need advice please

Hi everyone i have only very recently ben diagnosed and was looking for a bit of advice. I seem to have constantly what i can only describe as an anxious feeling in my chest. Its not a panic attack but a fluttering feeling that is sometimes worse than others. Was wondering if anyone else has the same thing and if at all it is a sympton of MS.

I’ve not heard of this as being a common symptom of MS but maybe someone will come along and tell you otherwise.

Having said that, I think being anxious is very common amongst the newly diagnosed. This is all very new to you and, correct me if I’m wrong, you don’t quite know what to expect each day.

I can only talk from personal experience as I know nothing else about you other than that you are newly diagnosed but:-

I found that every time I had a recurrence of a symptom I was worried it was a relapse, or if I was stressed or hot that would bring on a relapse. The same if I caught a cold or a sickness bug etc etc. All of this against the backdrop of the rollercoaster of emotions that a new diagnosis causes. Of course, I also had to choose a DMD (the injectable drugs) very soon after diagnosis. For the first year this is what went round my head all the time. I also had a less than understandable line manager at work (although my employer as a whole was very good). We all read that stress in general is not very good for our health so that is another worry. Is it any wonder that I was anxious a lot?!

Eventually, I began to realise that I could cope with this disease in my own way. For me, stress doesn’t seem to make too much of a difference as long as I rest when I am fatigued. I have learned to listen to my body and accept what I can and can’t do. I took up a new hobby, yoga, which helped me learn to relax properly. You too will learn what works for you, given time. In the meantime, be kind to yourself, take time out when you need to, rant, cry, moan, whatever it takes to really come to terms with your diagnosis and hopefully the anxious feelings will pass.

If you find you are still feeling anxious then seek help from your GP or MS nurse. Many have found that proper counselling really helps and there is no shame in asking for it. This is a huge thing in your life and you are entitled to help with it, not just with the medical side of it but with the emotional side of it.

Hope this helps

Tracey x