Hancock back with a vengence from Anxietyzone - ALS fears made it full circle

[roseanxiety]

Weren't you the person from AZ going to the Mayo Clinic for testing? Did you go and what did they say?

[Hancock]

Weren't you the person from AZ going to the Mayo Clinic for testing? Did you go and what did they say?

If you're referring to me, no. I never went to mayo, never got a referral. Never even asked for one, I ain't spending that kind of money haha. I think you're referring to stroud13. He has some really severe anxiety related to als phobia and would post constantly. He thought he was doomed. Nothing we said helped him and he finally got a referral, although I wasn't around to find out if he actually ended up going or not because most of us were trying to talk him out of it (due to his very obvious hypochondria and the fact that he had a new born he should have been focusing on).

I've only ever been to one neuro over a year ago and that was after begging my gp. Got the same spiel most of the people here have gotten "everything looks normal, it's anxiety". Was fine for eight months after being put on meds then bam, back to the same old sh*t.

---------- Post added at 05:02 ---------- Previous post was at 03:51 ----------

Yeah, it's one of the worst two along with Venlafaxine. I've read before that these can bring those electric shock twinges so I'm wondering whether some of those could be getting bundled in with the ALS symptoms worries?

Hancock, all those compulsions you are doing are not only trapping you but are also spiking your anxiety. I'm an OCD sufferer and my compulsions dragged me deeper into the spiral. What can you do to resist them? What can you do to eliminate them? This means sitting with your thoughts and resisting urges but the more you do this, the more they will become less needed to you. It took me years to stop mine as there were so many different aspects (I'm not a HAer) but it really does help.

I'm sorry! I didn't even see your post amongst all the other ones. I wouldn't be surprised if it was still from the withdrawal. I know nerve symptoms are typical with Paxil withdrawal. I honestly wish it didn't work as well as it does or else I wouldn't be wanting to get back on it because I've heard that drug is h*** in the long run. The feelings in my right arm and leg are more like a hollow/numbness/weirdness. I can't really explain it. It just feels odd and not right. But I've been having little pain shocks through my body since coming off so that would make sense for the withdrawal.

Thank you for your input on your OCD battles. I suffer from the hand washing variant and also have some ridiculous rituals I've been unable to break for years. The health anxiety is just the cherry on top of an already annoying disorder. I know I just have to sit with the thoughts and avoid the compulsions but it's so difficult. I guess I just need to practice persistence and patience.

[roseanxiety]

Oh yes, it was Stroud. Sorry to mistake you for him. Wonder if he is around? I hope your worries go away soon. I am struggling with some high anxiety right now so I know how you feel.

[AntsyVee]

I don't think Stroud will be back. Everyone found out that he lied about being in the military and serving in Iraq. Also, he apparently had stuff on his facebook that contradicted the ALS symptoms he was claiming to have. Sad to say, but it looks like he was just a troll in need of attention.

[Hancock]

Nurse: it always sucks when your rational mind can't beat out the irrational one.

Vee: you serious?! I didn't know any of that. I know he was bugging people on the als forum as well, that's so unbelievabley disrespectful and horrid. He's going to get what's coming to him, that's for sure.

[darkside4k]

Hey Hancock,

Just wanted to let you know I'm going through something similar. My forearms in particular seem to get really fatigued. I'm also battling through the ALS fear.

Just letting you know we're in this together and seem to have similar symptoms. Feel free to PM anytime if you want to chat through things.

[Hancock]

Thanks darkside (your name is suitable for the situation/fear) likewise to you, feel free to message me any time if you need some help.

The ALS fear is a deep, dark, morbid rabbit hole to be in. And it's not easy to get out of. Advice for the moment: don't ever google als again. Seriously. I was fine for months and months and just recently slipped back into this hole because my hypo butt decided it was a good idea to do some further investigating "just cause"

[darkside4k]

I actually haven't Google'd much about it at all. From what you've read, is pain / fatigue really a common pre-cursor symptom of ALS? The few stories I have seen haven't really seemed to mention or emphasize pain or fatigue.

[Hancock]

No, it's not a precursor or symptom. Pain can come due to frozen joints and bed sores after full paralysis takes place, but pain is not a precursor symptom. Fatigue isn't a precursor symptom as it is usually accompanied by weakness. Like you would already be clinically weak and fatigued due to that if you had als. Fatigue can come from anxiety, muscle tension, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and plenty of other annoying but harmless things. I've read a lot of stories, trust me when I say a lot (like to the point where I've just sat and cried because a disease like this even exists) and no story has mentioned fatigue or pain as an initial symptom. One has mentioned tingling a few weeks prior to onset of clinical weakness, but that was an older woman in her 50s. Twitching prior to weakness can occur but rarely.

[AntsyVee]

Nurse: it always sucks when your rational mind can't beat out the irrational one.

Vee: you serious?! I didn't know any of that. I know he was bugging people on the als forum as well, that's so unbelievabley disrespectful and horrid. He's going to get what's coming to him, that's for sure.

Yeah, apparently he told many people his personal information such as full name, birth date and residence. It was easy for members of AZ and the ALS forum to look him up because he kept nothing personal. They found out he was lying about his service, and the picture he had of the marines was one he found on Google.

I do believe he has psychological illness, but not HA as we all thought. It seems he testified in a murder trial because he found the body of the murder victim. I think (and I'm not a psych) that he probably has a personality disorder.