Exactly the same as me! I have been reading stuff about my health problems all day long I have been thinking about it for the last 2 days I have real bad anxiety and I know that is making me think I have something wrong with me I had cold sweats last night and what you say about the brain thinking something is wrong and then causing cold sweats is what I now think is happening..
I agree with mark tx. Take good care of yourself and watch the google site.
that's don't drink and don't smoke!
=)
I've had anxiety for a number of years... and I found the 'sweats' usually occurred when I was nervous about something real... stress on the job... financial pressure, etc. I differentiate between honest to goodness stress, which caused my night sweats, and anxiety or panic, which seem to be caused by nothing.
I've found after years of drugs and therapy that the best things I can do for anxiety are:
- Don't drink, smoke
- Eat right, watch the garbage food and sodas
- Exercise as MUCH AS POSSIBLE
- Try to forget about the anxiety... reading endlessly... whether in books, or forums like this, can be a double-edged sword. Sometimes 'out of sight, out of mind' works for our anxiety, really.
- Don't expect meds or drugs to be miracle cures. Can they help? Sure. But they very often have unpleasant side effects. And you may very well find yourself panicking one day that you don't have enough pills to make it through your holiday... and realizing that you've just traded one source of stress or one dependency for another.
mark
I have had and still do have awful health anxiety but have learned how to cope. I also have nightsweats when I am anxious. They can also be related to taking SSRI's (a type of antidepressants). Sometimes I wake up anxious with the nightsweat and other times I can calm.
Indigestion and nightsweats are very much related to anxiety.
I have some tips of how to live with your anxiety:
1. stay off the web - it will make you crazy - the more you read about what it can be the more you're brain will tell you what it is (usually the most dramatic thing) IF you are going to look on the net look at ways to help your anxiety (DONT GOOGLE PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS) Your brain is like a net at the moment that will sift out and keep the bad diseases and scare you with them. I am also an RN which makes it worse for me.
2. talk to your doc - anxiety is often well treated with some antidepressants/short term benzos to help you get some real sleep
3. go see a therapist (this is the best thing for me) to learn some Cognitive Behaviour Therapy - this is about being aware of how your thinking creates feelings and anxiety. It also teaches you to self soothe - rather than getting reassurance from docs or others you can so this yourself. It is VERY effective and saved my life. It is supposedly the gold standard in treating anxiety
4 Books like: Claire Weekes "Complete Self Help for your Nerves" are excellent. They explain all the funny feelings and signs that you get with anxiety then give you a plan on how to deal with those feelings. Get reading - it makes you realise that what you have is just anxiety.
5. Exercise every day to get rid of that unused adrenalin that you are producing - just a walk around the block will help - this also helps you get rid of funny bodily feelings.
5. Learn Relaxation - I know it can be really hard when you dont like to lay still and have to deal with feeling every funny feeling in your body - it works so well..takes some practice. I bought a guided imagery CD and it is great. As soon as I hear the music now to it I start to relax. Even if you panic during it - just let yourself panic and keep with it. The more you do it the easier it gets. I had to force myself at first to do it twice a day but then ended up loving it.
6. Get a support group - there is nothing better than being with other people who really do understand.
Goodluck
I have severe anxiety disorder, with panic attacks. It sounds to me like your anxiety is causing you to be going through this. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night covered in swear, sometimes feeling panicky and I know its because of my anxiety. Anxiety causing also affect your digestion too, and can lead to nausea and even IBS and other things like that.