Could it really all be stress/depression?

[FLNatalie]

I began having symptoms in early February which at first alarmed me, but which I quickly dismissed as being something benign. I was having trouble seeing in a vague sort of way and I had two days of numbness in my extremities and face. Then a month later, while the vision had deteriorated into double vision and an extreme sensitivity to light, the numbness returned. Since that time, I have experienced heat intolerance, confusion, random muscle weakness and fatigue, more and more numbness and other paresthesia symptoms (burning, tingling, electric-shock type feelings, etc.), and dizziness.

All of my vision and paresthesia symptoms generally get worse in the evenings.

My PCP referred me to a neurologist (an MS specialist), but I wasn't having any symptoms other than the vision issues at the time of the appointment. The neuro did all of the usual tests and said his level of suspicion for MS was low, but he could see that I was clearly concerned so he ordered an MRI and an SSEP. My PCP ordered bloodwork and referred me to an opthalmologist.

The bloodwork apparently came back "within normal limits, and the ophthalmologist said my optic nerves looked healthy, my vision was fine, and that she couldn't see anything that would explain why I have double vision. She even did a visual field test and an OCT scan with no negative results.

I had an MRI and an SSEP and saw my neurologist today to review the results. He said he saw *nothing* on the MRI and the SSEP was normal. He believes I am suffering from stress and anxiety and asked if I would like to take an antidepressant. I didn't answer right away, so he suggested a psychologist and to follow up again with him (the neuro) in a month if symptoms persist.

Do any of you know someone for whom all these kinds of symptoms have really turned out to be "just" stress. As surprised as I was to hear that from the doctor, it would be a big relief, if it were true.

[Cat Mom]

Please don't downplay the tole "just stress" takes on the body. All those silent killers like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes (if you don't know you have it) are heavily exasperated by stress, not to mention countless other illnesses/conditions.

I haven't ever suffered from clinical depression and I'm certainly no medical expert, just an MS patient, but my guess would be statistically, there's more of a chance stress is doing this to you than MS (again, just guessing).

If your symptoms persist, pursue an answer for sure. All of your testing isn't "for not", at least there's a baseline to refer to should things get worse. I really hope it's not MS, good luck in your search for an answer.

Jen

[tspaulding]

I do not know what an SSEP test is. Did the neuro test you for diabetes, lupus, fibro,or lyme disease or other ms mimicers? If he did not then I would follow up with him about more testing.

GL and TC

[FLNatalie]

Thanks, catmom. That is really sweet of you. I certainly hope it *is* just stress. That should be manageable.

tspaulding - an SSEP is a somatosensory evoked potentials test. I mentioned in my original post that my PCP ordered the regular panel of bloodwork (glucose, lupus, thyroid, lyme, CBC, etc.) and found everything was "within normal limits" whatever that means!

I'm still hoping someone will chime in with having known someone with all these symptoms who was able to successfully treat them with therapy or antidepressants.

[mack1z]

Stress can cause symptoms

Tension Myositis Syndrome (TMS) is a possible condition that explains how stress alone can cause very real symptoms.

I know someone who was tested for MS a couple of years ago (it was ruled out) and eventually decided the issues were stress-related. (I was the one who got the MS diagnosis with no previous symptoms, ironic.)

[SNOOPY]

Hello and welcome to MSWorld, FLNatalie,

It is very possible for anxiety/panic attack to cause the symptoms you have listed as well as many other symptoms, body wide.

This link lists many of the symptoms anxiety/panic attacks can cause:
http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms.shtml

It tends to make me angry when Drs. blame every symptom a person has on anxiety or depression before even testing for causes outside the realm of mental health. But, It appears by what you have listed your Drs. have done testing and taken you seriously.

You and your Drs. are the only one who knows your medical and mental health history.

If there is a possibility that you are dealing with anxiety/panic attack and/or depression it would be best to speak to a mental health professional.

If you doubt what your Drs. have told you or still feel your symptoms could have a medical cause, you could seek out a second opinion.

Best wishes

[minnie76]

Hi,

Welcome to the site. It's a great place to bounce ideas off of one another.

In my own experience, still being in limbo for a little over 2 years, I did notice that stress made my symptoms worse. I've tried to be as "low key" as possible, this coming from a type A personality.

It's very frustrating to hear from docs that our symptoms are due to stress, I find this especially if you're a female!

Try and reduce as much stress as poss. Being a mom of 3 young kids and having 2 jobs...I've decided that sometimes not everything has to get done by a certain time.

After an ENT told me that my dizziness may be due to anxiety, I totally brushed him off...after seeing him again after a year he again suggested it....so off I went to a psychologist...and it was the best thing I ever did!

Because at the end of the day, we know our own bodies, but were not experts. In my case anxiety disorder was ruled out...and it's one less thing that needs to be spoken or worried about with my other docs.

If I were to do it all over again, I would not have waited 2 years to see psychologist.

If they rule that in or out, then you can move forward. If after reducing your stress you still have all those symptoms I would document and bring it up again with neuro and GP.

Take care and all the best!

Minnie76
dx with TN 2013
Still in Limboland

[FLNatalie]

Okay. I am planning to see a psychologist as soon as I can get a referral from my PCP. I am also planning to ask for nutrient level testing from him as well, just to cover all the bases.

I have never had any kind of anxiety attack before, but I am often in a grumpy/irritable state and I'm easily overwhelmed, so it would be good to try to sort some of that out anyway.

I read the website you linked to, SNOOPY, and it looks like everything under the sun could be linked to anxiety...

I also looked up Tension Myositis Syndrome, mack1z, but most of what I found was about back pain.

I have to confess that I am somewhat skeptical in a way, but I'm also really hoping that therapy could cure me! Thanks for your responses. They mean a lot.

[SNOOPY]

I read the website you linked to, SNOOPY, and it looks like everything under the sun could be linked to anxiety...

Pretty much That's why some Drs. grab on to stress/anxiety/panic attacks as the cause for a patients symptoms when they can't find a cause for symptoms.

Sometimes Drs. are right and the cause is stress/anxiety/panic attack and sometimes Drs. are wrong and there is a medical reason for symptoms.

I am planning to see a psychologist as soon as I can get a referral from my PCP

That's a good decision If the Psychologist or Psychiatrist determines your symptoms are not due to depression, stress, anxiety or panic attacks then your PCP should be digging deeper and maybe in a different direction.

It's important to not focus on one condition or disease as this could lead to missing the possible 'true' cause for symptoms.

I have to confess that I am somewhat skeptical in a way, but I'm also really hoping that therapy could cure me

I understand your skepticism

I have a long standing MS diagnosis. However, I deal with anxiety/panic attacks which are secondary to PTSD.

In all honesty, there were times I could not tell what symptoms would have been due to MS and what symptoms were due to the anxiety/panic attacks. I also had depression thrown in for good measure

I also know a young lady that I would have sworn had a medical condition or disease, as did her family who spent hundreds of thousand of dollars to try and find answers.

It was determined by one of the Drs. that she had a Conversion Disorder. Her family and friends doubted this diagnosis, as did I.

Unfortunately, the Conversion Disorder diagnosis was correct She ended up in patient for several months at a Mental Health Facility. She is now a much healthier young person

Best wishes

[tl-tr3]

I had a MS Neuro

Say to me at my first visit that my symptoms were caused by stress & anxiety .
I know my response to stress & this was way out of the ordinary for me .
I didn't see him after that .
It did take 2 yrs for the official DX , but I kept putting off my lumbar puncture.... :

[counterclockwise]

Hi FLNatalie,

Before I hit my head I suffered from depression and anxiety for years (amazingly seem not to be present since: makes me *almost* believe in lobotomies...!!?!). Though depr/anx didn't seem to bring on any other physical symptoms, it does seem to be possible. It's even possible that that's what I've got going on now (just very different manifestation from before the injury, and I really don't feel like I have depression).

Anyway, I guess I'm saying that, if they think it might be depression/anxiety, let them try some of the meds (though bear in mind it can take several goes to find the right/best one for you.) Worst case scenario is that a few different meds leads to no relief, but that seems like a risk worth taking. From what I can tell, MS is a diagnosis of elimination (at least in part), so you'd have eliminated something. Best case scenario, you find it is depression and/or anxiety and you get a good antidepressant and you feel like your old self. I wish that for you.

cc x

[puglover]

I am not a medical professional and I dont buy the whole depression thing. I feel that many times doctors blame everything on stress and depression when they dont know what is going on with a patient.

I had been sick for many years and had seen many different doctors and there were many times that I was told my symptons were caused by depression. Every time I was told this i went to a mental health professional who would say that it was physical. I know other people with ms who efore receiving a ms diagnoses were told that they were depressed.

I think that you should go to mental health to rule that out. Keep looking for answers and dont ever doubt yourself. If you dont get answers from your doctor remember that you hired him and you can fire him. If you had a plumber who did a bad job you wouldnt use him again. It is the same as having a doctor who is doing a bad job.

Good luck and keep looking for answers.