I'm terrified I have some horrible disease - Aches and pains all over for a month now

[JavaJoe]

Bear with me...

This all started about a month ago when after a few symptoms, I convinced myself I had MS - then things got crazy and have never stopped since.

One afternoon at work I started to get tingling and numbness feelings in my legs and arms. At first I ignored it, but then I started to get scared because they wouldn't go away. So, I called the doctor and made an appointment. She did a routine check for weaknesses, coordination, sensitivity, etc and said everything appeared to be normal. Doctor ordered me to get blood work for lyme disease, hypothyroidism, vitamin B12 deficiency, and a few other tests. Had the blood work done on a Wednesday and was told it would be back that Friday or Monday of next week.

My symptoms of tingling and numbness wouldn't be constant, and they'd change locations. Then, I got really scared when I started to get muscle aches - my calfs and thighs were so achy and painful - like I had run a marathon and strained all the muscles in my legs - I could barely sleep it bothered me so much. I'd feel muscle pain from deep within my butt and all the way down my right leg (sciatica I believe). This lasted for more than a week and to some extent still happens.

Then, that Friday I woke up and just broke down - the pains wouldn't stop and I was so terrified because I had no idea what was happening to my body and why. I had these burning sensations on my arms and my muscles were so easily fatigued - I'd raise my arm to hold my cellphone to my ear and my arm muscles were almost instantly worn out - not weakness really, just extremely worn out right away.

I ended up in the ER that morning (before my bood work came back) and after only a few minutes with the Doc, he diagnosed me with Anxiety - I told him of my MS fears and he assured me what I had was Anxiety. So, he prescribed me Lorazepam and sent me on my way. The muscle relaxer pills didn't seem to do anything but make my tired all day.

My symptoms continued so I called my PCP again - she then sent a referral to a Neurologist and I made an appointment. After going through a bunch of physical tests with the Neuro, he said I passed with flying colors with the exception of "brisk reflexes", and because of my symptoms and family history of MS (my Uncle has MS) he ordered me to get an MRI of my brain and spine just to be sure.

My MRI came back normal for both the brain and spine - "no evidence of MS" was part of the report written by the radiologist. My Neuro called and told me everything was absolutely normal and didn't mention coming back for a follow up. I made a follow up anyway because my symptoms are not going away.

Well, my symptoms continue - now my symptoms seem to be more nerve and muscle related - I get shooting pains in some of my fingers - near the tips - never constant - more throbbing and always coming and going - never sticking around for more than a few hours.

In addition to that, I get muscle aches all over my body - which also comes and goes and doesn't seem to stick around forever.

Here's my problem:

Even after hearing that my brain and spine were fine, I'm still convinced I have something else like lupus, ALS, or something else terrible.

And I wonder if my symptoms are being triggered by my constant fear of this?

In the last few days things have gotten worse again - sharp nerve pain in my ring and pinky fingers, muscles wear out really quickly (raising my hand with my cellphone in the air makes my arm feel like it's been working out for hours. I'm also getting burning sensations on my hands, arms, feet, and legs. Both of my hands feel achy and sore. I should mention that prior to a few days ago, I was feeling a lot better and almost all of my symptoms had gone away for a few days in a row. But, they're back again...

I want to believe this is just anxiety, but everything online suggests I have something terrible...

[samanthajayne24]

Hi. I suffer with burning right through my body. It come over me in waves do unexpected. Feels like all my muscles are tense and there is fire running through my veins then my heart starts pounding With fright They have said its anxiety but I agree with you I constantly think it is something else causing this feeling. I have started taking 20mg of citalpram. Hope you feel better soon xx

[mykids12]

Are you feeling any better?

[Justice]

First things first stop looking online for answers I have done that for years and it has caused way more harm than good. I have found most of the stuff online gives the worst case most of the time. My last symptoms I diagnosed online told me I have lymphoid cancer I lost my mind for weeks and of course all test results came back perfect. So my advice is to trust your doctor and TRY and relax most of your muscle pain is probably from you being so tense and worked up all the time. I hope this helps I definately know what you are going through and in my opinion Google is not an an anxiety holders friend.

[Cara1989]

You have to realise that anxiety can literally make you feel anything you need to switch your irrational thoughts to rational ones you've had test you've been to the doctor your ok once you realise that then you will start the healing process

[JavaJoe]

Here's an update...

I ended up going back to the Neurologist again - again, from his physical exam he found nothing wrong with me and re-assured me it wasn't MS or ALS. I told him about the pains in my fingers so he had me get an ANA blood test to check for Lupus and Arthritis - that blood work came back normal (though up until I got the results, I was convinced I had lupus or arthritis).

I started to feel better for probably a week and then I started to get new symptoms I had not yet experienced - my fingers started to move on their own - started in my right hand with my index finger - that went away after just half a day, but now my left hand is the problem. Then, at night while sleeping, different parts of my body would tremor or shake (hypnotic tremor?). It's gotten worse over the last 4 or 5 days - literally will wake me up at night and I can't fall back to sleep.

Also, since early last week, my left index finger and thumb started to tremor on their own, at rest. It got worse and worse until it was to the point where I rest my left hand on a table or on my lap and my fingers will tremor.

The combination of the my body jolts/tremors during sleep and my tremoring fingers sent me into a panic attack and I convinced myself this was the start of Parkinson's. So, I made another Neurologist appointment on Monday of this week and was lucky to get in to see him that day.

He assured me my tremors were not Parkinson's and said he believes I have "essential tremor" and that even at rest, because I'm so anxious and stressed, that it will continue to tremor. He told me to stop drinking so much diet soda (I drink way too much) and cut back on coffee a bit and also prescribed me some anti-anxiety meds to start taking. More importantly, he said to stop googling symptoms because it's making my anxiety flare.

It's been a couple days since I started taking my medication and since he told me I don't have Parkinson's, but I'm still feeling off - I woke up last night at 4am because my body was twitching uncontrollably while sleeping - like a sudden shake, zap, or jolt in my arms, legs, all over - and it was frequent.

I'm hoping these body tremors are all related my severe health anxiety and stress - my fear that I'm going to get some disease.

[mykids12]

I had these exact same things last night. Both fingers on both hands were doing little vibrations on their own for about 30 minutes. I was freaked out too. I also went in to get ANA blood work yesterday due to all my joint and body pains. I'm not sure if I want it to come back normal or not because even if it comes back normal I probably wont believe it and still continue to go get tested.

[mykids12]

I had these exact same things last night. Both fingers on both hands were doing little vibrations on their own for about 30 minutes. I was freaked out too. I also went in to get ANA blood work yesterday due to all my joint and body pains. I'm not sure if I want it to come back normal or not because even if it comes back normal I probably wont believe it and still continue to go get tested.

Oh and my fingers feel arthritic. I get the tired feeling in my arms too. So you're not alone.

[Enduronman]

This is for Java Joe,
1. Researching things on the internet can be a good and bad thing. For me, it was a great thing but I do not fear of death or some weird rare diseases. I want to know, what I have to live and deal with. Remove all of this worry, and then begin to learn about it.
2. I began suffering from odd and mysterious symptoms in mid 2010 and I recorded and can recall them all.
3. The Doctors could not figure this out, because "it" appears as something else to them. A chameleon, shape shifter, "it" hides and won't reveal itself to anyone but me.
4. I was always a physically fit, healthy, and very strong man although I always had multiple personality disorders.
5. On May 28th of 2012, I woke up and my hands wouldn't move. I couldn't make them move. Swollen, painful.
6. From that point forward, this disease began to attack every joint in my body and it felt like I had a hot iron on top of my hands and both feet, and a car parked on top of me that I couldn't see. It was intense and crushing.
7. After 6 Doctors, one figured it out. On February 19th of 2013. Relapsing polychondritis. My sister also has it. It's very dangerous. Read the article by (D.E. Trentham MD) if you're interested.
8. On February 19th, I became a vegan. It saved my life. Quit drinking and eating garbage, if you want to survive what ever it is that you have.
9. I now control this disease, on my own. And if you find others with it online of which you will, they are all miserable, sickly, and now have many other problems because they are taking meds that (MAY CAUSE DEATH) as it says in the side effects profile papers. I refuse them.
10. No blood test can find this disease. My multiple ANA test, and all other test, show nothing.
11. 15 times since that day, I have had episodic ataxia. It looks like I have MS or cerebral palsy during these events, but I don't. It's a very weird experience to say the least. I minimize the effects of it when others are observing me, I just say "Oh shit, I just went full retard!"..It lessens their "OMG what do I do?" stresses...it isn't painful. It is the only time that I don't feel pain until it passes.
12. Relax friend. Your worry, and stress, will feed your "unexplained" disease. If you ignore it, "It" will begin to ignore you.
13. It's caused by your out of wack, our of control, auto-immune/adrenal systems. Learn to control them asap. You can, because I can.

Good luck to you and start first with throwing your refridgerator out the second story window, and start over.

E-Man...

[Lm22]

I just wanted to let you know that I have every symptom you describe to a t and I have Lyme disease and other tick coinfections. Idk what tests your doctor did but the typical Lyme titer is not super reliable and you may have had bands come back positive that indicate Lyme but your doc will tell you it's negative bc the CDC guidelines are stupid. You should get the actual results of that test. Even if it came back totally negative you should not rule out Lyme. I strongly suggest you find a llmd who follows the ilads guidelines to do some further testing ... Normal doctors are stupid. I have bad anxiety since this started but those symptoms are more than anxiety. My doc blames it on Epstein Barr virus and 'chronic fatigue' which makes no sense. Ppl with Lyme often have a pos ebv due to weakened immune system and you should know that Lyme mimics MS symptoms also. I went to a neurologist and everything too.