MS fear

[Noelle Kyla Rubio]

Hi, I'm 17 y/o, female. My anxiety started about 4 weeks after I fainted at school. So 4 weeks have gone, I was in class and it was really hot then I suddenly felt lightheaded. I felt very anxious because I thought I was gonna faint again so I went to the sick bay. When I went there, I was totally fine again. I believe I had a panick attack. I continued feeling lightheaded especially at school but when I'm home, I felt fine. After 2 days of feeling lightheaded, I went to the doctors and she told me it might be dehydration or hay fever (a lot of people were having it at that time). The blood test came out and it was normal. I went to the doctors again after about 2 days because I was still feeling lightheaded and my hand and feet were always cold. I was also hyperventilating. The doctor checked my ears and found a little bit of fluid so she gave me antihistamines. I took antihistamines for a month but dizziness didn't stop. My dizziness wasn't like vertigo, it was more like everything around me was hazy, but not blurry. I was really worried about my health and kept thinking that I will faint!

My muscles started twitching, from head to toe. Obviously, I googled the causes of muscle twitching and found brain tumor. After reading symptoms of brain tumor, I started having them. I felt pressure on my head like my head was buzzing and like a point of head would hurt for about a minute then go away. Also, everything started to feel bright and google told me that one of the symptoms of brain tumor is sensitivity to light. I was convinced I had brain tumor. But then I realized that my symptoms were too mild to be a brain tumor so my anxiety lessened. My anxiety was always there but I thought it was solely anxiety.

My anxiety started to heighten again after I went jogging (it was my first time to jog again after ages although I do aerobic dance from time to time). The next day, my lower right leg really felt stiff and also the lower right side of my lower left leg. I was really scared about this because it was usually my upper legs that hurt. I was really anxious that my face started to feel numb. Then, obviously, I googled the causes of face numbness. There it was. MS. My symptoms all matched. After that I noticed that my right feet is constantly buzzing and now it's also my left hand! It's not going numb or tingling but they keep on buzzing! Both my lower legs always feel stiff, especially my right leg.

This is what is scaring me the most. After concluding I have MS, everytime after taking a shower, whenever I stretch my right toe pointing upwards, the top part of my foot tingles. This only happens after I take a bath. After a while, it goes away. My vision has also been funny. I think I'm having double vision although I have to really concentrate whether I'm having it or not then I think maybe it's just the light. Also, I always see this one white pinprick dot randomly on my vision, anywhere. A person not focusing on his/her vision will not notice this but I always notice it. People with anxiety say that they see a lot of white dots but I only see one! Although I also experience it. Also, I have been randomly feeling pain somewhere (back, legs, arms) randomly but would go away after about 2 mins.

Please, I need help. My main problem is that I don't want to worry my parents. I badly want to do an MRI scan but if I tell my parents, they will be very anxious. My mom is having an exam on July (about after 3 months) and if ever I do the MRI scan and comes out that I actually have something, she won't be able to focus on her studies. Our future depends on this exam. I have been telling her that I think I'm sick but I've never told her that I feel I have MS or another serious disease. She now thinks I'm depressed although I'm sure I'm not. I have been crying and I don't know what to do.

[Nowuccas]

MS is only one possibility, and there are other explanations.

From: vitamindwiki.com/Handout+on+Vitamin+D+%28Hormone+D%29+and+sleep+-+Gominak+2012

"If you have a neurologic problem that is severe enough to see a neurologist, you probably do not heal your body in sleep as perfectly as you once did. Most of us who have headaches, tremor, balance difficulties, vertigo, burning in the feet, depression, body pain, or memory loss have abnormal sleep and, surprisingly, fixing the sleep can fix the neurologic problem. From 2005-2009 I performed sleep studies on most of my patients and used medications or sleep masks to try to help their sleep. In 2009 I accidentally discovered that most of my patients had abnormal sleep because they were vitamin D deficient.

Low D causes balance difficulties and pain: D deficiency also causes leg pain, burning in the feet, and difficulty with balance, perhaps through secondary B deficiencies of B12, B5 or B6. Poor sleep results in body pain on awakening; fibromyalgia, arthritis, chronic low back pain, knee pain, hip pain".

Anxiety is also associated with an insufficieny of vitamin D; vitamindwiki.com/Search+Results?hl=en&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&btnG=Google+Search&q=anxiety&domains=vitamindwiki.com&sitesearch=vitamindwiki.com refers.

If it does turn out to be MS, check out
vitamindwiki.com/Multiple+Sclerosis
particularly vitamindwiki.com/Overview+MS+and+vitamin+D such as:
"Clinical interventions have shown that Vitamin D can prevent, treat, and even cure Multiple Sclerosis, at a small fraction (1/1000th) of the cost of the drugs now used to treat it, and with no side effects". *
Your likelyhood of getting MS is strongly a function of how close a relative is that has MS"
"MS occurs in a vicious cycle with vitamin D: low D leads to MS which lowers vitamin D"

From anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?31873-Please-Help

"Perform an internet search for the terms: "anxiety, vitamin d deficiency".

If supplementing vitamin D, (the non preferred method, according to vitaminDcouncil.org ) use only vitamin D3. Also view vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/how-do-i-get-the-vitamin-d-my-body-needs/ & sawyer.com/understanding-uva-uvb/ & articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/19/cholesterol-sulfate.aspx Consider the UV meter shown in vitaminDcouncil.org at Sunfriend.com

Australia has the highest rate of melanoma (skin cancer) in the world; even so, the Australian Cancer Council has now recognised the importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels for not only general health, but it also reduces the overall rate of melanoma (and provides a better outcome for those affected).

They now recommend 30 minutes of sun exposure, daily. Your shadow should be shorter than you, for best generation of vitamin D, but in midsummer it can be sensible to either avoid the hours around noon, when the UV index is at its highest, depending on the latitude of your location, or sun yourself under 50% density shadecloth, because the highest ratio of UVB to UVA occurs around noon, and only UVB light produces vitamin D.

"UVB light hits the skin and, (if above the minimum threshold intensity) changes 7 dehydrocholesterol to D hormone; cholecalciferol, which is vitamin D" - Dr. Gominak. (my emphasis)

Maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D (59% of Americans have levels that are depleted, or deficient; 95% for those with greater melanin pigmentation) will reduce the risks of contracting many diseases, and speed recovery.

The govt. RDI of 400 IU daily is long outdated, according to vitaminDwiki, and Dr. John Cannell, at vitaminDcouncil.org, Dr. Weil, at drweil.com, Dr. Ben Kim, at drbenkim.com, Dr. Axe, at draxe.com, Dr. Gominak, a neurologist at drgominak.com and Dr. Mercola, at mercola.com all agree that an RDI of 5000 IU daily is not excessive, although higher levels may be required as people age, and / or put on weight. My doctor, on the basis of several peer reviewed studies, also agrees that an RDI of 5000 IU daily is not excessive, and it is virtually impossible to get the required amount from dietary sources, without the risk of toxicity.

There are currently differing medical opinions on what is the ideal range for achieving maximal benefits, with minimal risks; I formerly adopted 45-52 ng/ml (115-128 n mol/l), but am now opting for 60 ng/ml - 80 ng/ml (150 n mol/l - 200 n mol/l) with 60 ng/ml (150 n mol/l) as my target.

More information on vitamin D is at your-mental-health.weebly.com on page 3, about Seasonal Affective Disorder. It is also important to maintain sufficient of its co-factors, zinc, boron, magnesium, and vitamin K2. You can get them from health food, vitamin stores, or online.

You could enhance your microbiome (both the beneficial and harmful bacteria in your digestive tract, which produce a large proportion of your neurotransmitters, and some vitamins) by regular consumption of fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, tofu, soy sauce, or natto, and take a probiotic, preferably one with an enteric coating; Google supplies, or mercola.com have some. "Those same colonic bacteria actually supply 4, of 8 B vitamins that we need to feel good, so there are secondary B vitamin deficiencies that may have to be corrected for the sleep to return completely to normal" - drgominak.com

Adopt a diet with minimal sugars and / or highly processed grain products, with more non starchy vegetables, protein, some complex carbohydrates, such as legumes, (beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas) and brown rice, some sourdough rye bread or seed and nutloaf, and 2, or 3 pieces of fruit, as well as probiotic yoghurt.

~~~
At the first sign of one, employ an ANTI PANIC ATTACK breathing technique. Advice from a clinical psychologist is to breathe in to the count of 3: (one thousand one; one thousand two; one thousand three) each takes around a second to say to yourself, in your mind, and out to the count of 3. Keep repeating this until the panic subsides, a maximum of 25 minutes, which will deal with the hyperventilation aspect. Note: the controlled breathing only helps with the symptoms, as do medications/herbal remedies.

You could also breathe into an open paper bag until the panic subsides; both of these methods increase the amount of carbon dioxide in your lungs and bloodstream, stopping hyperventilation, and give you something to focus on doing, but few teens want to carry paper bags around or be seen breathing into them.

Give EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. It is free via the searchbar at mercola.com "EFT" & "EFT therapists" or tapping.com (13 free videos), or eftuniverse.com or emofree.com or one of the many YouTube videos. Google: "YouTube; EFT videos". Professionally instructed is generally preferable. - There is a version for use in public places, (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you employ the acupressure massage / tapping on your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind: "Even though I suffer from a panic disorder, I deeply and completely accept myself."

Alternatively, use Progressive Muscle Relaxation; see drcoxconsulting.com/managing-stress.html

Both are effective anti-anxiety techniques that you can apply any time you feel anxiety, or notice a panic attack starting.

Your post doesn't provide sufficient information for me to determine whether you are experiencing panic, or anxiety attacks.

"There are some differences between anxiety and panic attacks. While books are written on this topic, the following will attempt to summarize some basics here for a brief overview.

Anxiety Attacks:
An anxiety attack, sometimes referred to as a panic attack, is an unforeseen periods or incidents where there is a sudden fright or fear of intense proportions. These attacks focus on fears that are most often not rational; however the person with the disorder believes he or she is in terrible danger or at extreme risk. Most often these anxiety attacks occur all of a sudden; i.e. they are not planned nor do they come with any type of warning mechanism built in for advance action. Results are that
the person suffering the attack will feel about to faint or near death's door.
Discomfort or pain in the chest Vertigo or
Dizziness Upset stomach / Nausea Loss of
Control, Loss of Mental Stability Stress
Cold or hot flashes Heart palpitations or
near heart attack Shallow breathing Shakes / Trembling
Anxiety disorder is characterized as having anxiety feelings that are "always there / all inclusive," make people want to isolate themselves from society and hamper everyday activities with others.

Panic Attacks:
On the other hand, a panic attack does not carry with it that "always there" association. In fact, panic episodes generally burst forth, peaking after roughly 10 minutes or so, then ending after about 25 minutes. During a panic attack, 4 of the symptoms listed below:
Hyperventilation, Shallow breathing, even to the point of
suffocation sensation...
Increased heart rates Tightness of chest, Chest pain or discomfort
Shakes / Trembling / Sweating Choking
sensation Upset Stomach / Nausea Vertigo
Paresthesias (numbness or tingling sensations)
Surreal feelings Loss of Control, especially
of mental faculties Death coming on Numbing
Cold or hot flashes

The Difference:
The main difference between anxiety attacks and panic attacks is in the duration of the attack and how intense it is for the person with the affliction. While anxiety attacks are less hi-stress, they tend to last longer than the power-packed panic stressors".
~~~

From post no. 11 at anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?31873-Please-Help
"Sufferers often describe the sensation of derealization as being in a dream-like state where the environment seems unreal, foggy or hazy".
Deficiencies in vitamin D or its cofactors can cause, or exacerbate anxiety, resulting panic states, depersonalisation, or derealization.

I suggest that you read that post in full.

[Nowuccas]

I also suggest that you have your vitamin D levels checked, quicker, via a doctor, or from a dried blood spot test. VitaminDcouncil.org has low cost, blood spot vitamin D testing; click on testing at the top of their webpage. Ensure good levels of the co-factors for vitamin D; zinc, magnesium, (which most people are deficient in, and which may account for some of your symptoms) boron, and vitamin K2; Google supplies, or mercola.com have the most bioactive form, MK7 / Menaquinone.

If deficient in vitamin D, as I suspect, you could safely take 50,000 IU daily, for a week, then 7,000 to 8,000 IU daily, and re-test in 4 weeks, aiming at the 60 to 80 ng/ml range, and testing at least every 6 months, adjusting your dosage according to (sensible) sun exposure time, and / or current supplementation levels.

You could exclude a deficiency of vitamin D and / or its cofactors as the cause, but still keep supplementing because of *.

In that way, you needn't worry your parents unnecessarily; if fact, they may not need to know, but you may want to convey some of your newly found knowledge to them, and ask them to test their own levels, as maintaining optimal levels is likely to produce better health outcomes as they age.

See vitamindwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page_id=1586

Do they apply to you?

~~~

"After reading symptoms of brain tumor, I started having them. I felt pressure on my head like my head was buzzing and like a point of head would hurt for about a minute then go away. Also, everything started to feel bright and google told me that one of the symptoms of brain tumor is sensitivity to light. I was convinced I had brain tumor. But then I realized that my symptoms were too mild to be a brain tumor so my anxiety lessened. My anxiety was always there but I thought it was solely anxiety".

Ask yourself exactly what evidence there is to support the idea that you may have such a disease, or is it just a baseless fear? What if you did have it. How would you cope? What then? Work it all out on paper.

It's important to regularly monitor, and deal with a negative internal monologue (self talk), or mental process, such as disturbing thoughts, images, impulses, or emotions, by the process of (a): recognising it, and (b): challenging it immediately. Technique For Re-Programming Negative Thoughts: When you notice something negative, such as: "I can't do this/ am never going to get over this!" or: "Why am I always so useless/such a loser?" or even an image, emotion, or a memory; recognise that it is being generated from the negative part of your mind. After identifying, and labelling it, visualise a large, red, flashing, "STOP!" sign, and/or possibly a stern faced person wagging an index finger at you in a negative manner, then say to yourself as forcefully as you can, even aloud in a big voice, if alone: "I know this tactic: GO AWAY FOR A WHILE !!!" You may want to use either: "ruse", "ploy", "game", or "trick". In the case of an image, visualise a large "STOP" sign, or your preferred version. Some people go so far as to keep a wide rubber band in their pocket, then put it around their wrist, when they catch themselves backsliding, stretch and release it, as a method of reprogramming their mind sooner, but I don't regard it as being strictly necessary. Remember to remove it, afterwards, if you use this method.

Try replacing a negative thought with a positive affirmation of your choice, such as repeating: "I'll be just fine". Realise that by the act of viewing material about various diseases, you are implanting a suggestion in your subconscious mind that you may have it, It recognises a potential threat, and initiates the (formerly, in times long past) appropriate response; a "fight, or flight" reaction. Stop viewing such material. Practice a relaxation method, daily, and when needed, such as: (free) drcoxconsulting.com/managing-stress.html or wikihow.com/Meditate or Yoga Nidra, (no flexibility required) on page L at your-mental-health.weebly.com, and see page Z for much more about hypochondria (panic attacks, and anxiety; see pages 1, h, & i). Qi Gong, Tai Chi, or regular yoga suits others better.

Give EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. It is free via the searchbar at mercola.com "EFT" & "EFT therapists", or tapping.com (13 free videos) or emofree.com or YouTube EFT. Professional is best. - There is a version for use in public places, (you could claim to have a headache, as you employ the acupressure massage/tapping your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind: "Even though I have health anxiety (or hypochondria), I deeply and completely accept myself." These will enable you to emotionally centre yourself, when practiced regularly, and can also help you become a calmer, more self controlled person, who is less susceptible to such beliefs.

Read: Treating Health Anxiety: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach by Steven Taylor Phd and Gordon J. G. Asmundson PhD, & The Hypochondriac's Guide to Life. And Death. by Gene Weingarten, & It's Not All in Your Head: How Worrying about Your Health Could Be Making You Sick--and What You Can Do about It by Gordon J. G. Asmundson Ph.D and Steven Taylor Ph.d, from your bookstore, or Amazon.com and there are other media, such as CD's & Kindle material, via their searchbar: "hypochondria".

Hypnosis is merely a heightened state of suggestibility, in which you are better able to communicate with your subconscious mind; view myfavoriteinterests.com/hypnosis/ about what it is, and isn't. 85% of people are suggestible to some degree; 15% - 20% highly so, and 15% - 20% aren't much at all, so you could either preferably seek professional hypnotherapy, or, if not an option, hypnosisdownloads.com has one on overcoming hypochondria.

[gypsylee]

Hi again Noelle :)

Like I said, MS is extremely unlikely and there are way more explanations for your symptoms.

Can the person above stop cutting and pasting please? I know you're trying to help but a more concise reply would be better.

Cheers,
Gypsy x

[Kuma]

Hi again Noelle :)

Like I said, MS is extremely unlikely and there are way more explanations for your symptoms.

Can the person above stop cutting and pasting please? I know you're trying to help but a more concise reply would be better.

Cheers,
Gypsy x

I agree. The salient parts of this response could have been stated in three sentences. And it would be more effective because people would actually read it.