Think I've got MS - probably (hopefully) just anxiety

[AllInMyHead]

Hi all,

Just found this group and wish I'd known about it years ago. I've had health anxiety issues on an off for years and years. I first remember being 8 and thinking I had heart disease after seeing a piece on Tomorrow's World about how eating salt could cause it.

Mostly it doesn't affect me at all, and I can sometimes go a couple of years without worrying at all, but then something will come up and I'll be so anxious I feel like I'm going crazy.

At the moment I'm wracked with anxiety about funny feelings in my arms and legs. It started with getting numb hands in the night, which my GP (who is really good) put down to carpal tunnel. He prescribed anti-inflammatories and everything was fine. Then I started to get a numb calf in the night as well.

So I googled it (yes, I know, I'm never going to make that mistake again). I also have very mild tinnitus and a few very minor balance problems that come and go, that I've put down to all the water that gets in my ears when I'm windsurfing. Anyway, 1 + 1 = 3 and what I have is MS. Then as soon as I made that link, I immediately 'developed' lots of other symptoms associated with MS, including the funny feelings in arms and legs

So back to the GP, who I was hoping was going to tell me to stop being crazy. He said he was concerned by the mix of symptoms, so he referred me to a neurologist. He gave me a thorough check-up. I told him about these funny feelings, and that they didn't come on until after googling. He said I was fine, and I was satisfied.

But the funny weird feelings in my right arm and leg didn't go away. I've had them for about 6-8 weeks now, and they wake me up in the night, so I don't think they're 'imagined'. Back to the GP, who sent me for an MRI scan on my brain. Not sure if he is concerned about the symptoms, or if is just humouring me. Anyway, that was about 3 weeks ago, results on Friday :scared15:

Sorry for the essay. If anyone is still reading, thanks, and nice to have found this group.

[j2]

Welcome to the board. It is a Godsend for many of us. We will listen and never judge. As for your fears I really think they are anxiety based. I find that I am very suseptable to suggestion when it comes to my health. Somethings kicks off my fear and then I start to stress and then everywhere I look I see reminders of this fear. Then everything spirals and I end up in a full blown panic. If you search this board you will see many people with similar symptoms and fears. I hope you feel better.

J2

[Dizz]

Hiya and welcome to here..... like j2 says its a great site and there are so many people with the same type of things going on that its good to chat with people who understand and have the same fears, symptoms or worries.

As for you... gosh you are so very lucky ot have a doctor who understands your concerns and who also takes you seriously and gives you tests if he thinks you may need them. Many just say 'anxiety caused.. go away'

I'm sure you will be fine xxxx

[AllInMyHead]

Thanks for the reassurance J2.

I really thinks it anxiety too. But as soon as I start to think about it everything is going through my head - 'what if this time it really is something', 'lots of people get ill, why shouldn't I' etc. etc. No doubt familiar with lots of people here. Which is why, as well as the MRI I'm sorting myself out some CBT. I completely recognise the anxiety, so hopefully that will help me control it.

I'm very lucky that my anxieties are very much eased when a professional tells me I'm ok, and I generally don't get anxious about the same condition more than once. I really feel for the people that can't really get any respite from their anxieties.

[AllInMyHead]

@Dizz, yes my GP is great.

I explained the full story to him (including the bit about google), and I told him that I strongly suspected my worrying had induced the symptoms. He said I didn't sound like a hypochondriac (wrong, but nice of him to say so :-)), and that he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

[Geoff2301]

Fortunately, I don't suffer with health anxiety these days...... from an "outsider" point of view, can't logically see the point in worrying about MS, Parkinsons, Alzeimers etc...... if you've got it, you've got it for good and there's no cure so you just have to get on with it. Other serious diseases where early diagnosis can make the difference between recovery or not are obviously of more concern and I can understand people requesting reassuring tests.

[AllInMyHead]

Ahhh Geoff2301 of course it's not logical, that's the problem :doh:

And I didn't request the tests, my GP did, that's partly why I'm anxious.

You are of course correct that there's no point worrying that you might have something that can't be cured anyway. I guess that's why so many people say it's easier after they've been diagnosed than before.

[AllInMyHead]

Hi all,

Got the results of my MRI this afternoon and I'm thrilled to say I got the all-clear.

My GP said he was really pleased as he had been worried about me as he really thought it could have been MS. So at least that makes me feel less crazy for worrying about it myself.

He now thinks the problems with my ears and balance could be something like glue-ear which should be fairly simple to sort out. The funny feelings in my arm and leg are still there, but they are so minor I don't really care now I know they're not serious. Hopefully I'll be able to stop focusing on them now and they'll sort themselves out. Thankfully my anxiety goes away when the doctor tells me I'm okay, so I should be good for a while now. And with CBT on the horizon I'm hoping I should be in a good position to handle it next time it comes along.

Hopefully this might help to reassure other people in a similar situation. All the symptoms were pointing to MS - not just for Dr Google but for the real doctor as well. But it turned out to be absolutely nothing to worry about.

[sandy40]

Hi im so glad your fear turned out not to be MS..my son has MS and hes only 7 years old but you know what hes doing ok. x

[AllInMyHead]

Thanks Sandy. Much love to your son.

One of the things that really bothers me about my anxieties is that I'm flapping around thinking I've got various conditions when I haven't, while there are people out there getting on with things while facing real illnesses. And other hardships for that matter. I find it very humbling and I have much respect for those people.

[gaaron]

Hi, allinmyhead, glad to hear you're feeling better (as in re-assured)...windsurfing?..jealous! :D

[kittykat]

Glad to hear everything was fine x

[BKF1515]

Glad to hear you are all clear. I have worried about having MS in the past but have moved on to other anxieties. :)

[Dizz]

Great news and so please for you now that your worries have been put to rest. Take care x x x

[Steffnyjo]

Hya, i had exactly the same thing last year. I starting having a numb patch across my left eye and began searching it on the internet (big mistake) i too convinced myself i had MS which because i was worrying all the time made my numbness worse (vicious cicrle). I was sent to a neurologist who sent me for MRI (again to relax me as he didnt feel i had MS) i had the scan, the results were all clear. When i found out i didnt have something horrible like MS or a brain tumour, the numbness started to fade. I still get it from time to time when i am anxious but not all the time. I am having councilling at the minute for anxiety and it really helps to put things in to perspective (even though it is very difficult sometimes!!) i have been tring relaxation and breathing which do help. I am not over it by any means but i am going in the right direction finally!! hang in there x

[AllInMyHead]

Thanks everyone for your kind words xxx