ANXIETY ------ ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!!

[drsdonthelp]

I just left my neuro, and I need to vent. Some of you know that i have been having a left hand tremor since a week before Christmas. I have been very calm considering everything I have been dealing with,,,,,mainly eye surgery.

My neuro. saw my hand shaking and moving back and forth when I reach out, not resting. He took my MRI, came back in and said. It's ANXIETY!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE ANXIOUS!! I asked him then why am I only having this on my left side, and he said, Do you want it to be something Bad, You are fine! I was like, Are you kidding me?

He then prescribed me a NEW MED!!!!!!!!!!!! Klonopin for tremors!!!!!!! I absolutely do not want to take anymore medicine. I am sooooooo sick and tired of being put off and put on a new med..

I guess this is why I ask the questions on here as to what symptoms could go with what, because I am giving up on the medical field... They are NO HELP TO ME WHATSOEVER!!!!! I am sooooooo angry and I am NOT a naive or unintelligent person. I read as much as I can to understand the medical jumbo and I am so tired of them looking at me as if I have no clue!!!

HOW DO YOU GET ON THE SHOW MYSTERY DIAGNOSIS ??? Maybe then I will not be looked at as a big joke!!!!!!!!!!! These idiots are messing with MY LIFE ! I am tired of Crying over this. I am not well ! These Arrogant drs dont help me .

Sorry for my rant,

[drsdonthelp]

Sad to say,,, I believe it!! ( as far as writing up a script for your sarcasm towards the neuro appt.LOL)

Your right about venting being the best medicine ever!! Man I feel so good now!

I do notice my tremor getting worse after doing something around the house, ie., mop a floor, or make a bed. I have to rest after everything I do or I am done for the day. I don't know if having a tremor can exhaust your body more  because of the constant movement, or this is just part of the fatigue I have daily!!

Thank you for your reply, I do not feel alone in this at all,
Hugs, Pam

[candy158]

I don't mean to chuckle, but DID YOU SEE MY DOCTOR'!!!!!!!  OMGoodness, this is a national problem for us.  It is such a joke, and I don't think that they really care about us and our feelings, as long as they get to go home and can feel alright.  You can bet that if WE WERE THEM, they would for sure want to find the answers.  That is all we want, and not to feel ANXIOUS.

I actually asked my neuro for ATIVAN, because I needed it before I came for an appointment, because that is what she says to me................... ya know what, SHE WROTE IT UP !!!!  Now what does that tell you.  

I am in Canada, and I don't know about the US, but it seems to be worldwide, and they can't seem to get together on how not to make us anxious.      I think they have alot of learning to do.

Take care, and rant and vent away, that is the best medicine ever.

I take Baclofen sometimes, but my tremor has settled down from 2 years ago, and it does seem to be when I reach for something now, or when there is more stress than usual.  

I hope you get answers,
*HUGS*
Candy

[drsdonthelp]

Wow!!!!! Truly amazing how they make the mistakes and we are the ones constantly having drugs thrown at us.  I can say now that I have gone through him insulting my intelligence for the last time, I will be finding a new neuro. I am definately in no hurry though.

I am so done feeling belittled. I know my body, I know my mind, and they can't seem to get their head out of their a%%  to hear me. How would they feel if it were there son/daughter?

Did they actually dx you with hyperchondria?? OMG I would be so p'd!! I need to start asking for my copie of my reports. I would love to know what they put down.

[needanswers54]

I was offered xanax for tremors and asked for valium to the neuro who finally diagnosed me.  This was after I was diagnosed depressed, anxious, hypochondriacal.  I even pointed my lesions to a top neuro who stated that there may be lesions but the MRI was too poor to tell [in my chart] and then did not bother to retest me but, instead, took a sabbatical of about two years before seeing me, again.  Still, after I was diagnosed by two doctors the original neuro told me I was looking for issues.  (Went back for another issue and to see if the neuro came to the MS conclusion-also.)  Then, after  seeing me have a spasm said it could be MS after seeing my multiple MRI(s) in which I, again, had to point out the lesions.  The neuro stated they did not need a symptoms log.  Next visit neuro stated that I said my MRIs were normal.  NOW THAT WAS UNBELIEVABLE considering over five years ago it is in my chart how I was back with my MRIs--again.  Got a copy of her notes stating chronic pain and probable somatization disorder the very visit she mentioned MS.  Next visit states "I" said my MRIs were normal and that I never brought in my symptoms (which I had been told was unneeded on the prior visit--somatization, remember?)  Unbelievable.  Neuro kind of circled around the whole issue with other things usually done by the primary.  Ithink the neuro knew my diagnosis had been missed.  Such run arounds could CAUSE us anxiety and the need for valium.

That neuro saw lesions the others did not see and visa-versa.  I had to point them all out.  And this past month, a new radiologist read new films done at an outpatient place and he saw almost all of them on his own!  Amazing!  I went in for a different problem--bone--and came out with a demyelinating diagnosis, finally, by someone besides a neuro!

The anxiety meds covers both of their bases.  If you have anxiety it may help.  If you have tremors it may help.  I found it funny that when admitted to the hospital last year I told them I take valium for tremors.  The hospital doctor prescribed it for me for anxiety.  When I went for an exam and told them not to strap me down and allow me to tell them when my whole body tremor was coming--I found I had been bound to the table.  The IV came ripping out of my arm--bloody mess.  Then, I was put on the stress test without them even knowing.  Then, after I showed them, they insisted in the chart the IV was still intact and I insisted on being restuck.  REALLY?!?  They tried to cover it up and made me appear that I was having anxiety and was crazy.  Well, I had asked for valium before the tests and never received it because they saw no signs of anxiety.  So, now how is this suddenly my anxiety?  Hey, your covered with the benzodiazepine either way!!!

These doctors make so many mistakes.  I could tell you even better stories.  But, we decided to bon fire the one neuro I had.  So, what can I say?  Need matches or marshmallows?

[drsdonthelp]

You are so right, and thanks. I actually did bring my psychologist report with me to appt. in Rochester. Not sure he read it or not, but I know that at this point they will pull the anxiety card out for every little fartin thing. I see my phsychologist next week and I can't wait. He is the best, and he thinks I have a great outlook on alot of things.

He actually said he was impressed with how I am dealing with all of my health related issues. It is written in his report that during the past 3 years that yes I have gone through situational depression, I lost my job of 16 years, because I could not return to work due to my first eye surgery. I was going through ssd to help me and had constant aggravation from my lawyer.

I was without health insurance, money, couldn't drive, couldn't work, and my health kept getting worse. That is when I sought out a psychologist. I knew I needed help, I needed a way to cope with all of my losses. But in the end,,,,,,, he does not think I am a hypochondriac and that all of my initial stress was due to all of the above and not that I am mental. He believes in me, he also has asked why they aren't actively helping me find out the real culprit to my problems.

He gave me a number to an MS center, I wrote it down and forgot where I put it, but he also was going over my timeline and symptoms and says hmmmmm, sounds like ms to me. You are not crazy, this is real and they need to get to the bottom of it, FAST.

I am going to ask him to help me out with this, so I can prove to these idiot drs. that they are the crazy ones and not me!!!




Thanks again, and sorry for getting carried away, but I am still p'd off by this!!
Hugs, Pam






Thanks again, and sorry I get so carried away, I am still so p'd off by this

[piggygirl17]

I know where you're coming from with the dismissal based on the fact that you have anxiety.  In fact, most of the time I think I have worse anxiety just because of my physical symptoms!  

I don't know if this will help at all, but I also see a psychologist, and I point blank asked her if she would be willing to write out that she has thoroughly evaluated my mental state and anxiety issues and that they are not the cause of my physical symptoms. She said she would, but I have not had her do it yet...haven't needed it.

Anyway, I think this might be a step in the right direction for you because it's something you can pull out and show a doctor.  Just a thought!

[drsdonthelp]

I feel very safe and HEARD here. I thank you all for the kindness and encouraging words.
I know at this point, I am going to keep hitting a brick wall  as far as my health is concerned, I don't need the aggravation.

I didn't go looking for these problems I am having, they are finding me!
I know alot of my symptoms do point towards ms, I have had tests and other mimics ruled out. I have had normal EMG;s on legs and arms. 4 abnormal EEG's, but having slurred speech for two weeks as my considered 'seizure disorder", that doesn't make sense to me.
Nothing else fits. I am being brushed off because of my MRIs. I am glad they are clear, but then again, it makes it 10 x's harder to get a dr. to really hear me. My symptoms have been ones that you can see and hear.

OH, and my tremors,,,,, I have had the hand shakes because of my thyroid, but that is not what I mean when I say tremors. It is definately during movement and it is a course tremor and gets worse when getting close to my target. . My quacko neuro, actually said, the tremors he could see look like cerebellar tremors but he insists that because my MRI didn't show anything that I am anxious. That is why I am so  f r e a k e n   frustrated.

I don't know if I could totally give up yet. I still have to go for that Evoked Potential Test at the Rochester Clinic. I haven't scheduled it yet because i am still healing from surgery. Do you need both eyes open to perform the VEP test, because if you don't then I can schedule it. After that test is done and still don't get any answers, I give up. I really have battled with alot in my life, and this is not going to take me down.

I wish you all knew me in person. I am so not a complainer. I have or used to have, a happy disposition. I joke around, love having a good time, , just loving life and being happy. This health stuff started within the past 3 yrs. I can go back and remember things that have happened years ago, but my focus started when I had my speech slurring that lasted for two weeks. I know that it is very common in people with ms. I didn't have a stroke, I do not have a brain tumor, nor do I have TBI. So I guess this is the reason all of this began. When the first neuro told me I had a TIA, I didn't believe him and started to research.

Before that, I rarely got on the internet.
Thank you all for taking the time out to read this, it feels good to get things off my chest.

Pam

[sllowe]

Pam,

Don't think I can say more than what has been said already. Except! This is bullS and we all know it. - your safe here.

Can you be anxious? Absolutely. Can you be depressed? Absolutely. Can you be stressed? Absolutely. Can your symptoms occur because of this? Absolutely. HOWEVER, many dysfunctions and disease, especially untreated ones can cause all of what you are experiencing.

All you wanted was your doctor take your problems and work toward identifying the culprit. You didn't get this.

If we had a dollar for all those who were told at one point in our dx that we had stress and it was causing all of our problems we'd be loaded.

You didn't receive good care, Pam. I'm so sorry :(

-Shell

[Sparkysarah]

You have had some great answers and what an amazing forum of support this is. I so love your name which is so appropriate and I also just love Ess's description of (some) doctors of schmuck..it just has all the right letters in there!

Anyhow you know yourself best so do not let anyone undermine you and keep searching girl..there will be an answer out there but you have just not connected with the right person to uncover it yet. I strongly beleive that a lot seems to depend on our relationship and connection with our doctors and trust. If they do not listen and believe us there is no hope and jsut handing out a script for something that we do not think we have is unhelpful and insulting. Trust your own instinct and listen to your body..you know it better than anyone else.

Cheers for now and keep searching.find a new doctor.

Love Sarah

[supermum_ms]

Well the answer is simple, your doctor is anxious and prescribing pills to his patients to cure himself!

Run, run away as fast as your little wobbly legs can carry you, long before you start to rattle! lol You've got me curious, what on earth does your phychologist think of you taking Celexa as well as Klonopin (either or both), if there is no diagnosable anxiety or psychological condition or for that matter a diagnosable neurological related condition to warrent taking those medications? Mine would be having a fit!!

Seriously wouldn't this type of neuro generated anxiety, be better fixed by no longer seeing that neurologist?!

Sheeesh girlfriend, ask anyone with tremors (with any disease that causes tremors) and they'll tell you the same thing, frustration, anger, pain, fear, stress, infections, physical exhaustion to just plain old being tierd and bugger it yes even anxiety WILL make their tremor(s) more visible or just overall worse but its got nothing to do with what caused it in the first place.

So how do you distinguish neurologically based tremors with out nerve conduction tests, from psychological tremors. The simple answer is observation, a psychological generated limb tremor, is inconsistent in its rythm, pace, longevity etc. it also temerarily stops when the patient is distracted because its not nerve/neuron/muscle etc generated. A neurological limb tremor is consistent etc, the opposite and its the hrtz (speed) and consistency that distinguishes the two. It goes into the grey area, no longer so black or white, when the tremor is from conversion disorder, thats a very complicated condition.

BTW my now always noticable right hand tremor is a very fine rythmical (impossible to reproduce) consistency, with all fingers moving, its rythm is not altered by the angle I hold the hand. It never, read that as NEVER stops no matter what, hour after hour, day after day! Action of the limb causes the tremor to rumble in a bigger hertz until I stop the action, then it goes back to its fine rythm again. If i support either of my hands at the writsts, with my fingers relaxed but unsupported. My right hand tremors are as mentioned but the left is different, there is a rythm not quite the same and the finger next to my thumb keeps jerking up then goes back to its rythm.

And as you know when i asked a neuro about why this was happening to me he stated "anyone can shake their hand" which I took to mean your doing it on purpose lol i'd like to see him try 'purposely' shaking both hands at the same time and have them doing totally different things for hours on end and then try and say that. Sheeesh i hide my hand in my pocket and it looks like i'm hunting for something in there because the blasted thing still doesn't stop moving ROFL!

Chin up kiddo, take a breath because incompetant doctor syndrome is not your diagnosis!  

Cheers........JJ

[Pablo_Morphy]

Love your nickname.  It can be so, so true sometimes!!!

Anyway, I agree with Julie.  It can take a long time for a diagnosis.  Also, here I rant: 10 years ago, when I first experienced weird symptoms, I was told by three different doctors, that I had 'anxiety, depression' and (my favorite one) that I had not 'matured and took adult responsibilities calmly and without panic'.  The result?  An unnecessary short run with Paxil (dreadful drug); three months of useless money-sucking therapy with the said doctor, and countless 'you are crazy' moments.

Until I forgot about it.

12 years later:  Bam!  Optic neuritis, similar symptoms -->  MRI -->  now in Clinically Isolated Syndrome limboland + DMD (Copaxone).

I truly wish I was absolutely wrong back then.  But I wasn't.  And I guess in the end it was OK having lived so many years without thinking too much about it.  But, in the end I'm still angry about it.  And I have a right to rant.  And so do you, and everybody here!!!!  

I can only tell you that if you feel you need additional opinions, go for it.  Doctors can help, but nobody knows better than a patient who suffers the symptoms.

[jujuminx]

Hang in there girl, you have a lot of company (unfortunately). We can all relate in one way or another. Heck took almost 18 yrs for my dx!

Sometimes I marvel at medical science and sometimes I see it as a bunch of guesswork on the part of doctors who guess based on their misconceptions and altered reality.

Rant anytime you want, we all have either been there or will be.

Julie

[Sumanadevii]

I guess you would be
                         ____________________________
                        (fill in the blank..Depressed, Anxious,Stressed)

considering your body is betraying you and there hasn't been an answer as to why.  It is "situational".  If they find the answer, those symptoms will lift.  

I refused drugs for depression for that very reason.  I don't blame you one bit for feeling the same way.  My only hope is that you don't give up and continue to search.  A lot of damage can be done to your body while you wait.  Maybe it is not MS but surely it is SOMETHING!!  

[drsdonthelp]

He already prescribed me celexa the first day I saw him. When I started to have spasms in my back that stiffened me up for the day, he upped my anxiety pills even when I said I didn't feel anxious. And then, put me on a medication for the spasms. He loves to hand out pills.

[Ojibajo]

If it is anxiety than why did they give you meds for tremors on not for anxiety? I don't get these doctors sometimes.

[drsdonthelp]

Tick-  Thank you for listening and sharing your explanation on their mad thinking. I am letting go of trying to get the neuros to hear me!

Ess- Thank you for allowing me to vent to your sympathetic ear. I am on celexa for ANXIETY , and vimpat for my so-called seizure disorder of speech slurring for two weeks!!
I definately am taking a break from seeing drs. that are easily ready to hand out the prescription and anxiety card.

JJ - I have done alot of crying today, and once again ,, you made me laugh. I like the car mechanic telling me that the problem is the dishwasher. That is funny.

Well, let's see, I have and still see a psychologist, have had all of the tests done, and yes I am a sane person, My psychologist questions the neuro's dx all of the time. When I was first dx'd with a TIA, he couldn't believe it, my heart dr. said absolutely not a mini stroke. Then I was dx'd with simple partial seizures. Speech Slurring for two weeks, one year apart . I have been through e v e r y   s i n g l e   t e s t.

Anxiety is bull c r a p !!! What's next for my diagnosis ,,, hmmm, FRUSTRATION!!

I am so sorry Pam, But you have FRUSTRATION, hang on ... there's a pill for that!

[supermum_ms]

I am getting so so tierd of hearing of neuro's deciding someone is anxious or has a psychological issue, to me its like going to a car machanic and being told the problem with the car is the dishwasher. I dont think anyone expects when they go to see a psychiatrist, that the psychiatrist will dx epilesy and then hand them a script to treat it, so why do neuro's do this and get away with it?

Its a totally different experience for the patient if neuro's said with respect "At this time your sx are not indicating to me a specific neurological causeation. In rare cases a psychological issue can mimic neurological diseases and this like any other, needs to be ruled out so I believe at this stage, we should schedule a psychological evaluation. If we need to schedule further tests we can do that after those results are in."

I've told you my story, so i wont bore you with it again but the important thing to remember about it is that you are not dx with anxiety, it is only a theory and like all theories that needs to be tested. Just like if your GP had a theory that your sx indicated a heart condition, you would get that theory evaluated and tested by the appropriate doctor.  

Regardless of the outcome it is in your best interest to have a psycholgical evaluation!

Run from any doctor that prescribes drugs based on theory or presumptions, its playing a dangerous game they have no business playing, so run!

HUGS....................JJ

[essdipity]

Rant away! This place is a good outlet for our rage and frustration, and you have many sympathetic 'listeners,' including me.

If you don't want to take Klonopin, don't take it. It's a benzodiazepine originally used to treat seizures, now mostly to treat anxiety, but it does help movement disorders. Benzos have their own drawbacks, sometimes major, and there are other things on the market. I don't remember if you've tried Propanolol, which is really quite harmless. You might want to talk to your PCP about it.

But if you just don't want ANY more meds, I hear you on that. If your tremor is not interfering with things too much, maybe that's the way to go.

I do understant your anger at your uncaring and seemingly clueless doctor. Neurology attracts a lot of such schmucks. Perhaps you could take a break for a while and then find a neuro who is not only knowledgeable but who doesn't need an attitude adjustment.

ess

[cainer]

  oh man- i just posted on your other topic-  let me say-they want to be sure, and most on this site take klonipin or baclefen for tremors- so they are watching to see-ya-thought i was insane till i got told it was ms- but hang on!!  they just dont want to commit, so many law suites and mal practice,  so lets hope its not ms , but them giving you klonipin there is surely something wrong-hugs tick