Health anxiety - numbness and tingling

[Anne8888]

I suffer terribly with health anxiety, normally with my child but this time with myself. I went to the docs last week as I had an awful headache which I felt exhausted and dizzy with, I was on my period so she put it down to a menstrual migraine and took my bloods. My b12 was 92 and ferratin was 25 which I believe are quite low but not low enough for the NHS to treat me. At the time I was googling (obviously) and was terrified that I have a brain tumour, since then the headaches and dizziness have subsided but now I'm convinced I have MS. I've felt numbness/tingling in my right leg for the past few days and my right cheek feels numb. I have been for a massage tonight to try and de stress but still feel mega stressed with it all! Since the massage I haven't noticed anything in my legs, just my cheek.. Its like once I see a new symptom, I fixate on it and feel like I'm going to die and its horrible. I feel really stupid writing this but just looking for some reassurance I guess, does this sound like health anxiety to you?

typo, my b12 was 192.

Following because I also have tingling and terrified it's something serious. I have a neurologist appointment, but not for a few months.

I would try b12. 192 is not high. I have pernicious anaemia and need to keep mine over 500 to not get tingling.

@Gwenhwyfar hope you’re ok! The worry is awful. What are your symptoms?

@DustyMaiden do you get the tingling on one side?

I used to have terrible health anxiety and numbness / tingling was one of my main symptoms. I was also terrified of MS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
It turned out my ferritin was 4 and it was anaemia causing the tingling. Yours isn't quite that low but still could be making you feel tingly. What's your diet like? Do you take any iron or other supplements? I was eventually diagnosed with coeliac which is what was stopping me absorbing the iron. Since going GF my iron levels are normal and the tingling and health anxiety are both gone. I'm not sure which of them was causing the other!
The thing is, symptoms like headaches and tingling are very non-specific and can be caused by hundreds of things, most of which are trivial or easily treatable. The chances of your symptoms being caused by something benign, or even by your anxiety itself, are much, much higher than the chances of you having a serious illness.

@Cvn my partner is veggie so I don’t really tend to eat meat for an easy life lol, since I have been to the doctors I have been having meat every night though. I don’t take any iron supplements as was told by the doc that my levels were normal, it was only when I looked into it myself that I realised they were actually quite low. I’ve been taking magnesium since last week but will pick up some iron/b12 tomorrow.

The tingling is random, end of nose , one leg both legs,entire body.

@DustyMaiden do you just take supplements to up your levels?

Yes it sounds exactly like health anxiety.

I have experienced the same symptoms as you. The problem was:

• low iron. I had an iron infusion. 25 is low no matter what the nhs says. It's too low for many women to function and definitely causes some of your symptoms. Press for treatment or pay privately. Same for b12.

• health anxiety. The symptoms were real but 100% the anxiety made them worse.

@atthebottomofthehill I will ring the GP back tomorrow and see what they say. What was your ferratin level to enable you to have an infusion?

I'm not in the U.K. but mine was about 35

I agree with getting your iron levels up. I had tingling and constant muscle twitches in my legs when my ferritin was 9. I took iron tablets for a month, my ferritin rose to 60 and the symptoms stopped.

@MakeMineADouble81 ill definitely get some iron tablets tomorrow and see if it makes a difference, its just worrying me that its only one of my legs but I'm not sure if I can only feel it on one side because I'm focusing more on it... driving me insane!

Just tingling all over the body.

"The chances of your symptoms being caused by something benign, or even by your anxiety itself, are much, much higher than the chances of you having a serious illness."

How does anxiety cause nerve problems? I considered stress/anxiety when I thought it was a skin problem, but now that I know it's neural, I don't know about how your mind can affect it.

@Gwenhwyfar has your gp suggested anything before referring you?

Anxiety can make you feel almost anything.

Anxiety is intricately linked with your neural pathway, nerves and the nervous system. Anxiety activates the sympathetic nervous system, which affects every part of your body from your nerve pathways to your digestion, to your brain function, heart, lungs, skin... then the more you feel something and attach meaning to it, the more you notice it. And the more anxious you are, the more it happens. Classic health anxiety vicious circle.

My B12 was 285 when I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia. The notation on my lab results states that a percentage of people with B12 levels below 400 will experience neurological symptoms.

At 192 you certainly could be experiencing symptoms of B12 deficiency. Nothing to be frightened about, consider increasing dietary sources of B12 and perhaps a B12 supplement. See if your symptoms improve. Good luck!

Vegetarians and Vegans generally need supplemental B12 as it is difficult to get enough in your diet without consuming animal proteins.

Vegetarians consume animal proteins.

Vegetarians consume animal proteins

@Gwenhwyfar Yes, in theory you should be able to meet your daily B12 dietary requirements by eating adequate amounts of dairy and eggs. But @Anne8888 's B12 level of 192 is quite low. In many countries B12 injections are offered at levels below 400/500, particularly if a person is symptomatic.

That "pins and needles" sensation, tingling and numbness (particularly involving the extremities) are classic neurological symptoms of B12 deficiency. I think a trial of B12 supplementation is worth a try.

Forgot to mention that the use of nitrous oxide (recreationally or during labor) reportedly can deplete B12 levels and some medications (certain heartburn/reflux meds as well as Metformin) can block absorption of B12.

Yes, I went through a phase of taking prescription antacids so I'm wondering if this could be my problem too. My tingling is all over the body, not just hands and feet.

My DH has had health anxiety quite badly on and off for the last 3 years. He's had various tests for one thing and another, but there's nothing wrong. It's a physical feeling but it's not organic.
He needed to take vitamin D but no other supplements.
It's not great to live with and it worries and stresses the children. Frankly I don't worry because there's nothing physically wrong but I wish he could find more peace with this.
I hope you get some help - if it is anxiety please try and get some support for that.