Aa
28 year old woman struggling with physical symptoms
Hi all,
I'm new around here and have been struggling with physical anxiety symptoms for around a month and a half now. I don't usually reach out in situations like this, but it has become such a struggle that I felt like posting in a forum with people that had some of the same issues and concerns as me to validate what I'm going through and help ease my mind and what I'm enduring. It seems like my "trigger" was going on vacation with my significant other at the end of August. I had not been on vacation for a few years and had just gotten out of another relationship about 4-5 months prior. As soon as I got to the destination, I felt dizzy, nauseous and very "on edge". I started thinking thoughts like "what if something goes wrong or I get ill while I'm here? What if something serious happens? I'm 12 hours from home!" I woke up everyday assessing how I felt as soon as I opened my eyes and thinking about it throughout the day. It made the entire time very unpleasant. I figured as soon as I returned home it would end. It actually got worse! As soon as I returned to work I found myself dizzy, getting chills (almost flu like symptoms, which ended me in the ER once, doc said seemed more anxiety related), numbness and tightness in hands, legs, face, facial and body muscle spasms and extreme tightness in muscles and/or muscle weakness like I just ran a marathon followed by bouts of extreme fatigue. Also moments of confusion, mental fog and almost a sense of derealization (like I forget things easily, forget what I'm supposed to be doing, etc). Lately I have tightness in the chest that effects my breathing and makes me lightheaded- happens several times throughout the day and I get scared I'll pass out sometimes, especially when I go to talk when my chest is tight. It feels like I'm gasping for air during the conversation. I've seen my primary car twice, all bloodwork, Lyme titer, EKG, blood sugar, reflexes, lungs, vitamin levels, organ functions normal. Also saw a neurologist that said my numbness and tingling and other complaints that could be neuro come and go so they cannot be any serious neurological issues, that it sounds like irritated nervous due to anxiety and only found my spine to be out of alignment (going to try a chiropractor) and said to call if any further issues. Only thing that was found amidst all of this was a possible vestibular issue that caused vertigo from blockage of my right ear canal which has since been resolved. I just take Flonase for eustacian tube dysfunction and do exercises to correct the "vestibular injury". I wake up everyday lately dreading how I feel, sometimes with a lot of difficulty getting out of bed and worrying consistently throughout the day about how I feel, what will come next, etc. I'm getting married next September and am just concerned I will never feel like myself again. I was normal two months ago, I was in a good place and all was well. Now I'm struggling to get through every day. I am starting to see a therapist this coming Monday that specializes in CBT and my significant other is (of all things!!!) a therapist. I, of course, do not mix my anxiety with my relationship (even though I'm sure it weighs on it). I had issues with anxiety in the past, saw a therapist for about 7 months and beat it medication free. I'm committing myself to doing this again, but I've never had daily symptoms to this extreme. It's like flavor of the day with what I feel. I am rarely without some symptoms.
Has anyone had similar experiences? Physically? Emotionally? Any suggestions for dealing with it? I find myself so worried about so many health issues and trying to convince myself something "has to be wrong" or I'm going crazy or not going to see my wedding. Words of encouragement? Anything? Thank you all for your feedback, it's much appreciated.
I'm new around here and have been struggling with physical anxiety symptoms for around a month and a half now. I don't usually reach out in situations like this, but it has become such a struggle that I felt like posting in a forum with people that had some of the same issues and concerns as me to validate what I'm going through and help ease my mind and what I'm enduring. It seems like my "trigger" was going on vacation with my significant other at the end of August. I had not been on vacation for a few years and had just gotten out of another relationship about 4-5 months prior. As soon as I got to the destination, I felt dizzy, nauseous and very "on edge". I started thinking thoughts like "what if something goes wrong or I get ill while I'm here? What if something serious happens? I'm 12 hours from home!" I woke up everyday assessing how I felt as soon as I opened my eyes and thinking about it throughout the day. It made the entire time very unpleasant. I figured as soon as I returned home it would end. It actually got worse! As soon as I returned to work I found myself dizzy, getting chills (almost flu like symptoms, which ended me in the ER once, doc said seemed more anxiety related), numbness and tightness in hands, legs, face, facial and body muscle spasms and extreme tightness in muscles and/or muscle weakness like I just ran a marathon followed by bouts of extreme fatigue. Also moments of confusion, mental fog and almost a sense of derealization (like I forget things easily, forget what I'm supposed to be doing, etc). Lately I have tightness in the chest that effects my breathing and makes me lightheaded- happens several times throughout the day and I get scared I'll pass out sometimes, especially when I go to talk when my chest is tight. It feels like I'm gasping for air during the conversation. I've seen my primary car twice, all bloodwork, Lyme titer, EKG, blood sugar, reflexes, lungs, vitamin levels, organ functions normal. Also saw a neurologist that said my numbness and tingling and other complaints that could be neuro come and go so they cannot be any serious neurological issues, that it sounds like irritated nervous due to anxiety and only found my spine to be out of alignment (going to try a chiropractor) and said to call if any further issues. Only thing that was found amidst all of this was a possible vestibular issue that caused vertigo from blockage of my right ear canal which has since been resolved. I just take Flonase for eustacian tube dysfunction and do exercises to correct the "vestibular injury". I wake up everyday lately dreading how I feel, sometimes with a lot of difficulty getting out of bed and worrying consistently throughout the day about how I feel, what will come next, etc. I'm getting married next September and am just concerned I will never feel like myself again. I was normal two months ago, I was in a good place and all was well. Now I'm struggling to get through every day. I am starting to see a therapist this coming Monday that specializes in CBT and my significant other is (of all things!!!) a therapist. I, of course, do not mix my anxiety with my relationship (even though I'm sure it weighs on it). I had issues with anxiety in the past, saw a therapist for about 7 months and beat it medication free. I'm committing myself to doing this again, but I've never had daily symptoms to this extreme. It's like flavor of the day with what I feel. I am rarely without some symptoms.
Has anyone had similar experiences? Physically? Emotionally? Any suggestions for dealing with it? I find myself so worried about so many health issues and trying to convince myself something "has to be wrong" or I'm going crazy or not going to see my wedding. Words of encouragement? Anything? Thank you all for your feedback, it's much appreciated.
Yes, I do have some experience with natural alternatives. My daughter is very in to nutrition and is the manager at a vegan restaurant. If you're low on certain vitamins and minerals it can cause all sorts of problems for your body and mind. Are you getting enough B vitamins? Your body need to be replenished every day with these vitamins. If you're low on them it can cause depression and anxiety. If you're low on potassium it can cause muscle weakness,muscle cramps, stomach problems, irregular heart beats.
I would recommend getting a good multi vitamin multi mineral supplement. Nothing from Walmart or a drug store. I've found them to not be any good, just my opinion. I'll send you some sites to buy them if you would like.
Trying to eat as well as you can can make a huge difference. I talked to my daughter about my stomach problems. I get gastritis sometimes. She told me what to eat to take care of it and it's working.
Keep up with the vitamin C. This will help you as far as getting the flu and other things this Winter.
Try to practice deep breathing. When we have depression and or anxiety we can breathe shallow and that can cause the light headed feelings.
I'm not sure if I would get the MRI either. They're supposed to be safe but I know you're still scared. It might put your mind at ease to have it done though.
I would recommend getting a good multi vitamin multi mineral supplement. Nothing from Walmart or a drug store. I've found them to not be any good, just my opinion. I'll send you some sites to buy them if you would like.
Trying to eat as well as you can can make a huge difference. I talked to my daughter about my stomach problems. I get gastritis sometimes. She told me what to eat to take care of it and it's working.
Keep up with the vitamin C. This will help you as far as getting the flu and other things this Winter.
Try to practice deep breathing. When we have depression and or anxiety we can breathe shallow and that can cause the light headed feelings.
I'm not sure if I would get the MRI either. They're supposed to be safe but I know you're still scared. It might put your mind at ease to have it done though.
Yes, I've kind of accepted the depression thing as an option. The more I've thought about it, the more I've noticed how difficult it can be some days to smile or act "normal" as my mind is racing and thinking negative thoughts. I realized from the second I get up until the second I fall asleep, I have maybe 10 minutes out of the day where I do not think about how I'm feeling or focus on it. Today my issue is lightheadedness when I talk to people (better when I'm not talking or interacting), it seems draining just trying to operate on a normal level. Also, I have a lot of muscle tension and bad weakness and some occasional numbness. Also, the occasional chill. My eyes have been strained and dry for months too and my vision has been disturbed (your eyes ever hurt and feel strained and tight when moving them?). I have an MRI 11/5, which I don't want to go through with (I keep asking myself, what kind of state of mind am I in if I'm now pumping contrast dye into me even though all other tests have been normal). I'm also exploring natural remedies and alternatives like Magnesium supplements to help with the muscle weakness/spasms, etc. and taking large amounts of Vitamin C and other vitamins. Any experience with these?
Good, I'm so glad you will be seeing your therapist every week.
Yes, I've had anxiety that's lasted for days, weeks, months. It took me 5 years and several Drs to finally get a diagnosis.I just knew it had to be something physical but it was indeed anxiety.
Oh yes! I know exactly what you're talking about. I get those strange visual things too. And also hearing sensitivity. It happens when I'm very anxious. Since I take meds it's gotten much better.
The tiredness can be from anxiety but it can also be from depression, like I mentioned in my above post. Talk to your therapist about this and ask if you may possibly have depression.
Yes, I've had anxiety that's lasted for days, weeks, months. It took me 5 years and several Drs to finally get a diagnosis.I just knew it had to be something physical but it was indeed anxiety.
Oh yes! I know exactly what you're talking about. I get those strange visual things too. And also hearing sensitivity. It happens when I'm very anxious. Since I take meds it's gotten much better.
The tiredness can be from anxiety but it can also be from depression, like I mentioned in my above post. Talk to your therapist about this and ask if you may possibly have depression.
I've been going through every little detail of hell you just described for the last week or so. I've studied anxiety most of my life trying to help a brother with his OCD but never had it myself. It can literally be to point of fearing death sometimes. So far I've cured all the tingling and nerve pain in my lower back legs and a few random nerve pains throughout my body by drinking apple cider vinegar. I read a few posts on it and I tried mixing 2 teaspoons with honey and hot water 4 times a day as described in another post. I'm the kind of guy who has tried just about every herb and natural remedy. All of my pain was gone after the first dose.... never have I experienced something work so perfectly. I couldn't even sleep I was in so much pain, now all of that pain is non-existent and so is the anxiety that was coming from this. Make sure you get raw, organic apple cider vinegar. If its not a bit cloudy its too processed and won't work as well.
I still have weird sensations in my head that triggers intense anxiety of its own. I've studied serotonin and other neurotransmitters most of my life trying to help a younger brother with his OCD, and I know the anxiety issues come from serotonin function being disrupted. Serotonin is made in the pineal gland in ours brains and the pineal gland is stimulated by the sun. Even if I am death-level anxiety if I go out into the sun, i feel entirely better and I can feel an energy in the center of my brain where the pineal gland is.
I'm not sure what exactly caused this for me or for you, but I've seen these exact same symptoms occur in people who were exposed to mold. I was just around some myself around the same time I started to feel this way. Your story is eerily to one of my mother's.. when she went to Germany for vacation she was inside a castle and exposed to a mold that made her faint. She had symptoms like this that went away weeks after. Not sure how she was cured. I do know that our pineal gland produces our serotonin and serotonin is what mutes our impulses in our mind/brain. Its what blocks our anxieties (negative-feeling impulses) and lets us feel well.
What you said about your mind possibly recreating a past anxiety that is no long present is a very wise statement. Our body tries to maintain homeostasis can get in a cycle (that can be broken just as it was created) of feeling a certain way. I've had a few "crazy" girlfriends who were acting out emotionally that was completely unexplainable given the current situation. However I found out later they had some past unsettled trauma that matched exactly how they were acting out then. "Do unto other what has been done to me".
Another thing you acknowledged was how the symptoms seem to fade then immediately be replaced by another. To me this is a perfect example of a serotonin issue. This is the first time I've felt this kind of anxiety, but I spent my whole life with a brother who felt this way all the time. It was always just causing these symptoms along with OCD etc. I'm experiencing all the frightening symptoms you are, strange heart feelings and feelings of dieing (similar to blacking out but way more unsettling). I feel fine in the morning but the day is filled with all kinds of neurological-trickery. Soon as I feel bad I focus on what I know about serotonin deficiency and the symptoms vanish. They are coming back all day but they vanish soon as I tell myself that its just low serotonin causing my brain to misfire. Most commonly it is a strange feeling of pressure like something wants to pop out of the top of my head. After reading a few posts here and relating it to what I learned helping my brother and a few friends with OCD it helps to calm my nerves. Hope this information can help you in the same way. And hopefully we can all find a cause for this and learn how to completely cure it. Always keep a positive mindset, know you aren't alone and it is going to get better. I know its hard but try not to focus energy on negative thought. It can help break the vicious cycle.
One last annoying thing about serotonin and the pineal gland.... I've been to countless doctors/naturopaths with my brother and they seem to know so little about it. They try to tell you your anxiety is causing your physical symptoms, what what is causing your anxiety? For me and others its seemingly the other way around. I feel anxiety from the strange physical symptoms. I don't know how they can write it off as just "anxiety" before considering the gland, that if damaged can cause both symptoms.
"Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine
I still have weird sensations in my head that triggers intense anxiety of its own. I've studied serotonin and other neurotransmitters most of my life trying to help a younger brother with his OCD, and I know the anxiety issues come from serotonin function being disrupted. Serotonin is made in the pineal gland in ours brains and the pineal gland is stimulated by the sun. Even if I am death-level anxiety if I go out into the sun, i feel entirely better and I can feel an energy in the center of my brain where the pineal gland is.
I'm not sure what exactly caused this for me or for you, but I've seen these exact same symptoms occur in people who were exposed to mold. I was just around some myself around the same time I started to feel this way. Your story is eerily to one of my mother's.. when she went to Germany for vacation she was inside a castle and exposed to a mold that made her faint. She had symptoms like this that went away weeks after. Not sure how she was cured. I do know that our pineal gland produces our serotonin and serotonin is what mutes our impulses in our mind/brain. Its what blocks our anxieties (negative-feeling impulses) and lets us feel well.
What you said about your mind possibly recreating a past anxiety that is no long present is a very wise statement. Our body tries to maintain homeostasis can get in a cycle (that can be broken just as it was created) of feeling a certain way. I've had a few "crazy" girlfriends who were acting out emotionally that was completely unexplainable given the current situation. However I found out later they had some past unsettled trauma that matched exactly how they were acting out then. "Do unto other what has been done to me".
Another thing you acknowledged was how the symptoms seem to fade then immediately be replaced by another. To me this is a perfect example of a serotonin issue. This is the first time I've felt this kind of anxiety, but I spent my whole life with a brother who felt this way all the time. It was always just causing these symptoms along with OCD etc. I'm experiencing all the frightening symptoms you are, strange heart feelings and feelings of dieing (similar to blacking out but way more unsettling). I feel fine in the morning but the day is filled with all kinds of neurological-trickery. Soon as I feel bad I focus on what I know about serotonin deficiency and the symptoms vanish. They are coming back all day but they vanish soon as I tell myself that its just low serotonin causing my brain to misfire. Most commonly it is a strange feeling of pressure like something wants to pop out of the top of my head. After reading a few posts here and relating it to what I learned helping my brother and a few friends with OCD it helps to calm my nerves. Hope this information can help you in the same way. And hopefully we can all find a cause for this and learn how to completely cure it. Always keep a positive mindset, know you aren't alone and it is going to get better. I know its hard but try not to focus energy on negative thought. It can help break the vicious cycle.
One last annoying thing about serotonin and the pineal gland.... I've been to countless doctors/naturopaths with my brother and they seem to know so little about it. They try to tell you your anxiety is causing your physical symptoms, what what is causing your anxiety? For me and others its seemingly the other way around. I feel anxiety from the strange physical symptoms. I don't know how they can write it off as just "anxiety" before considering the gland, that if damaged can cause both symptoms.
"Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine
I see my new therapist again tomorrow morning then consecutively every Wednesday evening going forward. So you've had anxiety to the point where it causes physical symptoms every day? Have you had some days with such severe symptoms all you do is panic and try to convince yourself is has to be physical, which in turn makes them worse? I have day where they're more manageable, but I haven't had a day in 2 months without them. If it wasn't for the bouts of extreme fatigue (I'm talking falling asleep or feeling like you'll doze off right where you are), visual sensitivity and hearing equilibrium being off, I could handle it fine. It just effects most of my daily activities and work. I was beginning to think it's Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but it's technically just pawning it off to another disorder that has physical symptoms but no verifiable physical cause.
I'm so glad you like your new therapist. It's so important that you do. When do you see her again?
I know, it really is hard to believe anxiety can cause all of these physical symptoms but it sure can happen. When we're anxious we can become hypersensitive to every little thing. I'm so glad your therapist is working on desensitization and relaxation techniques.
Yes, symptoms can alternate from day to day. I know with myself I can be very anxious one day and not really have any symptoms but it can catch up with me and I may have several symptoms a few days after. Anxiety is really a strange thing.
I know, it really is hard to believe anxiety can cause all of these physical symptoms but it sure can happen. When we're anxious we can become hypersensitive to every little thing. I'm so glad your therapist is working on desensitization and relaxation techniques.
Yes, symptoms can alternate from day to day. I know with myself I can be very anxious one day and not really have any symptoms but it can catch up with me and I may have several symptoms a few days after. Anxiety is really a strange thing.
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