Strange Anxiety Symptoms

[GrayTW]

Hello,
I have had General Anxiety for about 1.5 years now. I rarely, almost NEVER get panic attacks. I just excessively worry about things (such as my health) nonstop. I am curious if anxiety can be present even when I'm not worrying? Like, I constantly have these symptoms my doctors tell me are just side effects of anxiety. For example:

-Fatigue
-Irrational thoughts
-Visual changes
-Unreality/Depersonalization/Derealization
-Sometimes twitching in muscles (perhaps caused by stress?)
-Tingling in skin sometimes (not a numb feeling, just a tingle that always appears in the same spot that goes away if i touch it)
-and some more

I associate every problem I have with something extremely severe, like cancer. I worry that I have onset symptoms of something like Huntington's and Parkinson's Disease. Are these symptoms just normal anxiety symptoms or something more? Every time I go to the doctor, I feel as if they are thinking, "oh not this guy again", but I feel like if I had an MRI or something like that I would feel much better. I live in Ontario, Canada and was wondering if it costs money, and how I can manage to get one done?

One last thing, I was on Paxil for a while and developed visual disturbances while I was taking it (like flashes of light, TONS of floaters, sensitivity to light, negative images when looking at something for too long and looking away, etc.) and after I came off Paxil, they didn't go away. It only started once I was up to 20mg/day on Paxil (which was the highest dose I ever had). I was wondering if this could be caused by Paxil, the anxiety, or something else? I know you can't diagnose me but I was wondering if you might be able to ease my mind a bit.

Thanks.

[here2help333]

I recently have been having anxiety and thought, the first time, that I was having a stroke. I am only 39 and was also recently misdiagnosed with asthma due to the shallow breathing was causing shortness of breath, dizzyness, muscle twitching, electric sensations, numbness in my legs and tingling in my arms. I went for all kinds of tests, chest exray, ultrasound, ekg, blood tests, 3 trips to the er, and each time they found nothing wrong with me. They sent me home with zoloft and I later found that my sister had to be put on clonopin because the zoloft didnt work. The clonopin is working better for me now. The best thing to do is get a counselor and tell yourself you are not dying. When I got really bad, I felt like I had no energy and my legs and arms feel really heavy. If you have a complete blood count done, it should set your mind at ease, as most things will show up here.

[LIZ1971]

Hi There

I'm in Ontario as well and experience everything you listed with my anxiety.  I have also diagnosed myself with every possible disease going at one point or another.  Most recently it was my stomach.  I diagnosed, stomach cancer almost immediately I had a scope done and was told at worse it was Acid Reflux.  I then moved onto my heart (after being told I had a slight murmur for the first time in 37 years).  I was convinced I was about to have a heart attack, heart disease etc.  I had an EKG, blood work, stress test and an Echo Cardiogram all which came back normal.  Apparently 90% of people have the same type of mild mild murmur I have if they were checked for it.  

My Dr. has been really good about sending me for whatever tests I need to make me feel better.  I'm going for an MRI just to rule out brain issues before I start dwelling on the possibility.

If you honestly feel an MRI will help tell your family Dr. you want one scheduled.  If he hesitates explain to him/her that you are confident this will help with your anxiety and you want it done!  OHIP will cover it.

Best of luck to you!

Elizabeth

[ativan]

Hi your symptoms are all related to anxiety my daughter suffers badly from health anxiety, she fears every little ache or pain is cancer, but she dosent go to the docs as I can useally talk her around as I to suffer anxiety, go to your doctor tell him your worries and tell him you would feel better if you were aloud to have a m,r,i scan, I live in england and beleave me they wouldent allow us to have one unless they thought it nessersery as it costs around  £1500 try not to worry and keep us posted.
janis

[jan2281]

WOW...i am going through the very same thing, in my case I know its Anxiety....I did find out that I was vitamin b-12 defiecent witch can cause ALL your symptoms...I went to the Doctors because my body was twitching and I had nerve pain...turns out i had very little b-12, I am now on b-12 injections, after a few injections I am hoping everything will be okey...as for Paxil it didnt work for me...I actually got MUCH worse so my doctor took my off it and put me on klonipin<sp...It seemed to work okay...but im still reserching meds to find whats best for me....sorry i couldnt be of more help...i hope everything gets better for you...
jan2281