So over this!

[aggie2007]

Hi all! I have been reading the forum for a while, and it has been easing my mind to some extent. I am a 22 year old active, healthy eating female college student. Basically every member of my family on my mom's side suffers from anxiety. August ended up being a really stressful month for me. So much that I ended up in the ER thinking I was having a heart attack (im sure many of you can relate). I was told it was anxiety and all was ok. I still had severe chest tightness after that and occasaional hyperventialtion. One weekend I decided to drive home for the weekend and as I was driving I felt some pains going down my legs. This of course scared me so I had a panic attack and ended up having to turn around and go back and it has all been downhill since then! Here are the symptoms I have had since about beginning of Semptember and in order of their progression.

tingling feeling in my arms and hands
arms and hands felt heavy and week
pains down legs and down arms into fingers
bad back and neck pain
upper back and right calf had a burning sensation

.....Mom thought it was a pinched nerve since I had been sleeping on a futon since August. Went to a general practioner who prescribed me a Medrol pack to see if it could reduce any inflammation on any nerves. Did bloodwork for hypothyroidism or vitamin deficiences..all came back normal. Took the 7 day dose of Medrol, went to get a massage, had a nice relaxing spa bath. Then then pain got worse

started getting cramps in my feet and calves....not the the point of charlie horse but achy tight feeling
started getting twitches mainly in calves
tingly crawly feeling on tip of my nose and around my right eye
legs felt achy like a  growing pains type of feeling
still getting pains in arms and legs
pain worse when first wake up in morning and lay down at night
legs feel restless and like i have to move them when sitting down or laying down
pain in neck, shoulder, and arm on side I lay on in bed
feeling spacy and "out of it"
upper back sore


...freaked out and did WAY too much looking online. Got scared that I had MS. I went back to my GP who suggessted I see a neurologist and get an MRI. I got got a brain and C spine MRI..all came back normal. Went to the neurologist who did all kinds of weird tests...said my nerves were not damaged and everything looked fine and he saw no signs of MS or neurological problems. He suggested I get some bloodwork done to test for any rheumatological diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthrits. This of course freaked me out and basically the day he said that I started getting pains in my joints and Im still getting the pains and achy feelings in my arms and legs!


Im so tired of living my life like this...it has drained me to the point that Im not myself anymore. Its the only think I think about. I definitely feel like a hypochondriac. I keep telling myself if the rheumotological bloodwork comes back fine then Im going to move on and accept that this is all anxiety...but when will i really stop! I have been researching online about lupus....i don't really have any of the other symptoms other than joint pain and muscle pain, so I am trying to ease my worries with that fact.


Im so scared! Can this really all be in my head? I sure hope so... except that ill feel like im going crazy! No one seems to understand :( I know some symtpoms can be caused by anxiety...but can muscle pains and join pains also?? Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated....sorry for the novel!

[aggie2007]

Wow! I totally feel for you girl. It sucks so bad to be so young and be going through all this. I feel like everyone else is enjoying college and living the best years of their lives while im stuck worrying my life away and waking up everyday wondering how bad the pains will be that day. I too have been to the dr way more in the last 2 months than I ever have in my life. Waiting for the results is the worse. Its like a never ending cycle. Waiting only brings on more anxiety. I too hate so bad when people say "its all in your head". That why this forum has helped me so much...to see that others are going through what im going through and can understand. Its good that you have a good boyfriend and good mom who will be there for you. Good support it such a huge help. Good luck to you!! And you are definitely NOT alone...hang in there!

[stephk821]

I just wanted to tell you that I read your whole comment and it just made me feel so much better because literally every single word that you wrote about your symptoms is EXACTLY how I feel.. I almost feel like I was reading something I wrote.  I am a 23 year old female and I am finishing up grad school... My entire dad's side of the family has anxiety issues and I have had anxiety for about 4 years now.  It all started one day while i was in one of my classes.  However, I only had mild panic attacks maybe once every 2 months.

Ever since this past August, I have never felt so horrible in my entire life.. it all started with me not sleeping so great at night.  Then I became exhausted throughout the day and started having high levels of anxiety every single day.  I went to my PCP and told her about all the symptoms just like yours: pains in my legs and arms all the way down to my finger tips, feeling restless like i need to move, back pain, wicked bad headaches and head pressure, etc.  She told me it was all anxiety...  one night i even woke up out of a sound sleep in a panic so bad that my boyfriend was 2 seconds away from calling 911 because my heart was beating so fast.

I have been seeing a psychologist for about 6 weeks now and he just basically gives me new ways to breathe and relaxation strategies... they dont work that great but they are okay.  I totally know how you feel about not being able to stand living your life like this... I am soo sick of it too... I feel like i'm all alone because no one can understand how it feels... everyone just tells me its all in my head and i'm the only one that can fix it... it's just sooo much easier said than done.. I feel so bad for my boyfriend that has to deal with my horrible attitude towards life lately... thankfully he has been so great through all this as well as my mother...  I feel like I have been to the doctors more times in the past 3 months than my entire life! It's horrible... I just had blood tests done today.  I can't even do every day activities that I used to enjoy because it is taking over my life! It's awful....

Anyway, I hope it helps to know i'm EXACTLY like you because it helped me to read your comments..

[crabby70]

I agree with you... I think different things work for different people.. What ever gets us through the day..(harmless ways) I do think when this happenened to me I learned alot about myself.. I look at things differntley now...  I hope everyone is well

[OneScaredBuckeye]

I think people should do what works for them as long as it isn't harmful.  I mean, I'm not into abusing drugs or anything, but I don't see anyone here doing that.  If acupuncture works, go for it.  If massage works, go for it.  If Paxil works, take it as long as you experience no bad side effects.  Heck, if taking a mile long walk every day works, do it!  I hope everyone feels better and all our tests come out wonderfully normal.

[noble77]

I enjoyed my acupuncture appointment yesterday.  It was very relaxing.  I have to agree with you on a learned bahavior since nobody around me has anxiety.  Even growing up my parents were not anxious.  Let us know about your blood work.  We will find something that works just keep on writing.  Hang in there one day at a time..  Talk to you soon..

[aggie2007]

It so relieving to hear that other people have the muscle pains and weakness because that is one of my worst and most annoying symtoms! I hate it so much....even when I am having fun or not focusing on my pains at all I will still have the pains in my arms, hands, legs, neck, back...basically you name it. Thats why I freaked out and went to the nuerologist but of course everything was normal. My dr also gave me a small dosage of xxanx. I have taken a half a pill only a couple of times when my chest was really tight. I am scared also because I know it is not a long term solution. I am really contemplating trying the acupuncture...I am feel the same as you...what the heck do I have to lose at this point!!

Its crazy to think and hear about all of us who have spent so much time and energy worrying, going to different dr's, getting tests and bloodwork, waiting for results...yet nothing make our symptoms go away permanently. They say anxiety is a learned behavior but sometimes I really wonder!

God bless!....everyone say a prayer for me that my rheumatological bloodwork comes out ok...I am supposed to find out Mon or Tues...