Early days and anxiety

Hi lovely people.

Im at the beginning of what I read is probably going to be a long road ahead to finding out what is going on with me and my anxiety is already taking over!! I actually hope it is anxiety!

Long story cut short, an MRI for what my Doc thought was a trapped nerve is actually inflammation in my cervical spinal column and Doc has mentioned MS. Ive seen a Neurosurgeon, thought I was seeing a Neurologist and he wont tell me anything other than I have plenty of spinal fluid around the lesion area and now need to see a Neurologist. He did do some balance and reflex tests and says they were ok.

So why am I here, I think I just need a bit of reassurance re the symptoms Ive had since getting the MRI results, oh and consulting the dreaded Google I have had anxiety in the past, I know it can make you think allsorts, I am also PeriMenopausal and am trying to convince myself that all this at the moment is anxiety or hormones.

I have had weak tired knees on and off for years but now my legs are constantly tingling, it could be my feet, my knees, all my legs, one leg, both, my hand, tongue, its so random but its pretty much constant. Ive been lightheaded, had lead legs, felt unbalanced, basically all the symptoms Dr Google says. Im usually a rational type of person but I cant seem to rationalise with all this!

Please tell me this can be my mind working overtime. Can anxiety really make me feel like this? I appreciate I need further tests and its going to take time but in the mean time despite feeling surprisingly calm, my body has gone mad!

I know how you feel, a similar thing is happening to me. I have seen a neurologist he has asked me for a lumber puncher (which is on the 24th) he has said it is like the demyelinating disease all mine started with double vision. It’s hard to wait because you want to know what’s happening to your body but you are frightened to know what’s happening and how you can cope or not I have to wait for the results of the lp wait for the MRI then the last thing is wait until April when I will see the neurologist. I hope it all goes well for you.

Thanks for replying Kayrb.

I just dont know if my minds playing tricks with me now MS has been mentioned as I dont remember being like this before it was! Maybe I was but just didnt dwell on it Ive always blamed everything and anything on anxiety and more recently Menopause

Im waiting for my Neurologist appointment now and further MRI’s Im told. Im not sure why I seen a Neurosurgeon first but do expect a long wait.

I wish you the very best with your LP and hope everything works out well for you.

Hi Scared111

I am Dee, I am nearly 45 and I have very similar symptoms to you…tingling on and off all day in different parts but mainly on left side and also a tremor and bunch of other weird symptoms. I also passed the GP’s reflex tests and was asked if I was just stressed?. I have never been offered a referral but do intend to go back to the doctors if this carries on…if I keep going surely they will refer me at some point? I just need an MRI because I think that would reassure me if it was clear. I know stress and anxiety can cause weird symptoms but I just feel like it’s not just stress this time. Perhaps I have a disc or back problem…this is my latest consideration.

I hope you find answers soon, worrying all the the time no matter how hard you try not to is no fun and makes life hard.

x

Hi there,

Just wanted to say you’re not alone. I’m also not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me. Did my symptoms really get worse after MS was mentioned? I’m sure I felt fine just before that phone call. How much can I really trust what my body is saying? So hard being in limbo land. I hope limbo land doesn’t last long for you.

I’ve just had my second MRI and going to get results the 1st March. First MRI in June 2018 showed 3 brain lesions, so just waiting to see if this one shows more. It’s a long and frustrating waiting game.

Symptoms similar to yours, tingling, numbness, pins and needles, fatigue…oh the fatigue, bleugh, more recently headaches and numbness round eye sockets and cheek bones. Weird.

Not really any pearls of wisdom I can give other than I know what it’s like. Take care. Good luck with the next appointment.

Froglet. x

Dizzydee.

I would ask if any of your family has noticed anything unusual about you, my sister noticed my tremors and the way I spoke that I kept forgetting things or words, then you should write it all down also you need a lumber puncher and MRI they have to do a second MRI because they have to compare them both. I have legions on my MRI and I am waiting for another one very soon this month.

I thought that nobody knew but I was wrong so wrong. Kay

Hi Dee,

Thanks so much for replying. Its no fun is it

I was blissfully unaware of anything until I got the results of my MRI and had just put any symptoms down to anxiety or Menopause, Im 47 btw and have sadly also been labelled with ‘oh its stress or anxiety’ if Ive ever mentioned things over the years at the Docs.

I dont know enough about any of this to know whether the lesion on my spine could have been there years or not, so I just feel scared and in limbo at the mo, its awful. I know anxiety can play tricks on your mind and I just keep thinking to myself that I didnt really notice these things until I was given the results, so it has to be anxiety or the dreaded hormones?? but I cant get away from the positive MRI result which is why Im scared.

I really hope everything works out for you and you get some answers too. Try not to worry, hard I know but anxiety and hormonal changes can give you similar symptoms. Have a look at the 34 symptoms of Menopause, theres actually lots more, but it may make you feel a little more at ease and if your not happy go back to your Docs.

Take care, good luck and thank you xx

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Hi Kayrb

My family have not mentioned anything but I constantly stumble with my words and my typing is terrible at times on texts or messengers…I’m sure they must notice that but probably just don’t say. My partner can see my tremors…my hand/arm really shakes when it gets going. The tremor is present after exercise, after carrying semi heavy bags and if I stretch my hands above my head right up (the doctor said this happens to everyone but this is new for me)

I shall go back if all these things continue or get worse. I have had all the basic blood tests and my b12, sugars, thyroid and d3 etc is all perfectly normal.

Thank you for commenting

Hi Scared111

I had an MRI 10 years ago when I was diagnosed with chronic migraine (following severe and persistent dizziness and off balance) I was told that it showed an ‘arachnoid cyst’ but it was incidental and I was probably born with it. I’m not sure if I am happy with that and I just want another MRI to see if anything’s changed I suppose. If I could operate an MRI machine I would do it myself! Very frustrating, I just want to know what is going on.

I’m not sure is back problems, disc problems, trapped nerves etc would present with these symptoms or not?

Hope you are not feeling too bad today x

Thanks for replying Froglet,

I dont know whether I am just clutching at straws thinking its anxiety or hormones causing these symptoms but if I did have these before they definately werent as intense as they are now. This tingling is constant, it moves around but is mainly in my legs, I get times when I feel lightheaded. If Im totally honest then I have had various things happen over the years but they have passed quickly and Ive not really given them a thought again. I think Im scared of whats going to happen next, I can be driving along, doing the shopping etc, then I feel a bit panicky, worrying something is going to happen. I expect its normal to fear the unknown.

I keep reminding myself that since the MRI I have been on holiday, celebrated Xmas etc etc and didnt expect anything other than a trapped nerve, the numbness in my arm went, my shoulder improved (I had injured my shoulder in a work accident and thought all this was down to that) and it wasnt until the Docs called me in regarding the results that I started to worry.

So many unanswered concerns, my main one is can demyleination be caused by something else? Dr google seems to constantly say MS, I have to stop googling!! Im still waiting to hear when my appointment is and hope I dont drive myself mad in the meantime!

Really hope you get good results and you can put this behind you.

Take care

Louise x