Questions for Doctor. . .

[lilypad300]

What questions do I ask, & how do I ask them so I am taken seriously and not brushed off as a nut suffering from health anxiety?
Thanks in advance!!

Here is my story. . .


My journey from relatively healthy to a Total Thyroidectomy for Graves Disease to where I am today has been rocky to say the least.  I have always been an anxious person.  The type of person who makes moluntains out of molehills and often expects the worst.  People have told me that I am a hypochondirac and that I have anxiety. . .that may very well be true, but what if it is more than that??

I had my TT surgery in August.  Since then, I have not been myself and have begun to experience a host of what I can only describe as neurological symptoms.
Immediately after the surgery, my calcium crashed, and I was put back into the hospital for a week while my calcium was regulated.  After that, I have suffered from numerous twitches & tingles. . .my endo chalked them up to stress and normal twitches that everyone experiences.

Then I thought I was having chest pains. . .I saw a cardiologist. . .had a bunch of tests. . .everything came back normal & now I don't have chest related problems anymore.

Twitches & tingles continued. . .now the left side of my face feels numbish, I have temple pressure (no pain) and my cheek and lip feel odd. . .so does my tounge/mouth weird taste & sensation.

I also have back pain and the aforementioned random twitches. . .and I cry at the drop of a hat.
I am convinced that I have MS or some other type of neurological disease.  There are just too many symptoms and they aren't going away.  I'm seeing my GP today, but I am terrified that they are just going to chalk it up to health anxiety because of my past (about 10 years ago, I had anxiety attacks w/ dizziness, similar lip numbness and chest pains).
What if it wasn't anxiety all those years ago?  What if it was the beginning of MS and I missed it. . .What if my doctors today don;t take me seriously. . .what if, what if, what if?  

They say if a person has one auto-immune disease, they are more prone to another. . .is the Graves a precursor for the MS?

Thanks for listening!

[lilypad300]

Thank you all so much for the warm welcome and the great advice.
I already feel at home in this community and it is a relief to find people who understand the fear and frustration.

My appointment with the GP went ok.  Pretty much as expected.  She believes that I have a viral infection that is causing the facial numbness/tingling sensations. The neuro. tests she ran on me (eye. . .stregnth etc.) all were good & after blood work, I go back in a week for a follow-up and we'll see where we go from there.

Thank you all again I really appreciate the support.

Be well!

[Lulu54]

Hi Lily, Welcome to this forum with lots of loving compassionate and knowledgeable people, but Heather is one of the best.  Her response tells you all you need to hear right now.  I'll look for you around as you begin this journey to figure out what is going on with your body.

Be well,
Lulu

[doni54]

Hi lily,

Gosh, you've already been through so much!!  Heather, isn't she the greatest?  She has given you a great response.

We are all here to help you get through all this and are always here if you need us.  Heather suggested the health pages and I will go even further by suggesting you read, Doctor Visit PREP - Be Prepared, it has some great advice about your drs visit.

Take care,
doni

[Heather3418]

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!  All of us have anxiety sweetheart, so don't beat yourself up.  Having all these symptoms going on in our bodies, makes us more anxious.  I am convinced of it.  I have been diagnosed with Relapsing/Remitting MS for over a decade.

While I do believe like you that if you have one auto-immune disease you probably are more prone to others - basically, it's NOT true.  See, I am the person that is convinced that arthritis is auto-immune and diabetes is auto-immune.  I have been told by many that having diabetes is NOT an auto-immune disorder.  But I am steadfast in my beliefs.  I think it is.

Anyway you do have symptoms that should be followed up by a doctor.  Is it MS?  No one on the Forum could tell you for certain.  We are just laypeople that are fighting for a diagnosis of something or already have a diagnosis of MS.  We are all in this fight together and we are quite a group of loving and compassionate people.

While you search for answers, we will be here for you night and day.  Your symptoms do suggest something going on in the nerves, but to be able to sort that all out and find out exactly what it is, takes a good doctor and probably a qualified Neurologist.  The testing can be exhausting and a diagnosis of MS can take quite a long time.  For some, the diagnosis is simple and there are a few that have been diagnosed after their first exam and MRI of the brain and spine.

Please look over our Health Page section in the upper right hand corner of this page.  This is so much invalable information there, that will answer alot of your questions.  Much more than I could ever remember to tell you in one post.  So please look that over and come back to us with any questions that you may have.

One thing to remember dearheart....You are NOT in all of this alone.  You are now among friends.  Through thick and thin.  I promise you...

Big Forum Hugs from All,
Heather
They call me "Earth Mother"