MS Worries....

[kah]

Hey guys,

It's been a couple of months since I've been on here, I've been managing my HA fairly well, it's never gone completely but it's not been all-consuming like it used to be either. Until the past few weeks that is...

...my story and why I'm worried about MS.
About a year ago I got up out of bed and my right leg gave way. I thought nothing of it but within a month I had severe fatigue, joint pain, muscle weakness, sleep problems, headaches, dizziness, nausea and was eventually diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which my symptoms seemed to fit with. I've had ups & downs over the past year but never really made any headway, although I do realise this is quite common with CFS, which can last for years.
In March this year I feel out of bed again but also found my right arm felt strange, I couldn't grasp things and although it didn't feel 'numb', it didn't feel right either. My co-ordination since then has been shocking, I miss handles when trying to open cupboards, doors etc my right arm & leg feels very weak most days, my right hand shakes, I still suffer from the fatigue on a daily basis.
I'm terrified I have MS, I made the mistake of googling (haven't done that for months & months!!) and was shocked by how similar the symptoms of CFS and MS are. Could they have mis-diagnosed me???
I'm going to see my GP on Friday but since I've been to see them so much with my HA worries they don't seem to take me seriously.
Any advice, opinions, thoughts from people who have experienced MS would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Kerri-anne xx

[anxietyoverload]

aw, i can imagine how scary this must be for you, i would be the same if i were you, i know its difficult, but try to relax until friday, or if your really worried, get a sooner appointment, tell them your fears! I think the doctor will more than likely take you seriously as the problem your going to him with is something you have been diagnosed with, so its not in your head!! good luck, and all the best for friday, let me know how it goes x

[alix123]

I'm currently thinking I have ALS which I think is quite similar to MS, I've been looking on their forum to compare symptoms etc and whilst they would say I don't have the symptoms Google definitely thinks I have. I feel stupid going to the docs as I was just there last week thinking I had a brain tumour so don't want to go but I'm feeling pain in all my muscles. I seen something on tv which made me aware of ALS and since have thought I have it so I think it would be quite a coincidence if I had it after seeing it on tv but my brain won't accept that. The thing with Google is alot of illnesses and diseases do have very similar symptoms and so it will always give you a worst case scenario but the doctor does know best. Just try and keep calm till your appointment and stay away from GOOGLE lol I hope you get the result you want. All the best xx

[kah]

Thanks for your replies. It was actually the MS Society website I looked on to compare symptoms, which makes it even more concerning. Just trying to hold it together until Friday.
Xxx

[anxietyoverload]

the worst think about anxiety is that it came make you have every symptom of the ilness in your head, from all the ilness's i THOUGHT i had, i had every single symptom without fail, but i didnt, it was all in my head xx

[kah]

I agree totally and in the past I've done exactly that, read about an illness then low & behold I have all the symptoms!! This time I had all the symptoms before I even looked on the website and knew anything about MS. You can see why I'm worried????

[sandy40]

Hi Kah,what a pair arent we? i posted here on monday the first for a while too as my HA is back...i googled too :blush:...listen Sam has MS and he hasnt really got any of the symptoms listed in the MS Society and anyway ive symptoms of MS too,so will most people because there a zillions of symptoms..but we all havent got MS,ive just been dx with IBS tonight,i want to google but im scared.CNF and MS are very alike symptom wise,go to your gp and express your worried that they have misdiagnosed you,hopefully your gp can reassure you...or email a member of the MS team and they will put your mind at ease...BLOODY HA just when we think we've got it under control..BOOM. xxxx

[kah]

Oh Sandy, I just can't believe it can you!!!!!! I really thought this time I had it under control!
Did/does Sam have any of the symptoms I've put down (don't worry about scaring me, be honest!)?
I have IBS Sandy and it's nothing to worry about at all, although rather uncomfortable at times. I noticed though that when my anxiety is under control the IBS disappears. It's very much anxiety driven in my case. Did you doc give you any meds for it? I found the best thing for me was something called Colpermin, which you can get from Tesco, Asda etc.

Thanks for replying chick
Kerri-anne xxx

[sandy40]

Hiya,right Sam is just Sam unless he relapses then the needs steriods to help him recover,his symptoms are sickness,agony headaches,body twitching/facial twitching and vision loss in either eye :-( .I thought i had it under control too and ive stepped back 10 paces aaargh,i bloody hate it,my sleeping is rubbish too,im wide awake at 5am,with my mind racing and heart pounding...my stomach is constantly doing summersalts just now...ive pain under my right rib and my neck is sore so im scared...it will be a year next month my HA started.:ohmy: xx

[sandy40]

Also i drop things all the time and bump into things..i never give it a second thought.x

[kah]

Thanks Sandy,
I hope you didn't mind me asking about Sam but you've put my mind at ease because I have none of those symptoms. From what I've read on FB he seems like a very brave little boy, you must be very proud :)
I get the pain up under my ribs a lot, definately IBS -typical of where the pain is! I can't remember if you said you take any meds for the anxiety? I take Mirtazipine which is rubbish for the HA but gives me a great nights sleep!!! Actually, do I remember you saying you took that too?

Having had a couple of 'good' months where the anxiety was still there but at the back of my mind, it's now very difficult to wake up as you said with knots in your stomach, don't you think. It somehow makes it harder that we were doing well and have gone backwards :weep:
We'll get there though chick, it'll take some time but we'll get through it.
xxx

[kah]

Well today I went to see my GP, who is very patient with me considering I am there all the time, she did lots of neuro tests (basic ones) and can see no evidence that anything neurological is wrong. She said if I'm still worried in a month to go back & see her, I'm determined that there'll be no need, I am going to beat this bloody anxiety once and for all. I'm sick to death of missing out on stuff because I'm so worried about something or other.
Thank you for all your replies
Kerri-anne xxx

[sandy40]

If you beat this HA can you tell me how to do it..im a bloody wreck,still got this sore neck/shoulder and im losing it completely again..cant sleep and im feel really nervous all the time.x

[Hayles29]

Hi there - I can totally relate to your stories. For the past 5 years I have suffered from lightheadness and other random symptoms but all my tests return clear. It is so scary to have physical symptoms and no one can tell you what's wrong. I too thought I had MS. I couldn't stop worrying about my health and if I was really sick 24/7. My dr would reassure me, but sure enough if I started to feel a new symptom, the vicious circle of health anxiety would go into over drive again. Anyway a year ago I had my first son, and I got worse and I felt so guilty I wasn't enjoying him as I was constantly worrying about my health and 'what if' something happened to me now that I have a baby. So enough was enough and I decided to go on antidepressants. I have been on zoloft for the last 3 months and I feel a lot more at ease. I still worry a bit about any physical symptoms, but I shrug them off easily and I can enjoy my life again. So this may or not be the answer for you, and it took me 5 years to finally decide to go on medication but it has helped tremendously.