Aa
Has my anxiety manifested itself differently?
28 Male. Not a stranger to anxiety. But havent had it in a long time!
About a week ago, I felt my lower lip tingle, and my thumb. Just that small sensation sent me into a panic attack, then down a downward spiral of anxiety... even after those sensations left.
Ever since then, I have had heart palpitations like crazy, nervous stomach, and my biggest fear symptom is this feeling of off balance/light headedness. It's pretty much constant when I'm walking around, or if I look down then up.
It doesnt seem to effect me too much while sitting on the computer, or laying in bed.
I can manage my anxiety during the day pretty well, but at night for the past week I've been taking a .5mg to a 1mg pill of ativan just to help knock the edge off.
My question is...
Q: Is this lightheadedness a common symptom of anxiety? I called my Dr. today, which I even saw last week, he said it was more than likely anxiety related. he said it could be something not serious, and my anxiety is making it worse. he said to see him in a month... he must not be that concerned. hes an awesome dr. he said if i had a brain tumor id be having WAY more symptoms than that
Your thoughts? just need some encouragement and some extra reassurance. thanks guys.
About a week ago, I felt my lower lip tingle, and my thumb. Just that small sensation sent me into a panic attack, then down a downward spiral of anxiety... even after those sensations left.
Ever since then, I have had heart palpitations like crazy, nervous stomach, and my biggest fear symptom is this feeling of off balance/light headedness. It's pretty much constant when I'm walking around, or if I look down then up.
It doesnt seem to effect me too much while sitting on the computer, or laying in bed.
I can manage my anxiety during the day pretty well, but at night for the past week I've been taking a .5mg to a 1mg pill of ativan just to help knock the edge off.
My question is...
Q: Is this lightheadedness a common symptom of anxiety? I called my Dr. today, which I even saw last week, he said it was more than likely anxiety related. he said it could be something not serious, and my anxiety is making it worse. he said to see him in a month... he must not be that concerned. hes an awesome dr. he said if i had a brain tumor id be having WAY more symptoms than that
Your thoughts? just need some encouragement and some extra reassurance. thanks guys.
Thanks for writing.
I'm no stranger to anxiety. I've had it off and on for 3 years or more now.
I know not to GOOGLE symptoms lol. My Dr. used to get onto me for doing that b/c it would make things 100X Worse.
Instead if I do ANY sort of googling of symptoms... I GOOGLE "ANXIETY" LIGHT HEADEDNESS" B/c more than likely it is just an anxiety symptom I'm having.
I do need to get back into the gym. Exercise is something that has helped me in the past LOTS! It's just hard to get back in there. But I need too! And I will!
I do trust in my Dr. I really do. He's known me for 3+ years and has helped me through all this anxiety stuff several times. I've tried Lexapro in the past, and it has worked some times, and others it has not. He's thinking we can try the Lexapro again for just a while, and see if it helps me get through this funk.
I know how it is still hard to trust their diagnosis without any tests... but I have to remember HE'S A DOCTOR! HE KNOWS WHAT TO LOOK FOR! Plus he's been right every time with me in the past about symptoms that ended up just being brought on by anxiety. It's crazy how anxiety can make us feel.
I'm okay to try the anti-depressants again. I take ativan here and there for anxiety, but not a lot. I know it's a fast acting, but since this episode is lasting longer than 1 week, im going to go with the anti-depressant.
Will keep you guys up to date on my progress through this one. I KNOW I will get over these symptoms.
Today I haven't been too nervous... I know I'm a little anxious b/c as I sit at my desk all day my legs are tapping 100mph. I've felt kind of down in the dumps, and theres been a couple times where I have felt off balance today but not much.
My lips went tingly for about 20 minutes today... I just kept telling myself "It's just anxiety." And it finally left after I quit thinking about it. I was "THIS CLOSE" to going into a slight panic attack, but didn't and managed.
God Bless.
I'm no stranger to anxiety. I've had it off and on for 3 years or more now.
I know not to GOOGLE symptoms lol. My Dr. used to get onto me for doing that b/c it would make things 100X Worse.
Instead if I do ANY sort of googling of symptoms... I GOOGLE "ANXIETY" LIGHT HEADEDNESS" B/c more than likely it is just an anxiety symptom I'm having.
I do need to get back into the gym. Exercise is something that has helped me in the past LOTS! It's just hard to get back in there. But I need too! And I will!
I do trust in my Dr. I really do. He's known me for 3+ years and has helped me through all this anxiety stuff several times. I've tried Lexapro in the past, and it has worked some times, and others it has not. He's thinking we can try the Lexapro again for just a while, and see if it helps me get through this funk.
I know how it is still hard to trust their diagnosis without any tests... but I have to remember HE'S A DOCTOR! HE KNOWS WHAT TO LOOK FOR! Plus he's been right every time with me in the past about symptoms that ended up just being brought on by anxiety. It's crazy how anxiety can make us feel.
I'm okay to try the anti-depressants again. I take ativan here and there for anxiety, but not a lot. I know it's a fast acting, but since this episode is lasting longer than 1 week, im going to go with the anti-depressant.
Will keep you guys up to date on my progress through this one. I KNOW I will get over these symptoms.
Today I haven't been too nervous... I know I'm a little anxious b/c as I sit at my desk all day my legs are tapping 100mph. I've felt kind of down in the dumps, and theres been a couple times where I have felt off balance today but not much.
My lips went tingly for about 20 minutes today... I just kept telling myself "It's just anxiety." And it finally left after I quit thinking about it. I was "THIS CLOSE" to going into a slight panic attack, but didn't and managed.
God Bless.
Hey bud sorry to hear what you have been going through. Let me tell you from personal experience Health Anxiety is a bugger and it creates an anxiety loop that continually increases because your symptoms are feeding the anxiety and each time it loops you get worse. I was like you and didn't want to go on antidepressants... finally I gave in and decided to try it and I am only one month into it and I can tell you, after crappy side effects for about the first 3 weeks I am beginning to realize just how much the Lexapro has "calmed" my thought process. Before I was panicking thinking all the same things as you... I have a brain tumour, and getting angry that everyone was "looking in the wrong place" to find out what was wrong with me... I FORCED my GP to order a CT scan, xrays and a barrage of blood tests and ALL came back normal. Now.. I still have some symptoms albeit they are not as strong as before and I have finally realized there is nothing life threatening going on here... its just the power of the brain on the body acting up.....
A couple of tricks I will pass on if I may
1) DO NOT try to self diagnose your symptoms on the Internet. Remember if you dig far enough on medical sites - a runny nose can be a sympton of a brain tumour.
2) Try some exercise - even light exercise... I was feeling really lightheaded before but since I have been getting back to the gym everyday it has gone down. It was tough cause I didn't feel like going and then when I went I was scared I would get all dizzy but it didn't happen and today I feel much better for it.
3) Trust in your doctor is crucial.... sounds like you trust yours so that's good but you also have to trust in his diagnosis. I didn't have this trust at first and I kept saying "How do you know i'm ok if you have not done any tests???" and sure enough after she did the tests i had to admit she was right.
4) I have accepted that its ok to be on meds to help improve my quality of life. If you have an allergy you wouldnt "tough it out" cause you don't like taking antihistamines right? So if meds end up being a good route for you to go.... I wouldn't sweat it.
Keep us posted
A couple of tricks I will pass on if I may
1) DO NOT try to self diagnose your symptoms on the Internet. Remember if you dig far enough on medical sites - a runny nose can be a sympton of a brain tumour.
2) Try some exercise - even light exercise... I was feeling really lightheaded before but since I have been getting back to the gym everyday it has gone down. It was tough cause I didn't feel like going and then when I went I was scared I would get all dizzy but it didn't happen and today I feel much better for it.
3) Trust in your doctor is crucial.... sounds like you trust yours so that's good but you also have to trust in his diagnosis. I didn't have this trust at first and I kept saying "How do you know i'm ok if you have not done any tests???" and sure enough after she did the tests i had to admit she was right.
4) I have accepted that its ok to be on meds to help improve my quality of life. If you have an allergy you wouldnt "tough it out" cause you don't like taking antihistamines right? So if meds end up being a good route for you to go.... I wouldn't sweat it.
Keep us posted
thats a good name for them!, i'll have to rememember that one, a funk, it sure feels like them!
keep up the positive thoughts :)
keep up the positive thoughts :)
Sorry your going through a "funk" too. That's what I call them. Funks. lol. My anxiety spells are more "episodic" rather than some people who have it 365 days a year. =/
So I'm thankful for that... and I'm positive this will leave soon too.
I really havent felt that anxious today at all! But I'm still feeling the off balance/light headed feeling here and there. But it's all good.
Thanks for writing!
So I'm thankful for that... and I'm positive this will leave soon too.
I really havent felt that anxious today at all! But I'm still feeling the off balance/light headed feeling here and there. But it's all good.
Thanks for writing!
Your case here sounds way too like mine its scarey!, i have never been able to Suss' out why after a good period of feeling better do you suddenly just.....crash?, it almost feels like your system reminding you in some...annoying way! lol.
I'm in my own panic at the moment, I've had a good few days being calm and relaxed and only very little have i felt anxiety creep me up, but here it comes rearing its head!
That tumor thinking phase you mention?, that plagues my mind a hell of a lot, even after being told i don't have one. you arnt alone Cnote and i really hope this gets better for you!!
Stay safe!
I'm in my own panic at the moment, I've had a good few days being calm and relaxed and only very little have i felt anxiety creep me up, but here it comes rearing its head!
That tumor thinking phase you mention?, that plagues my mind a hell of a lot, even after being told i don't have one. you arnt alone Cnote and i really hope this gets better for you!!
Stay safe!
So I called my Dr. with the BP numbers lastnight, he said those numbers were normal.
He then asked what my heart rate was while laying down and standing up.
My heart rate was 94 laying down, and standing up 118. lol. I told him I know that's anxiety.
He said, he wanted me to go back on an anti-depressant.. like Lexapro again for a while.
I asked him "Are you positive it couldnt be anything else? like a tumor or anything?"
He replied "NO! 100% Positive there is nothing wrong with you, no tumor, nothing. All anxiety!"
When I got off the phone with him, I broke down crying... I think part of it was disappointment b/c I've gone so long without anxiety and I've hit the bottom again. And I think another part of me was crying in a bit of relief that it wasn't anything serious causing my almost constant lightheadedness.
Today I woke up got out of bed, feeling lightheaded and off balance as heck. Then tired at work.. but not as light headed.
My anxiety is down a lot today, but I do still feel a bit lightheaded... but I'm NOT WORRYING ABOUT IT.
I bet the less I worry about it now, it will slowly dissipate hopefully.
He then asked what my heart rate was while laying down and standing up.
My heart rate was 94 laying down, and standing up 118. lol. I told him I know that's anxiety.
He said, he wanted me to go back on an anti-depressant.. like Lexapro again for a while.
I asked him "Are you positive it couldnt be anything else? like a tumor or anything?"
He replied "NO! 100% Positive there is nothing wrong with you, no tumor, nothing. All anxiety!"
When I got off the phone with him, I broke down crying... I think part of it was disappointment b/c I've gone so long without anxiety and I've hit the bottom again. And I think another part of me was crying in a bit of relief that it wasn't anything serious causing my almost constant lightheadedness.
Today I woke up got out of bed, feeling lightheaded and off balance as heck. Then tired at work.. but not as light headed.
My anxiety is down a lot today, but I do still feel a bit lightheaded... but I'm NOT WORRYING ABOUT IT.
I bet the less I worry about it now, it will slowly dissipate hopefully.
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