Anxiety Subsiding, but still feeling rubbish??!

[londonworry]

Hi All,

I hope someone can help me - Over the last 4 weeks I have been having an absolute hell of a time with a self created HIV concern (which ultimately came to nothing) which I obsessed so much about that I ended up on Lorazepam for a week and then Diazepam for the last 2 weeks and undergoing counselling (I am thankfully stopping the meds now...)....I have been diagnosed as having generalised anxiety disorder which flares up dramatically at random times - so coupled with that came all the "what if" questions and anxiety and worry and stress - I couldnt concentrate on anything or really get myself in gear to carry on with my life - I had loose stools for the duration of my anxiety etc (not more frequent, just looser) and coming upto the test and results, diarrhea really kicked in (only once or twice)...My question is - I had built up myself so much for the worse case scenario that when I received the negative test results I found I didnt know what to do...dont get me wrong, I feel better as there isnt that huge rock in the way of me getting on with my life and tackling my other worries (work, money etc,..) but how long will it take for my body to get back to "normal" after 4 weeks of almost constant panic/anxiety and stress???...the diarrhea, the weakness feelings, headaches etc...I dont think I was expecting to have a switch flicked and my normal self to be back again - but how long could it take???

Any help or advice would be wonderful please....

LW

[alex8721]

i've been through the same thing, except that it took for me 3 months of worrying to get the test, and after it came back i just got busy with work and school and other worries so it kinda drifted away. i also wen tot the gym regularly which helped me a lot with my self esteem and confidence. my best advice is to just accept your symptoms as they are, as your body is recovering now from all the stress you put on yourself and move on. the best thing is to do group activities like sports or yoga, pretty much anything. keeping you socially connected will take your mind off the worrying. your obsessive thoughts will literally subside and eventually disappear. accept them as they come and don't be bothered by them.

[londonworry]

Hello There,

Just after a bit of collective reassurance...Still feeling bad, but with bigger periods of "OK" inbetween - problem is my symptoms (weak or lightheaded, panicking, occasional diarrhea etc...) dont seem to go away even when I am feeling "ok"  - sorry iif this is obvious to everyone - but this is all new to me, as I said the test set this off majorly...but was negative...problem is now I see the anxiety symptoms as HIV symptoms etc...you see?!...I have got myself into such a cyclical thought process with this and just getting sadder...

When I wake up I feel fine, until I start to think/get up and then the weak and dread feeling comes - with waves of heat over the day if I start to think bad things...

Can anyone associate with this?

LW

[MMahon]

It may take you a long time if you are stopping medications that were just prescribed.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a DISORDER that's not going to just go away because an HIV test returns normal or not.  You are not 'seeing the forest because of the trees'.
This is very common with GAD and we all go thru it unfortunately.
I hope I don't sound harsh, but I wish someone told me this in the beginning..  
good luck