Please Help...I could no longer go on

[ALybella]

Long history, here I go

[kloedanser]

Hi there.  My name is Melissa (I post by Kloedanser) and I am an RN in Oklahoma City, OK.  First off, on your questions about MS.  My first advice, as a health professional, is see a doctor.  My personal advice is brought to you by personal experience with panic disorder ONLY.  It IS NOT medical advice. Okay? Okay.  My first personal advice bit is this: (and it may not apply to you) If you drink Diet anything that contains Nutrasweet, either in brand name or generic form (aspartame) STOP.  It has been recently clinically proven to cause symptoms of MS in women.  (Not the disease, just the symptoms).  It is dangerous and Coca-Cola Co. has been sued (and liberally and rightfully so) Because of it.  Ever wonder why they are switching to Splenda? That is why.  My second bit of advice is this.  I think I may speak for many people with panic disorder when I say this, tingle, tingle, tingle. My hands and feet tingled incessantly.  I mean, of course your docs are right.  When you have a panic attack, the body goes into what is called the "fight or flight" syndrome where for some unknown reason (some think it is from "pre-panic breathing" which means you are breathing shallowly and less often, or shallowly and faster, and you don't get enough oxygen into your brain. You are unaware of this happening, which is why panic feels like its "out of the blue") Regardless of why, your brain thinks that you are being suffocated by some outside force, and kicks your flight or fight syndrome in.  In short, your brain dumps a shitload of chemicals into your system, and you panic.  The lack of oxygen causes the tingling. And the shortness of breath, and the tight throat, and the dizziness, dreaminess, and in general a feeling that things have just gone terribly wrong. Trust me on this one.  Been there, done it.  *kloe sighs* Most people think, ohmigod, heart attack, (I know I did) because the first place you feel it is in your left hand.  Think about this long enough and you will reason out why. Then its both hands, cold pricks, tics, numbness, and all of these symptoms just make the panic even worse.  Then your flight or fight REALLY kicks in even harder. Anyway, I went through all this,too. All the visits to the ER, all the tests, all the diseases that I was sure I had, all the doctors telling me I am fine.  And I should have (or felt like I should have, anyway) known better due to my medical education.  I was embarassed and confused.  Finally, my GP gave me some klonopin, which is a benzodiazepine (think valium or xanax) but not as addictive. (read:still adiictive, just not as addictive.) It is essentially a sedative.  I would suggest usuing this med for a) only as prescribed and b) not longer than six months.  It worked wonders for me.  Now that I am able to have a handle on my day to day life, (family, school, work,etc.) I am able to look into other forms of long term therapy, after the Klonopin.  You essentially have two choices: drugs, or natural therapy.  Once you are able to sit down and focus without checking your heart rate every five seconds, LOL, research the web for remedies.  Find posts from people whom you really relate to, and consider thier choices and make your own with your doctors help.  I think you will find that the sedatives alone will help for the first month or so because they will calm you down without the inevitable side effects of the SSRIs or other types of anxiety drugs, which can make panic even worse. (NOT knocking the drugs, people, I have seen them work wonders for others and am currently researching to see if one will be helpful to me)I hope I have helped you a little, and I hope you find a caring doctor who is willing to listen to you and to help you. Let us know how you are, and keep in touch.  This website has been a godsend, to know I am not alone.  You are not alone, we have all been there (or are there ) .  Feel free to email me at ***@**** if you need personal support.  Good luck, and take it easy.
With care, and hope for everyone,
kloedanser

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

yes, yes, yes  ....anxiety is written all over everything you wrote.   You should see a therapist and get to the root cause of all of this.....

[ALybella]

I know, I have not had an MRI, the MS thing is new.  The tingling always starts after a sever week long episode of anxiety.  It's weird, I feel just some small litle tingle in tiny parts of my extremeties for about 1 second.  I did go to a Neuro who said my physical exam was great and to go to a psych.  I really hope this is just anxiety.  It's just ever minute I am worried about gettting a damn sensation.  Thannks to all who have responded.

I pray every moment that this nightmare goes away.  I know my post might sound ridiculous, but my feelings are very real and my agony is constant.  I hope the Zoloft starts taking effect and that the little tingles are just from hyperventalation. I think if it was MS I would have other syptoms?

God Bles

[Sweettooth356]

"Can these paresthesias be caused by anxiety"

***Yes it can.

The only thing you are suffering from is an overactive imagination.  You keep sensitizing your nervous sytem because of all your nervous *thinking*; you've got to change your thought life or you will continue to suffer needlessly.  If you had all those cancers you'd be dead.

Sweettooth

[ALybella]

SOmeone in the mdical field please answer my questions regarding, sever chronic panic disorder and sensory symptoms

Please someone hHELp.  I can't focus at work, i have gone from a 4.0 gpa at school to someone who doesn't even turn in her assignments.

[Aruba417]

I can say that I know EXACLTY how you guys feel! I've been in the same boat. While medication is not for everyone, it worked for me. I saw a Psychiatrist who said that my GAD, panic disorder, and OCD tendencies were not due to some emotional problem, but rather a chemical imbalance. I know not every one agrees about chemical imbalances, but I certainly do. We tried therapy, and I had a full psych evaluation, and I was told that it doesn't stem from anything other than a chemical imbalance. After trying several medications, I finally found one that works, and I feel so much better. Sometimes I still get the ocassional "weird" symptom, like chest pain or tingling. But now I don't obsess over them. I also had the full physical work up! Heart, brain, blood tests, etc. My father and my uncle both have MS. But I was actually hoping it was THAT and not my heart or something worse. My MRI DID show that I had some abnormal spots, but in 6 months if they have not grown or changed, the doctor will write it off as normal. Spots showing up on an MRI is actually quie common. But seriously, the medication is really starting to work. I personally tried Paxil, and it did not work for me. But Zoloft worked for me and so has Effexor. It just depends on the person. What works for one won't work for the other. Good luck and God Bless!