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A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Hello all,
I read this post in another forum and it really helped me. I just had to share it with you... If you would like to know the link or website where this came from please feel free to ask me :) This is a lengthy post, but well worth the read.......................................
I have devised this thread as some guidance for those people who have visited this forum and are concerned about specific symptoms that are effecting them and, in particular, those who are worried that these symptoms are an indication of neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) & Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
The first thing that must be realised is that NOBODY on an internet forum can ever diagnose you or truly give you any reassurance that you do not have these conditions. Should anybody experience any signs or symptoms that are new to them they should ALWAYS approach their doctor in the first instance in order for these to be examined. In the vast majority of cases a GP will be able to advise you that these symptoms are benign but some doctors will often refer you to a neurologist for their opinion, if this should happen it is not value laden as regarding a possible diagnosis but rather would be the standard format for how you present to the doctor.
This thread is good news, it is good news because it has had to be written, it is good news because hundreds, maybe thousands of people have logged onto this board and countless other anxiety forums totally convinced that they are suffering from a neurological condition despite being told by health care profesionals that this is not the case. All these people ask the same questions and all these people have the exact same worries as you are having now. If this is you, if you have been to the doctor, maybe even a neuro, maybe even two neuro’s, maybe even had an MRI, maybe even two MRI’s, well, you get the picture, if you have been told by your health care profesional that you are healthy but you are struggling to believe this you may find some help from this thread.
So, you have come to an anxiety board. I guess that is because your doctor has told you that you are suffering from anxiety. Actually, my guess would be that your doctor has told you that you are suffering from ‘just’ anxiety and, if you are lucky, you may have been given some leaflets, you may have had some books recommended and you may even have been given some medication.
So, what took you to the doctor? Was it the tingling? The pins & needles? That damned annoying twitching eyelid that just won’t let up? Was it that weird thing when you keep seeing the flashing in your periphiral vision? The strange sensation in your throat where you just can’t swallow? The constant muscle aches and cramps? The constant small joint aches and cramps? Do you have that weird internal vibrating feeling? Was it the percieved weakness in all your major limbs? What about the foot drop you have been noticing, the clumsiness, finding the car keys in the fridge? Was it the chronic constant fatigue, that feeling when you wake in the morning like you haven’t actually gone to bed? What about the myclonic jerking, that bizarre moment when your whole body jerks like you have had an electric shock? Was it that constant twitching in your calf muscles that looks like you have a bag of worms under your skin? It could have been the parathesia, the feeling on your skin where one moment it feels sunburnt and the next minute it feels soaking wet? Maybe it was the atrophy, you know, the muscle loss in your bicep, your thigh that is so obvious to you but what frustratingly nobody else can see? What about………are you bored? I’m bored!
So, you have had some of those right? Maybe like me you are unlucky enough to have had every one of them…not much fun is it! When you first started getting these weird and wonderful symptoms cropping up I bet one of the first things you did was run off to the all powerful internet and consult that all knowing oracle, the good lord GOOGLE. If you did this, if you searched for your symptoms on a search engine on the internet, congratualtions, you have taken the first step on developing this weird and wonderful anxiety disorder known as Health Anxiety. The reason we Google is because of a basic human need at a time of stress, we are scared and we want reassurance, the problem is nothing you ever read on the internet will give you the reassurance you need, you will unwittingly discard the plethora of evidence that tells you that you do not have a neurological illness and instead will latch onto and inflate those things which seem ambigous, why would you do this? I suggest that at this point it may be adavantagous for you to look in the Genaralized Anxiety Disorder folder on this forum and see the negative thought processes and over generalization and catastrophising that defines GAD, it just may ring some bells for you.
So, by the time you have gone to the doctor you are pretty much resigned to the fact that it is MS or if you are really unlucky ALS. You picture yourself in a wheelchair, the kids looking at you with pity as you can’t play sports in the park with them anymore, you picture your partner standing by you and caring for you but all the while you feel the resentment, they never signed up for this, you picture the scene in four years time, confined to a hospital bed with your family and friends round you with the fruit and flowers…..BUT WAIT!!
Oh joyous news, the doctor has said you don’t have MS, you don’t have ALS, what you have is anxiety, well, just anxiety….oh believe me there is a BIG difference. You have got out of jail free! The doctor has examind you thoroughly, he has taken your history, he knows the patterns, he has seen people with MS and ALS and you are not one of those. With a skip and a step you are on your way, same time next year doctor, yep, no worries…so with a happy heart and an increased vigour you are off out of the surgery door to continue with your life that had been on hold up to then. MS, ALS how could you be so silly eh?
…and then it begins! Right, the doctor said this is anxiety, I’m not anxious though, why do I still have these symptoms if I’m not anxious….something just isn’t right here. The more you think about it the more it seems obvious, hold on, I saw the doctor on Friday afternoon, I bet he was just thinking about the weekend and wanted to get rid of me. I’m sure that the doctor should have done more tests than he did you know, crikey, I’m sure when I told him the numbness was down just the one side he didn’t listen to that, that bit is crucial and he never heard it. Hold on, this freakin eye twitch is getting even worse and I’m not even anxious, where is the telephone? What is that doctors number?……welcome to the loop!!
If any of the above seems familier to you, believe me, you are not alone…as strange as it may seem the fixation on being convinced you have a neurological condition after being told that you are in actual fact suffering from anxiety in very common.
Firstly, you need to realise that both MS and ALS are rare disease’s. Not only are they both rare disease’s but they also tend to effect spefic groups based on ethnicity, age and sex so we are talking about rare disease with partial excluding factors. In contrast, anxiety is an incredibly common and debilitating condtion that effects people both physically and mentally.
Anxiety is generally percieved to be a mental condition, when we are anxious we are anxious in our head and this can kick in the flight or fight syndrome which in turn causes the physical reactions. These reactions are generally thought to be a racing heart and palpitations, sweating, increased adrenaline etc etc. Now, this is all well and good but how does this fit in with those symptoms that mirror MS etc so effectivly.
I personally believe that the reason most people fail to be believe that their symptoms are being genrated by anxiety is because the concept of anxiety is never actually expalined sufficently. A large number of doctors will often expalin to you that you are suffering from ‘just’ anxety and this usage of the term ‘just’ is supposed to make us somehow feel reassured. The problem is that this has the opposite effect, how can a ‘just’ something cause all these real physical symptoms. If anxiety is effecting me mentally how can it make me twitch, buzz and go numb?
For some people anxiety will surface in the tradional panic attack, much seems to be written on this side of anxiety and this is not what we are concerned with here. For a sizable group of people when anxiety starts to manifest itself physically it is through physical sesnations that effect various aspects of our nervous system. This is why the sensations of this physical anxiety so closely mirror the symptoms of a condition such as MS, they actually effect the same part of the body, now, here is the crucial and all important difference, the symptoms of MS are caused by an organic condition which whilst treatable is irreversable and the physical sensations of anxiety are caused by the mind and are of course reversable. In short, you have to understand and accept that the mind can actually generate these physical sensations.
Whilst for many people physical anxiety can strike out of the blue, I am of the opinion that for the vast majority of people anxiety starts to become physical after whay could be many years of bad stress and anxiety management. You may not have even noticed this. We all have an anxiety threshold and the majority of people will probably never approach the blow off point, yes, a sudden and severe stressor could take someone right over the point from the baseline (think Post Traumatic Stress Disorder & Conversion Disorder etc) but most of us operate at an anxiety level that our bodies can handle. The problem is that if we stress ourselves constantly over a period of time, we do not allow our thermostat to reset and one sunny day something will happen, some stressor which can be a bad or even a good event and which we may not even realise the significance of will push us over the limit and it is at this point that our anxiety will effect us physically and more often than not impact on our nervous system.
This also happens to bring us to another crucial factor and what for many is the paradox that holds us back form accepting the anxiety diagniosis, how the hell can this be anxiety when I am not anxious? It makes no sense to me!
What we need to realise is that once we have crossed the anxiety threshold no matter what we do we have to surrender ourselves to our mind and body and accept that we are now operating to a timescale that WE CANNOT CONTROL! We can think we are being as cool as Fonzie but we need to accept that the damage whilst reversible has been done and it is just a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. Our body is now in control of us and the physical sensations will only stop when our body and mind are sufficently recovered.
It is at this point where we commit the ultimate folly, do we do as the experts suggest and sit back and realx and float through this stage? Of course not, we do the total opposite, we monitor our body for every twitch and interpret this as a sign of a misdiagnosis, we become hypervigilant, paranoid, self absorbed…this behaviour just creates more and more anxiety and we do not allow our body and mind the time necessary to recover….we are, in effect, pouring gasoline on the fire and expecting it to go out.
If you read this forum you will find a variety of posts that will offer you suggestions as to why you are suffering from the physical sensations of anxiety. Some people will advocate medication, some Cognitive Behaviour Therapy etc etc but what you will realise is that there is no one right way. I am truly of the belief that recovery is all about acceptance and learning to respond to fear correctly but how we do this is very much an indvidual thing. It could well be that you have issues with GAD and you can see how patterns realting to that disorder resonate with how you currently feel about your health, for example, note how both MS and ALS are diseases with which we lose control of our bodies. It could also be that you have issues with OCD, traits such as reassurance seeking and body and symptom monitoring could suggest this. There may well be suggestions that you could be sufferring from elements of depression, there is as school of thought that believes that the mind will somatise physical sensations when there are aspects of your life that your unconcious is unhappy with etc.
I hope this has helped if you have just visited here convinced you have MS etc and you are feeling scared and confused. You may have noticed I have not mentioned anything specific about MS or ALS and that is because there is no reason to...you do not have those. Your doctor has told you you are suffering from anxiety and therefore you are in the right place. Refrain from researching about diseases you do not have and instead concentrate on dealing with what you have today. Of course, what you have today doesn’t guarantee you won’t have MS or ALS tomorrow and if that thought fills you with fear use your time here wisely and believe me, it becomes a lot more bearable.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Hey, can I have my thread back please!!
Regards
pan
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Thankyou for that thread Dooges. I have actually been diagnosed with a Somatoform disorder with hypochondria, I have had some of these symptoms and still have them. I have been checked for M.S and been cleared. The symptoms are horrible to live with each day and I would one day like to have my life back.Knowing my luck a true disease will get me..
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Oops, sorry pan, I didn't realise you were a member here also.
Thanks for writing this, it helped me so much.
I just have to get over a few more things, and hopefully I can move on.. But you have definately got me going in the right direction.
Thanks again.
Brad
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Lol....no worries.
Seriously, I'm flattered...anyway the more people who find it useful the better. Take it you are on AZ as well then?
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Yeh, but I only just found AZ and joined about a month ago...
May I ask if headaches was a concern of yours whilst going through this horrible HA ?
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Wow, thanks for this. I can't believe how much this sounds like me.
Thanks for writing this. I have almost all of these symptoms and I've been to two doctors boths said I was suffering from Anxiety but I was convinced it was MLS or ALS because of all the weird symptoms like internal vibrating (this happens in the morning when I'm waking up, really weird) muscle cramps, joint pain, vision issues, night sweats etc etc.
This makes me feel much much better and will help me a lot.
Thanks again
Scott
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Great to hear that Scott.
Your objective now is to stay positive and keep reminding yourself that it's anxiety related.
I had to come back and read that post at least half a dozen times when my confidence started to wain a little.
You have been to two Dr's, trust them as they can tell if you have anything sinister way beyond what any self diagnoses on the internet can.
TRUST, BELIEVE, ACCEPTANCE AND PATIENCE.
Your symptoms won't go away over night. Wait time and stay positive and eventually you will be OK :)
Cheers
Brad
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Thanks for the encouragement
How long did it take for you to start feeling normal again? I think I'm gradually improving but still have weird symptoms going on.
Scott
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Scott,
I wouldn't say that I'm feeling normal. I'm functioning ok and not really worried about anything to much now. Just these headache type dull feelings i'm getting in the back of my head ( upper neck ) and in the facial region. Trying to stay positive and not think the worst. Other than that you have to let time pass. Don't worry that your symptoms are not dissappearing overnight because they won't. I have read that it takes as long to get over your physical symptoms of anxiety as for the time you have been worrying about your health. But everyone is different.
Just sit back, relax and know that your not about to die. Unless you walk out the door and get run over by a car. And something tells me your not afraid of that so don't be afraid of the twinges etc.
Cheers
Brad
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Wow! You described me to a T! I have had the same situation going on. Weird physical symptoms. I was sure I had MS after reading every God awful thing on the internet that only worsened my fears. After an MRI, an MRA and bloodwork which all came back fine I still worry that something else is horribly wrong n "the doctor just missed it". I have been told that this is all anxiety related and need to see a psychiatrist but havent been yet. I think this site will really help me. Its already nice to see people going through the same things I have been through and am still going through!
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Glad to hear that lsa826. Remember to remain positive :)
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
I just wanted to say how much I found this particular thread useful. It basically describes me to a T.
I have suffered nearly all these symptoms (currently getting the pins and needles, the aching muscles and joints, etc, etc). The symptoms sometimes move all over the body, but are normally just in the arms and legs although they come and go. I have been checked by my doctor, been to see a neurologist, had an MRI scan and been told it is all normal, in particular with no evidence of MS. I did have very minor degenerative changes to the cervical spine, but have been told this is basically "wear and tear" of the neck because I'm 35!
I have found it difficult to accept that a neurologist (at possibly the leading institute for neurology in the country) has told me that I am fine. I keep worrying that maybe they missed something, maybe they didn't hear me descibe my symptoms too well.
Now my resolution is to re-read this post every day, until I can accept that I am fine. I think finding this thread has saved me from going down the medication route.
Thanks again.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mackiners
I just wanted to say how much I found this particular thread useful. It basically describes me to a T.
I have suffered nearly all these symptoms (currently getting the pins and needles, the aching muscles and joints, etc, etc). The symptoms sometimes move all over the body, but are normally just in the arms and legs although they come and go. I have been checked by my doctor, been to see a neurologist, had an MRI scan and been told it is all normal, in particular with no evidence of MS. I did have very minor degenerative changes to the cervical spine, but have been told this is basically "wear and tear" of the neck because I'm 35!
I have found it difficult to accept that a neurologist (at possibly the leading institute for neurology in the country) has told me that I am fine. I keep worrying that maybe they missed something, maybe they didn't hear me descibe my symptoms too well.
Now my resolution is to re-read this post every day, until I can accept that I am fine. I think finding this thread has saved me from going down the medication route.
Thanks again.
Nah, don't bother with that....just accept you are fine now and get your life back today! Think of all the time it will save!
Glad the thread helped.
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Thanks Brad
How long have you been going through this? I think mine started around August and gradually got worse and worse.
The neck stuff is weird isn't it. Some days are better than others but I am feeling better.
Did you ever have symptoms with your voice, like it was crackly ? Also was your energy level affected? I feel tired a lot and wonder if its anxiety related.
I never thought anxiety could do this to you. Did something particular bring your anxiety on or did it just come on its own?
Thanks again for your input.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Thank you! This is me! I am saving it so that I can read it when I was really anxious. I have only been to the doctor once and did tell her I thought it was anxiety. She agreed and in my mind I wish I had told her every symptom but I know it's anxiety and I'm fed up of constantly feeling like I am going to die. The problem I have is that I watched my gran die from this. And even though this probably makes me less likely to get it cos it wasn't the inherited kind so this makes me even more unlikely to get it. But that doesn't help me.
It is slowly easing up but it is taking a long time. Thanks for this I'm keepng my fingers crossed that it will eventually go all othere's have.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Good post Dooges!!!
*edit* just realised itoldyouiwasill originally wrote this. you have a great way of explaining it all.*edit*
I went though the same thing only last year. I had the muscle twitches, limb jerking, preceived weakness in left arm, pain in left arm for 2 months, dizzyness, blured vision.... even tripping over objects.
I coudln't understand why all of this would suddenly occur as i thought i never really had anxiety in the past.
So in a nutshell i spent 5 months worrying about MS and MND. Most people around here might remember me lol...... (itoldyouiwasill toldmeiwasntill so many times) My Gp told me i was fine, and after 4 months of symptoms sent me to a neuro, who also told me i was fine. I didnt belive them though.... well i did, as i left feeling happy everything was ok, but its like your brain wont let it go.
What finally made me realise that i had anxiety was reading my neuros report. He wrote everything we spoke about, almost as if he was writing a novel. You could even sense his tone and how he was astonished that i would think i had MS or MND in the first place. It made me feel like a proper hypocondryact. :roflmao:
I dont belive i am a hypocondryact but my doctor has listed me down on his computer as one. Guess i have no way of shaking label away lol. :doh:
So in September 2008..... after 5 months of symptoms and realising nothing was wrong with me.... (Your brain really has to accept it 100%) my symptoms - mostly muscle twitching and limb jerking slowy faded away. It took 3 months and didnt go overnight or in a week or two.
So basicaly ive been symptom free since Christmas. Ofcourse i get the odd twitch and limb jerk.... but thats normal. I only just notice it due to what i went through.
It saddens me that people still have to suffer from this heath anxiety.... i wasted 5 months of my life with it.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
itoldyouiwasill
Nah, don't bother with that....just accept you are fine now and get your life back today! Think of all the time it will save!
Glad the thread helped.
How are you doing Itoldyouiwasill? Has your Nervous System reset itself?
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Hi there,
I am new to this forum and came across this thread. It describes exactly how i am feeling right now. I am convinced i have ms and i am so frustrated because nobody can help me. It started with tingling all over my body and throughout a 6 month time period things have got worse. I not have tingling, itching and burning sensations, my muscles twitch regularly and last nite i had electric shocks that jolted me awake, infact whever i try to sleep my muscle jerk will wake me up. I have random pain around my body, weakness and aches. I also feel dizzy when i walk. I'm really struggling, even my family dont want to be around me anymore cos i just cry constantly. I went to a and e today hoping they'd do a neuology test but i need to be referred. Have a doc appt tues so will ask for referal for an MRI. The thing is, i got a virus 2 yrs ago that stays latent in my body and some studies suggest that it is triggered by a virus so it all makes sense. I am so scared tho. Just can't help but feel so sad. My doctor thinks its anxiety but i am not convinced it would cause all this? and axiety about what?! My only anxiety is because of my symptoms. I am so afraid right now and want to fall into one big sleep and never wake up :weep:
I am sorry to be depressing. I am hoping someone can help me....
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
hopingitsanxiety
Hi there,
I am new to this forum and came across this thread. It describes exactly how i am feeling right now. I am convinced i have ms and i am so frustrated because nobody can help me. It started with tingling all over my body and throughout a 6 month time period things have got worse. I not have tingling, itching and burning sensations, my muscles twitch regularly and last nite i had electric shocks that jolted me awake, infact whever i try to sleep my muscle jerk will wake me up. I have random pain around my body, weakness and aches. I also feel dizzy when i walk. I'm really struggling, even my family dont want to be around me anymore cos i just cry constantly. I went to a and e today hoping they'd do a neuology test but i need to be referred. Have a doc appt tues so will ask for referal for an MRI. The thing is, i got a virus 2 yrs ago that stays latent in my body and some studies suggest that it is triggered by a virus so it all makes sense. I am so scared tho. Just can't help but feel so sad. My doctor thinks its anxiety but i am not convinced it would cause all this? and axiety about what?! My only anxiety is because of my symptoms. I am so afraid right now and want to fall into one big sleep and never wake up :weep:
I am sorry to be depressing. I am hoping someone can help me....
Hi hopingitsanxiety
If your Dr said its all anxiety..... i would seriously belive him/her. Anxiety can casue these symptoms.... Especially muscle twitching and muscle jerks. These were my two major symptoms that convinced me i first has MS. Then while reading MS sites, i started getting burning skin sensations and other times it felt as if water was dripping on my skin. (These only occured because i read about them)
Basically back in April last year i woke up feeling really dizzy. I coudlnt understand what would be causing such a thing so the first thing i thought was a brain tumour and then Dr Google Suggested MS. My gp said it was a inner ear viral infection called Labyrinitis....... but the worry and this not believing them set off the twitching and muscle jerks..... which set off the weakness in my left arm, which set off more worry and then i would google and google then i had muscle pain in my left shoulder which lasted 2 months straight.
So basically, i would see your GP again on tues, If he says Anxiety then accept it. :) Doctors dont really explain how Anxiety causes your body to act like this, but mine did explain that your brain is connected to nerves that are connected to other parts of the body eg; skin and muscles. So when your brain gets consumed with all this worry, it sends out this overreacted impulses. (Well something like that anyway)
After you accept it... it will take a while for it all to calm down again. You would think once you stop the anxiety, the symptoms will fade.... but they dont. Well for some they do but for me it took 3 months.
So overall, yes anxiety can cause your symptoms, your symptoms will cause you to have more anxiety, and you can have these symptoms even when you think you arent anxious.
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hopingitsanxiety- it sounds like anxiety and depression to me
I went through some of the same things you are going through and because I was worrying about my health all the time I got depressed really fast. I was having emotional breakdowns, didn't want to do anything, couldn't go to work, couldn't live my life.
I went to two docs and both said it was anxiety mixed with depression. I accepted that and immediately started to feel better. They gave me some meds for it- celexa and klonopin which has really helped.
I too could not believe all my symptoms could come from anxiety because the drs didn't really explain it to me. The symptoms are very real, they are not in your head, they are physical but they are caused by health anxiety and or depression.
I found the medicine has helped quite a bit. If the Drs tell you its anxiety it probably is. They know what they are talking about. The hard part is accepting it so your brain and body can start to relax and recover from all the stress that has been put upon it.
My symptoms aren't gone but they are a lot better.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
...glad it helped you Doo.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
It amazes me that I can read this and I still think that it's not just anxiety! Logically I know it's all in my head but because I haven't had all the tests and my doctor automatically said it was anxiety I don't believe it! I don't just have HA I also have OCD and SAD so it never seems to ease up. I know that the symptoms won't ease up til I 100% believe it's anxiety, even though I had a couple of symptom free days when I wasn't anxious for about 2 days - I still can't get my head round it.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nutmeg
It amazes me that I can read this and I still think that it's not just anxiety! Logically I know it's all in my head but because I haven't had all the tests and my doctor automatically said it was anxiety I don't believe it! I don't just have HA I also have OCD and SAD so it never seems to ease up. I know that the symptoms won't ease up til I 100% believe it's anxiety, even though I had a couple of symptom free days when I wasn't anxious for about 2 days - I still can't get my head round it.
But that is the thing, it is not all in your head! The symptoms/sensations are very real and very very physical. The ONLY difference is that their causality is actually grounded in the mental rather than being generated by some physical organic illness, disease or ailment. It really is crucial that this is understood or it is almost impossible to attribute all this to 'just' anxiety.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
For what its worth my Dr. told me that the medication can make the anxiety worse before it gets better. It takes at least 3 weeks for celexa or whatever he put you on to start to kick in. You won't even notice a difference until it gets in your system.
When I went on it I did feel more anxious and shaky but it got better.
I totally can relate to the heaviness in the back of the head. It sucks and I thought I seriously had some sort of neuro issue going on but once I believed it was anxiety and let the medication kick in its going away.
It won't go away all at once. It will take awhile for the symptoms to go away but they will gradually go away.
Hope you feel better soon. We know what you are going through and its not fun but things will get better. You have to believe that .
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Doo
and has prescribed many different anti depressants which i have not taken as i get too concerned about the side effects. They seem to make my shaking worse and then that causes me more anxiety and so the it continues. I get this heaviness in the back of my head, ,shaking dizziness muscle aches and real weakness. How on earth can this be anxiety but the symptoms you describe are very similar to these.
You post has made me feel alot better though obviously will stay concerned until i start feeling better.
Thanks
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
I've just started medication - I'm on escitalopram and I've only been taking it 2 days and I'm on a low dose so obviously no effect yet! But I'm hoping it works soon - I don't know what to tell my uni lecturer's to why I'm struggling - this is hard to explain to someone who doesn't have it! I told one person and they looked at me likeI was crazy - didn't help.
And when I said it was all in my head - I mean my head was causing it! It's just frustrating me! Sorry it's getting exhausting!
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nutmeg
I've just started medication - I'm on escitalopram and I've only been taking it 2 days and I'm on a low dose so obviously no effect yet! But I'm hoping it works soon - I don't know what to tell my uni lecturer's to why I'm struggling - this is hard to explain to someone who doesn't have it! I told one person and they looked at me likeI was crazy - didn't help.
And when I said it was all in my head - I mean my head was causing it! It's just frustrating me! Sorry it's getting exhausting!
Yep, you will find that people just do not get this at all. Then again, if you had read about this or whatever before you experienced it would you fully have understood it...I doubt it, it is a very frustrating and debilitating thing.
I too used to find I wanted to talk about this with everybody as it is a disorder that you feel you can sort of make sane by talking about it but to be honest that never really used to work...I would mention it to people and they would just not get it at all and say something like 'oh, if you have had the tests you must be fine' and totally fail to see the disorder part of it. To be honest, I would maybe discuss it with one or two close friends and leave it at that...if you have to say why you are unwell for any particular reason I always used to say I had some anxiety issues and no more. I think I expected people to understand what it was and how it was so total in taking over my life but thinking about it you are really asking for and expecting the impossible.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Yeah I normally just say I have anxiety - I never used to tell anyone but people don't understand how one minute I'm a really good student and then the next my grades plumit. I think I have told one person at uni I don't dare tell anyone else.
I do tend to get better in the summer though.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Nutmeg, have you asked your Doc about klononpin or something like it . I took that for about a month until the other med kicked in. It really helped take the edge off the anxiety and especially helped me sleep at night. I took it in low doses but it helped quite a bit.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Your brain is causing your physical symptoms. Health anxiety is a disorder with real physical symptoms so as stated by many of us before the symptoms are very real but the symptoms are not the result of any disease.
Trust me I know how you feel. All my test came back ok. There was nothing wrong with me but my symptoms were real and were causing a lot of problems.
I was to the point where I didn't think I'd ever feel normal again. I finally excepted the fact that it was anxiety and started on some medicine that has really helped.
I take celexa and I took klonopin while the celexa kicked in. That treatment worked for me and it has just helped me calm down and relax a bit. On a side note celexa and other SSRI are used to treat anxiety and depression which usually the two go hand in hand. In some cases depression will cause the health anxiety and sometimes the health anxiety causes the depression.
In my case my health anxiety caused me to very depressed. Luckily it only lasted about a week once I realized it was my anxiety and I didn't have a life threating disease. At one point I seriously thought I was going to die of several diseases.....MS, ALS, Diabetes, Parkinsons etc. I could barely function, I felt sick all the time and new symptoms were randomly popping up.
The major mistake I made was googling my symptoms. That is the last thing you want to do. I would literally look something up on google about some life threating disease and then the next day I'd have new weird symptoms that I had read about. It was crazy.
I'll give you an example, I had been having this weird neck thing going on. It felt like my head weighed 20 pounds on my head and sometimes I would get tingling up the back of my head . So I typed in weak neck heavy head into google and one of the results brought me to an ALS website. I started reading about that and found out it was a terminal disease that had to do with your muscles and I started to freak out. I stood up and my legs were totally weak. The next day I woke up and all my muscles in my body felt weak and shaky all over. I was sure I had ALS and had 5 years to live.
Went to two doctors both said I didnt have ALS and that is was anxiety. I finally accepted that and I started to feel better. It's been about a month since that and my symptoms are slowly going away. I think it has been with the help of the medicatoin and me just realizing that I'm ok.
Hope that helps. Feel free to PM with any questions you may have.
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I think we could all use a good laugh around here
http://failblog.org/2009/02/02/mugshot-fail/
If you haven't seen this blog it's great. Good stress relief.
take a look
www.failblog.org
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
I only went to my doctor a week ago, and just before I went I was improving my symptoms I had were easing up - then a couple of days later it just got alot worse. I don't like asking about specific medications - I have to go back in 3 weeks and she'll probably up my dose or something. But I think she's confused cos I have OCD and she thinks Panic Disorder as well - she hates diagnosing specific mental health problems. I just find weird how real the symptoms are.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
thats nicely put mate thats how people should think
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Nutmeg,
I know what you mean by taking a few steps forward and then come crashing back to earth with new symptoms or old ones coming back to haunt you. Kinda what I'm going through now. You have to stay positive and tell yourself " It's just anxiety stupid " ... Thats what my pysch told me and seems to work a little for me.. But youhave to really believe it or there just words. Just like they are just thoughts that has put you/us in this predicament to start with. i have some issues/symptoms now i'm trying to deal with. Hopefully deep relaxation stuff and exercise will help and prove to myself again what we all know deep down is ( and I won't say just ) anxiety.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
I have found that medication does not work for my anxiety, even the doctor agreed, but I sometimes am finding it difficult to let go that I do not have a neurological condition. I like a lot of you feel that the doctor has missed something, even though the tests and scan was negative. It's difficult especially when your symptoms seem to always be there. My doctor say's that it has to be the undifferentiated somatoform disorder and I find this very hard to deal with. Some days are easier than others and when I am tired I find my body is worse.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Agent,
I agree with you that when I'm tired my stmptoms get worse or my thought patterns get worse which in turn lead to the worsening of symptoms.
Let me put out a question to you all.
With your percieved neurological condition, and the certain time frames surrounding the different conditions, does / will your anxiety over this problem lessen with time as your symptoms don't progressively get worse. Like they should if you had an actual diagnosed condition.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
I don't think the symptoms have gotten worse particulary in the two years I have been worrying about M.S. I see the doctors very often and have a good relationship. I always have some degree of symptom that is there, but as I have Undifferentiated Somatoform Disorder and it is a life long condition, it is very difficult to treat and the condition is very linked to physiological symptoms. My anxiety has decreased for certain symptoms like I.B.S, but not for others.My symptoms have not progressively gotten worse, I percieve they have, but in fact and reality they have not and have remained the same over the last 2 yrs. I have been anxious for over 7 years. I have and had lots of symptoms which have worried me. I eventually went to have a clinical test and scan with neurology, which were remarkable for their normality and yet I cannot understand why I feel these symptoms, now I know doctors get it wrong but I have been too many times for the same symptoms for them to not take notice. For me my next course will be to accept that this is anxiety if I can and that is not what I am doing, for years I have not accepted this and I need to go in for some good counselling. Sorry for the long post.
P.s Undifferentiated Somatoform Condition is linked in part to Hyponchondriasis and is a recognised mental condition. Refer to your G.P/clinician for information and to be diagnosed. There however are some very good sites where information can be gained.
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
What a brilliant post that is dooges, definitely worth a read.
xxx
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Re: A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Wow.. This is such a valuable thread... I wish I had found it a couple months ago... It describes me so close, I could have written it... A short search for my other posts on here, and as cinny8414 in my normal forum, http://bbs.stresscenter.com/eve would tell you that, you hit it right on the head.. In fact, so much so, that I am going to go ponder this a while..
God Bless
Hal