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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Anxiety and physical symptoms
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Anxiety and physical symptoms
by Jani34, Aug 02, 2004 12:00AM
Hello,
I’m 34 years old Swedish male, I hope I can get my English somehow understandable.. My problems started last October – almost a year ago. Before that I was healthy, no health problems whatsoever. In October 2003 I started getting these fatigue attacks, only way to describe it is that I felt really, really tired and my arms and hands felt especially weak. I’m computer programmer and days at work were really hard.. It was like my hands were losing their power. I went to doctor, they checked my blood – everything ok..
I tried gym, exercise 3 or 4 times a week and hoped that I would soon feel better.
Well, in January things just got worse. I was tired all the time. And this problem with hands – it was getting worse. I checked the net with Google and started to panic as all my symptoms seemed to point at ALS. Weakness of arms, fatigue.. I couldn’t sleep. Went to doctor, old friend (family doctor). He did a complete neurological check and found nothing to worry about. But he still advised me to go to see a neurologist since he could see I was not convinced. I did that and the neurologist agreed with my doctor, nothing to worry about. Except my shoulders – exercise! He also advised me to take EMG test to get rid of the ALS scare. I did that and the result was completely normal. I was also checked very thoroughly for other diseases, very very complete check of my blood as my doctor said. This was in March. Well, since then my symptoms have remained. Occasionally, many times during the week – I get these “fatigue attacks”. I just feel I have to sit down. And I’ve been doing sports all my life.. Also I have slight tremor or twitching in my right hand, between thumb and index finger. Almost always when I stretch my thumb. Other symptoms are “red face”. I get this every now and then, I feel really sweaty and I have really red face. With no reason whatsoever. It is like I had flu.. but I can’t have flu all the time!.. Slight tremor in hands. Slight “internal tremor” in legs. Almost all the time, also in the mornings after a good sleep. When I try to look for reason from the net.. It just gets worse.. All kinds of neurological diseases.. ALS…Parkinsons.. Finally, a week ago I checked this site and was really, really relieved to read some postings with people with same symptoms and talking about anxiety. It seems I fit in every way to the classic anxiety patient.. Maybe here is the key to my problems..
My question ( and I’m sorry it too so long ..) finally is : How long can the anxiety symptoms last? How long can I wait for them to go away? I still feel sick: slight tremor in hands when using the muscles ( no rest tremor), fatigue, arms feel weak. When I hold my hands on the keyboard they shiver “internally”. I also have muscle ache in the neck and shoulders. Doctors have said I’m ok, but this was in March.. I get the symptoms every day.
Is is really possible that anxiety symptoms are SO REAL, so physical? I do not feel the anxiety mentally, it is just the physical symptoms. As for my “mental life”, no problems. Except for this panic having a serious neurological disease... No medication, no problems in the family. My parents are really supportive as is my girl friend. I just feel really bad for making them so worried for my health. I have always been “a worried person” though. This I have to admit, I worry extensively about the health of my family: girl friend and parents.. Also 2 years ago, I had really though times as a good friend of mine died of cancer. But this was, like I said, some time ago and my problems started later, last autumn. I understand anxiety can cause physical symptoms but generally how long can these last and especially when there is no reason to be anxious about. I know I should be happy after every test result being ok.. Thank You very much for all the advice you can give.
I’m 34 years old Swedish male, I hope I can get my English somehow understandable.. My problems started last October – almost a year ago. Before that I was healthy, no health problems whatsoever. In October 2003 I started getting these fatigue attacks, only way to describe it is that I felt really, really tired and my arms and hands felt especially weak. I’m computer programmer and days at work were really hard.. It was like my hands were losing their power. I went to doctor, they checked my blood – everything ok..
I tried gym, exercise 3 or 4 times a week and hoped that I would soon feel better.
Well, in January things just got worse. I was tired all the time. And this problem with hands – it was getting worse. I checked the net with Google and started to panic as all my symptoms seemed to point at ALS. Weakness of arms, fatigue.. I couldn’t sleep. Went to doctor, old friend (family doctor). He did a complete neurological check and found nothing to worry about. But he still advised me to go to see a neurologist since he could see I was not convinced. I did that and the neurologist agreed with my doctor, nothing to worry about. Except my shoulders – exercise! He also advised me to take EMG test to get rid of the ALS scare. I did that and the result was completely normal. I was also checked very thoroughly for other diseases, very very complete check of my blood as my doctor said. This was in March. Well, since then my symptoms have remained. Occasionally, many times during the week – I get these “fatigue attacks”. I just feel I have to sit down. And I’ve been doing sports all my life.. Also I have slight tremor or twitching in my right hand, between thumb and index finger. Almost always when I stretch my thumb. Other symptoms are “red face”. I get this every now and then, I feel really sweaty and I have really red face. With no reason whatsoever. It is like I had flu.. but I can’t have flu all the time!.. Slight tremor in hands. Slight “internal tremor” in legs. Almost all the time, also in the mornings after a good sleep. When I try to look for reason from the net.. It just gets worse.. All kinds of neurological diseases.. ALS…Parkinsons.. Finally, a week ago I checked this site and was really, really relieved to read some postings with people with same symptoms and talking about anxiety. It seems I fit in every way to the classic anxiety patient.. Maybe here is the key to my problems..
My question ( and I’m sorry it too so long ..) finally is : How long can the anxiety symptoms last? How long can I wait for them to go away? I still feel sick: slight tremor in hands when using the muscles ( no rest tremor), fatigue, arms feel weak. When I hold my hands on the keyboard they shiver “internally”. I also have muscle ache in the neck and shoulders. Doctors have said I’m ok, but this was in March.. I get the symptoms every day.
Is is really possible that anxiety symptoms are SO REAL, so physical? I do not feel the anxiety mentally, it is just the physical symptoms. As for my “mental life”, no problems. Except for this panic having a serious neurological disease... No medication, no problems in the family. My parents are really supportive as is my girl friend. I just feel really bad for making them so worried for my health. I have always been “a worried person” though. This I have to admit, I worry extensively about the health of my family: girl friend and parents.. Also 2 years ago, I had really though times as a good friend of mine died of cancer. But this was, like I said, some time ago and my problems started later, last autumn. I understand anxiety can cause physical symptoms but generally how long can these last and especially when there is no reason to be anxious about. I know I should be happy after every test result being ok.. Thank You very much for all the advice you can give.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Aug 03, 2004 12:00AM
, Aug 03, 2004 12:00AM
I wrote a book that might help you get a perspective on what I am about to say. It is called Transformations; Growth and Change in Adult LIfe. and you can probably still get it on Amazon.
At your age people naturally begin to explore the deeper mysteries of life, especially their internal life and what life is all about. YOur friends death is a vivid reminder of limited time, and for a worrier, a reminder of unpredictable dangers. These are the kind of things that cause this kind of deep anxiety to surface. Your best approach would be to find someone, a therapist, to talk too during this period. In addition, anti-anxiety medications would be useful, but only on a temporary basis. The more you approach this with full consciousness, the better. This definetly sounds like an anxiety reaction.
At your age people naturally begin to explore the deeper mysteries of life, especially their internal life and what life is all about. YOur friends death is a vivid reminder of limited time, and for a worrier, a reminder of unpredictable dangers. These are the kind of things that cause this kind of deep anxiety to surface. Your best approach would be to find someone, a therapist, to talk too during this period. In addition, anti-anxiety medications would be useful, but only on a temporary basis. The more you approach this with full consciousness, the better. This definetly sounds like an anxiety reaction.
Good Luck...and your not alone :)
Hang in there. It will get better!
It is really a big relief to read stories about people having the same symptoms and going through the same thing.