I recog I am OCD

[danielito]

Hi all,

I have found this group typing in goolge "Do I have ALS?". So, if somebody is writing something like this, can be for several reasons:

1. Those who have real symptoms, and still have not gone to a Neuro;
2. Those who have real symptoms, and the doctor said it could be ALS;
3. Those who have commons symtoms to several conditions, and looking for ALS in Internet get the conclusion that could have ALS.

I am in the third group. My story is not that short. I have been always OC. Since my first sexual experience when I was 18 with a prostitute I have been afraid of AIDS, making a lot of VIH test and so on. I am OC with my car, my house, my pets.. I should go to a doctor for that but I do not want to use medicine because my mother use valium and lexotanil and I have seen and lived the colateral effects of this kind of medicine.

Recently, my girlfriend, who I love deeply, suffered of a Optical Neuritys and is going to be diag. for MS very likely. I started reading about that on the Internet, trying to find information for her; I normally do not read about medicine on Internet because I know the consecuenses on me (OCD attack).

Well, reading about MS I start finding about ALS, and few days ago I found a testimonial video of somebody having it, and I really got impressed. Then I write on google: "ALS Symtoms", and started a nightmare.

I remember I have always have fasciculations in some muscles and face, but I read it was a symtom and I start feeling a fasciculation every 5 minutes. I remember I have always been not the most agile man (since I was a child, now I am 28), but now I get worried every time I put the foot in wrong on the floor. My work is fisically demanding, and have got worse in the last month, and I have some paint (only when I am exhaust), but now it worry me. When it is late in the night I have always spoken funny (like drunk), before I though it was nice.. but now it worried me.

I fall out at my work place today because I got again a steel plate put on the floor, and now I can not be quiet. I do not stop to look for the Hoffmann reflex in my fingers, or the other one on the feet. Once my thumb move a little (once of 30 tries), and now I think my hoffman's reflex is positive..

Should I go to a neuro? or to a psycologist?

Thanks

 

[laurel]

Hi Daniel,
Perhaps you should go in and see your family doctor, and let him/her exam you. It doesn't mean that you will be put on medication. However, you seem to have lots of insight into having obsessive personality traits and there a some good medications to help that so you aren't so uncomfortable. You say that you lived through the affects of your mom being on a benzodiazapine (valium), but obsessive compulsive disorder would not need to be treated with an addicting medication. I have seen lots of lives change for the better when someone with OCD accepts treatment. No need to suffer and if there is increased stress at work your obsessive worrying will increase so treatment would help. Best of luck.
Laurel

 

[lostinlouisville]

Daniel

You are saying all your symptoms have been all your life or most of it , that is not ALS. About the OCD.I have to nieces and nephews that are OCD, take medicine and have normal non addictive drug lifes. Please go to the DR. for the OCD. My mother was a prescription drug addict, Dr's. really don't practice medicine like that anymore.


Renee

 

[Marjorie R. Wilcox]

Start with your regular doctor and tell your concerns. Then the next step would be to see a neurologist and have some further tests done. There could always be a misdiagnosis or a much needed one.

 

[danielito]

Thanks everybody for the answers. I am thinking seriously to go to the doctor for the OCD and get some medication. I remember few months ago when I when to the doctor for a headache, I mentioned a pain in my finger and right arm, and the doc said it was carpian tunnel (the pain gone completely and not loss of use), and it was exactly like the carpian tunnel pain, in the exactly same locations, and with the same sensation (I wanted to move my hand in a way like if it were burn) as described; its got well in the same day without any further medication or symtoms, only with a Iboprufen pill. Recently, I have had sometimes at nights the "small" and the fourth fingers "sleep", of the right hand, without pain and without loss of strenght or movement in the day (only a little pain sometimes in the fith finger). It seems to be the elbow nerve.

Well, at this time the doctor examine me, my hand and so on, and told me I do not need to go to a traumatologe because it was clearly carpian tunnel, and need for now not further treatment because the pain was only a night. Until now the pain did not come again, and the night I had it I played too much with the playstation.

I started taking Magnesium for the fasciculations; I remember I took magnesium three years ago when I had too many muscular twiches and it worked very fine. For now my fasciculations have reduced a lot (probably placebo effect xD).

I only have one question more. It is normal in the BFS to have fascitulations in the whole body; are not strong, are very quick, and I have it also in the eyes (most of them are in the eyes) ?

I watched on youtube some videos of people having fasciculations and are not like those. Are really small and short.

Thanks

 

[hopingforcure]

I think once you get something for the OCD, you will feel a lot better. We cannot of course diagnosed you, but sure sounds like anxiety or something much less sinister, as it has been going on for such a long time.. Relax, and make a appt. with your doc.. sounds like that one be a good step.. Good luck..

 

[danielito]

Hi everybody, I have news.

I went to see a family doctor in a Hospital today (the only place where you can find a doctor on sundays). I spoke with her about my fasciculations, about my anxiety, my girlfriend, etc. She started a routine neurological test, trying my reflex and so on. Everything was in order, the only thing that was not completely normal was my blood pressure (14/9 and I am 28, a little high).

I also presented many signs of anxiety, and the doctor told me about that. I mentioned about the OCD, the information I got from this post, etc.. and she prescribed me with Insidon, which is for depresion and anxiety problems.

I hope it will help me; I am having really difficult times for my girlfriend been diag. of MS. I admire you all for having the strength that you have, I do not have even the 1/1000th part of it dealing with the MS of my girlfriend, but I love her so deeply that I am sure I will learn to be always there for her.

 

[laurel]

Hi Daniel,
That is great news. You took a big step and did the right thing to help yourself. Very brave of you. Take care.
Laurel