Test Anxiety

[nabus]

I recently saw my Neurologist and he unexpectedly presented me with a MOCA cognitive test. I was immediately anxious. My tremor went nuts and I refused to complete it because I knew the results would not be accurate. I’m wondering if there are more options out there for people who suffer from testing anxiety? Has anyone else had similar reactions? Thanks.

[saraoutwest]

I understand completely! I had to do one. It put me into an awful state which surely invalidates the test. So embarrassing and humiliating, but I try and be kind to myself. I won’t do them anymore. We have a voice too.

[nabus in reply to saraoutwest]

Thank you for your thoughtful response.😊

[Boscoejean]

I have seen this and it isn't even related to having to have a test. When my husband is at home often his tremors are very mild with the exception of maybe after a night of poor sleep but when he goes to any kind of medical appointment even with no testing they can become more intense (some kind of stress involved?)

[TracyLaine in reply to Boscoejean]

This happens to me at every medical appointment… even the dentist and eye doctor!

[Boscoejean in reply to TracyLaine]

I am very thankful that the dentist we go to has an assistant who is very helpful because one time my husband had a dental cleaning where he was reclined for too long and it made it hard to walk when he got out of the chair. The new dentist's assistant will clean his teeth and not recline him as far and she will let him take a little break so he is not in the same position for as long of a time. I also think that maybe the stress having to get ready in a certain amount of time can possibly be a factor since I was very surprised that my husband was having tremors last week when we had a medical visit and I think that could have been a factor. We had to leave earlier than usual because they are doing a lot of re-paving projects in our area and we didn't know if we would have delays getting to the appointment so we left early to be sure we would be there on time.

[TracyLaine in reply to Boscoejean]

I totally get it! my tremor gets much worse when I am stressed in any way, including trying to get ready to go somewhere (Even good stress/excitement gets my tremor going). So I give myself about three hours to do all of my therapies and to eat breakfast and to get ready before I have to go somewhere!

my movement disorder specialist is in downtown Philadelphia, about three hours away from my house. I am nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs when I arrive there. When he evaluates me, he sees my tremor at its worst!

[Boscoejean in reply to TracyLaine]

yes I have seen this and then I realize that even though my husband has had a lot of improvements then whoever we are seeing thinks I am not telling the truth although my husband has never had a placebo effect from anything because he is a skeptic

[7springshollow in reply to Boscoejean]

Me too. Going to the Dr never bothered me before Parkinson's but I also had zero health issues. After the appointment when I was diagnosed out of the blue I get upset when I have any Dr appointment.

[Boscoejean in reply to 7springshollow]

completely understandable

[gomelgo in reply to 7springshollow]

ptsd from the diagnosis ... I have that

[6daniparky]

My husband.

[GigiOf8]

Anxiety/Stress IS a byproduct of PD. Good and bad stresses. It’s due to the lack of dopamine. PERIOD. I am exactly like all of you! I just tell myself “ I’m OK. This is just part of the process. I have to deal with, so let’s deal with it.” And then I do what works best for me too try and calm my body from whatever stress is affecting me. Continue to get ready knowing they might not go away, my tremors that is. And if they don’t, I forget that they’re there on purpose and act like I’m not shaking when I’m with people. I say Immediately, “I’m sorry my body is going to shake because I have PD, and it likes to tremor sometimes” Letting people know off the bat why you’re shaking somehow removes stress from the room. They become disinterested and it sparks up conversation, which diverts your mind off the situation. I still may tremor, but it works for me. A warm blanket always helps.

[LagLag37 in reply to GigiOf8]

Ditto. I do and say the same thing. 🥊

[gomelgo]

First off, as an ex teacher I want to say that this test is HARD, and making it a surprise is insensitive imho. Second I want to share that anything at all that produces any kind of tension in any part of my body (especially dentists) will show up as tremor. Painful at times as well. Every time I have a phone conversation with my mother for example, my shoulder gets tense, and painful and the tremors increase. So I can try to ignore it, but my body is telling me in no uncertain terms that it does not find what ever is happening acceptable. And then it's up to me what I do in response, and more and more often lately, I relive my body of the tension and pain. No matter how embarrassing or awkward it may seem.

[nabus in reply to gomelgo]

Coming from a retired teacher, stating that the MOCA test is hard bolsters my confidence in my decision. I could tell the Doc was having trouble understanding my response. The test is old school in my opinion and I feel there must be a kinder more supportive way to assess cognitive function without provoking an anxiety attack in some of us.

[gomelgo in reply to nabus]

tests are not the best assessment tool ... and are one aspect of why I retired early ... don't let it reflect on you, let it be a reflection on the mechanism by which we try to help each other in this odd system we have inherited

[MarionP]

I haven't been presented with one yet, although I have had to take a long long battery of neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric testing, but not this MOCA thing. I'm guessing that it's for insurance justification purposes or some other form of classification into some sort of standard algorithm about treatment and perspective and fitting into some sort of diagnostic rubric having to do with neurodegeneration, and what you would normally call "differential diagnosis" and "differentiation," for one administrative or research purpose or another perhaps, or maybe some government thing, as it impedes on cognitive functioning. It is entirely okay to ask "what are we doing this for and what's the point and what's the function, who's the intended consumer and what yes is it intended to be put to, what will it be used for. and by whom?" It is also entirely okay to ask "you know I get white coat phenomena or embarrassment or PTSD triggered from some of this, how is this test validated so as to not generate an excessive positive or an exaggerated appearance and conclusion? And what difference would it make anyway? Really why do we need to go through this particular routine, what's the difference?" Even just asking, as if you have an entire right to have it justified to you, is empowering and feels better, so it's really worth it to overcome the anxiety at least long enough to come out of your shell by doing this questioning, think of it as you're acting as is your complete right and nobody should be questioning you about it, even yourself. It is extremely normal to ask and to expect an honest answer. And in any case, really all it is is just another tiny kink on the long and winding road; consider it not!

This is what I picked up from a very casual visit to the what I presume is testing product company sales website; mocacognition.com/

Have a look at their narrative.