Google has convinced me I have MS, Dr. kind of ignored it

[helpplease455]

25/m

Start about 17 days ago, I had tingling/numb pain in my left arm down to my pinky/ring finger. It would come and go and was about a 7/10. Then one day, I had it on both arms, and it went away on the left and stuck with my on the right for about 15 hours. Reading online, I found it could be possibly due to cubital tunnel syndrome as I spend a lot of time at the computer and sleep with my elbows bent. Keeping my arms straight have actually helped, though I feel that it could easily come back at any time and scares me. I went to a doctor that I have been seeing for a month now for other issues. He says everything that is going on is anxiety, maybe I would rate my level at a 10 over the last month, but I have a hard time believing what's going on now is related. I asked him about MS and all he asked was if I had a family history or northern european decent which my answers were both no. Convo ended there........ Doctor offered me anxiety medicine and told me that what I have (if real) is actually a real disorder but I told him as long as I don't have any diagnosis my mind would clear it self on it's own and I refused them. Next step is going to a chiropractor that he referred to check for nerve damage for my arms which I have scheduled for this week.

But now fast forward 5 days since my Dr visit and I am freaking out about something new.

My left face feels off, I suppose the coming off Novocaine feeling is the best way to describe it. It even seems to be affecting the far left part of my tongue. It's all over the left side of my face, my left eye feels less focused but I can see just fine out of it. Though the only real pain I feel is around the left eye bone (above eye and outer corner) it is intermittent and feels migraine like. When I raise my eyebrows I feel it less on the left than the right but they move the same amount. There is no droop on the left. Can move cheek just fine. It is not completely numb as I can tap it all over and feel. The facial part started yesterday, I don't feel any motor or coordination loss. I am able to dribble a basketball hoping on one foot with my eyes closed. The back left part of my tongue starting getting the feeling about 2 hours ago freaking me out.


When I blow my nose it feels like there is a build up right below the left ear and inward. Also I have been having sinus issues, and bought Zicam two days ago, sometimes it can hurt a little when I use it on the left side. But I just feel like sinuses is too convenient of an excuse for all of this. If it matters at all, I had a CT scan done on my brain and left sinus on 4/15 and was told there is nothing of concern just 5mm of fluid on the left side.

Nothing online is really making sense to me though. I'm starting to get freaked out about the possibility of MS. Does any of this make sense. I know I have anxiety issues but this is definitely real and doesn't seem to be going away. I think I need to go back to the Dr and ask for a neuro refferal.

[helpplease455]

Thank you all for the replies! I woke up this morning and the numbness factor was gone on my face but it still feels off compared to the right side. I do plan to stop using the Zicam, while again it might just be an excuse for something bigger I noticed the timing was pretty perfect and possibly the cause. The point of going to a chiropractor was to see if there was nerve damage and I assumed I could ask about the cubital tunnel syndrome as well.

I definitely plan to see a neurologist or someone to talk to about my sinuses/heavy face feeling. Both my PC and the imaging doctor for the CT scan just brushed off the 5mm of fluid in my sinuses, so I assumed it was nothing but now it is my main concern (this seems to keep shifting around).

I also promise to stop using google! Again thanks for help/replies

[essdipity]

Hi. I too have a couple of comments.

You should see an ENT about your sinus issues, as they can cause a lot of what you're experiencing. And IMO, Zicam is worthless, maybe even dangerous. Read up on ingredients.

You should be checked for trapped ulnar nerves (in elbows). Can cause sensory problems in forearms through to pinkies and pinky-side half of ring fingers. Computer use can do this--believe me, I know. The test is emg/ncs, done by neurologists or neuro techs.

None of the above is MS, so stop worrying on that score. And if someday you do get MS or some other serious but manageable disease, don't freak out then either, and never jump to worst case scenario. Why go there? It seldom comes true, causes needless worry, and makes life much harder.

FYI, I've had MS for many years, and though of course I have problems, I'm very much alive and kickin'.    

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

Unfortunately, anxiety doesn't make what you experience any less real, it's kind of the opposite 'if' a mental health condition is whats causing sensory or physical issues, anxiety can make just about any thing seem worse than it truly is....the difference is the type of medical condition directly causing the symptoms, the mental health condition mimic's but doesn't cause neurologically abnormal clinical signs.

btw i thought i was loosing the plot for a minute thinking you were pleasehelp383, it is very unusual to get two people posting for the first time in a week with very similar id names, both talking about Dr google convincing them that they have MS and both acknowledging their anxiety, but your situations are very different and it took me looking through posting history to work out you were actually two different people.

Which leads me to point out that it is extremely common to initially experience a different type of health situation and that triggers escalating health anxiety......it is unwise to be experiencing extremely high anxiety levels for prolonged periods of time and to continue to not treat it!

Medication may not be something you wish to do but at least consider seeing a psychologist-psychiatrist-behavioral therapist etc to help you find an alternative treatment plan which will get you back in control of your anxiety and panic over your health, high levels of anxiety will not go away on it's own, it will get worse if you do nothing.....        

It is 'possible' that your anxiety is making more of something than you otherwise would if you didn't have health related anxiety, but it sounds to me like you 'could' have a peripheral nerve issue, it doesn't sound right for MS though, MS is a condition that affects the central nervous system.

It is 'possible' your head (sinus, ear, face ) symptoms are actually a sinus infection head cold as you first thought, and you may not be aware but Zicam cold Remedy Nasal Gel, Zicam cold remedy nasal swabs are classed as homeopathic remedies that have never been shown to be effective, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out a consumer alert for some Zicam products about 5-6 years ago with products associated with nasal and mouth numbness, sore tongue, throat ulcers, loss of smell etc so because of the Zicam association i would suggest it might be a side affect and recommend you discontinue using the product.    

I'd also strongly recommend you stop googling and reading about MS (or any other serious condition) with your anxiety level being so high, these are common anxiety feeding behaviors that don't do anything what so ever to help reduce anxious health related thoughts but will definitely exasperate anxiety and growing health related fears.

Hope that helps.........JJ

[aspen2]

Actually, that sounds a LOT like cubital tunnel syndrome (I've had it!  Unrelated to ms; completely related to bent elbows/computer work and propping my elbow).  I would definitely see a physiotherapist about that; he or she can assess you and give you exercises and pointers.  Left untreated, you can do some serious damage, and the numbness in your pinky could end up affecting the next two fingers as well.

The other is very likely related to sinus.  Honestly,  I don't think you have to worry about ms.

[immisceo]

Physical sensations that are brought on by anxiety ARE real. A medical professional suggesting anti-anxiety treatment is NOT a fob-off. If you pursue treatment for your anxiety yet your physical symptoms persist, then you'll know (and your doctors will have information to support) that there is another, additional cause or contributing factor. But all of this is academic if you're refusing to narrow the list of possibilities with your medical team. You're allowing your anxiety to remain in the driver's seat. That being said, I'd personally have an issue with an MD who referred me to a chiropractor. That's like an investigative journalist using a psychic as a reliable source.