnosis until he died :weep:

I know MS is not meant to be genetic, but I have really got myself up in knots about it and thats why I am posting on here...have I actually got health anxiety?

What sort of symptoms does anxiety cause? I can be fine and then when I feel the vibrations in my leg, I find myself getting all tense, then the only way I can describe it, is feeling detached, or spaced out. Then it feels like I cant swallow properly and I get a tingling feeling in my throat, it feels odd. I start to feel really nauseous and hot.

My doctor decided it was probably anxiety that was causing my symptoms but sent me for full bloods which I had done yesterday. Would bloods show any indication of MS?

How do you know if its anxiety thats causing the symptoms, or the symptoms causing the anxiety?

[MidnightCalm]

I've got twitches in my calf muscles, is that what you mean by vibrations?
Sometimes they just go mad.x

[anxiousmumof4]

no not twitches, its like a buzzing sensation under the skin. It comes and goes. Thanks for replying x

[Catalyst]

Well, I get twitches & spasms and also vibrations so I can sympathise! The vibrations I get are in my pelvis & literally feel like a mobile phone is vibrating under my skin! I had a pelvic scan & it showed nothing was abnormal (no phone in there!) I joke - but it is very annoying & I get quite fed up & worried by it. So, you're not alone. I can't really give you an answer for the vibrating, but IMHO the other things you describe sound like classic anxiety symptoms, most likely triggered by your worry over the vibrating issue. Hope things improve for you soon (and welcome to the forum!) Carly x :hugs:

[anxiousmumof4]

Thnaks carly, I am so glad someone else has the vibrating feeling. Thats just what it is like and it tends to be up and down my left leg. The doctor said sometimes you can be deficient in vitamins which can cause vibration feelings so we will see what my bloods show. I have had 4 babies in 5 years, so I imagine there could be a very good chance I am running low on a lot of things! x

[Catalyst]

Woah Supermum, steady on! I hope you're giving your body a little time off now!!! Seriously though - 2 babies in 4 years took it's toll on me, so you're probably right about that!

Hopefully the blood test results will show you anything you might be lacking. I've read things like magnesium & calcium can cause similar problems. Let us know what you find out. x

[anxiousmumof4]

I will do thanks, just got to try not to phone every day until they come back. The receptionist is not my biggest fan :O x

[cattia]

I too am an MS-phobe bigtime. I have had the exact same thing with the buzzing in the leg, exactly as you describe. I don't know if with any of your labours you have ever used a TENS machine, but this is the exact feeling that I get in my leg, like I have a TENS machine attached to it! I have been to the Dr twice and he is unimpressed and basically said a neurologist would not be interested. Today I went to see an osteopath who told me I have two pinched nerves and he thinks this is what is causing my symptoms. I am still having a hard time accepting this, but really pinched nerves can do this and I was kind of reassured to learn that I have two in the places that I get the buzzing. It seems like your vibrations come and go (as mine do). One thing I read about MS during my crazy self destructive googling, is that MS symptoms do not come and go during the day because they are caused by the brain misfiring. If your buzzing comes and goes during the day then it is most likely a trapped or pinched nerve which is being aggravated when you sit or stand in certain positions. I really do have the exact same problems and also in my arm at times, if you ever want to PM me feel free. Btw I had a baby 7 months ago so and the osteopath told me that pregnancy really affects your joints making muscle and nerve issues a lot more likely,so that should be reassuring to you as well.

[anxiousmumof4]

Hi Cattia,

That helps lots, thanks very much for that. It is just like a tens machine, thats right! I actually wonder if I may have irritated the sciatic nerve. I work from home on a computer and sit on a very very hard solid oak chair...I also lost a stone of weight in 3 weeks and I read online that coupled with a hard chair can cause irritation to the nerve.

Its very intermittent buzzing, I can go a few hours without anything, then get little bursts etc.

[anxiousmumof4]

Right well I had full bloods taken last tuesday. Phoned today and supposed results were back.

Got a foreign doctor whom told me that actually only one of the 4 results were back and that it was 'slightly abnormal' perhaps indicative of a vitamin B12 deficiency' which would mean I would need another test.

I now have to wait a week for the rest of the results to come in.

I am even more concerned about MS now. I am aware that a vitamin B12 deficiency can happen with MS, indeed my best friend with MS is deficient in B12 and magnesium.

Now I am really panicking. :scared15:

[cattia]

I think that B12 deficiency also can mimck the syptoms of MS which is more likely. I can't believe it takes them so long to get your bloods back! When do you see your Dr? I am freaking out about this too as I have the same symptoms as you and have been reading about B12 deficiency and wondering if I have that too. Let me know how you get on.

[blueangel]

I spent years living with a terror of MS. My dad had it as well, and he had the severe relapsing-remitting form of it; he had it for about 5 years and was only 42 when he died. I clearly remember seeing him collapse in front of me when I was about 4-5 years old.

There is what they term a familial link with MS - if a parent or sibling has it, you are slightly more likely to develop it than an "ordinary" member of the population - but it is not hereditary. Doctors thought it was hereditary when I was a child, so every time I fell over I was hauled off to see them (no wonder I have HA now :wacko: )

If you're really worried about the fact that your dad had it, then do tell the doctor about your worries, as they can check it out for you - I think you would have to have an MRI scan to diagnose it properly.

But - vitamin B12 deficiency is really common! (much more common than MS). It's actually quite a hard vitamin to get enough of, unless you eat loads of meat (which I don't as I'm a veggie). This is quite easy to sort though, as you can get some tablets from the chemist.

[anxiousmumof4]

It was my uncle bluegirl and the same as your dad, sorry to read :(

I think it could be a deficiency and anxiety as over the weekend, when busy with husband at home and kids, I felt fine....

Now today, since the results, I have felt tight throated, hot, nauseous.

I am trying so hard to stay calm, but I think its a case of trying too hard...I am aware I am trying because of the worry.

Thanks for the reply x

[blueangel]

Try not to beat yourself around the head with it, as unfortunately it just seems to make it worse. If you're fine when you're occupied with something else, then you're probably fine full stop!

Reward yourself with a bit of something nice, whether it's a nice wedge of chocolate or a glass of vino and you'll feel much better.