Rosie206

@Ironman I absolutely hear you but of course when I was googling symptoms, indigestion was listed as one for cervical and ovarian cancer hence the fact I am now obsessing over these new symptoms which were never an issue for me before and have only come on since having my smear/colposcopy. Sometimes I find it hard to accept that these could be triggered by anxiety and I’m always jumping to worst case scenario. It’s so draining and you become so frustrated with yourself.

Thanks for your reply @Ryn079 It’s just that these symptoms seem so new. As I said I’ve been a sufferer of health anxiety for a while but the stomach gurgling, signs of indigestion, back pain etc. it’s all so new. It’s just baffling how many feelings can be linked to anxiety and it’s hard to convince yourself of that sometimes but your reply has reassured me somewhat. I too get that bad taste in my mouth, almost metallic or something. I hope you have found a way of dealing with this too. I’m still finding my way of coping however I’m still resorting to Dr Google which I know will result in nothing positive!

Hi guys, I’ve been feeling really worried lately and I’m wondering if anyone has experienced something similar. I went for my regular smear check about 6 months ago which showed HPV result for the first time which led to a colposcopy. Once I had that there were no further concerns and I was told to come back in a year for a further smear test. However for a couple of months now I’ve had really bad indigestion where my stomach is constantly gurgling after I eat and I feel so gassy all the time. I’m now feeling pressure in my pelvis area and pain in my back and am wondering if this is all connected or am I just so focused on these symptoms that I’m bringing them on. I’ve suffered with heath anxiety for years but before now it was an obsession with ALS and I was convinced my hand was getting weaker. I don’t know if I am now trying to convince myself of another illness since my smear test and that’s why I am feeling this way. Has this happened to anyone else? Can anxiety cause issues with digestion which is causing all this discomfort in my stomach and not to mention the really embarrassing noises that goes with it 😞 I’m so conscious of it now especially when I’m in work I just cannot relax.

@ZenCube found this post to be helpful. I too am a sufferer of health anxiety particularly focused around Motor Neurone disease. I was managing ok for the past while but find I spiral into sever anxiety when I hear or see something in relation to this awful disease. Again, I know we just have to remind ourselves we are healthy and well and to ignore the devil on our shoulder that appears in the form of twitches, weak (fatigued) muscles even clumsiness. I’m trying to meditate finding it to be kind of tough to settle me erratic thoughts but hopefully will get there. I find it comforting to know I’m not alone in my fear over this illness, it seems to be a very common topic on this forum. I wish everyone well who is currently suffering with this fear and we will get through this together.

@bird253 It seems like you are suffering with all of the classic anxiety symptoms. From looking back over the posts you can see that typically tingling or numbness or twitching isn’t always connected with ALS. As @Holls has put it, it’s more failure than feeling. In short, failure to be able to carry out every day tasks. It’s awful To constantly worry about this. I know as I’ve been there myself and have constant battles still to this day. I try to keep my mind from going to that dark place. Keep busy, keep active, do things you enjoy and hopefully those feelings will subside in time. Try and find some outlet that helps whether it’s listening to podcasts or self help books that will help you conquer your fears of this. I took comfort in the fact knowing I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. I’ve come along way from where I was but it has taken time and I still come up against it on my bad days. Stay strong and you will get through this and see brighter days! I assure you ❤️

Thank you so much Holls. I really appreciate your help and advice and knowing you have went through the same sort of fear but have managed to battle on is very admirable. I hope I can one day be in a better position and have a proper hold over my anxiety. Thanks again and take care

Thanks Holls for your kind words. Do you continue to go to a therapist? Do you also find that you still have bad days, maybe brought on my stress or even just thinking about the fear of that illness? For instance the other day there was an article in the newspaper about a sufferer of that awful disease and how his family raised money walking the length of the country (I’m in Ireland) and even reading that article just instilled fear in me again. I get so frustrated at myself as I know there are people out there who are actually facing this and have been diagnosed with this illness or other fatal illnesses and I think of how they are feeling while I am obsessing over it. And not obsessing because I want it, obsessing because I fear it so much. I will take your advice on board with exercise, cooking, reading. How long until you started to feel normal again? I wonder is this a battle that you have to train your mind against forever..

Hi to all. I have been suffering with a fear of ALS or motor neurone disease as it’s also known by for over a year now. This fear has taken over my life and is something I think about every single day. My uncle had passed away from this awful disease as did my friends father so I suppose I’ve been made aware of how awful and aggressive this illness is. It all began after I suffered with a really bad chest infection. I felt really unwell for about a week and had some time off work. Work was stressful at the time and I had upcoming college exams. A long term relationship had just ended although I didn’t feel like I grieved this at the time. I had the strangest sensation in my right arm when I was trying to write and at that point immediately thought it was the onset of ALS symptoms and had my first panic attack. This was over a year ago. I have been to a neurologist who has examined me and given me the all clear. I have had nerve conduction studies. I have had a EMG. I have had a brain and neck MRI, all thankfully coming back clear. But I still cannot shake the fear of this illness. Some days are better than others where I will barely think about it. But some days the fear is crippling. I’m constantly testing my strength and trawling sites like this to hear about other people who have felt these symptoms and how they have overcome it. I am living in a state of fear. It is so debilitating and I cannot shake the fear I feel about this. I’m wondering if anybody else has similar worries and how they found it best to overcome them? I was initially put on anti anxiety medication but found them to be no help so came off these. I went to see a couple of counsellor a but found them to be no help. It’s like my mind is so stubborn and almost refuses to believe that I am anxious and doesn’t want to listen to a counsellor tell me what they think. I just want to try and live a normal life again without this awful weight on my shoulders. Anyone else feel similarly? And if so, what has helped you to cope? Many thanks in advance!

Thanks everybody for your replies. I’m baffled at how many other people feel this way and it’s always so helpful to hear about how someone else managed to move on from their fears of this. Some days I can be rational and tell myself I’m perfectly fine, but other days I’m consumed by these thoughts. I try to test my strength constantly with my right arm in comparison to my left. Just last night I felt so worried as it looks as if my right arm is actually thinner than my left although I use this arm to write etc. I’ve had nerve conduction studies, MRI, EMG and bloods to which all have come back all clear, which I am so thankful for. I just don’t know how I can move on and put these awful thoughts behind me. I was taking medication for anxiety but didn’t feel they helped me in any way and I just want more than anything to fight this myself without the use of medication. What tips did you find helped you to get your mental strength back and fight these negative thoughts/feelings?

What are the feelings you are having? I also suffer with this fear. Having had my uncle pass away from this illness and a friends father, it has been a fear that has stayed with me. It started more than a year ago with me feeling weakness in my right arm. My long term relationship had just ended and I was trying to juggle college and work. It’s a battle every day to try and quench these ALS thoughts and I hope that some day I can get my spark back without the fear of this tragic illness.