Why are there so many MS worriers?

[Shazandra]

I'm a big MS worrier....I never in my life thought that one day I'd be worried over a relatively rare disease like MS and yet here I am worried about my tingling pinky (on & off), the fatigue, stiff neck and so forth. I wish I had never googled my symptoms as this is what propelled me into a life of health anxiety and MS worry.

I noticed that a lot of people come to this forum with MS worries and that's conforting, surely it isn't possible that we all have MS!!

For those MS worriers out there, what were your symptoms, what did the doctor say and what made you convinced it's MS.

[nomorepanic]

I noticed that a lot of people come to this forum with MS worries and that's conforting, surely it isn't possible that we all have MS!!

As yet no-one that has posted here about their worries has posted again to say they have it.

Every single case has been something else like anxiety.

[Shazandra]

That's good to know.......It's quite cruel how anxiety tends to mimic a neuro-nasty such as MS....

[Roadtorecovery]

Google - can be greT if u need help to fix something around the house, terrible for medical help. Most peole have the common sense to know what medical issues need medical advice, why we use google? Reassurance.

Rule of thumb, type any symptom into google, u will easily find something nasty, type the word anxiety after the symrom, you will find page after page mentioning that same horrible disease symptom also to be a symptom of anxiety.

Take care

[Adam22]

dr google is an awful doctor..

I found myself looking through pages and pages of stuff only to find that all my symptoms are a result of my anxiety..

even if you type in pains in hands.. horrible diseases pop up...

its not a good idea to use it for medical reassurance .. the best person for that is your g.p

[stressbunny]

MS was one of my favourites when I was bad earlier in the year, and I thought about your question a lot. I think that it is simply because they both affect the nerves and nervous system.

With anxiety, you get the temporary effects such as numbness, pins and needles, dizziness etc and MS damage obviously has the same effect on the body but for very different reasons, and in a more devastating way.

The only way out for me at the time was to accept the symptoms and notice how they dissipated when I stopped focussing on MS...hence anxiety, not MS...you can't think yourself better from MS - but you can from anxiety!

I have had a little wobble lately, but am now confident it is not MS. If you check through some of my posts earlier in the year, I was CONVINCED it was MS..and I had so many symptoms (well in my mind maybe?)

[Shazandra]

I'm all confused as to how MS presents itself....I was told that symptoms are rarely vague and that they usually prompt people to seek medical attention right away and yet when I google (I know, not smart!!) it says that MS signs at the beginning are subtle and this is what worries me.....

This is what I've had:

Warm patch on thigh and foot (hot water bottle feeling, on and off) that lasted 2 weeks...

I googled this and freaked out and proceeded to have the following symptoms....

Tingling chin

Shakiness

Eyelid twitch

Chin twitch

Major fatigue

And finally tingling in my pinky (this is what's currently bothering me!!)

My doc says it's 99% not MS and yet I still dwell on the 1%!! I have a neuro appointment in November as I insisted to see one and I'm so nervous he'll find something.

Stressbunny, when I'm totally relaxed and about to go to sleep I have zero symptoms so that's a good sign I guess...........My tingling pinky is on and off throughout the day, when I'm distracted I don't notice it as much.....

[stressbunny]

don't dwell on the symptoms...there is such a big crossover with anx...instead focus on the fact that they are better when you are distracted. If that is the case...it MUST be anx and not something more sinister xx

[chai]

shazandra yesterday i also started getting tingling in my left hand and my pinky and its neighbour in particular !!
but yes.. lets try focus on the fact that when we are distracted it goes away.

[Jeanine25]

I have also noticed the tingling goes away when i'm distracted. if i think about it, it comes back full force.