Scaring myself with my symptoms

[HeatherW]

Hey everyone! I'm a 28 year old female who is quite frankly feeling like I'm loosing my mind! So let me go back 10 years when I was diagnosed with hashimotos thyroid disease... after starting the synthroid I was in gym class and my heart skipped a beat, starting my dreaded journey with health anxiety..

I was put on klodipan for 5 years, then I got pregnant with my son and weaned myself off due to fear of harming him inside me... stayed off it, had my daughter. When she was about 11 months old I started getting anxiety really bad again... I was going to the gym and eating healthy so I didn't understand why it was happening... my family Dr told me to go on zoloft... the night he told me that I went into depression, I hate medication and it upset me I had to take it after being so strong for so long. I took it, and I ended up in the hospital with anxiety attacks so that was the end of zoloft for me. While in the hospital they did a cat scan of chest that came back fine.

My Dr called me the next day saying he had noticed my thyroid levels were high (well that would explain some stuff!) So I went on a lower dose. He scheduled an MRI to follow up on a swollen pituitary gland I had since my diagnosis. Mri with and without dye came back normal. I was still having body tremors and I could only sleep 3 hours a night. I started going to therapy. Had 24 hour heart monitor, came back fine.

A week after my mri my toe started twitching... the next day they were everywhere, so, of course, I went into a frenzy. About 2 weeks later my left arm and leg felt really heavy and fatigued. Feeling like not all the muscles were working in them. I switched family drs and started going to an endocrinologist who lowered my thyroid medication dose again. I went into the hospital with my legs feeling stiff and twitching and the Dr told me I was too younge to have ALS and told me to start klodipan again. They did a chest x ray that came back normal.

I started taking half a pill of klodipan ( a full pill made me fall asleep and I couldn't have that with my younge children roaming the house, since I'm a stay at home mom) my anxiety is a lot better, I don't have the full out attacks much anymore (I cut back to 1/4 klodipan)... but the twitching, fatigue is still there. I had convinced myself I was slurring my speech and couldn't swallow but that comes and goes so it has to be in my head (right?)

I feel like my left foot is dragging the ground more then my right when walking, but I can walk on tip toes and heels. I have twitches everywhere, even inside my ear which sounds so weird. But the thing is, I am constantly holding my daughter on my left arm, and when I'm out and holding her, shopping, I don't even notice the "fatigue" until I think about it. Same with my leg. I have been having a lot of pain in my elbows, upper neck and lower back... there is a buzzing feeling on my head and feet. Also a weird zapping that would go down my arm into the middle of my hand and make my hand feel tight... my husband does all the strength tests with me and although I feel weak it seems like I still have my strenght... I've been getting bad headaches and a still neck also and numbness/tingling in feet. Also my left pointer finger is very tight And is turning to the left, I'm guessing arthritis?

Twitches get less while I'm resting, when I move they start... or, oddly enough, when I think of them they act up (the mind is a powerful thing). I just can't think of my children living without me which is fueling this anxiety if that's all it is. My mom has rhearmitory ( I'm sure I spelled that wrong) arthritis and my dad had neuropathy. I pray every night to my dad and God to first keep my children healthy and safe, and if there is time for me to take the symptoms away so I can stop being crazy haha.

I go to my family Dr tomorrow and the endocrinologist again in 2 weeks. I also heard of mri dye becoming toxic in some people's bodies and causing all these symptoms? It's weird it all started a week after the MRI. Anyway, sorry for it being so long, I didn't want to forget something important which I'm sure I did haha I've had a lot of brain fog since my anxiety started acting back up. Thank you to anyone who responds to me, I really appreciate it. I think I need some tough love, since nothing else seems to get this worrying away! I just feel like I'm loosing my mind and causing myself all these symptoms, but in the back of my mind is my anxiety saying "but what if it ISN'T anxiety" ... I'm crazy haha thank you for whoever read this novel!

 

[HeatherW]

I knew I'd forget something! I also had my blood tested for iron, calcium, magnesium deficiencies and all came back normal... thought that might be an important side note haha

 

[HeatherW]

My left shoulder into my back and elbow has been aching bad and feeling really heavy and hard to move... any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Nikki J]

What did your doctor say yesterday?
Was any clinical weakness detected? Any abnormal reflexes?

 

[HeatherW]

She didn't do reflexes and she tested me but didn't say anything... on my paper work for the neorologist is said "left side weakness," but I don't know if it's because I said it or because she saw it... I thought I seemed the same on both sides... I have a neurology appointment on the 18th. I keep fearing that I'm gonna wake up and my arm will be worse, it's aching more but I think the strenght is still there which is good... I always tote my daughter around on that arm also, and she isn't light haha so maybe my muscles are just sore from that... thank you for your response, I know how annoying people like me can be... heck I annoy myself constantly

 

[HeatherW]

She also said her thoughts were none of my symptoms match up and that she thinks I'm just being over sensative to my bodies feelings because of my anxiety, but she doesn't want to just say it is anxiety and brush it off... she did however say she doesn't believe it's ALS and she is sending me to the neorologist to ease my mind.

 

[Nikki J]

Twitching means nothing. It is incredibly common.

Buzzing, zapping, sore muscles are common complaints here among the worried Somehow those people never end up coming back and saying they had ALS or anything else serious other than often anxiety which is serious and debilitating.

If you think you did ok on your strength tests then you probably did. From the first it was obvious to me that I was failing them. If you can carry your child around that is a good sign as well.

It is unfortunate you did not get more feed back from your doctor. If she had really thought you had something wrong I would have expected her to tell you

 

[HeatherW]

Thank you Nikki... yeah I'm trying to put it out of my mind, my kids need me and I need to pay attention to them instead of google... if I am going to get something I can't stop it by worrying... I'm saying this now hopefully I can stick to it! I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to answer to me... hopefully the neorologist appointment will end the fear all together.

 

[Atsugi]

Heather, I read all you wrote really closely and I don't see any signs of ALS in there at all.

 

[HeatherW]

Thank you so much! That really does help me. I just took a 4 mile walk with my cousin then had anxiety that my legs were weak.. duh Heather! That will happen haha I really want to try and beat this health anxiety on my own but every day I keep thinking more and more about taking the zoloft.... after the neorologist appointment though, I don't want to start anything new just in case something else would be happening

 

[lgelb]

Bouncing around on your thyroid level/dose can certainly cause the symptoms you describe, and your body doesn't just quit jumping instantly in response. It takes time. I'd give yourself some, and try to act as if for the time being.

Best,
Laurie

 

[HeatherW]

Thank you Laurie! I know my thyroid has a lot to do with it, I've never been on this low of a dose before... not quite sure why it spiked, just need to get it under controle

 

[HeatherW]

Quick update, earlier today my neurologist called and told me I tested positive for Lyme disease... A later form of it, I guess I had it and never got it treated, so now it's back? And I just got done my emg which he said came out very good, that I had no problems... and he tested everything on both sides... So now I just have to deal with the Lyme and get that situated... I just wanted to update everyone, and thank you for being here to calm my nerves when I was driving myself crazy with anxiety... it ment alot and I pray every night for a cure for als. God bless you all!

 

[soonerwife]

Thanks for the update. So glad your emg went well and it isn't ALS. Good luck with the Lyme treatment.