Pain = Anxiety...HELP!!

[AM1995]

I have posted here before so I'm sorry if this sounds familiar...  I have suffered with anxiety for about 20 years - I have been on and off medication for about that long.  I feel like my anxiety and hypochondria is getting worse as I'm getting older.  I feel like it's out of control!!!  Every ache and pain is "something" and in my rational brain I know that it's just my 'problem' telling me that.  But my irrational thinking seems so much more powerful... I can't get it under control!!  My latest is this:  I had this strange kind of pinching feeling in my chest on Sunday - very brief and nothing horrible - but now I'm fixated on this feeling.  Now my right shoulder is bothering me, my neck and upper back are all stiff, I've got weird/painful sensations going down my right arm into my hand, some strange feeling in the right side of my head... of course because of this I was up most of the night last night, like I'm waiting for something to happen.  I had to get up and come to work - the whole time I was getting ready I was just sobbing.  I'm SO frustrated with feeling this way!!!  I don't have insurance so I hesitate to go to the doctor too often.  As I read some of the other posts it seems like a lot of  people in this community go to the doctor and get testing to make sure it's nothing -- I don't know if that would help me or not, but my doctor never suggests testing when I do go to see him.  Do I need to ask him for specific tests?  I just think that maybe it would bring a little peace of mind to know that there is nothing actually wrong.  I try to be careful about what I read and what I watch because my brain seems to store any sort of medical information regarding illness/disease and pull it out at any "symptom" I think I have.  example:  I used to like watching House - can't do that anymore because even though it was always such extreme, and probably very rare if even real, cases of illness - I would be affected by watching it.
Anyways, sorry this was so long - I'm feeling exceptionally stressed and anxious and sad today.  I do have an appointment with my psychiatrist tomorrow, but it's only like my 3rd or 4th visit and I feel like it hasn't really done anything helpful yet.

[sickofbeingsick1965]

You sound like me~ I've had all of your symptoms and more. I know how stressful it can be waiting for the worst to happen, knowing it will happen just not when.  Also knowing that something is seriously wrong, yet the doctors can't find anything and diagnose it as stress/anxiety.  Well, let me tell you, a normal amount of stress/anxiety never killed anyone.  And I've been stressed to the max, suffer from ptsd, (which has been under control since 06), unrelenting stress.  Yet, even at my worst, I've never felt worse than what I began feeling in June 10.  Anxiety got worse, pain, burning, numbness in arms,hands and feet got worse. Began having balance problems, mental fog, forgetfullness, breathlessness(the worst), anxiety, hotflashes, heart palpatations, pains in chest, insomnia and extreme fatigue. Numerous dr. visits, tests all revealed nothing.  Anxiety/stress was the doctors diagnosis, and pretty much summed it up to all being in my head.  Well, I knew better~and my persistance helped me.  I began b12 injections in Oct. along with Vitamin D(prescription) and immediately my symptoms subsided, now are completely gone except for some fatigue still with me.  I suggest you do your own research on b12 deficiency and other vitamins as well.  B vitamins are essential for nerve health, mental and physical.  Surprisingly, all my symptoms of carpel tunnel are better than they'be been in 5 yrs.  I haven't taken cymbalta or xanax now in almost 2 months, don't need them.  Still take a seroquel at night for sleep, but 50 mg, compared to the 300 mg I was taking.  I know I sound like a vitamin rep, but I'm not, lol~  I just know what it has done for me.  I hate to know that people are suffering and being treated for so many other ailments such as arthritis, carpel tunnel, depression, alzheimers, when it's something as simple as a vitamin.  Please do some research, you are your own best advocate!  and remember, I don't think your crazy, I know you're not, all these aches and pains that you feel is your bodies way of telling you that something isn't right!  xoxo, mel

[JustinDobbs23]

Calm down, It's mainly anxiety. I suggest you get put on some medicine, maybe Klonopin or Xanax. (Or something similar) 1MG klonopin will help you. As you said you've been on and off medicine, that's terrible!

Those symptoms sound much like a stroke or a heart attack, which we know anxiety can mimic.. but It's always best to be safe.

Please remember medical bills do not count against you in anyway. You may occur any amount and never have to pay them. Just be careful.