Advice welcomed.

[Panic Mode10 6]

Hi All.

I’m a 40 something yr. old woman. Last May I went to theER thinking I had a blood clot. I had been having calf muscle spasms and pain for several weeks. It was also a few days after a terrible breakup with my boyfriend. I had been in an extremely volatile relationship and was under extreme stress. I followed up with my pcp who did complete bloodwork for vitamin deficiencies, arthritis and thyroid. Nothing unusual showed up. The spasms continued and really stressed me out. I’d suffered with foot pain prior to the onset of the calf pain /spasms. I was also having awful abdominal spasms and pain along with the calf pain / spasms. Those were bad right after eating. 

My backstory: I abused laxatives for years off and on. Also, for about 2 yrs I’d binged regularly on wine several nights a week- I assume I was coping with the relationship issues I’d been in. I felt like maybe the spasms / pain were related to my laxative and alcohol use. I also have extreme HA! I hadn’t seen it surface this badly in so many years, but I found myself on the internet searching abdominal issues not really focusing on the calf. About 2 months ago I started looking on the internet for calf pain/ spasms, and of course it went straight to ALS which I knew very little about... upon learning about twitches, I realized I’d been having those too. 

I’ve been on the ALS forums for several weeks and was just politely asked to leave as I didn’t have ALS in their opinion. I hated stressing terminally ill people out. My GP said he would refer me to a neurologist since this has been going on for so long (a year now.) 

I do not have weakness but my calves spasm as well as my abdomen constantly. I feel as if my upper abdomen is atrophied. Haven’t noticed any other atrophy. 
 I have twitches all over. Vitamins have helped some but still present everyday. 
 

Any advice welcome. 🥺

[jonathan123 2368]

Hi. PM.  You are undoubtable suffering the results of pent up stress. What has happened to  you over the last few months has been traumatic, is it any wonder you feel as you do. You seem to have been checked out and so you can rule out physical problems. Believe your doctors. It's often difficult to realise what anxiety can do. Aches and pains, especially abdominal ones, can so often be the result of stress. The gut is very susceptible to emotional upset and especially fear. It's why so often if in a stressful situation we may have to dash to the toilet. So many have this problem in anxiety.

I do hope you are not consulting Dr. Google. A big mistake. You are wide open to suggestion. First of all you must accept this is an anxiety issue. Your referral to a neurologist shows that. Secondly can you stop fighting and struggling with feelings and emotions? Can you accept that for the time being you will feel this way. There is no magic wand, but acceptance is a good way out. Take it easy and try, as best you can, to accept how you feel. It's panful God knows, and sticking with it without trying to run away from it does help eventually. It's a bad time for you as it is for us all. Stress is in the air, no use denying it.

Take care. Be kind to yourself. 

[Panic Mode10 6]

Thank you for taking the time to reply to me. It’s so appreciated. I just can’t understand what’s causing my very real symptoms and I’m beyond scared to see the neurologist. This has overtaken my life. I feel like there’s seriously something wrong with me and I wait everyday for failure to kick in. It’s killing me and has stolen my joy. I still put on a happy face but I crumble inside constantly. 🥺

[Holls 1505]

1 hour ago, Panic Mode10 said:

Thank you for taking the time to reply to me. It’s so appreciated. I just can’t understand what’s causing my very real symptoms and I’m beyond scared to see the neurologist. This has overtaken my life. I feel like there’s seriously something wrong with me and I wait everyday for failure to kick in. It’s killing me and has stolen my joy. I still put on a happy face but I crumble inside constantly. 🥺

I really hope you follow my advise and 1) never, ever go back to the ALS sites again. 

2) realized that you self diagnosed yourself and that you DO NOT have als. 

 

I was an als worrier and it took two years of my life. The ups and downs and the rabbit hole is serious so stop now before you get too deep. 

 

Pain is not a symptom of als. And you have zero symptoms of it at all. Stress and anxiety is what is causing your pain and spasms. Go for long walks and burn off the adrenaline and stress. Don't Google and again don't go back to the ALS site, it will not help. It will dig you in a hole.

I have talked this over with Drs, neurologist and my therapist.. I've become an als semi expert lol. Please let this go. If I can help anyone save themselves from what I went through then it's a win. 

Hugs. 

[Panic Mode10 6]

Thank you so much. I’m so sorry you had to deal with this type of anxiety. I pray I will find myself healthy or the anxiety will let go. I’m working hard to combat it. 
I appreciate your words so much! 
 

Hugs to you!

[jonathan123 2368]

It's so very often difficult to convince an anxiety sufferer that anxiety can mimic any known disease. Once it's in the mind it can come out in all sorts of ways. Health anxiety is based on fear, as is all anxiety. Do I have this or that? If I describe the symptoms of Mongolian swamp fever, (don't look it up, no such thing), then you may well find you have it. Suggestion is powerful. The witch doctor says you will die at midnight. If you have faith in him it may well happen. The mind is also powerful. If in anxiety it picks up some suggestion it can outpicture on the body. Even if you have been told you are medically OK.  We just can't believe it's 'only anxiety'. It's very difficult because the aches and pains are there. We feel them and just can't believe it's 'all in the mind', but it is. I am assuming that you have been checked out medically. That should be the first port of call. Your GP.

This is why ACCEPTANCE is so important. It cuts of the flow of adrenaline. It takes time and patience but is possible.

[Panic Mode10 6]

I agree with all you said, but my pain started before I googled ALS, but I’ve always had HA! I can go down any rabbit hole there is with HA! Why does my brain think I have the worst illnesses? It’s a curse!!

 I saw my GP several times... He  just checked for arthritis, vitamin deficiency. But mainly perplexed at my symptoms.  I also had a CT with contrast scan of my abdomen. All looked normal. I never picked up on ALS fears until I read about twitches (2 months ago) and suddenly realized I’d been having them. Of course now I noticed them all the time. They’re not as bad as they were but I still have them daily.  I asked to be referred to a neurologist and my GP said he would as this has been going on for at least a year. 

Wouldn’t I most likely have more debilitating symptoms if this were ALS after at least a year of spasms, pain? 🥺🥺 

Can’t enjoy life or plan for the future like this. I feel so self indulgent and miserable like this. 
🥺

[Holls 1505]

8 hours ago, Panic Mode10 said:

I agree with all you said, but my pain started before I googled ALS, but I’ve always had HA! I can go down any rabbit hole there is with HA! Why does my brain think I have the worst illnesses? It’s a curse!!

 I saw my GP several times... He  just checked for arthritis, vitamin deficiency. But mainly perplexed at my symptoms.  I also had a CT with contrast scan of my abdomen. All looked normal. I never picked up on ALS fears until I read about twitches (2 months ago) and suddenly realized I’d been having them. Of course now I noticed them all the time. They’re not as bad as they were but I still have them daily.  I asked to be referred to a neurologist and my GP said he would as this has been going on for at least a year. 

Wouldn’t I most likely have more debilitating symptoms if this were ALS after at least a year of spasms, pain? 🥺🥺 

Can’t enjoy life or plan for the future like this. I feel so self indulgent and miserable like this. 
🥺

Hun if this has been going on for a yr you would have paralysis. 

I wonder why you think pain is an als symptom? On the ALS forum it states in the stickies that pain is not a symptom.. it's not, twitches are AFTER muscle death .  This took me a long time to comprehend .... Twitching in als is not a first symptom. It comes after the death of the muscle which means paralysis.. 

Take some deep breaths... You are okay. Please stay off Google

 

[Panic Mode10 6]

Thank you. I’m trying so hard. 
 

❤️

[Holls 1505]

1 minute ago, Panic Mode10 said:

Thank you. I’m trying so hard. 
 

❤️

You can do it..just remember that Google only makes it worse. You will never find what you need to settle your thoughts. It will onl dig you further in the hole. 

[Panic Mode10 6]

I need to think about anxiety meds. I tried them a very long time ago and took them for many years. Eventually came off. The side effects, I hated; weight gain, being one. Is there anything natural I could do instead?

[Holls 1505]

5 hours ago, Panic Mode10 said:

I need to think about anxiety meds. I tried them a very long time ago and took them for many years. Eventually came off. The side effects, I hated; weight gain, being one. Is there anything natural I could do instead?

I don't tolerate medicine well, including Tylenol. It knocks me out. I tried an anxiety medication that I was to take when I felt an attack coming on. My Dr described it like a big Benadryl.. I would crash for hours and hours and wake up starving and eat and eat. It was wild. I didn't take many and they weren't working on the thoughts I was having anyway. Everyone is different, it's up to you to decide. You know yourself.. I walked, A LOT and rode my bike A LOT it was hard to get in the mindset to do it but it always made me feel better. It keeps my head clear. I also read a lot of books. Anything to keep me off my phone or computer and keep my mind busy!  I cooked, painted, cleaned.. I also started seeing a talk therapist every other week and i still do. I've learned a lot about myself. Hugs.. wanting to get better is the first step..make a plan and put it in motion. Standing still will not help. 

[MARC 429]

ALS is actually a rare disease with only around 5,000 cases per year occurring in the USA.