Anxiety or MS ?

I am 24, male and until 2 months ago, very healthy ... have been weightlifting, running, eating healthily for couple of years.  When growing up I watched my older brother become very sick very with MS symptoms ... he had a violently shaking neck and arms, overall numbness ... basically been in a wheelchair for years now and won't walk again.  

2 months ago, I felt a little twich in one finger on my left hand, happened a couple of times over 2 days.  I became extremely worried that I might have MS ... this scared me to death.  The next day I awoke with a numb left arm and nearly had a heart attack with worry.  For 2 weeks I had migrating tingling, and fatigue.  I had blood tests, lumber puncture, Spinal cord RMI and brain RMI ... the only abnormality was 2 little white spots on left side of brain.  The Neurologist said they were insignicant.  Finally, they found no clinical evidence of MS.  I instantly felt alot better.

Doubts crept into my head again and have had a tiny (only noticible to me) tremor in my neck ... more of a spasm every now and again, headaches and stiff neck for almost 2 months.  Everytime, I get stressed, it becomes instantly worse.  

I read some of the other articles the other day, and decided it's due to anxiety, not MS.  All symptoms disapeared for a couple of days.  If I see the word MS, my heart rate increases and I get that stiff neck again and a little fatigue and migrating spasms.  I used to practice meditation ... when I meditate all symptoms disapear.  Basically, I only get these symptoms when I worry that I have MS.

Sorry for going on so long.  In your opinion, is it feasible that all my symptoms were(are) due to anxiety ?  Could it be MS, or some other Neurological disorder, even though my tests were clear ?  If anxiety, how can I really tackle this problem and get back to normal ?

many thanks

Patrick

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Patrick:

MS like any other disease can start out very subtle and the sympotms only fleeting and almost not existence.  The proof is the tincture of time that will manifest the classical symptoms.  If your symptoms were from MS then your symptoms would be progressive but intermittent.  The fact that your symptoms wax and wane with anxiety make the diagnosis of MS less certain.  The fact that your lab tests were normal is another good sign.  The finding of two small hyperintensity spots on MRI does not mean that you have MS.  Many people have spots on MRI and don't have MS.  If they told you that the spots were of different ages then it would spark some thought of MS, but clinical judgement would be necessary.  It doesn't sound like MS nor does it have all the clinical findings.  We never say never in medicine, but I would tell you try and not worry (easy for me to say) and let time show you that you do not have MS.  This is what I think thus far.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[patrick]

Thank you for your reply,

your thoughts tend to be pretty in line with those of my neurologist.  However, one question I would really like answered.  In your opinion, can Anxiety alone manifest such symptoms as mine ( stiff neck, migrating muscle spasms and tingling, fatigue) ?

If so, why does this happen.  I mean, how can anxiety affect the CNS like this ?

many thanks

Patrick

[comment to patrick by julie]

Patrick,
I feel  I gotta jump in here.  About 2 yrs. ago I was going thru the exact same thing as you are.  Yes sir, anxiety can do all you said plus more.   The mind is a powerful thing.  What set me off is, a young relative has Huntingdon's Disease.  Well, the more I'd see him, the more I'd twitch and feel stiff, and shake, and so on.  I was a real mental case. I'd go for weeks on  about 4 hrs sleep a nite.  Each time I'd drift off to sleep, I'd twitch or jerk awake.  And it was all "nerves".   Only thing that helped settle me was Paxil.  Took that for 6 months.  Weaned off of it, and have been fine since.  Remember, the mind is powerful, it can scare you into things that aren't really there.  Don't let yourself get as "far gone" as I did. Talk to a therapist.  And resolve it.
Sincerely,
Julie

[Julie]

Patrick,
Julie's right.  Anxiety is a horrible thing.  I have tingling in my left arm and it initiates when I'm stressed.  My thoughts automatically think I'm having a heart attack.  When I read soemthing about a disease, I believe that I'll get it somehow.  It's really horrible and it can do a wonder on your body.  I'm on Xanax but don't take it daily.  I am though thinking of going to an everyday med.  Anyway, good luck and I hope this helps.
Julie #2

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