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Avatar universal

ms or bfs?

I have a series of things going on which doctors have chalked up to anxiety. It's just hard for me to accept that as I still have ongoing symptoms. Started with twitching throughout my body only when at rest. I gave it about a month and then went to neuro. He did full exam and said everything checked out perfect except I had 3+ reflexes. He said they were symmetrical so he wasn't worried. most of the twitching has subsides except for the right arch of my foot and my right eyelid. I also have a small tic abover my eyebrow although I cannot feel it only see it. What seems to bother me most is my hands and face shake a lot lately. Like when holding something too long. Or my lips quiver when putting on lipstick...also my fave quivers when I squint my eyes or cheeks. Help!
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Avatar universal
Once again,  thanks so much for being kind and taking time to chat with me. your advise was truly inspiring. My therapist does in fact warn me to stay off Google anx away from my triggerS...she's wonderful but cannot babysit me...so of course sometimes I feed into it. It's a constant struggle but I strive everyday to remove myself from the negativity as much as possible. You sound like a genuine, well rounded Woman. I appreciate your effort to help me. May I ask about your MS journey?
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987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
I honestly don't think you are callous or belittling!

I do think your therapist might be an @ss if he/she has not clearly explained to you about why it's important to avoid 'everything' that feeds your anxiety, which includes googling, issue specific related chat sites etc etc and how seeking out and constantly needing reassurance is very much a part of the anxiety cycle.

Mental health issues can be harder to accept to some extent but once you start to understand your triggers, all of your early signs (which you will definitely have) and learn what helps you shut it down, stay in control, cope etc I truly believe it will make a huge difference......

Be kind to your self...........JJ

ps keep an eye on your language choices, negative or doomsday wording is often a good barometer of how your emotionally travelling, just consciously being aware is sometimes enough to redirect you towards more positive thinking.    

      
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Avatar universal
I understand where you're coming from and I don't want to mislead you in any,way of thinking I neglect my son. I do not in any Aspect. Just the reoccurring vicious cycle of the thought in my head do at times rob me of what I'm truly blessed with.  I have a friend with ms and since I've been traveling through this scary journey I have a whole new respect for her. I know to people who have been clinically diagnosed with ms I sound like a callous human being. It's not the case at all, I actually now see the trial and tribulations you go through and my heart gets heavy. I do give it to God every night and pray for peace and guidance. But having a new baby has petrified me thinking I may not get to endeavor the many things I want to with him. It's a struggle to convince myself it's all in my head, but I sincerely try every day to do so. Thanks for giving it to me straight...sugar coating things never worked for me. Only provoked my fears more and make me over analyze even harder. I'm a reassurance contantly type person...and have recently started therapy for the betterment of myself.I do not intend to offend anyone with ms or belittle what,you go through whatsoever. And apologize if that's the way I am
being perceived.  
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987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER

I appreciate positive feed back in general but although i mentioned my 'verbal communication' being a big issue for me, and these days it can take me hours to write what I do, its only one part of the bigger picture. Honestly though my ability to communicate (and other issues) will probably never get back to what they were, but it's too late to be thinking about what i've lost or what may happen tomorrow.....I have to remain focused on living the best life I can, right now!

What i'm about to say may not be what you expect or really wish to hear but you have a responsibility as a mother that you didn't have before.....It's now your responsibility to be brave and face your truth head on, move heaven and earth if you have to but no matter what, you must never ever allow 'any' of your issues to effect your children!

[I'm the child who's mother lives with Anxiety (i've supported her in every way throughout my entire life), as well as being a mother of 2 kids (ASD) and I'm still able to live happily despite everything i physically have to deal with. ]

I would never make light of what you are dealing with but wow....."I just don't want thsee evil symptoms to rob me of my happiness. Especially with my son"  

[It's often a little confronting for people with MS and or those who are now permanently disabled by their condition to actually read comments like this, especially what to them would be rather minor issues in comparison, try to think of other people's situations, that's not making light just stating truth.]

It's definitely a lot harder to be taken seriously when you are dealing with mental health issues, more so when it's health related anxiety. It's not good for anyone though to be afraid of something that may never ever happen, all it does is feed anxiety and make everything seem worse.

Consider if it's going to be in you or your families best interest, to continue to focus on MS or similar when you have no abnormal 'clinical' signs, anxiety really is a legitimate medical issue which would explain your twitches etc. and you've acknowledged anxiety has been a long term issue for you......so it could be your answer even if it's not what you thought.

There honestly isn't anything you're experiencing, other than your psychological health, that can rob you of your happiness, happiness is a state of mind and that comes from within!

Be brave and change your tomorrows......

Hugs.........JJ  

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Avatar universal
Sorry about the typos. Auto correct is the devil...
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Avatar universal
Your feedback is truly admirable. You seem to be very well educated and to me, seem to not have a vocabulary issue whatsoever. You're right with most of what you're saying. I guess I just get over whelmed because I feel as if the puzzle just isn't fitting. I do have a new baby but he is 6 monthS as of yesterday. I get a lot more sleep now. Although,  I am a stay at home mom and have a lot of time to dwell on what COULD be wrong with me. I just don't want thsee evil symptoms to rib me of my happiness. Especially with my son. Just not having answers gets frustrating. I am one to always go by the books. it's either black or white. I've never noticed my face tremble in my life, not have I had involuntary musclerosis twitches. I am just petrified that since I'm an anxious person I will always be dismissed as such and might not get the proper attention or treatment needed.
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987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
Diseases cause new symptoms to develop because of the disease process its self, reading detailed information and educating them selves about their disease doesn't ever create symptoms.    

It's absolutely 100% psychosomatic, mental health is the only medical condition that can cause a new symptom to develop by reading about it or worsen by focusing your thoughts!

One of my most problematic issues is verbal communication......i now know a lot about what directly causes specific speech issues, the tips and tricks to aid speech etc and whilst I haven't personally experienced health anxiety, I do know getting frustrated absolutely doesn't help. There has been a considerable amount of research regarding memory and or vocabulary specifically associated with mental health, sleep disorders etc.

You seriously shouldn't be assuming that what you have described, could be anything more than what is commonly associated with having a new baby, sleep deprivation, high levels of anxiety/depression or the combination of, to do otherwise would not be helping you!

I genuinely think you might not as yet have a full grasp of what anxiety can do, or it's insidious nature or evolution over time. You've mentioned dealing with Anxiety for a number of years and I seriously hope you choose to redirect your thoughts onto what you already know to be true....

Cheers..........JJ
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Avatar universal
JJ, thanks so much for your very informative post. It's truly nice to have someone from an outside perspective take time to actually answer my questions...you're right I know about reading something then mysteriously start having the symptom. It's almost pshycosymatic. Although, I do not understand why the arch of my foot will not quit twitching. I had a full blood panel and everything came back Perfect. Therefore, no electrolyte imbalance can be the cause of these weird symptoms. I also feel like I can never find the right word in a sentence. It infuriates me and causes much more anxiety. My face trembling concerns me because of all the years I have dealt with my anxious thoughts, I have never noticed these types of symptoms. I feel as though my memory and vocabulary is becoming weakened and as I'm typing this I'm even having trouble coming up with words. I'm a very educated person,and usually have an immaculate way with words. Lately, not so much. My language has always consisted of large appropiate words in sentences. I get flustered to the max when I have the tip of the tongue problem. The report on my neuro exam did said I had 2 beats of clonus at the ankles.
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987762 tn?1671273328
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi there,

I had a read through your posting history, and I honestly don't believe a neurological condition like MS, would be the most likely cause of what you have described as been happening to you. The main problem with googling symptoms, is that MS will just about always come up and unless you understand how MS works, googling can inadvertently lead you down the wrong path...

Your symptom type and symptom behaviour is inconsistent with how MS (brain and or spinal cord) lesion's would present, the pattern is too random, too many locations or all over etc which are basically red flags leading away from and not towards neurological conditions like MS. Your neurological tests have not found any clinical signs suggestive of MS, symmetrical brisk reflexes are not uncommon or generally classed as abnormal if there isn't further evidence eg clonus 4+

"some individuals especially young anxious people may have brisk reflexes which are not necessarily pathological. There should be no asymmetry."  
http://neuroexam.med.utoronto.ca/motor_6.htm

You have only just had a baby, there are a lot of similarities to what you have mentioned and the after effects of giving birth, breast feeding etc etc I suggest you consider reading what other new mums are saying, it maybe a surprise to see all the weird twitching, spams, tremors etc that can happen. Medhelp has a large pregnancy and motherhood related communities but there are quiet a few others out side medhelp too.

Anxiety is possible simply because you've just had a baby, but even if you hadn't, anxiety can cause all you've mentioned and many other things too, hard to believe everything that;s associated with anxiety but it's all very true. You know your self best, and should have an understanding of if your feeling too much anxiety.....

Consider: IF your symptoms appear, spread, feel worse, and if you experience similar after reading about something, and it's usually when you are actually thinking about it, talking about it, google something to do with it etc AND if everything usually goes away, improves, seem not so bad etc when ever you're mentally or physically very busy, basically too distracted by what your doing to think about anything else.  

Typically if its anxiety, the more your thoughts are focused on an issue, the worse the issues gets and the more anxious you become.......the focused thoughts feeds the anxiety keeping the cycle going and being distracted interrupts the cycle, temporarily stopping your thoughts from getting overly focused. The key to lowering anxiety levels is 'basically' distracting your thoughts from what ever it is your anxious about, might be worth trying if anxiety is possibly making things worse...

I would suggest you consider what i've mentioned above, and also look at your general health and well being after having a baby. It could possibly help to try being focused on looking after 'you' a little more than you possibly have been, consider improving your diet, fitness level and the amount of sleep your getting and see if things start improving.

Cheers........JJ


      
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