28 year old woman struggling with physical symptoms

[Kath1085]

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.

[Kath1085]

Things are going well. I saw my new therapist this past Thursday for the first time and I think her and I will work very well together. She is very versed on the physical effects of anxiety and depression and wants to work with me on some desensitization and relaxation techniques to help me cope with and overcome with I'm going through. I think lately I'm just getting so tired and frustrated with the physical symptoms sticking around. I'm sure it doesn't help that 95% of the day they're always on my mind. Today I had issues with blurry/smokey kind of vision most of the day, some morning dizziness and leg throbbing/pains. None of it is unbearable, just very annoying and completely involuntary. Sometimes I try to tell myself it has to be a serious illness because anxiety cannot manifest physically unless I feel anxious. I guess this isn't the case. Do you always feel anxious when you get physical symptoms and do the types of symptoms alternate day to day?

[remar]

The ENT Dr may want you to have the MRI because you can only see so far into the ear. You can't see behind it. So, if you had something going on behind your ear an MRI would most likely pick it up. Try not to be scared. My Mom just had to have this same thing done because they could find nothing wrong with her ears, as far as they could see in anyway. I thinks it's best to get it done to rule out any ear problems.
Yes, anxiety and depression can really cause some strange symptoms. Both can completely drain you of energy and you can also feel sick at times.
How are things going with your therapist?

[kbernat12]

Hi there, yes I have symptoms everyday, and they rotate back and forth. I've gone up on my Zoloft prescription to 150 mg, and that helps with the OCD part of the anxiety. I feel on my neck and under my arms all the time, I know that's gross, but I do it! I make sure my balance and everything is good. Right now I'm super fearful of wild animals biting me or scratching me. It completely controls me. Ok, so now I feel super crazy typing that out. But, loading my kids in the car freaks me out because I think there is something under there all of the time! I've had chest pain, breathing issues, fatigue for sure! And, for me the anxiety definitely helps make the depression worse!. I'm really focusing on reading my bible every night, and having quiet time for myself! I think staying busy also helps. I don't know if I will ever be over this, but I hope I have helped you even a little. :) take care!

[Kath1085]

In your experience, can anxiety and some depression cause symptoms consistently throughout the day? I usually wake up pretty fine, but as the day progresses, I feel so fatigued that my muscles ache and I almost feel like Im getting sick. Then it goes away and replaces itself with another symptom. They alternate. There's rarely a moment I'm without a symptom, but some moments are worse than others. I saw an ENT doctor today. On top of it all, he said I have no inner ear issues and my hearing and eustacian tubes are functioning normally. He said to rule out everything else he wants me to have an MRI with contrast. This kind of hit me. I'm not thrilled about the idea of having dye running through my veins to check into something that seems to be leaning toward a mental health diagnosis in the first place. I started to wonder when will enough be enough? I've seen a Neurologist (if he was that concerned, why didn't he order the MRI?), an Opthamologist, a PCP 2 times, an Urgent Care Doctor, an ER doctor and had a bunch of bloodwork done. Everything done so far has been negative. I guess I'm wondering if health anxiety mixed with some depression can cause this mix and if it's normal with these issues to have symptoms consistently, just in varying degrees and alternating for the past 2 months?

[remar]

Yes, anxiety can cause those symptoms. It can completely drain you and you can also have stomach issues. The heart racing is very high up on the list of symptoms.
I'm really wondering about the depression too. Frustrated, discouraged, and defeated at times. Those can be depression symptoms. Feeling very out of it can also be a symptom.
Once I got on the right med and got in to therapy my symptoms were so much better. I do still struggle at times with both depression and anxiety. It happens when I'm under a great deal of stress.

[Kath1085]

Thank you again for the encouragement. The depression piece sounds interesting. I think I struggled with it when I had my anxiety issue the first time for awhile, but this seems so draining it's unbearable sometimes. Would your heart race and would you feel almost like you were getting sick at times? Then it would just clear up? I also try to sake solace in the fact that if it were something serious, it would be more consistent. That's the last thing any of my "symptoms" are. I hadn't had the "flu-like" symptoms for weeks, then they popped up over the past few days. Then I had about 4 days of chest tightness on and off throughout the day and feelings of almost falling asleep or "ducking out" of reality for a second or two. I don't feel particularly sad, only very frustrated, defeated and discouraged at times. Sometimes I just basically pity myself. Do you think this can still be depression mixed with my anxiety? Did your symptoms resolve themselves? Did it take long?