Health Anxiety- muscle twitching ...

[Misscbu17]

Hi all,

I’ve been suffering with bad anxiety for the past few months and the health side to it has ramped up.

I recently developed tingling and soreness in my hands which I thought may be carpel tunnel (had it when I was pregnant) but I also had tingling in my left foot!

I get muscle facilitations regularly but I only
Notice these when I focus on them eg not busy, also electric shock sensations in my head. I also sometimes forget words eg calling the dish washer a washing machine or not being able to think of the word I want to say but I notice this is worse when stressed!

Also on my left hand I have noticed what looks like muscle wasting between thumb and wrist when hand is flexed which has put me in a complete spin and obviously putting all these symptoms together I now assume the worst eg ALS,MND, MS.

I spoke to the dr about the tingling and he’s going to do a nerve conducting test as well as test for thyroid and b12 but the dip in my left hand along with these symptoms is what’s caused mass panic in me. Also going to see someone about neck pain when I can as this could be the route of some symptoms.

Any advice or knowledge would be most helpful. Need some positivity.

Thank you x

[Imboredinthehouse]

I’ve just done the same position with my hand, it does exactly the same!

I also had tingling, mixed words up had memory problems and my legs twitched all night and was terrified I had MS so I understand your worry.

Turns out it was Vitamin D deficiency & B12 deficiency. The tingling, twitching, word/memory problems have all resolved with treatment. I have also had an MRI of my head -for an unrelated issue-and all was definitely fine. I hope your blood tests just show something easily treatable like mine did and you feel better soon.

[Misscbu17]

Thank you, it doesn’t do it with my right hand so I had a massive panic on and started googling and came up with the worst scenarios and link symptoms which then result in something awful!

It’s crazy how all them symptoms can be related to that and with anxiety I’m certain it hypes things up! Sorry you went through all of that too and glad you’re out the other side!

I’ve got a thriva test to do which will look at my vitamins etc (as not sure when can have tests from dr because of lockdown) so hopefully it will give me some answers in the interim!

Thank you for being such a kind soul ❤️

[Misscbu17]

Second pic

[WrongKindOfFace]

Are you right or left handed?

[Misscbu17]

I’m right handed and this ‘dip’ is on my left hand x

[WrongKindOfFace]

Could it have something to do with the muscles being more developed in your dominant right hand?

It’s almost certainly not something serious so please try not to worry too much. Hopefully the tests will shed some light on the situation.

[TinnedPearsForPudding]

That "dip" is called the "anatomical snuff box" and is perfectly normal

[TenShortStories]

That's your anatomical snuff box and it's nothing to worry about, it's meant to look like that.

[Misscbu17]

What a fantastic name for it - no wonder I couldn’t find what it was. Thank you for telling me, I can’t see it on my right hand hence the worry x

[emummy]

Just looked at my hands and they’re the same - really obvious on left & not on right, so am right handed too. Your doctor is doing some good tests, hopefully it is all stress related and appearing more obvious as you are more aware of them. Google can be a scary place! Hope it’s all sorted out for you soon.

[Misscbu17]

Thank you for reassuring me and yes I think stress hightens everything and can cause lots of it’s own symptoms.

X

[Tanfastic]

I've had similar symptoms recently op, I could have almost written your post. I suffer a bit from health anxiety.

I think mine is stress but I also think the hand thing with me is possibly due to using a keyboard all my life, banging away in it for years without proper breaks. I twitch a lot but when I'm not stressed I don't notice it. It's almost like I only notice it when I'm fixated with it.

Your hand pic. Well I wouldn't worry I think mine looks a bit like that.

How old are you by the way?

[Misscbu17]

It’s nice people can relate to me as when you suffer with anxiety people can make you feel like it’s in your head but to us the symptoms are real and terrifying!

My hands and foot seem to have been bad since I took at Johns wort, I think it may have been a reaction that upset my nerves.

And like you, the twitching and muscle
Spasms happen when I’m having anxious days or relaxed strangely!

I’m 34
X

[candle18]

It’s definitely the anatomical snuff box which is a depression over the scaphoid bone in the wrist. If you google images you will see pictures just like yours. All of us have asymmetrical bodies so it will just be more obvious on your left side.
In terms of your other symptoms I have also had what you describe in the past, tingling, muscle twitching and word finding, muddling up words etc. I do have anxiety so may have been that but I also think some things like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome can cause these types of symptoms which I wonder if I had.
It’s good that you’re getting some tests but chances are it will be nothing serious.

[Carolebaskinssardineoil]

A few months ago I went through similar feelings in my hands and feet, also had tingling in my face, random spots of numbness etc. It was a cause of huge anxiety for me, I consulted Dr Google and convinced myself I had MS. I was in a real state about it.
My GP believed it was anxiety and stress/depression related as I had recently lost a close family member, but on my insistence referred me to a neurologist where I had an MRI and a nerve conduction test. Both of these came back clear and essentially drew the same conclusion as my Gp.
In the months that the referral actually took my symptoms got worse but then slowly started getting better to the point where they’ve now completely gone. It’s only now that I mentally am in a better place I can agree with my GP. It doesn’t mean that my symptoms weren’t real though (the brain is an incredibly powerful thing) and I did spend a few months truly scared.
I really hope you’re ok & that your tests come back with nothing further to worry you

[Manxie1982]

I am getting the exact same thing. I have been getting twitching in lots of different places and convinced myself it was something serious, I’ve spoken to 4 doctors about it now and all 4 say the same thing - it’s anxiety. I have health anxiety for as long as I can remember and I even remember having twitching before about 4 years ago but when I start catastrophizing I can’t seem to talk myself round. I really emphasise with you, it’s utterly consuming at points. Please take solace in the fact that others suffer these same symptoms and it is anxiety but I know that’s easier said than done xxxx

[Manxie1982]

Also, a physiotherapist sent me this article on what causes muscle twitches related to diet healthyeating.sfgate.com/vitamins-muscle-twitches-10873.html

[Misscbu17]

Hi darling and thanks for reaching out. I can say that since I’ve got my anxiety under control with a low dose of citalapram a lot of my symptoms have stopped. I’ve also been taking multi vitamins as a blood test showed low iron (that in itself could have caused the vast list of things I experience)! Anxiety can do some scary things to our body, and our brain can trick us into it doing something or thinking that way! I still get a couple of twitches a day but nowhere near as bad as I was experiencing! I’d recommend asking for a blood test by your dr to check for deficiencies or ordering a test from
Thriva as it may be a deficiency causing these things! Lots of love xx

[Biglumpycustard]

I’m also having similar problems, but it’s my left foot, it sort of moves inwards towards my right when relaxed, and tingling toes. I’m also terrified I have ms or something similar. I’m having bloods done on Wednesday.