Healthy anxiety - scared of MS

Brain and nerves
1

I feel like I used to always see this post on my anxiety forum, and now I'm one of them. 

Just over a year ago I had a missed miscarriage and had to go in for a D&C because my body hasn't recognised the loss. A few days after I woke up I got really sick and was shaking, couldn't breathe, had headaches, weakness and fatigue. I just couldn't function. Then I developed yellow stool about 2 weeks later. I spent the whole past year trying to find answers and kept getting told it was low iron, a poor diet and chronic stress/anxiety. Finally I got sick of it all and started seeing a natural doctor and got my hormones, gut and vitamin levels looked at. I have a bacteria overgrowth, estrogen dominance, very low iron, and adrenal fatigue and chronic stress and my blood sugar isn't stable and I'm not breaking down plant matter, so I have been put on stuff and an eating plan to overcome it all. I do not have a great diet, but when I'm spiralling I convince myself that it can't all be because of these issues. I recently got gastro and had an awful fever and spent an entire day in airconditioning and got really sore eyes, they felt kind of bruised and it hurts a bit when I look up, and I was told that the airconditioning would have dried them out, but I saw that it could be MS. And then I read up on MS and completely freaked myself out. I've never had any of the 8 doctors I've seen think it could be MS and they've all been adamant it was low iron and stress. These days my symptoms are:-

- shaking in hands, worse when I haven't eaten

- eye floaters (have had my eyes checked many times and they are completely healthy)

- fatigue (I sleep through the night though)

- ocassional headaches 

- yellow/orange stool with food particles (I've had many tests done and I'm not celiac, crohns, I don't have lyme and there's no blood, I was told it was a combination of stress, lack of good bacteria and too much bad bacteria, and an unhealthy gut from poor diet and antibiotic abuse)

- eyes hurt sometimes for a few days but it passes (I spend a lot of time behind screens as I'm a uni student)

- breathlessness 

- appetite comes and goes 

- really bad anxiety and slight depression

- get pins and needles really easily whenever I sit awkwardly or sit on my feet 

- I also grind my teeth and clench my jaw unknowingly. 

I know that I have found answers and it's now up to me to fix it, but I can't help but be scared of MS. I don't know how to quiet my anxiety. I live in a small town and there are no therapy options here. I try to practice yoga and mindfulness instead. But some days anxiety wins. 

2

None of this sounds like MS to me.  I'm someone who also suffers from health anxiety and also at one point worried I had MS.  Like you, I had an illness and then developed some strange symptoms.  Went googling and found they were MS symptoms.  Freaked out and went to a neurologist and got a slew of tests that were all negative.  Of course, with MS you can have negtative tests and still have it.  It takes a while to confirm, so I'm told.  Believe me, I really suffered with the anxiety and fear I had MS, which is why I have an account on this forum. But then, I just luckily came to the conclusion that if I have it, so what.  It's not a death sentence.

In your case, I would be concerned about the bowel problems, which are not MS symptoms.  Have you seen a gastrointerologist?   Anxiety and depression are the worst.    It can cause a whole host of symptoms.

 

3

Going through the symptoms you were experiencing really gave me goosebumps. I've been dealing with the same stuff as you. My Maine and most disturbing issue I have to say is my vision. Definitely have a lot of strange in cobweb like eye floaters. But I also have other strange visual disturbances. Sometimes I see you like Shadows on backgrounds on things and a lot of glare and overlapping vision and also intermediate and blurry episodes like some days everything will be others will be more clear. But also just from holding an object my hand will go numb and I have the pins and needles and it's really intense when it happens. Also a lot of times I noticed myself really shaky. But like I said mainly it's my vision that's been driving me crazy. It's like wearing glasses that don't belong to you all the time. Yeah it's nuts. What is your official a diagnosis????? I have seen so many different ophthalmologist a optometrist and two neurologist with absolutely no answer. I do have an appointment with a hematologist because of my unexplained anemia and iron deficiency and I also have an appointment coming up with a neuro ophthalmologist who is based in Utah at the University of Utah Morgan Eye Clinic. Her name is Judith Warner and she is one of the country's top neuro ophthalmologists she'll be able to figure this out hopefully. Anyway good luck to you and may God watch over you and guide you through this amen

4

Marilee is right it doesn't sound like ms but it sounds familiar. I had an ear misscarriage once and I was very ill after a d&c to clear everything. I was working temporary and they made me go to the Dr's the Dr told me they'd found something on neck of my womb and given me cryosurgery when I said I didn't know he was angry and write to the gynea. Now have you had a follow up? I had an infection from it. The next but addresses your stools, pale stools are a sign that you're not digesting fats properly or if they're discoloured yellow maybe you take vitamins? Gastro issues can certainly come from anxiety, I have severe anxiety and now I have GERD and silent reflux and have to avoid certain foods. I have Ms but my Dr also said that anxiety can cause neuro symptoms. Go see your Dr take a look sample and urine sample and ask for blood tests. Good luck and deep breathing slow deep in through mouth out through nose. 💜

5

Hi PaigeMarie

I read your post several times before replying.  What I am seeing first is major anxiety & depression. Let's start there. I too have anxiety & depression.  Let me say that there are medications available that most definitely help.

You can discuss this with your Doctor.  For Anxiety / Panic attacks, I take the medication Ativan.  For my depression I take Zoloft and Buspar.  This is what works for me, but you may want to talk to your Dr about these medications. When an attack occurs, go to a quiet safe place and focus on your breathing,  You could also repeat a word, such as ... Peace,  Be Calm.  I also listen to my favorite music which lifts my spirits. Remember that this will pass.  

The yellow/orange stool problem.  I must agree that anxiety/stress will certainly cause this, as well as some antibiotics. ​Because your food is moving too fast through your system, will cause this color change.

However, I would have blood work done to check your liver function to rule out any other problems.

Glucose levels: You said that your sugar levels aren't stable  Do you have diabetes? Is it Type I or Type II.

I personally have Type II.  It is very important to check your glucose with a meter. If you have diabetes, you need to take care of it, as left untreated it can and will harm our bodies organs.  I suggest blood work and be sure to fast for at least 10 - 12 hours before the blood work.

Lastly, it is only my opinion, but I do not believe that you have MS.  I say this respectfully as an MS patient myself.  Now I can suggest that you start writing a daily journal. Make note of the date, and any symptoms you are having.  Keeping track of things will help you when you talk to your Doctors.  

In closing, I think that you need to get a handle on your anxiety / depression / stress 

Get blood work done to check for diabetes, and check liver function.

If after doing these things I suggested, you still think you might have MS, you will need to see a Neurologist who will exam you for reflexes and responses. To make an accurate diagnosis an MRI of the Brain will show if there are any lesions present. Also a lumbar puncture is done to check the serum and spinal fluid for Oligoclonal bands.  Now, even IF it is determined that you have MS, like I do, let me say that you can still live a good life.

There are many treatments out there for MS.

I hope I have helped you in some way.  Stay positive, Stay Strong and Be Blessed my friend  ~  Faith