Posted by JenStar on July 6, 2004, at 18:06:33
In reply to Re: Lexapro/Vertigo/Dizziness, posted by captain on July 6, 2004, at 9:43:01
Hi Captain,
it seems we have a lot in common! I was so sure that I had MS that I almost gave myself a nervous breakdown.I was having random muscle twitches & vibrations and my left foot started feeling numb and would tingle sometimes after hard workouts on the treadmill or cross-trainer. Then my hands started feeling it too -- the weakness & numbness. To make matters worse, I did have a friend at the gym who DOES have MS, and she loves to talk about her symptoms. It seemed to me that my symptoms were very similar to hers, and this only solidified the fact in my mind that I had MS or something much worse; probably worse, the way I saw it.
I saw a neurologist and had 2 MRI's AND a spinal tap over a period of a few months, even though he said I probably didn't need the tsts & there was prob. nothing wrong...and there was nothing wrong. Nothing except anxiety, they told me!
I was SO SURE they were mistaken...that they were missing some horrible, perhaps as-of-yet undiagnosed illness that would come to be named after me, much the way Lou Gehrig's was named after HIM. I argued with my neurologist. Could he be missing something? Was he POSITIVE I didn't have ALS? How could he be sure? How could anyone be sure? I was sure, that was for sure! (not really a joke - at the time I felt like I was going insane.)
The neurologist was the one who persisted that I go on Lexapro; my primary care concurred, so I started it, full well expecting to be dead from MS in a few months (yes, I know it doesn't work that quickly) but figuring on the off chance that it WAS anxiety -- I might as well give it a chance. Also I was on Xanax 3x/day b/c I was so stressed.
Slowly the muscle twitches & weakness subsided, as did my chronic anxiety. It happened so slowly that I didn't realize I was "better" until I went out to dinner one day with friends and didn't have a panic attack in the bathroom, didn't feel like I was putting on an act of a person having fun (I actually WAS having fun!), and didn't micro-analyze every miniscule movement of every muscle and tendon, hawking them for signs of decay and tremor.
I don't know where the muscle twitches & weakness came from; noone answered that for me. My doctor said that anxiety is mysterious and works differently on everyone -- that maybe my body handles anxiety with muscle tremors & weakness. Some people get headaches; some people get violent; some people get nausea, etc.
I guess there is still a tiny corner of my mind that believes that I DO have a neurological disease lurking; that it somehow went into remission. But I'm also thankful that my fear of diseases seems to have gone into remission with it, and I thank the Lexapro for that.
I'm trying to wean off it now, and I'm watching for signs of the muscle twitches recurring.
I know that was a terribly long post - sorry! I just wanted to let you know that there is one other person out there who thought she had a vicious neuromuscular disorder due to real symptoms, but turned out not to have one. I feel that you might be going thru the same thing. I am willing to be there is nothing wrong with you neurologically. Believe me. It CAN be stress!
At this point I can't believe I let myself get to the point of 2 MRI's and an LP (my god! what was I thinking!?) but at the time it did put my mind somewhat at ease.
Anyway - take care, be good to yourself (whether that means chocolate, a good book, or extra sleep) and remember that there are people rooting for you (me!). You're going to be OK. I promise it!
JenStar
> Jen - Thanks so much for the post! You are right - I have thought of all of the diseases the dizziness could be! It has started to subside, but of course I am now freaking out over something new!
>
> My right food has been driving me nuts - it doesn't really fall asleep but does tingle at times and i have much less feeling in that foot - particularly my toes. I even held an ice cube up against each one and could tell a major difference! I think it is in my right hand some too. I can't tell if it is the anxiety or something else. I have my 5 week lexapro checkup with my family doc on Friday - so I will run it by her and see about going to a nuerologist. I exercise a lot and it is starting to bother me!
>
> I wish I could kick this worrying! The anxiety is less, but some parts of it seem to never go away!
>
> Thanks so much for your post! It is nice to be able to relate to someone!
poster:JenStar
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040704/msgs/363551.html