Health Anxiety: Seeking ER Help

[.Runnable.2]

I'm a 29 year old female mother of two and I have a pretty bad case of health anxiety. Back this fall, I was sure I had breast cancer because of a lump I found. When it turned out the lump was a lymph node that has never gone down, I was sure I had lymphoma. I freaked myself out so badly about lymphoma that I ended up going to the ER one morning demanding a chest xray. Don't have lymphoma. Was sure they missed something. Ended up going on anxiety medication (effexor) because I was having physical symptoms of my anxiety (mostly the left side of my face was numb, which had happened years ago when I had a bad bout of anxiety so I knew it was from that). Read an article on anxietyzone one night about physical symptoms that was geared towards people fearing ALS, didn't think anything of it at the time other than "Thank goodness I don't twitch!" Three days later I started twitching like crazy all over my body. I assumed it was from the effexor, as did my doctor, so he switched me to celexa. Twitching continued. This was back in January. At the time, my doctor (general physician) did a neurological exam because of course, I was afraid I had ALS or MS or something. He said he saw absolutely nothing that pointed to any sort of neurological problem (he checked reflexes, strength, looked in my eyes, etc.) The twitching has switched up a bit since then. It's no longer constant like it was back then, but it seems to have settled in my left thumb (like between the thumb and the wrist). I'll still get pop over ones all over though too. Little twitch in the arch of my foot, one in my buttocks, one on my right hand, then just left thumb for awhile. I also have some crampy feelings in my hands or feet every now and then but I don't think they're actual cramps, like I can still move my hand and the muscle isn't hard, it just feels crampy. I have my husband do strength tests/neuro exam on me every once in awhile (we found a site for medical students that showed how) and I have no clinical weakness. I don't feel any weaker, although my left handin the spot that twitches seems smaller, but my husband says that's debatable and I am right handed, so that would make sense. I can still do 150 push ups (sets up 50) and have no problem with everyday activities.So my question....do I need to see my doctor again about the twitching since it's continued? Do I need to request a referral to a neurologist and ask for an EMG? Or can I assume, based on my age/gender, the history of anxiety, the fact that I was experiencing other physical effects of anxiety at the exact same time (and am still anxious despite being on the meds) that this is just BFS and /or Anxiety? I want to be thorough and proactive in my healthcare, but I also know that the few weeks leading up to the neuro appt. my anxiety would be off the charts. I don't want to add any additional drama into my life if it's obvious that this is benign. Thanks for your help!!!

 

[Wankster28]

I went through a similar period over the past month. As a fellow anxiety sufferer, let me tell you this now: If you want to go to the Neuro to make sure you're okay, or "put this behind you", it won't work. Google induced hypochondria is not easy to get rid of. Several members here (including myself) would advise you that this is not how ALS starts, you're completely find, and you should go to the Neuro for your own peace of mind. But, and this is a huge but, don't let it trap you in the anxiety cycle.If you'd like to hear my full story, read on, else, just skip to the last paragraph.A month ago I started noticing some stiffness in my hands. They felt clumsy, uncoordinated, harder to control, and not as precise as before. Everyone is familiar with the next phase.. Browser > Google > ALS/MS > Oh F***. Ofcourse, I had gone through a very mild version of the same fear 2 years ago when the twitching started, but somehow I managed to put that fear to bed (thanks in great part to this website). But this time, it was just to overwhelming. Every single symptom I searched for, ALS was somewhere on the first page. In my panic I scheduled an appointment with the Neuro at a hospital (luckily my insurance allows specialist visits without a referral). However, the appointment was scheduled a month away. I couldn't wait that long, so just to preserve my sanity, I went to a GP a week later. He did some basic Neurological exam and said "I see no reason to refer you to a Neuro. I have seen some people in my career (he's quite old) who went on to develop scary diseases, but a lot more people like you. Quite frankly, I just don't see it in you". I told him that I already had scheduled an appointment with a Neuro. After being amazed at how I got through without a referral, he said "You can go to them if you like, for your own peace of mind. But I'm afraid they will do a lot of tests (for which you might have to wait anxiously for another couple of weeks), and arrive at the same conclusion."For a few days I considered cancelling the appointment. But as you may already know, that's not how our minds work. "But what if??? He's not a Neuro after all.. Maybe he missed something". Queue in the second (and much longer) anxiety spike. An agonizing three weeks later, I went to the Neuro. She was very patient and listened to me, and then asked me several clarifying questions. She then proceeded with the exam. Sure enough, nothing abnormal, all reflexes as they should be and all muscles have good strength. I didn't demand for any tests to see if she herself would sign me up for any, just to be sure. She didn't. "There may be several things wrong physiologically, stress, anxiety etc., but from a Neurological standpoint, you are perfectly healthy. From the clinical exam, I don't see any reason that the symptoms you are experiencing could be due to a neurological problem. Could there be a very mild case of Carpal Tunnel developing due to repetitive workplace injury (I am a software dev.), that we wouldn't be able to see in a clinical? Unlikely, but possible. Is there any reason to put you through a nerve conduction test just for that? No." I was told everything was fine. She didn't even mention an EMG. I exited the hospital quite relieved and reassured. "I won't do any more strength tests!" I said to myself. Guess what I was doing just 4 hours later. It doesn't take long for doubt to set it in, then anxiety, then strength tests and stress, then more symptoms, then more doubt and then a subsequent visit to the Neuro.Again, my apologies for the long post. I personally don't think that you're suffering from anything nasty. Besides, the odds are in your side. My recommendation would be to trust your GP, and try to break this cycle (if you find yourself in it) with the help of a counselor or psychiatrist.

 

[Gracer]

Hi, dear,somwhere on this site therer was a link to a retrospective study in which people with known ALS (some of them already died of it) and people with just twitches were compared on the basis of some major ALS clinic history data. The purpose was to see if those of rare ALS cohort who have twitches before weakness and those who have just twitches and never develop ALS later have any differences in their medical histories.And you know what?They do have.ALL people refered to that clinic for twitches only have had anxiety history before developing twitches. ALS cohort members reported anxiety/depression only AFTER having been diagnosed (wghcih is natural of course). So the resume was that previous anxiety disorder history is a good indicator for doctros to be almost sure that patient's twitching is benign case.I think more wise in your case would be to refer to a specialist for anxiety disorder treatment, because from your story it is quite clear that it is your true and old enemy, and having two children never makes a life of anxious person easier but vice versa adds more pressure. I am GAD since 6 years old, and I can tell you 100+% sure that the sooner you decide to work against anxiety (not only meds but a psychologist to find a roots and decide a good plan to defeat them), the more beneficial it would be not only for you but for your kids too.My own daughter had suffered a lot because of my anxiety, mainly becasue I was just not with her but with my fears - every day. It is so hard for a little person when mom is obviously absent... So wish you a good releif, because it is possible to control the enemy

 

[.Runnable.2]

Thanks for the great replies! I actually ended up seeing my family practice doc again yesterday for this awful cough I have and told him that I'm still twitching and he was very kind and understanding about my fears and said he sees absolutely no reason to refer me to a neuro, but that I should consider upping my anxiety med dosage. I declined, as a lot of the anxiety will be gone once my husband graduates seminary in a month and we get settled into wherever it is that we are moving to. But I feel much better knowing that my very thorough doctor isn't the slightest bit concerned about anything nasty and after hearing your stories. Thanks!