2 symptoms that don't match everyone else's. Help!

[Armani1234]

Hi..I am so grateful I found this site because up until I did, I was convinced I was both going insane and dying of a deadly disease. Now that I know a lot of my symptoms ( cold tingling extremities/ body parts, middle chest tightening, the list goes on and on and marches a lot of the symptoms everyone else has ) is from anxiety it has eased my mind somewhat. However, I have 2 symptoms I haven't seen mentioned and wondered if they could be anxiety related as well. The first is lucid dreaming/ lucid nightmares. I've always had "minor" sleep disturbances throughout my life such as knowing I was dreaming, knowing I was in a vivid nightmare, jerking out of my sleep, and waking up gasping for breath but is in full force now and I'm terrified to sleep even though I know I have to. Do you think this is from anxiety or I always had an underlying sleep disturbance? The other symptom is a right neck pulse near/on my cartoid artery that has come and gone over the last couple years. When it happens you can visibly see it and it feels "off" compared to the left side. It comes and goes for "no reason". Has anyone ever heard of this as a result of extreme anxiety or could something be "wrong" or "blocked" around that area or artery. If anyone can help with this I'd appreciate it! I'd love to know if either or both of these symptoms are anxiety related or not. Thanks!!!

[Armani1234]

Yes, I agree about not dismissing everything as anxiety and under normal circumstances, I wouldn't. But when I lost my job ( and my health insurance), I had to figure out what was wrong with me on my own. Even now, being recently approved for a special sliding scale program, when I went to the dr he told me I had to pick 2 things on my list that I felt were most important. So I chose my IUD removal( it had been in over 6 yrs), and the weird right neck pulsing on/ near my cartoid artery. He "extensively listened to my neck on both sides with a stethoscope, as did the nurse, took my pulse several times, as did the nurse, and he concluded this was 99.9% anxiety related. He said he heard no blockage, swooshing, or any other abnoality. He said that when you're anxious ( even
If u don't feel it at the time), your blood flows throughout your body and it can manifest itself in this way. Does this sound right? Should I request a more thorough test? ( although I doubt he will approve the referral to get a more invasive procedure done because he insists I'm fine)...Any suggestions? Anyone else get a right side neck thumping/ abnormal feeling  that it's beating strangely?

[turtle1965]

We all get some sort of anxiety do to life.  But, somtimes our bodies give us feelings that resemble anxiety when something is wrong.  Listen to what your body is trying to tell you.  Don't let a doctor tell you that it is anxiety when you know that something is wrong.  We know our bodies and know when something is not right.

It took 4 months and multiple doctors and specialist and MRI's, CT scans, and bloodwork to finally get an answer.  I was told I had anxiety, but I knew it wasn't that.  When you don't feel right for no reason, but can't be explained doctors jump to anxiety right away.  

Tell yourself that is not it and keep searching for answer.  Change doctors!!

My diagnosis is thyroid cancer.  Every doctor misdiagnosed me since my levels are all normal.  It showed up on one of the MRI's and followed up with an ultrasound and there it was a nodule on my thyroid.

Get your thryroid ultrasounded it is the only way to find out if there is something wrong.  It can cause all kinds of symptoms that are related to anxiety!!!!!!!!!!!

[nursegirl6572]

Everyone is different...but I would honestly rather a persion spend the money on a proferssional therapist rather than these "fixes" you can buy...they tend to be VERY pricey.

You can even look up a lot of info online about cognitive behavioral therapy.  There are sites which are very helpful.  Also, there are books that are a great tool..."The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" is a good one for sure.

Do lots of homework before investing in these programs you have to shell out a good bit of money for...including return policies, which I've heard can be very complicated and convoluted.

Professional help is always the best route.

[Armani1234]

I tried looking up the Linden Method ( even
Just for a beginner, like me) and all I got was constant advertisements and expensive things to order through the mail. I'm not financially able to do this at this time but am very interested in knowing what this Linden Method is about. Any suggestions????

[Irishred77]

I would always wake up in the middle of the night...basically in a full blown panic attack.

[riicky92]

Look up the linden methord its got a 90% rate with out meds

[Paxiled]

Try a stress B rather than a normal B complex -- it will help more with the Bs that affect mood.  And your meditation, if you just watched your breath rather than counted it, is the one Buddha did, so not so much for dummies!

[Armani1234]

I have just started the process of counseling( because I am determined to do this with no medication( unless it's life or death). And as for the sleep problems ( although nightmare would be a more accurate description), I finally gave in to my Mom's advice to just TRY to meditate ( for beginners). I only did it once ( last night was my first night) and it helped! Didn't think I could clear my mind like that but was so desperate I did the " meditation for dummies/ beginners) where you actually count each breath as you inhale and exhale. I NEVER thought this would work ? And it could be a coincidence, I just started last night) but I think it did! Slept 4 straight hours without waking up and no dreaming/ vivid or lucid nightmares! I felt AMAZING and relaxed like I was drugged or something. Believe me, I will do this again and again until I see a " negative" aspect to it. 10 minutes out of my day is worth EVERYTHING to me right now, even if it's a huge crock of you know what. I'm willing to try ANYTHING without medication before going that route. Also, started taking a B complex vitamin because my eating habits are HORRIBLE and over the last 6 months had cravings for bananas( which I hate) like I was pregnant( which I'm not). They say your body craves what it needs. I'm listening now. I value my life now and I didn't before. Any suggestions of any kind I will GREATLY appreciate!!!!!

[Armani1234]

Thank you for your responses! I feel better already! The neck pulse thing I actually had checked my my dr yesterday and luckily ( I think) , the exact symptom happened right as he was checking it out. I asked him if he saw it, because I used to pull over in my car and literally see it throbbing g and pulsing abnormally on the right side. He said he did see it, I wasn't crazy, and did a " thorough" check with his stethoscope, etc. he insisted he heard/ felt nothing abnormal and is 99.9999 positive this is anxiety related. He said he heard know unusual blockage or anything of any concern or alarm. He said when you are extremely anxious ( even subconsciously when you don't realize it and think its under control) this thing with my neck can happen. I was shocked to say the least. I had myself convinced ( which now due to finding this site I know I'm probably wrong) that I had a medical problem unrelated to anxiety. He told me that when blood is rushed to different parts of your brain due to anxiety, this is normal. I hope he is right. I am ETERNALLY GRATEFUL that I found this site and the people on it. So many things going on with me I rely thought I was insane and/ or dying. So the POSITIVE RESULT in my cyberchondria ended up helping me because I stumbled onto this website in my desperation. All these crazy symptoms are related to my extreme anxiety ( although I'm getting much better) and now I feel less anxious andess alone. THANK YOU THANK YOU to this amazing website because I now feel LESS anxious knowing that all these " weird, unrelated" symptoms are a direct result of my own mind. This means the power of my mind can be used in a POSITIVE way instead of a NEGATIVE. So grateful I found and joined this site and THANK YOU to everyone who responded to my questions!!!!!

[Paxiled]

To me this sounds pretty normal.  We all have dreams from time to time that are very vivid and wake us up -- as a former writer, I used to use them as material.  Same with the neck pulse -- sometimes body parts just do that.  Not everything is due to anxiety -- some of it is just who you are.

[cj29]

I would have to agree with nursegirl.  Anxiety can manifest almost in any form imanginable.  My original experience with anxiety came with concerns about my heart health.  I became so hyper aware and hyper focused on what I percieved as problems with my heart that I would notice every little palpatation, pain, twinge, etc.  I would also notice my neck 'pulsating' in the mirror and would notice a visible pulse in other areas of my body which of course alarmed me when I was experiencing anxiety.  I also believe we tend to misinterpret those 'symptoms' that we notice as something seriously wrong with us when in fact the exact opposite is true.

Are you in counseling right now for your anxiety?  

[riicky92]

YES I have the same problum wit the dreaming I will just start to fall a sleep and dream then I get a noddy jolt and jump wack up and my breathing is heavy then I can not go back to sleep

And with the pals in the back of the neck I think is normal as I have the same thing and it doesn't match up to the other side I have had a all the scans done and all woes ok so I think it is normal

Try talking to your doc and get some help I never thort that wold help me but it has I've only seen the syc doc once and all redy feel a lil better

[nursegirl6572]

Of course this is typical of anxiety.  Our sleep and everything about it (dreams too) jis greatly affected by our moods.

What are you doing to address the anxiety?