A Thread for Newcomers Worried about Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

[sixpack]

Hi I am a newcomer and the first post made me cry (well actually it made me laugh, then burst into tears) 

I have been ridiculously worried about having MS ever since I started to feel a buzzing/vibrating sensation in my leg. I didnt think anything much of it, until I mentioned to my friend whom has ms...and she said, offhandedly, oooh that was my first symptom of MS.

I happen to have an uncle whom died at the age of 32 whom had progressive MS, five years from diagnosis to death . Of course I couldnt help myself and started googling and suddenly I had all  the 'early signs'.

I went straight to the doctor BUT, I didnt mention MS. I just said about the sensation etc and he almost immediately said Anxiety. I have recently been through a very stressful time and he said the symptoms were probably that. He sent me for full bloods just to be on the safe side which I went for yesterday.

Since then I have been googling and am becoming more sure, that actually...the only symptom I had was vibration in the leg. The rest has stemmed from that, the tingling in my throat and tight feeling, the nausea, the poor concentration, the feeling of being totally shattered come the afternoons...

I now suspect that he is possibly right (or is it actually that I will accept anything else other than ms?!) and it is anxiety...even when I think I am not anxious. I have bookmarked this post so I can read when I am feeling so frightened again.

Thanks.

honey I"ve had vibrating legs/feet/hand/arm, at different points in my life.  It has been from anxiety.

[anxiousmumof4]

Thank you, I have been so so scared it might be MS, not for me as such, but for my wee ones. Its so reassuring to hear that others have had the same and its anxiety. xxx

[Islander]

Thank you for this wonderful post. It explains things so clearly. I can picture myself in a lot that you say. I keep saying to myself, "this is just anxiety". Most times these physical manifestations simply go away. Then, I get other, different, ones... I say the same thing to myself. It's a neverending process. I used to run to the doctor constantly, now I say, "wait... do I really have to?" In most instances the answer is, "NO, I don't".

Thanks again for a great article!

[isle667]

What a wonderful post, i loved every sentence of it, i am going through exactly what you mentioned. It has calmed me down a bit, and i am going to use it when i am feeling my anxiety, thanks so much

-Sean

[Loren7979]

This thread is for me.  I'm scared.  This gives me hope.  4 GP's, a psychiatrist, and a neurologist feel there isn't even a reason to give me an MRI because they are so sure I don't have MS.  I have always had depression and anxiety.  This particular time in my life (summer) was one of the most stressful ones since my father's last one in 2004.  He was a one of the Vietnam vets that got ALS (non familial) from chemical exposure (or whatever was going on over there.  Who knows?)  I had a major car accident in which I miraculously survived nearly unscathed and a divorce all withing two years.  I had been exercising excessively, working an intense labor job, and on a poor diet due to income and financial issues.  They all say GAD.  But since I have GAD I have a hard time accepting my physical symptoms could be caused by anxiety.

[JayKay]

*deep breath* Well. This is my first post. The OP made me feel better for the first time in months.

I found this via Google. (Guess sometimes it's a good thing.  )

I'm just starting to accept that I have a history of health anxiety. I'm the third generation to be this way in my family, too. Good thing Grandma didn't have Google and Dad doesn't use it much.

About six months ago, I had an odd brain fog ... couldn't concentrate well, just felt ... woozy. Had my regular GP appointment about that time, so I told him about it. He didn't seem concerned. Fortunately it went away in a few weeks. I stopped worrying. (About that, anyway ...)

Almost two months ago, the brain fog started up again. It stopped and started. It freaked me out. I felt like I couldn't concentrate at work ... at home. Whenever. I worried, I obsessed. I called the doc, who had me come in for a blood pressure test (normal) and sent me home. That night, I had a full-bore panic attack, which I hadn't had in a decade, with racing heartbeat and all. Not fun.

The next day, I went to an immediate care sort of place, which did basic bloodwork and an EKG. They said everything was fine, that I had some fluid behind my left ear, that was probably it. I didn't believe them, but what was I going to do?

The condition continued. I had nausea occasionally too. (Off and on. It'd be gone a day or two, I'd rejoice, then it'd come back.) My doc told me to wait and see, that he was busy, call if it was still there in a week or two. Tingling started in my extremities, hand, feet, arms, legs, chin ... I Googled. I landed on MS. I FREAKED.

I was in the emergency room not long after that. I told the doc my concerns. They did bloodwork, another EKG, a CT scan, neck xrays ... then told me I was fine and it was anxiety, but to call my doc and maybe see a neuro to "set my mind as ease." Yeah, that didn't help. I was sure there was something they weren't telling me. (They sent me home with Xanax, which doesn't seem to help. Then again, I don't take it very often.)

I made an appointment with the neuro the next day. Since I was at work, my husband called the doc with a small bit of info he'd asked for and got the receptionist ... who said "I bet JayKay feels better now! This will really set her mind at ease!" He told her, uh, the opposite. She was silent, then got the doc .. .who told my husband that I did NOT have MS, they were just doing this to help set my mind at ease, that I didn't have all sorts of signs and that despite what I'd read on the Internet, he'd seen enough to know this. (He has full permission to discuss this with my husband, if you're wondering.)

So now ... the symptoms continue. They rarely go away and are seriously affecting my life. I'm seeing the neuro next week. I don't know what to think.

Everything I've read says the tests they've done so far aren't nearly enough to rule out MS. I have so many symptoms. But it could really be anxiety? Seriously??

Thanks for giving me hope.

[Tamster]

This really helps me... every time I have a new "tingle" I try to read this instead of going to Google.  I have all of the same symptoms listed here and my life has really sucked for a while.  Just so focused on the "what ifs".  This helps- thank you for sharing

[novemberrain103]

Awesome. Thanks for posting this!

[BlackParasol]

Amazing post, you got me down exactly (except for some chest pain, lol). In all seriousness, this really did help me a lot, thank you so much. I intend to reread this thread anytime I'm feeling freaked out about any disorder or problem (especially heart and chest-related problems - I freak out about those the most). Thank you so, so much.

[RandyR]

Wow that was a GREAT wright up. Thank you so much for that. (Insert handhake)

[brenda00]

Hello everyone  , I'm new to this forum and I am so happy I found it. I want to say thank you to Pan for posting this, it has really helped calm me down and describes almost exactly how I’ve been feeling.

My situation started recently after having eye twitches. My lower right eye lid started twitching about two months ago. At first I thought it was a lack of sleep since I have two small babies and they constantly wake me during the night. After the annoying eye twitch wouldn't go away, my husband decided to help me through the nights so I can get more sleep and see if it helped my eye. More sleep didn't help it, and neither cutting caffeine. I then decided to see my GP who told me that this is most likely blepharospasm, it is benign and will most likely go away. I then decided to Google the words "eye twitch" and then saw all the Google results that came up with MS, after reading about symptoms of MS that's when I started freaking out and become excessively worried.  After that I became obsessed with MS and couldn't think of anything else. I wake in the middle of the night and that is the first thought that pops in my head. I then started feeling things in my body that I never really felt before or really thought about. My left shoulder started hurting for two days, my right arm was feeling weak, then I went to pick up something and couldn't because my right thumb started twitching (that only happened once),  I was also feeling tingling down my cheek where my eye was twitching that is when I really started losing it. I freaked out and started crying uncontrollably because I was convinced that there was something seriously wrong with me. I then got depressed,  but wouldn't tell my husband anything about my excessive worries until last week I was driving him to work early in the morning and all of a sudden just couldn't control myself and started crying uncontrollably, then he started freaking out because he didn't know what was wrong with me. 

After that I went to see my GP again, I explained to him about my eye again and the tingles, my arm and thumb, he immediately told me that it is stress and to calm down but I insisted and he send me for a full blood work panel (came back completely normal), for a CT scan of the head (waiting to get those results by Tuesday),eye doctor and neurologist (will see them soon).

I am a little calmer now but still getting new and weirder sensations such as, legs and arm muscles occasionally twitching, top part of my hands and arms tingling. Was walking around the supermarket the other day and felt the inner side of my left thigh go numb for a few seconds.  My eye twitch has almost stopped. However, now as I'm typing all this I am freaking out again thinking "what if I'm looking for other explanations such as anxiety and am just in denial of what I'm really feeling and what is really wrong with me???" . However, what I have noticed is that when I manage to immerse myself doing things and forget all about my health I don't feel a thing, not a twitch or a tingle. When I remember, is when I think "hey, all this time I was busy I didn't feel a thing", but then just as I remember and concentrate on my body that's when I start feeling things all over again. Sometimes I even question myself, if I'm really feeling these sensations or am I imagining them. Oh geesh, I think I'm driving myself nuts.  Sorry for rambling on and on, I just wanted to get this out.

[TarheelBabe1980]

Yup, MS seems to be my "favorite" topic right now.  I have had episodic dizziness since last July.  Usually, it feels like I'm on a boat that's slightly tilting, walking down a moving train, etc...nothing too severe.  Doesn't happen everyday; in fact, I think I have managed to make it a few weeks without a single dizzy spell on several occasions since July! At first I thought it was my sinuses, but after taking Claritin a few weeks, the dizziness got worse, even though the allergies cleared up. Also, I took a Dramamine once and nearly vomited! Never again! The only 2 things that make the biggest difference are Ativan and alcohol (NEVER at the same time of course!).  Two peculiar things about my dizziness: 1) I notice it much less frequently when i am at home   2) My balance is not the slightest bit affected by this! I have balanced on one leg during the worst dizzy spells, performed the Tandem Romberg successfully, do Yoga postures just fine.
My MS anxiety got worse last month however, when the tingling started.  It's bilateral, affects any part of my body, very localized, and lasts seconds to minutes. This is also not a daily occurrence.  Warm baths and exercise helps this.  I saw my GP about all these symptoms last week, and he said the dizzies is probably BPPV, and the tingling is anxiety. I do NOT want to take another anti depressant because I always have such a fit w/ side efx.  I just take Ativan a few times a week, and I started seeing a talk therapist recently, so that will just have to suffice.
Other imaginary illnesses I've suffered through include: Type 1 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, brain tumour, breast cancer (well, maybe that doesn't count because I did have a breast lump once which was proven benign, hence, the anxiety stopped), ovarian cancer, HIV, herpes, pregnancy scares, I'm sure I've forgotten some...

[AnxiousRocco]

I can totally relate to this thread. Although I don't worry too much about MS it has crossed my mind and it doesn't help that the local buses around here post signs about it. LOL.  Just what I need to be reminded of what "I might have"

I am trying to think like this.  We might have any disease, and there are hundreds and thousands of them, almost too many to worry about in one month...so just live...and don't worry - think abouot something else...like an earthquake, that helps me try to control my Health related anxiety

[Emm]

Hi

Pan you are an absolute genius with this post!!!
You are the reason i ill be sleeping comfortably tonight and i thank you, i actually sat
back and had a bit of a giggle as your post described me to a T.
I mad my husband read your post and his response was
' omg there's more of you out there' lol

Best regards,
Emm 

[bluesmike]

Thanks for all of this. I never had MS fears until recently. My bouts of numbness, twitches, etc. have sent me over the edge. I will see my doctor, but your posts, particularly from actual MS sufferers, have calmed me that even if the diagnosis is positive, I will live with it and deal with it. I had a younger sister, for whom I cared for and took to all her oncology appointments, die of breast cancer nearly 3 years ago. Then I had my father die of cancer 4 months later. I saw their calmness and courage in the face of their illness and they give me strength to deal with whatever comes my way. As one post says, we can't predict the future. We have to live today and be confident that we can deal with whatever life deals us. Thanks again.

Mike

[bleed_poetry]

Thank you so much for this post!  Worrying about MS is exactly what brought me to this site.  I've had numbness in my arms and a "weird" feeling in my leg for over a month now, and the doctor's say it is most likely stemming from a disc problem in my neck and lower back.  However, I've spent many a sleepless night convinced it was really MS.  This post made me feel so much better.  I don't feel so insane and alone in my worry.

[serenade]

Hi everybody! I'm new to this forum. I've read this thread and it was really helpful - thank you!!!
I'm currently thinking whether I should go to a psychiatrist or back to some new neurologist (that would be a 4th visit).
I'm 31, a medical student (doing clinical rotations and having medicalstudentitis ) and a mother to a wonderful boy.
So my story: A week ago my right foot felt somehow strange (slightly) and 1 or half degree colder than the other. You know what I did - I googled it. And looked up in every medical book I have - and I've got plenty. And I had a panic attack, lots of tears and was cut from all everyday activities - even didn't clean my teeth.
I went to a surgeon, neurologist and trauma that day and they all checked my reflexes (which were ok) said it was a minor trauma - I ice skate a lot and lace my right skate really tight, so it hurt. And that day as i woke up I got to the floor and performed a 30 min abs and weight workout and my lumbar region was in real pain.
Ok. A doctor in trauma suggested I had a massage and i agreed. So I went to massage, but the guy decided to act as a  chiropractor and I really cried as he squeezed me. all my body, I thought all my bones will be smashed. And that evening my left little finger had a slight strange sensation... My God!!! I stopped eating, got diarrhea, had no sleep as I was mourning all the night, crying and my teeth clenched, holding tightly to my husband. I couldn't stop crying. The weekend came and I was lying in my bed, staring at one point on the wall and panic wave was coming every 5 minutes. I called everyone. And got very annoying. My friend (who is an acupuncture professional) told me I was an awful hypochondriac and it was medical student disease.
I went on with my Internet and medical book reading... And next day I felt my left cheek... It just was stiffer, no pain, no numbness... Mamma mia... I called my friend who works in the ER. I cancelled the party with my relativies and Sunday morning went to see a neurosurgeon.
He again checked all the reflexes. I was a maniac then. He said he didn't like pain in my lumbar region (which was going on for 10 years, I guess) and told me to have a MRI.  When I got to MRI I said I wanted brain MRI as well. WEll, that's your money, lady.... My brain MRI was perfect, my brain is pure and wonderful!!! I have scoliosis and on the edge of disc protrusion in the lumbar region. The spine is really s-shaped there. SO they told me to take anxiolytics and go away:)) The neurosurgeon said he didn't want MRI of the cervical part since the feeling in the little finger was very mild, no neurologic defect so on.
So... Yesterday I went to a neurologist for the third time (why???). She said: you see, you have no problem with your brain - thanks GOD!!! These all are nerve root problems and your anxiety. I definetely felt better. I bought the pills. And made myself to go to the park with my kid and dog.
and today... Guess what? As I got an hour of rest I got my laptop and went on searching forums... And a muscle twitched in my buttock... And then the idea struck me: I didn't have cervical MRI - and that little finger sensation!!! OMG! Really, I have all these self-destructing thoughts now as I'm not coping with myself.
I constanly live in anxiety and stress, I had a depression with panic attacks about 9 years ago and took a variety of antidepressants.
I want out of it. I'm very active but this activity is killing me because I have no rest. When I have rest I have bad thoughts.
So, this is my 'confession'. :) Am I going nuts?     Do I need to see a psychiatrist or have another MRI? Thank you all for this forum, God bless you!!!

[SS91]

HA for about 2 years now, but I (and the others around me) know I'm WAY better than I was at the start.  I've had all the fears, and ALL the symptoms.  They've ranged from Heart problems, Cancer, AIDS, and now I'm having abit or the neuro nasties.

I've had pins and needles on face a few monthes ago - that went away after a week or two, now part of my arm is twitching for two days and it's annoying.  I don't have any other symptoms:  I'm actually getting stronger (Gym), I'm 22 (Way too young), and so forth.  I googled MS, and ALS the latter scarying me the most.  It's hard to reassure yourself when there is something so glaryingly obivous, but I've beaten all of them before and il beat this one.

Thanks for posting this is made me feel better, and it seemed to make others better too  .

[Breathless]

I'm going through a tough time right now and am convinced I have MS or ALS cause I'm having a lot of symptoms. Good to always come back here instead of run to the DR or ER.

[Gino]

Hi All,
I am new for this forum, so my apologies if this is not the proper place to post it.
That's simply great to have you all in one place that meaning may be God will hear us all at once and let us some relieve...
I had a history of around 2 yr+, where I had a lot of working hr's with computer and plus had a exceeded booze dose in one day. Day after while I was on my way back home - felt kind of dizzy in subway.When I came home - started to feel kind of electrical waves comes from the head toward the toes - that left me after about 30min and then I thought I am finally good. However next morning I started to feel dizzy again. So here is how my fear is started. I thought I got brain tumour as I also had cluster headache. While waiting for CT - I mentally wrote my will. Then CT returned all god - thanks God. After that I still felt kind of tired, spaced out, feeling as I got ring on my head which is pressing, pain in most of my joints and muscles, vibration feeling in my body comes and goes, and not dizziness (I did not have spinning around me), but kind of feeling that is not my head. Like to look to something - you should make an effort to get it. Also kind of feeling that i am going to lose it and faint right now...I also had vision issue as like coming to the store feel like all dimmed, though I still could see well.Sometimes blurry vision. Then I made a MISTAKE - went to the Internet as I am network engineer and have data access whenever I need. I diagnosed myself with MS (my friend had tests at the same time and he actually introduced me to MS...)
Then I started to get twitches - toes, legs, pinky fingers. That was a nightmare... As well as tingling all over the body. I went to the doctor and explained it - she sent me to head MRI, which returned normal - thanks to God again. In the meantime I developed kind of body vibration that comes and goes. I also think I have an internal tremor, though that is not visible.
So not to go further - I've got all complex of those issues that I could not even imagine before.
Visited Family doctor, Neurologist, Ophtalmologyst, Specialist tested my years and ran some neurological tests, ran low back MRI - all returned good - thanks God, and they all say that this seems as an anxiety. However that is kind of hard to explain to myself that this condition can last all the time every day...
Trying Gim, acupuncture, had Effexor(Venaflaxine - could not stand it and thought I am dying so had to wean off), Cipralex(lexapro) not a big change. Tested my sleep and they found minor sleep apnoea. Every time I have even small symptoms like all above - that throwing me back to the thoughts of the bad things, as MS. Then I am climbing up and feel better a bit - then it's happens again.
Does someone can relate to all above and just advice how he/she succeeded to stop thinking about MS?
Doctor says that the best to go to Psychiatrist that will explain it all to me. I have a great wife, 2 amazing kids and not exactly depressed, or not at all. But this thing actually slowly ruin my life...
Thanks everyone for support.

[anxiousbecka]

Hey everyone! I have been down the MS road this past summer. It all started with tingling. I went to the doctor she said no problem just muscle spasms and normal tension. I should have moved on but no as soon as I left the office I got in my car and started googling on my iphone tingling fingers. That started the whole scary tiring MS trip.

I went and had all the horrible tests you can have, neurologist, EMG, MRI the works. Terrible! I was so absolutely sure I had MS, not a doubt in the world! I even thought about having to move my bed to the first floor since I probably wouldn't be able to do stairs anymore. I thought about quitting my job. Just saw myself in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. Well finally after all those tests, guess what, no MS!

Relieved, I thought my life would finally be normal. I could enjoy it. Well that lasted about 1 week until a new symptom and new disease popped into my mind. Googling started again and testing started again. I am drained both financially and mentally. My husband is at the end of his rope with me. I just found this forum and it is great to talk with people who understand. There will never be enough tests or visits to tell you that you are OK. Believe me I know.

The biggest hurdle for me right now is knowing when symptoms are real or something I made up from searching. I am determined to fight this anxiety. It is so so sad and awful!

[Allochka]

Hello,
I have a terrible time struggling with MS fear right now. The worst part of it is that my brain MRI shiwed some spots, and one of them seemed slightly suspicious to MS specialist. So I have to do another MRI in 3 months...
Finding this forum helped me tremendously, I already understand that all my symptoms can be caused by anxiety, and spots on MRI could be benign and just a coincidence. I hope I'll be able to stay more or less calm during these 3 months

[tarabama]

I just joined this site today and this is exactly what I needed to read. I have been dealing with a MS scare for about a month now and it is consuming my life. I have an appointment with the Neuro on Monday and I am praying that everything will be ok but till then.....I realize I have to live my life. It's a lot easier said than done when you have panic disorder like myself but I believe deep down inside I can do it and thanks to your post, I feel as if it can happen a lot sooner than expected! So, thank you!

[candycorn]

I have been dealing with an MS scare for about a month. No anxiety history previously, though it runs in my family. Started in september when I had some numbness in the skin of my shins. Didn't think much of it because I'd been sitting on the floor in front of a computer all summer (studying for the MCAT, of all things). Then woke up one morning with vertigo, which lasted 30 seconds. Googled my symptoms and the rest is history. Started to develop symptoms as I googled them (pins and needles, burning, tingles, weird pains, electric shocks, twitches, numbness in face--you name it!) and it's pretty much been hell ever since. Lost 6 pounds in a month of stress. Started checking for symptoms too--bending my neck to check for electrical shocks (hurt my back in the process, which convinced me I had MS all the more), winking my eyes to check for optic neuritis, push ups for weakness, etc etc. This went on for a MONTH before I finally got the nerve to see my GP.

Well, guess what, he was sure it was anxiety, and said we can be genetically predisposed to anxiety, but that sometimes it doesn't act up until there's a trigger (physical, emotional or whatever). And the symptoms ARE worse when I'm panicking! Of course, I am still stuck on the "what if" and have a neuro appointment next month. Husband thinks I am crazy. Doc gave me an SSRI for my anxiety symptoms, which of course I am afraid to take after googling the side effects!

Thank you, Pan, sixpack and everyone else. Reading this has helped me maintain what's left of my sanity. I am still afraid of having MS, but have been functioning better since hearing your stories and trying to trust my doctor.

[stephanie says]

I`m going through hell also, it´s been four months now, been through a lot of tests... (MRI, etc) nobody finds anything strange but i have vertigo, feel off balance, and now got the tingling thing after i read it somewhere over the internet as a symptom of MS.
I´m going to a psychiatrist today, and on thursday to an oto=neurologist for the second time...
SCARED.