Tarasa16

Hey guys! I’m back with new worries, and I’m driving everyone around me crazy! And I just need some help. Back in October I noticed this little red spot on my finger. Super tiny...I didn’t think much of it and then I noticed that the skin around the little red speck was slight raised and squishy. Almost like a pimple. I didn’t go away or change after a couple weeks, so I began hyper focusing on it. The stupid thing never went away, and I have only made things worse. Since hyper focusing on it back October I have picked at it, poked at it, traumatized it over and over. I thought it could be a cyst and maybe needed to drain (since you know, I’m a doctor and can do that.............*sarcasm*) I have worried myself to death over it... I finally got it healed back to what it looked like at first, and of course I messed with it and now it’s bleeding a lot, sore, and the lump is so much bigger (which I know is because of the fact I keep messing with it). I have convinced myself somehow that it is some type of cancer... I know I should go to the doctor.. but I don’t have a good primary anymore... and I’m also pregnant and go to the doctor every couple of weeks for scans... I’m just so stressed. Does anyone else do this?

At first I was super put off they didn’t find it when I went to the specialist..it was so obvious to my new set of practitioners. I had an MRI, a lumbar puncture (which ended with an awful spinal headache), medical debt, and so much anxiety, and no answers. But I realized, and am thankful they ordered all those tests for me. Since it came back a second time... I would have probably needed them done anyway. And it put my mind at ease, overall.

Just curious if you figured out what was causing the weakness? I have a weird weak feeling in my left arm and hand. Having a hard time keeping my finger straight. But I can grip things, and move things fine. But straightening my fingers is hard (I can do it.. but I get super shaky). My ring finger also seems to have the most trouble. No numbness or pain. Maybe some tingling. It’s hard to tell. I keep thinking nerve issue.. and I will admit I’ve been laying in bed a lot . I’m pregnant and am nauseous on top of all my other anxieties. Having troubling typing.. in the sense I get super tired and my hand muscles get stiff. Sorry for going on and on... I keep trying to reassure myself and I do okay for a few hours then I get upset again...

So I ended up having another outcome to all of this a couple years later, and I thought I would go ahead and add it in- just in case someone ever finds themselves in this boat. I had the weird vision stuff come back last fall. I, of course, panicked again. I didn’t necessarily think I had a brain tumor... but I was more worried about all the stress of going through another MRI. I ended up going to a new optometrist who was AMAZING. She looked at my eye and showed me pictures. She said yes.. I had a SLIGHTLY bigger optic nerve on one side, BUT she said “I think that’s just how you are”. She also could see something in my retina (like a tear or hole, but couldn’t confirm. I was sent on to another retina specialist. He only spent about 10 minutes with me, but was wonderful. He confirmed I just had a slightly bigger optic nerve and that he could even see it pulse. Lol. Which meant blood was easily going from it to my Brian... or something. He couldn’t really answer the question about light flashes but said if they didn’t go away in about 3 weeks, they would send me to another specialist. Well, they went away almost immediately. I think I figured out what was causing these flashes... it has to be either stress or that blue light phenomenon thing. Or just how my eye is shaped and responds to light... I still see it in bright light, but I just ignore them.. or tune them out. Lol. Bottom line is... I don’t have a brain tumor or MS. I also didn’t have PTC. I have anxiety...

Thank you for replying!! I forgot about the failing not feeling. I’ve read that before. I’m trying to remind myself of that. I just keep worrying “well is this the beginning? Will I wake up tomorrow and won’t be able to lift my hand??? Or start dropping everything”... I’ve been off and on for years on ALS stuff and try not to go down too much of a rabbit hole. I just can’t seem to shake this one, quickly. But it’s always something with me... usually cancer. I think being pregnant triggered a bunch of stuff, too... because my whole body just feels awful. My husband thinks I have a trapped nerve in my arm...and that’s why everything seems off. I can’t lift my ring finger on my left hand when it’s laying flat.. but can move it otherwise. It sent me into a tizzy until I realized that was kind of normal. I just hate HA. I do so well for awhile... and then it’s like I fall into a hole. I’ve been this way for a long time. And I’m just so over it. And have spent so much money on testing...

So for the past week, I have been absolutely petrified I have ALS. It all started last weekend and when I noticed my left hand felt kind of weak. Like I didn’t have a good grip... I wasn’t dropping anything... but my hand just felt shakey and weak. I would become super fatigued typing on my computer and felt like my hand/fingers would get stiff. I don’t have any pain, numbness... maybe just a little tingling in my fingers... but it seems to be in all of them. I’m also having a hard time keeping my fingers straightened. I’ve noticed it’s kind of hard to put my hair in a ponytail because my fingers just aren’t working right. I’ve also been stretching my arm out and trying to lift my wrist back (as if I’m making a stop motion) and can’t really do it because my fingers want to curl back under. It’s like my wrist is too stiff or something. I feel like this is super severe and worrisome. I’m also almost 3 months pregnant with twins....and I don’t think I’ve ever been this anxious before. I’m so sick... dealing with sciatica as well... had a hemorrhage and though I was miscarrying... I can’t get out of bed when I’m not working because I’m so stressed. I’m driving myself and my family crazy. I read somewhere that with ALS like you literally can’t do stuff. Like I wouldn’t be able to put my hair in a ponytail.. because I literally wouldn’t be able to lift my arm or hand (right now I just find it difficult). But I’m stuff having trouble... I hope I’m making sense. I’m so scared. Heeelllppppp!!!! :(

Are you on any new meds?

I feel like I’m hyper focused on it!!! i do this all the time. Like... I’ll have a weird sensation or “symptom” or thing pop up.. and I focus so much I drive myself crazy... then I can’t remember if it was normal feeling to begin with? Like maybe I’ve always had it and have just been able to ignore it kind of thing.

Yes!!! I did the UTI test strips. It came up negative... sort of... it said I was positive for one and not the other... I think the Leukecytes were positive. And that’s how it usually goes. So weird... and I asked my doctor about it once, and even asked my gynecologist and they really felt like it was I do this because of anxiety... so I’m just trying to remember it’s probably anxiety... some days it’s better than others. I keep thinking I’m hyperfocusing on it.... like maybe I’m just feeling a slight sensation... and I focus on it too much.. and even squeeze my bladder to try and tell for sure whether or not I actually have to go... by the time I do all that I really do need to go... and it’s probably making it worse. I even wonder if I have a yeast infection (sorry if that’s tmi 😬) and maybe that’s just causing a feeling of inflammation? Idk... I feel like I sound like a crazy person trying to rationalize it all. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Definitely thinking about it a lot... or all the time really. I find myself timing how long I go... a little bit obsessively, probably. I also find myself.... straining and squeezing... after I go to the bathroom... I guess to check? And that seems to make things worse. I just hate health anxiety so much... I worry about c all the time. It’s draining. I’m very thankful for this forum... I don’t feel so alone!

Thanks all!! Im just so freaked out! It seems like it changes throughout the day now... I’ll have days where it doesn’t bother me... and then days where I go most of the day feeling normal... and then as soon as I go... it feels like I need to go... almost immediately 😞 I keep saying to myself... if it was some kind of cancer or tumor... it wouldn’t come and go... but I’m not even sure if that’s true and I’m driving myself crazy!!

Hey guys!! This may be TMI but.... I feel like I’m going crazy!!! For the past month I feel like I have been going to the bathroom, constantly. I just started having to pee maybe every hour but I could hold it.... but that sensation was there. Now it never leaves. Even when I just went. I’m terrified something is super wrong. I’m scared I have cancer of the bladder, or kidney, or like ovarian cancer (which is probably the one I’m most worried about). I know anxiety can cause frequent urination. I’ve struggled with it my entire life. But at least actually emptying my bladder provided relief for at least a little bit... and eventually I would get over it when I was at work or did things to distract myself, now none of that is helping. This just feels like constant pressure and tingling. It’s not an UTI - there’s no burning and I took one of those at home tests. I keep doing things like squeezing my bladder while I’m using the restroom... and part of me thinks that could be causing it. But I’m just so freaked out. I’m also have some very low back pain.. but I also pulled a back muscle a few weeks ago... I still can hold it for around 3 hours or so until I really feel the need. I haven’t seen any blood in the toilet. But I’m still really scared and I feel like I’m going crazy!! Im trying to resist the urge to go the doctor- I don’t even have a GP right now. And I have spent so much money on this stupid HA... I’ve been told several times by doctors my urinary issues are anxiety related. But I don’t feel they have ever lasted this long and like I said.... it’s constant which is new. I had a lower abdomen CT scan around 1 and a half ago... just showed a small uterine fibroid. I’m 28 and have never had kids...just fyi. I don’t wake up in the middle of the night or anything. has anyone else experiences anything similar?!! I can’t take much more of this :(

Hi! I don’t know if you’re still having symptoms.. I actually recently had both of my feet and the back of my legs go numb. No tingling or anything.. just numb.. and it came on pretty gradually over a period of a week. I went berserk about it (as I like to call it)... Ended up in the ER.. they did an MRI and admitted me because they thought I had Cauda Equina Syndrome... turns out I have sciatica.. But I was scared, and am still struggling... I was worried about tumors.. and C... Also.. my Zoloft has been causing me to have shaky hands and buzzing feelings. I’m sure you don’t have MS or any other scary Neuro stuff. Tight shoes can cause numbness... even over a period of time. I know I don’t have much feeling in my toes, in general (when I’m not numb )... I’m sure you’re fine!! Hang in there! It sounds like you have a really good support team!

Hi! Spotting can be normal... for lots of different reasons. Implantation bleeding, birth control, heavy periods, irregular periods.. stress.. it can all cause some spotting I would bring it up to your gyno.. mainly just for future reference. I actually went through this about a year ago.. ish. My situation was a little different than yours. I am a little older (27), I’ve never been on birth control.. and I had spotting instead of a period for like 2 months.. It sent me spiraling into a HUGE panic. I saw my doctor. She wasn’t concerned, but... she knows about my extreme health anxiety.... so she ordered a CT scan for me, just for the peace of mind. Turns out I have a very small fibroid.. (which can cause some spotting). I again panicked and went to a Gyno instead of my GP. He told me it was normal.. especially if you’re prone to heavy periods and have anxiety.. I hope that helps a little! I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about! more than likely missing your BC for a week and then restarting induced some bleeding.

Thanks everyone! I am still numb from my thigh area down... but now that I know it’s a normal symptom (thanks a lot to everyone on here) I feel a lot better. Pain has increased a little more... and as AWFUL as that sounds, it makes me feel better.... I just wish the feeling would come back in my feet. I plan on being referred to a Physical therapist or at least maybe seeing a chiropractor .. I just haven’t made the call yet... Doctor also prescribed ZOLOFT and Hydroxyzine for my anxiety, and I think it’s starting to help, as well.