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New looking for opinions

Discussion in 'General Discussion Subforum' started by Kwiens18, Feb 16, 2018.

  1. Kwiens18

    Kwiens18 Newcomer

    I’m kinda new with these kinds of symptoms was just kind of curious if this sounded like anyone else’s experience trying to find some piece of mind because I feel like this has taken over my life for about a month now. Basically in my mind it’s broken down to either I have TMS BFS or I’m dying of a deadly neurological disease hence why my mind has been a bit preoccupied lately.

    About a month ago I was sitting at work when my left bicep started twitching rather forcefully. No pain or anything but enough that I made the huge mistake of googling it, of course first thing that pops up is pages and pages of nasty debilitating diseases and from there the twitching increased in frequency and went all over. Not to mention a week later I was diagnosed with the flu which as I’ve read may have been the trigger. From there I began experiencing soreness cramping (particularly in my hands since I’m constantly testing them) and started to feel like I’m vibrating inside and somewhat outside particularly when I’m sitting or at rest.

    After a while I kinda came to the conclusion that the twitching didn’t matter unless I was seeing additional symptoms and I calmed down and was feeling normal again for about two days but I was still hawk eye watching my body for any abnormalities and that’s when I noticed my hand was slightly shaky, my hands aren’t usually steady anyways however I couldn’t really tell if they were shaking more than usual or not. Since then my hands have had a worse tendency to shake particuarly when I’m around people when I feel my anxiety about the situation acting up.

    Fairly certain that this is just a mental war I’m battling but would find some peace of mind hearing that I’m not the only one fighting this battle. I’ve set up an appointment for a general check up at the end of the month just to get a professional opinion just trying to do what I can to move past this before I lose too much of my life.

    Thank you. Sorry long read.
     
  2. Click#7

    Click#7 Well known member

    About 32 years old I had a traumatic experience and I won't get into detail, but I started experiencing pain on the bottom of both feet and a sunburn pain on my left forearm. The next thing I knew I was twitching a lot in my lower legs. It went on for over a year and finally disappeared. I had every test known to man and everything came out normal except for low thyroid. A neurologist gave me some Valium to settle down and I also took Vitamin B12. I know now it was TMS. I lost my fear of it because the doctors were just holding my hand telling me everything was negative. I went back to work and started to enjoy my life (a new baby) and it worked.
     
  3. Kwiens18

    Kwiens18 Newcomer

    Yeah like I said I’m fairly certain it’s just about overcoming the what if’s it’s just easier said than done. Ive had a little bit of health anxiety for a few years now but it was never anything that effected my day to day life so this was definitely challenging for me with the fear of the symptoms but the embarrassment that it might be fine and my overthinking it is just making it worse.
     
  4. Huckleberry

    Huckleberry Well known member

    It’s a good idea to get that check up to put your mind at rest. What I would say that your symptoms are pretty much a carbon copy of mine when my physical anxiety started. Much like you I googled it all constantly and convinced myself I had a neuro nasty which was basically just feeding fear into fear. The kicker in your post is that inner vibrating feeling you get...I had exactly that for about 2 years, it may go for a day or two or even a week at a time but it would always return. It was the weirdest feeling, almost like you could feel your blood coursing through your veins like when you hold a hosepipe with high pressure water going through it. This is basically an over sensitised nervous system made worse by our focus and subsequent amplification.

    It took me an awful long time to lose these symptoms and certain ones do still return but because I’ve got the measure of them and more importantly don’t fear them they vanish very quickly. Be reassured that these weird and not so wonderful neurological type symptoms are incredibly common with physical anxiety.

    Edit. I see you mention BFS. Just my advise but stay well clear of that forum. I know so many people who have gone down a deep dark rabbit hole from that place...it’s absolutely dripping with nocebo. ;)
     
  5. Kwiens18

    Kwiens18 Newcomer

    Good to hear that I’m not alone, yes the inner pulsing sensation is very similar to what you described and i also think all this stress and anxiety has in general increased my heart rate and pressure in general which long term isn’t good if I can’t get calmed down.
     
  6. MindBodyPT

    MindBodyPT Beloved Grand Eagle

    Hi,

    Welcome to the TMS forums! I'm sorry you've been suffering with such worry, but you're in the right place. It's certainly a good idea to get checked out by a doctor to be certain but your symptoms definitely don't match anything scary that I tend to see, as a PT who primarily works with patients with neurological disorders. Lots of people get muscle twitching that doesn't mean anything at all, I know I do! Soreness is also super common with the flu, and the continuation of it could easily be TMS piggybacking on. You definitely aren't the only one fighting this, lots of folks on these forums will tell you as much! When I was deep into having TMS I had muscle twitching (specifically an eye) and a bit of shakiness as well. Let us know if we can point you towards any TMS resources- the SEP and Alan Gordon's program on this site are excellent for newcomers. Hoping you get some peace of mind soon.
     
    Lavender likes this.
  7. Kwiens18

    Kwiens18 Newcomer

    Thank you very much, I was happy to stumble upon this forum I’m intrigued to look into some of the resources available. I’ll definitely look into it.
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2018
  8. Lainey

    Lainey Well known member

    Hi Huckleberry
    What is BFS anyway?
    Lainey
     
  9. Huckleberry

    Huckleberry Well known member

    Hello Lainey

    It is Benign Fasculation Syndrome. As is the case with anything defined as a syndrome it’s a hazy diagnosis at best. All it means is that you have twitches (fasculations) that are functional and have no organic causality. People on the BFS forum have put forward a 1001 reasons as to why they have this syndrome. Every single one of these people have anxiety over the twitches and are fixated on them and over catastrophise them...go figure.
     
  10. Kwiens18

    Kwiens18 Newcomer

    Yeah I’ve noticed they tend to be a bit of a jittery bunch, like I said in my post I was probably like that for about 2 weeks before I had my few good days where I was like I’m twitching but nothing else is happening so why should I care? I should have stuck with that mindset but just like a drug addict I relapsed and found new things to obsess over, just a day to day process accepting all of these minor symptoms that only seem to hinder me when I let them.
     
  11. Lainey

    Lainey Well known member

    Thanks. Never knew of this 'syndrome'.
     
  12. Click#7

    Click#7 Well known member

    I would LOVE to know what everyone's symptoms are ? How many people have NERVE PAIN ?
     
  13. Kwiens18

    Kwiens18 Newcomer

    I wouldn’t describe mine as nerve pain, I get a lot of pain in a spot in my back which makes me wonder if I have a pinched nerve there. Got a lot of twitching not nearly as much now as when the twitching was the focus of my fear, some are big some are little that I feel but can’t see. Lately ever since it became the focus of my fear shaking has increased tremendously, particularly in my arms legs and chest, a little in my head, most of it is internal shaking though or small enough that I feel it but don’t see it. The more distracted I am from this though the less I notice my symptoms. I also have a lot of widespread stiffness in my arms legs and I think because I’ve been tense and face because I’ve put so much focus on my talking lately looking for vocal changes or slurring that I think the tension just gets exhausting to the muscles.
     
  14. iwire

    iwire Peer Supporter

    Hi Click, my brain gets my attention by creating a "nervy" discomfort in my teeth, jaw, face and neck and also a fullness/pressure in my ear. Since learning about TMS I have definitely become less fearful of the symptoms and I am grateful for this....eventually maybe my physical symptoms will improve. In the mean time I am trying not to care if they do or don't improve---wish I could say I have accomplished that!
     
  15. Kwiens18

    Kwiens18 Newcomer

    Funny you mention that I have that exact feeling in my face right now, it’s a challenge getting yourself to not care whether there are symptoms or not it’s ok we are both a work in progress
     
    iwire likes this.
  16. birder

    birder Well known member

    Wow, iwire, I have that too! When it really flares (like yesterday and today), it's a misery to talk and chew. Usually I freak out and make the rounds of doctors/dentists, but this time I've stayed pretty chill.
     
  17. iwire

    iwire Peer Supporter

    I have made the rounds too.... and have been reassured that there is no structural problem... I am also having a flare-- and taking the opportunity to try to identify what is happening psychologically and find a way to sooth those neural pathways........
     
  18. birder

    birder Well known member

    I'm using season six of "Downton Abbey" to calm my neural pathways. Too bad it's the final season - it's riveting!
     

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