can all these symptoms be anxiety??

[ang4188]

Hi, I'm a 30 yr old woman, and until recently I considered myself in good health.  I had a baby by emgercency c-section, about 10 weeks ago.  It was very stressful, but now the baby is fine I'm the one falling apart.  A week after the delivery my buttocks went numb off and on for 2 days. I thought it was epidural related and did not pay much attention.  A week later I noticed tingling sensation in upper shoulder blade. Then my arm went numb and then my leg. (This was all my right side) I went to the er, had a ct scan and bloodwork and everything was fine. The er doc asked if anyone in my family had ms, there is no one in my family with ms & at that time I knew nothing about ms. I went home that day and researched ms, and since then I have had one symptom after another. Tingling, burning, headaches, you name it.  I've seen two neurologists, and had MRI's of the brain, and spine, more bloodwork and nothing has showed up.  My GP has prescibed Zoloft because he says this can all be caused by anxiety.  Is this true? Can you actually have symptoms like this because of stress and anxiety? And why did I have the symptoms before I started freaking out about MS? Any answers here would be great, because I am literally a Nervous wreck!!

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Yes, it can and usually is anxiety, and when a disease is mentioned, the anxiety latches onto that, and you start worrying re the disease.   You might ask your doctor about klonopin rather than zoloft for the anxiety, its a more direct effect.

[ang4188]

HI DOC. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.  IF ALL THIS IS ANXIETY,AND I TRULY HOPE THAT'S WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. HOW DO I "CONVINCE" MYSELF THAT NOTHING IS WRONG? DOES IT JUST TAKE TIME OR IS THERAPY IN ORDER, OF COURSE ASSUMING EVERYTHING IS ANXIETY BASED.

[fullmergavin]

I'm not a medical doctor, but one thing you might want to ask about is the possibility of adrenal insufficiency.

Not long ago, I went through a lot of panic attacks and neurological manifestations around my face. My doc soon discovered that my adrenal glands were underactive. At that point, w/ medication, all of my symptoms went away, including the episodes of panic, etc.

It's interesting to note, however, that in most cases, adrenal insufficiency is caused by stress itself (Hypothalmus-Pituatory-Thyroid-Thymus-and finally, the adrenals). Unfortunately, once the adrenals give out a little bit, the body cannot handle stress the way it used to, quite obviously.

Whether or not it was the cause of everything in my case I still don't know because they did find a secondary infection that went along with the adrenal problem. In either case, however, I'm sure that stress was behind all of it.

[padgett]

I feel like I am losing my mind.  I had a partial hysterectomy when I was 28 after my second child because I had a prolapsed uterus.  I still have my ovaries.  I began taking Estratest 1/2 dose a few years ago (am now 47) for symptoms I felt were menapause.  No sex drive (which I am totally the opposite, or used to be)...but mostly because I felt I was going mental.  I have these episodes that "wash" over me...out of nowhere.  Thoughts will flood my mind, (not always good ones), and I instantly become grossly depressed, with vertigo and loss of balance must drop to my knees and close eyes, and its as someone is pouring a bucket of sad depression over my head and I can't move...and feel nauseaus as I'm being washed in this bath of depression.  HELP.  This morning I have had 3 episodes already, and I am at work...trying to work...Has anyone ever experienced this.  I've looked up menapausal symptoms and have never read where anyone felt this.  Is this normal?  Should I ask the doctor about upping the estrogen?  I stopped taking it 2 years ago, but had to go back last month for more, because these episodes started all over again.  I thought they were under control, when this morning...wham...here they are again.  The pills worked before.  Now its like, okay, we will work for a few weeks, then stop!  I need help.  I can't function this way.  Is there any other things this could be other then menapause?  These are the only symptoms I get:
Wash head to toe of depression
Wash head to toe of vertigo
Must close eyes and kneel to avoid throwing up
Then they pass in about 30-45 seconds.
Thank you for anyone who has any similar symptoms to make me feel I'm not alone, and to anyone who has helpful feedback on what to do.  I have nothing to be stressed about.  I have nothing that anybody else wouldn't work through just fine in normal every day life.

[kloedanser]

If you are taking anything "diet" with nutrasweet in it get off it now. Nutrasweet causes symptoms of MS in women.  Try it. Cant hurt to go to sprite or regular coke. I know you are concerned about your weight, especially after having a baby so recently.  Regardless, get off the nutrasweet if you are on any.  Okay,that is the nurse in me.  Personally, read "The Girlfriends Guide To Motherhood".  You will laugh, cry, love and eventually lose your mind like the rest of us.  Good luck.  We (all mothers) love you and applaud you.  :)