Anxiety about health

[Amy4891]

I get anxiety when there is something wrong with me and I don't know what it is. I worry about my health issues alot. So anyways I have been having some unexplained pain body aches lately and I am about to have an anxiety attack because I don't know what is causing it. ugh

[Amy4891]

I got off the latuda I was on, and the pain went away within two days after I quit taking it. So I thought I was done with the pain that it was just a side effect of the latuda. Two months later I start rapid cycling (bipolar), and have a very bad episode of social anxiety (which I am not actually diagnosed with). The pain comes back during my episodes. I talked to my psychiatrist about the pain. She said it could happen with anxiety and depression, but I told her it was very bad pain with a bunch of other symptoms also; lightheaded, dizziness, nausea, weakness, tingling, fatigue, frequent urination, and she thought maybe I do have Fibromyalgia. She cannot diagnose me with it, but prescribed me Gabapentin this is my second day on it so I will see how it goes. The weird thing is I never had pain like this until I switched on a bunch of different antipsychotics, but she said the body aches couldn't be a permanent side effect from them. I also seem to have a sensitivity to medications, as I get bad side effects on low doses of medications with antipsychotics being the worst, so bad I can't take any of them. I have also had some bad side effects with SSRIs, but they were not nearly as bad as the side effects I had with the antipsychotics. After having had all these bad reactions to medications I have developed medication side effect anxiety. Where is I have horrible anxiety that I am going to get some really bad side effects with any new medication I take mostly beign psychiatric medications. I about had an anxiety attack when I too my first Gabapentin. So far it hasn't been too bad, just made me feel a little high.

[remar]

Yes, they will check the trigger points by pressing on them to see if they're tender.
I really hope you can get insurance soon. It would sure help to have more testing done to find out what's going on. Being in constant pain with no answers as to why is very depressing I'm sure.
If you do indeed have fibro, you're right, there are meds to treat it.

[Amy4891]

No, but saw some diagrams of it when I was doing research online. So what do they do when they check them do the just push on a trigger point and see if it hurts? My doctor wanted to send me to a pain management specialist, but I can't go because I don't have insurance right now. She said she could try me on some fibro meds but I don't have any perscription drug coverage either and she said the meds are expensive. I am in the process of trying to get the insurance and drug coverage though, but it may take a while. I think once I get my insurance I will ask her if I can go to a rheumatologist. I would rather that than a pain management specialist. Also she said that the pain management specialist may not take medicare. I am just sick of being in pain everyday it is making me depressed and moody. :-(

[remar]

I'm sp glad to hear your tests came back fine. Fibro can be hard to diagnose. Did they check all the trigger points on your body? If you have most or all that's a good indicator that you may have it.

[Amy4891]

I am not officially diagnosed but have possible fibromyalgia. Which apparently can happen in conjunction with depression and anxiety. All my tests came back fine.

[remar]

Yes, I feel so bad for her.
You might be able to see a specialist. If you tell them first that you have no insurance they may work with you just like the clinic does.
Thank goodness the fevers are gone. That means the congestion and phlem should continue to get better.

[Amy4891]

Wow that would be bad to have both! I don't have insurance so I go to a clinic that goes on a sliding scale fee. Without insurance I don't think I can see a specialist. We don't have fevers anymore but have some congestion and phlem still. The pain has gotten a little better the last couple of days so hope it just stays mild I can deal with that.

[remar]

My younger sister has both rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia,  That's why I was recommending seeing a Rheumy Dr if your tests come back normal. I really hope it's neither of those. When my sisters arthritis acts up it hurts in her joints. With the fibro it's more in the muscles.
The above poster is so right. Anxiety can cause all sorts of pain.
Are you and your daughter feeling any better? I hope so.

[Amy4891]

If it is not arthritis I wondered if it could be something like fibromyalgia, but I am not really sure....I guess because I am not a doctor, lol.

[remar]

I'm sorry to hear you and your daughter are sick. It's getting to be that time of year when bugs are going around.
I think it's a good idea to start with your family Dr. If he finds nothing in your blood work to explain this pain you're having see a rheumatism Dr. They will do more in depth testing. Of course you can ask your family Dr if he does this test.  

[Amy4891]

I went to the doctor today and they prescribed me Mobic. They wanted to do some blood work and test me for arthritis, but I had a fever and they said the fever could mess up the test. My daughter had a fever too we probably caught some bug. So I will have to go back when the fever goes away to get the blood work done. They also want me to come back in a month to see if the Mobic is working. Sometimes my hands cramp up when I am holding my phone up to my ear or when I am holding a drink. My shoulder blade hurt so bad earlier it felt like someone was stabbing me in it with a knife. I got a stabbing pain in my leg like that the other day. It is really weird though sometimes it feels like muscle pain, but when it is in my hands or feet it feels like my bones hurt. The other day it was so bad I could barely walk. I hope it doesn't get that bad again.

[remar]

I remember going to the Psychiatrist for the first time because of anxiety. After a few visits she diagnosed me with depression too. I said, I am not depressed. But, once we really got in to therapy and I told her all of my symptoms I knew I had depression also. The body aches are bad with depression and anxiety.You may not have depression. It might be health anxiety.  Soaking in a hot bath tub can help a little. I try to see my chiropractor on a regular basis which really helps. Please let us know how your Drs visit goes tomorrow.

[Tigress143]

Its the same thing with me. Ever since I got my appendix removed. Can you please explain your symptoms to me? Maybe we can compare :)

[Amy4891]

I thought it might be from the depression too, but I don't even feel depressed. I didn't have anxiety until after I got the pain so I don't think it is either of those. Urgh so frustrating. I am going to the medical doctor tomorrow maybe they can give me an answer.

[innerchild09]

Oh yes I get it as well. Sometimes my anxiety causes pains like that as well. Another thing is I think depression can give you aches and pains. And of course when something is new it can cause anxiety to be even worse. I think you should talk to your doctor about all this. I know anxiety is really hard to deal with.

[remar]

There is such a thing as health anxiety. Many people have it. If you're having body aches it could be from being stressed out. I have anxiety also and I have the body aches a lot. Have you talked to your Dr about this or have you ever been in counseling? I would'nt recommend one, the other, or both. Counseling could really help you learn coping skills to deal with your health anxiety.