Anxiety and Physical Symptoms

[ag3982]

35 y/o male with no history of mental issues before 12/05.  Healthy, but exercise doesn't occur as often as it should. Just started counseling due to anxiety/possible depression (1 session so far). My anxiety has been focused almost entirely on possible health issues I "believe" I'm having. This anxiety has been huge the past 2/3 months but I did have an anxiety/panic attack back in early December 05 that required a trip to the ER. I thought I was having heart issues (sweaty hands, tight chest, dizziness, heart pounding, nausea), but after numerous tests, I was eventually given Xanax. After 20 minutes I did settle down-no other attacks since. About a week before this "attack" I had blood in my stool and this was addressed with a colonoscopy in late Dec (no issues found). During the last 2/3 months I've also changed jobs (moved from a high stress job to one that is MUCH more reasonable), moved my family (wife/twin 4yr boys/8 month boy). Currently, I'm on .25mg of Xanax (however, I barely average 1 tablet per week/most times less than that). I also have severe allergies that play havoc on my sinuses and I'm currently taking Flonase/Claritan-D. The physical symptoms that are really concerning me are dizziness, intermittent difficulties focusing my eyes w/ some sensitivity to brighter light, tightness in my muscles (jaw, buttocks especially), a perceived issue with my walking (sometimes lose my balance and I feel like my walking is not “normal”) and muscle twitching. The perceived awkwardness walking and muscle twitching are the biggest concerns (I don't recall muscle twitches in the past). The walking has only been an issue over the past month or so and the twitching has been all over-feet, calves, thighs, buttocks, arms, elbows, and other places. I tend to notice them more when I'm at rest. Yesterday I had a twitch in my right rib cage that went on for nearly an hour. After 10 minutes of twitching, I took Xanax and after another 30 minutes or so it stopped-along with the other twitching I was experiencing. My 2 questions are more specific to the twitching/Xanax and my walking “issue.” (1)If I had some other type of Neuro issue (like ALS), would Xanax or my “less anxious” moments have an effect on the twitching, or would it likely continue no matter how anxious or calm I was feeling or given the Xanax I was taking? Could Xanax stop muscle twitching if I had a true Neuro issue? These muscle twitches SEEM to “come and go” with my anxiety, but even when I’m relatively relaxed I still get them. I’m experiencing no muscle weakness, spacity, or anything like that. I’m able to do everything I’ve always been able to do and just recently did a 20mile bike ride (long ride for me) w/o any problem (just rubbery legs which went away). (2)Is awkward walking/tense muscles in the butt a possible symptom of this anxiety? I’ve had a PA and a MD examine me in the past 2 months (1 full exam/1 consult) and no sig neuro issues were noted during these exams. Thank you...

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I think the answer to all of your questions is the same. It all adds up to anxiety rather than a neurological disease.  What you have to be careful of now is focusing so much on the twitches and awkwardness that you make them into something that they are not.  With your counselor, stay away from the symptoms and focus on what is going on in your life, and what about it scares you.

[born2bfree]

hey dude, i know exactly what you are going through. i too have suffered with physical symptoms that makes you wonder what is going on with your body. when people talk about anxiety most people think it has to do with panic attacks and anxious feelings. in our situations, you start getting other symptoms like the vision thing, feeling weird while walking,weird twitching sensations,and probably alot of other things. the "dizziness you're having isn't actual dizziness but probably a sense of lightheadedness. there is a term for this. its called derealization. look it up. i bet its dead on. i've been going through this crapt for a year now and to perfectly honest with you, quite sick of it.im a 36 year old male, married, 2 kids, stress at work, etc so i believe maybe something got triggered from too much stress over time and wham, now this switch has been turned on that seems to be hard to turn off.now you get totally focused on all these symptoms and every thing that happens to you now is something you over focus on. its a nasty cycle. i do have some better days with the symptoms but then all of a sudden it all comes back and throws you for a loop. take courage though my friend, there are seasons in our lives that we go through for what ever reason. hang in there and pray the good Lord will see you through this and make you a better person for this whole experience.

[ajg5446]

Do appreciate your comment and I agree, the cycle I'm experiencing...which is NOTHING like anything I've ever experienced...is something that can NOT go away soon enough.  I believe the counseling I've started will be of great help.  My counselor asked during the first session how many sessions I thought I'd need to "fix" what's going on...I laughed (I think this was a loaded question...but I was Ok with that...kind of testing how "committed" I was to getting help).  I told her if it takes 2 sessions - great.  If it takes 200, so be it.  I just want to feel better again and that day hopefully is not far away - enjoying my wife, kids, etc. is something I want back in my life.  I'll definitely look into the derealization as that's a new term for me - which is a bit surprising since I thought that through the 10,000,000 hours on the internet trying to self-diagnose myself would have included this in my "research."  :-) But I absolutely appreciate the good words and feedback.  I hope your situation also improves.  I do have some good days and I treasure them.  But the bad days (which have been there this week) are aweful and the prayers are definitely there to help keep things in perspective.  I am curious about the twitching and potential "tie" to Xanax - will be interesting to see what the Doctor has to say about it.  Again, thanks for your comment.  It helps.

[rosetoes]

Anxiety and panic causes many many symptoms,and when you take a Xanax, it goes away.  Definitely it is an anxiety symptom.  Stress and anxiety is forceful and many symptoms are simular to a heart attack, ms and mirrors many many other ailments.

I take xanax too now and then and within a few minutes my symptoms dissappear.  I stopped taking xanax for a few months to rid myself of the addiction I had to them (took them for 3 months).  Now that I know I don't have a dread heart disease or lung disorder and that it is anxiety, I work with myself.  But on the days that are really bad (once every few months) and I just dont feel like fighting, I take a .25 of xanax and poof, the anxiety leaves.

As much as I hated the addiction to xanax and it was hard as hell to get off of them, I now understand why these pills are to be taken as needed.  I think now that I just have them in my purse, I do very well not taking them.  I rather have and not need, then to need and not have.

Good Luck!

[ajg5446]

Agreed.  I've already noticed that today has been a much "better" day and most of the symptoms I had the previous 2 days are much, much better (still not 100%, but I like the trend).  Patience is a virtue, but the support of this site and folks like you is very reassuring.  The best to you and thanks...

[ABCMomof3]

It's interesting you mentioned the *balance* problem, because I had that too; when I had anxiety and depression. It scared me, because I thought something really terrible must have been wrong with me and of course there wasn't anything wrong with me other then I had anxiety and depression.

I had a lot of the same symptoms you have been experiencing and I'm really sorry you are going through this. I know how yucky it makes you feel; and I know it can make you feel helpless and maybe you feel like it won't ever go away, but it will.

Counseling really helps and I'll tell you why; because during one of your sessions your therapist is going to say something that is going to make all the difference in the world to you. Sometimes getting better from anxiety and depression is as simple as hearing the right words at the right time and I mean that. Medication really does help, especially when you are in the depths of a deep depression and anxiety that is consuming your life, but words play a big role in getting well too. I hope you have a good counselor.

I never liked it when my pyschiatrist used to ask me questions that I think she should have already known the answers to, it bugged me and made me think I was wasting my time with her. I eventually stopped seeing her (after 18 months). I am fully better from depression and anxiety and I give her some of the credit for my getting better, but not all of it. She wanted me to stay on those meds forever and ever and I didn't want to take something unless I needed it. My depression and anxiety went away within 4 months of getting medication and therapy treatment, but I took the dang pills for  18 months. I've been off of them for about 4 months now and my withdrawls from the effexor are what brought me to this website. I feel perfectly fine without those pills and if I ever get depression and anxiety again, I suppose I will take some meds again, but I don't want to take them when I clearly don't need them, I think that is silly.

But I want you to know that you will get all better and that someday soon the first thing you think of when you get up in the morning will NOT BE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION! Anxiety and depression will be the furthest thing from your mind and you will wake up happy (or grumpy, depending on how you slept!!) but you won't think about it first thing when you wake up, you will have too many other wonderful, beautiful things to think about and to enjoy in your life.

You will be in my prayers; please sit and read your Bible a few minutes everyday, it will make a big difference in your life. God wants you to feel good and happy and healthy, everyday. When you are feeling especially vunerable to depression and anxiety, read Psalms 91. It got me through some tough times and it will help you too.

May the Lords face shine upon you and give you peace.

[born2bfree]

What kind of therapy have you folks been going to? A psychiatrist or are there other kinds of counseling. I think i would like to try something like this. I 've had this for a year now, tried paxil for a stint(horrible experience for me) otherwise just suffer with it. Maybe some counseling would work!!!

[rosetoes]

Went to a psychiatrist who was the medicine man.  I was spend literally 10 minutes with him and he'd have his pad out writing prescriptions and he would ask the standard question "Are you suicidal"  and that was really the extent unless I asked questions about medication or he would say what was new on the market.  Not one question about my anxiety nothing.  He did have a therapist on site that I met with and it was not very helpful.  Nothing came out of it that I could apply to the reason for my anxiety or how to overcome those feelings.  AFter a few visits I stopped.  To me it became a money making ploy.  The psych wanted to keep me on xanax and said I would have to be on them for at least a year to rid myself of anxiety and I got off of them after 3 months.

I felt the dr. wanted me heavily depended on them so then he could start another med to help me get off of them. If I would have followed his advice I would be on meds for at least a few years.  And he would have been collecting thousands of dollars from me.

The best thing that helped me was purchasing self help books on anxiety...a friend currently has them, but the bookstore and websites on anxiety/panic helped the most.  I have had panic attacks on and off for 30 years and never had to take a med.  Once you read about anxiety and learn the signs and how to overcome them.  

I don't need the xanax now because I can manage anxiety 100% better now.  Before going to the doctor I recommend that you learn as much as you can on your own, you maybe able to work things out, but if you do go to a dr. Please investigate them, so many are out there to get you hooked on meds and have you for patients for life!

[enaj]

Cognitive behavioral therapy works best for anxiety disorders. I took a "class" with my husband (I'm the anxiety person, not him) and several other couples. We met together sometime and separately sometime. We had a workbook and the faciliatator was a psychologist trained in cognitive therapy. It helped both of us. I feel like my husband understood the disorder, and I was able to learn some valuable skills for dealing with it.

I also have read just about every book out there about anxiety.

[ajg5446]

Thank you for the kind thoughts, ABC.  It's amazing (in a twisted sort of way) the emotional rollercoaster and the multiple physical symptoms I've been experiencing these past 2 to 3 months.  Lately, I've had an over-awareness of my swallowing, which then starts me to think I have a swallowing problem.  This "cycle" really is vicious indeed.  I notice the swallowing thing comes and goes and has really only been here for about a week, but the 12 million things that then go through my mind just blow me away.  Take care of yourself and thanks again for the advice and kind words.  They are truly appreciated...

[Texas_Acuna]

I take Prozac 20 mg. and Buspar 15 mg. and Xanax 0.5 mg.  I drink about a six pack of beer each evening.  I think it's the meds that make me drink so much.  Is there much danger in drinking with these meds?  I have read different opinons.

[dustyjones]

I have a problem with anxiety because of mitral valve prolapse and menopause. It scares me sometimes because I could be fine all day and then it will hit me and then I feel antsy, light headed, faint,down,and my heart beats funny. I'm just coming off of this merry go round right now. It really stinks when you feel great one moment and bad later on.

[rthomas003]

hey i asked my neuro about wether or not being calm or taking an antidepressant would stop effects like twitching or odd sensations if you had a neurological disorder and he said it could reduce them but it wouldnt stop them because the twitching from anxiety issues is muscular tension and the twitching from a neuro disorder has to do with your nervous system not responding properly to signals from your brain or being mixed up on the path to the limb or wherever its going, so someone with MS could take an antidepressant and it might soothe some symptoms a little, (very likely because if you have ms your gonna have anxiety issues too) so it would ease that up but definatly not stop it altogether. good question!! someone with say MS for instance, may have symptoms come and go but not usually within a day, like for instance muscle weakness in your arm.... if you had ms it may stop after weeks or months of constant weakness, or never stop at all, it wouldnt start up like as your driving to a doctors apointment  then when you get home and are in a "safe" place or when your distracted just simply go away. hope thats been helpfull,thats not my "theory" thats what my neuro explained to me.

[SteveIT]

If you've been checked by your doctor and you're otherwise OK, you may have Benign Fasciculation Syndrome (see www.aboutBFS.com). Twitching can certainly be caused by anxiety, and dizziness can be caused by neck muscle cramps (surprisingly) which can aslo result from anxiety.

Just be aware that when you're very anxious for a long time, you put your nervous system into a highly aroused state. It stays that way, even when you're not aware of it. Your muscles are tense and your motor nerves may fire randomly. These symptoms go away AFTER the anxiety does, often, because your body needs to re-learn the fact that it doesn't always need to be on high alert. Stop telling your body that it's in an emergency situation, and it will eventually stand down.

[Steve Lowe]

First of all i would like to wish every anxiety and panic sufferer out there all the best on hopefully overcomming this dreadfull illness.

My anxiety/Panic Started 6 years ago now on the day my first daughter was born. It was a stressfull time for me and my partner with her being in labour for 3 days and having to have a c section in the end. OMG i was so scared when i had my first attack wich to me seemed like it come on for no reason and my first thought was that i was having a heart attack and only being 20 years of age at that time i was petrified of what was happening to me. Well i was rushed to A & E Just to be told your fine theres nothing wrong with you!!!!!! Yeah right i thought (nothing wrong) you have a dose of it i thought to myself and see if you think theres nothing wrong.

my symptoms are as follows
1. Sweating (ALOT)
2. Shallow or rapid breathing
3. Extreame muscle tension in shoulders neck buttocks and abdomen
4. walking but feeling like i wasnt walking straight or i would sometimes trip to one side
5. my eyes feel like there rolling when i try to focus on thing like the tv
6. Fluttering sensation in my heart
7. loss of appetite
8. Deppresion
9. snappy and irratable
10 total loss of confidence
11 always thinking ive got a major illness

Plus a few other symptoms . I have tried anti deppresents and also beater blockers but none of witch seem to cure my anxiety
ive tried some relaxation therapy but this seems to help for 5 mins but before i know it my shoulders are so tence again and i feel like rigermortouse is setting in.

Im now 26 years of age and have 2 daughters now but i feel like im not a good enougth father to them as i will avoid going places with them and just simple things like playing football with them can seem a daunting task as i feel energy less most days, im always moody and snappy and the anoying thing is i know im being moody but because of how i feel in my self i cant seem to help being moody. its been 6 years of feeling like this now and to say the least ive had enougth.

I

[Steve Lowe]

Only me again. A few things i forgot to put in my last post was
ive smoked cannabis for the past 10 years and im convinced that it causes anxiety i say this as i thought to my self im sick of smoking (I HATE SMOKING) lets try and give up!!

Now its been a couple of days without smoking a joint and guess what i dont want to jump the gun and claim my anxiety has gone but wow i feel great. Im still smoking about 3 ciggys a day but i was smoking on average 10 joints in an evening . AT first cannabis seemed to help well i thought it did but im convinced it is a cause of anxiety and panick , Maybe not in small doses but for someone who smokes it every day of there life than it probably does. OK i know im not a doctor but if any other anxiety sufferes out there also smoke cannabis (TRY AND STOP!!!)
at least give it a try i have and for someone who was very deppendant on the stuff every day for almost 10 years i know i would sooner feel human again and normal in my self than i would stoned and anxious.

Maybe im wrong and cannabis dosnt cause anxiety i would be very greatfull if anyone could tell me if they have experienced anxiety and panic whilst using cannabis.

My next task to stop smoking ciggys but i dont think i can stop smoking them just yet, as much as i want to i just cant the first bit of stress or depresion and i need a ciggy.

WHY OH WHY OH WHY DID SOMEONE HAVE TO INVENT CIGGARETES!!!!!!!!!
As much as i know there not good for you i cant seem to kick the dirty habbit but what the hell im gunna try my upmost hardest.

Ill keep you informed on how my anxiety has been since ive stopped taking cannabis and if i think it has helped to cure my anxiety problem as two days is jumping the gun abit ill give it a month or 2 and i will post my findings on the matter.

I would also like to say a big thankyou to all that have posted on here you may not know it but reading all of your posts as helped me so much to relise im not alone and im not going mad or having a heart attack. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you and who knows maybe one day we will be free from this horrid illness.

One final question i have is has anyone ever had anxiety for a long period and eventually returned back to there normal selfs anxiety free?.The reason i ask is ive not come across any posts where people have said there anxiety has gone and they are leading a normal life again.

Once again thankyou all.

[caregiver222]

You have symptoms of a lobar intracerebral bleed. The flag is the sensitivity to light.

You need to have a blood work-up, particuliarly hematocrit, and the variety of tests that reflect the clotting status of your system (ptt...etc.). As of yesterday. You need these test as of five minutes ago. Immediately stop taking aspirin or any other substance that would interfere with bloodclotting.

The anxiety and psychiatric symptoms can be entirely due to a minor brain bleed.

There are other possibilities, but there is a window of opportunity inb treating syndromes of this nature, and once lost, can never be regained.

[caregiver222]

I am worried about you. I hope you have followed my advice and sought a neurological work up, ruling out bleeding in the brain. The sensitivity to light is the big blinking light in the differential diagnosis. You could have a clotting factor problem, excessively high blood pressure, or a congenital weaklness of the blood vessels. I do not believe you have psychiatric issues with your presentation. This diagnosis is the wrong train, wrong track, wrong destination. I lean towards a physiological explanation. It could be something as simple as not having enough vitamin K in the blood. A work-up is beyond my pay grade on the internet. Please see some specialists.

[PNoid]

I'm glad I know that I am not the only one goign through this. I too expierenced anxiety/panic attacks for the first time about 4 months ago. The first time it hit me, I thought I ws having a heart attack. Tension in my muscles, around the chest, shortness of breath and then numbness in my hands and feet. I was rushed to the ER and the told me that nothing was wrong. A week later I'm back at the ER and the told me that it was Anxiety/Panic attacks. I am 24y/o male. I am having a very difficult time dealing with this, espescially when it happens at work, I'm a cook at a very busy resturant. Like others, I too smoked cannibus for a long time, and I was under the influence when it first struck, and when it struck again. So I think, ok, stop smoking, but it occurs when I'm sober. I don't want to take pills for this, I'm afraid of getting addicted. Any advice on overcomming this would be helpful, and really appreciated. Thank you all.

[stiff person]

Hello everyone, this will be a little long (sorry in advance, but I need help)...I have had neurological concerns for a long time now, starting with migraines as a child and teen, then light/kaleidoscope type auras and as an adult and the onset of seizures at the age of 26.

Seizures were well controlled after trying a myriad of anti convulsive drugs...however about three years ago, I started having back pain that was only relieved with lying down, ,not stretching, not massage just laying flat. The kind of pain that is normal after some sort of strain (which I didn’t have)...sent me to a chiropractor, and the Tylenol isle at the grocery store.

Now I have sever tightening of the back...like a vice grip, this has turned into spasms which at their worst cause arching, other than that just constant soreness and pain. Also, I now have back curvature, called lordosis, and what I call a small symptom... I had a problem swallowing on three occasions...I thought it was weird and a little scary, but I kinda let it go at that.

After a few too many severe back spasms I tried to find a "reason" for all these symptoms, my neuro thought I had MS...as it turns out, I was diagnosed with Stiff Mans Syndrome...funny name I know, but its real. Turns out I tested positive for the GAD anti body associated with the Chronic neuromuscular disease.

I'm thinking all the years of stress, and worry, which originally caused the back tightening and back soreness had become a vicious cycle...( I had a lot of stress and worry)I get upset, stressed, anxious, and my back tightens up like a vice. Now even, when I am not anxious...the damage is done and I have this permanent flexing of the back muscles??? My gait is un balanced, My vision is not focused, and my back does not release...ever!! I had an EMG that showed activity at rest

The doctors don't call it anxiety...or act as though it  has a part in it all...How can I know for sure? Is it possible I caused this damage with stress and worry? How Do I un do the damage?

[jr978]

Hi, about a year ago I had a major stressor in my life.  I started at that time having severe muscle tension all over, and charlie horse cramps with burning all the time!  I went to my GP and he did some basic neuro and blood test, all fine.  I have a psychiatrist prescribing me wellbutrin and recently I got a rx for klonopin.  I guess I could say that I have had some relief maybe 75% better.  I still have a low level of muscle tension and aches.  When I first had the symptoms about a year ago, I went on line and found info on MS and the like...and the symptoms got worse, and basically never had gone away completely.  It's interesting, even as I read and post on this forum, my symptoms have worsen!  Big surprise.  The only symptoms I don't get are muscle weakness and any vision problems.  It is so amazing that all these symptoms can be anxiety related, it blow my mind.  I can totally feel for people going through with this.  It is not fun!  Has anyone gone to a clinical hypnotist?  I know it sounds weird, but if it originates on a subconcious level then wouldn't a hypnotist help?  I'm willing to try anything at this point.  Also, I'm trying not to surf the net, but would MS or ALS present suddenly and persist for such a long time?  Expecially since I came on all of a sudden during the stressfull time?  I just wonder should I go back to my md and insist on going to a neurologist?  Thanks for your help