Anxiety Quesion

[johnk84]

Hi,

I am a 36 year old male, and currently working, but I have been feeling stress from work, and other personal issues.  Sometimes I have a tingling sensation when I worry too much or am under stress on the top of my head and sometimes I have sharp pains on the top of my head also.  Can too much anxiety or stress cause such sensations?  Should I go to a nuerologist to have an mri or to a different type of doctor.  I already am seeing a therapist.

Thanks

[KEV78]

Hi EVERYONE...I'm new to the forum.  Ive got tons on my mind and many questions to ask.  Seems as if my probs started one day when i used cocaine.  Just that morning I suddenly freaked out and was afradi my heart was going to explode cause of how it was beating etc.  Had used the stuff for two months on weekedns with no probs.  EMT's told me everything seemed fine and that it was prolly a panic attack.  But deep inside i thought for sure i may have screwed up my heart or something.  Few weeks later i tried it again and a few times after that and each time i freaked out swore I was gonna die.  Anyhow i stayed clean and didnt mess with the stuff anymore. However then i starteed to get thesee weird episodes like I had trouble breathing like a smothering feeling and concentrated alot on my breathing cause thought if i didnt i would stop also a slight abnormal feeling or i guess sense of sight was weird or seomthing not sure how to explain it.  Suddenly one day i had a panic attack i guess again and that was the end of that afterwards i think i fell into depression.  Then started to get these weird heart skips..alot everyday for about a month and a half all day long really scarey.  Bad thing is i was afradi i messed up my heart and now it was doing all that weird stuff.  got my heart checked out and doc said everything came back normal maybe just stress.  Ive got alot of symptoms including sleep disturbances like i wake up suddenly in a panic i guess doesnt last too long and i go right back to bed easily but very scarey.  I still worry about my health alot..just wondering if something is being overlooked etc.  get tons of muscle twitches all over my body..in the mornings when i wake up i feel shaky inside and out..i also kinda feel off balance like i feel like i sway alot when standing straight up or light my head or body rocks back and forth when i am at rest kinda goes along with my heavy pulse rate.  I am taking paxil 37.5mg CR.  I am alot better than I was but still have tons of doubts.  Can somebody help me with my questions or have any responses..please email me at ***@****  THANKS SO MUCH!!!!!!!

P.S.  also a little more depth about my history..previous to this all the only thing I can think of that has some importance is i ised to take alot of Ephedra dieting pills also drank lots of coffe and smoke cigarettes...and did have a bit of a stressfull realtionship too...dont know i was thinking maybe all that had to do with it too...who knows?

[KEEKEE757]

IT DEFINATLY SOUND LIKE ANXIETY AND THE THING ABOUT GAD IS THAT YOU HAVE TO NIP IT IN THE BUDD QUCIKLY OR IT JUST GETS WORST.  ANXIETY CAN CONTROL YOUR LIFE IF YOU LET IT.  YOU MAY START OFF  WITH ONLY ONE SYMPTOM BUT THAT WILL TURN INTO 2 AND 3.  TRY DOING MUSCLE RELAXING TECHNIQUES AND BREATHING EXERCISES TO CALM YOUR NERVES.  WHEN YOU FEEL THE TINGLING IN YOUR HEAD.....DO AHEAD AND MAKE YOURSELF DIZZY.....SPEND AROUND REAL FAST OR SHAKE YOUR HEAD AROUND..DONT LET IT SCARE YOU!!! JUST TAKE CONTROL OF IT.  IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT ....EMAIL ME.  GOOD LUCK.

[Keegan]

it does sound like anxiety kicking in.  but, self talk it and watch your diet and get enough sleep and also excercise everyday. take care.

[johnk84]

Thanks for the info and advice,

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

These sensations can definetly be caused by stress and anxiety. They don't sound like neurological signs but that is hard for me to say with so little information.  If these continue or get worse, you should ask your medical doctor for an opinion.  He can ask you some additional questions to sort that out.

If you want to accelerate your work with your therapist, try the mastering stress program.  It will help you focus, pinpoint and do your own work in betweent your scheduled therapy sessions.

[proudmom]

anxiety can definitely cause all sorts of different body symptoms, including the tingling in your head and sharp pains you are experiencing. i was just recently diagnosed as having generalized anxiety disorder, but before being diagnosed, i went to a neurologist to make sure it was nothing else more life threatening. it's okay to go see your doctor and request to be checked out by a neurologist for your peace of mind.
chances are though that you have nothing to worry about and that your symptoms are just from stress and anxiety. and that doesn't mean that you have an actual anxiety disorder like me either. so don't worry about it too much and go speak with your doctor. he may even be so certain that there's nothing to worry about as far as needing to see a neurologist, that he'll be against sending you to one. stress and anxiety can cause all sorts of wierd and uncomfortable body symptoms.
good luck to you and try not to worry about it. just go see your doctor and give him your symptoms. there are all sorts of treatments for dealing with stress and anxiety that do not involve medication, just cognitive and behavioral skills and/or therapy.

take care and God bless!