What is anxiety ?

[AJWS6]

Hi, what actually is anxiety, how does anxiety make a person feel?  Reason I ask is, for approx 1.5 months now, I've been experiencing a nervous condition, as if I drank to much caffeine, feels like my body is shaking non stop, bad chest pains, chest muscles feel tight !!!!!  been to emergency 4 times in past 4 weeks, had heart monitor done, passed.  Had heart stress test, passed.  Chest Xray 3 times, normal.  I don't experience any shortness of breath, but occasionally do feel as if I'm falling out of an airplane with no parachute (shaking), like I'll feel real terrified of nothing, for no reason.  Feeling will last for several hours, till I'm worn out from it and have to sleep.  

My pcp, will not refer me to psychiatry or neurology, states he's known me for a few years, I don't have anxiety.  Probable cause is hypothyroid.  Thanks for any input.          

[Paxiled]

I'm confused a bit in that if your doctor has diagnosed this as hypothyroid, he should have referred you to an endocrinologist to see if it's caused by a nutritional deficiency (lack of dietary iodine, treated often with seaweed) or something more serious such as Hashimoto's, which is an autoimmune disorder.  As for how anxiety makes a person feel, it differs by the person, but the one constant is irrational fear that negatively affects one's life and leads to avoidance.  It's mostly a problem when it becomes chronic.  It's a thinking disorder, usually without a known cause.  When you have a physiological cause, such as thyroid, it can produce symptoms of anxiety but it's a different problem.  Anxiety comes in two flavors when not caused by a physiological problem:  that which derives from a known traumatic experience and that which has no discernible cause.  Generally, the first place a doc should send you is to a psychologist who specializes in anxiety treatment.  Psychiatrists these days don't usually do any therapy and when they do they charge a lot more for the same thing; usually they just prescribe medication.  Neurologists don't really treat anxiety, at least not normally.  They treat diseases of the neurological system that have some known mechanisms, and anxiety doesn't have that yet.  In your case, though, you've gotten a diagnosis that fits with your symptoms but apparently no treatment.  I'd pursue that first.

[AJWS6]

Hi, thanks for reply/info.  Explanation makes sense.  Reason he doesn't want to refer me to psychiatry, knowing psych meds won't help.      

I function like a normal human being everyday, just have a severe nervous condition, shaking, severe muscle tense up, that leads to chest pain, very uncomfortable, sometimes I have to lay down for a few hours, till it calms down, but I still function this way daily.  He's given me muscle relaxer cyclobenz....  for chest pain, but med only makes me sleep, doesn't help condition.      

Just feels like my body has way to much adrenaline.  Waking up drinking 25 cups of coffee.      

[Paxiled]

Again, that's a common effect of a thyroid problem.  And again, if your doctor thinks this is a thyroid problem, why hasn't he referred you to a specialist?  Muscle relaxants might treat your symptoms but not the cause.  I'm still confused.

[AJWS6]

Thanks friend and sorry, forgot to share Monday morning, he made an appt with chief endo, Sept 21st,

No, muscle relaxer doesn't help at all, just makes me sleep, when I wake up symptoms still there.  I don't take it anymore.  I've read online, others having same condition, doctors can't figure out the cause.  At least now, I know it's not anxiety.  Some type II diabetics shared the similar nervousness/shaking, called it false low, but doesn't last.  Mine is constant 24/7.  

[specialmom]

Well, it sounds like you have self induced jitteriness form caffeine intake and this has worried you about your heart. Anxiety is a clinical diagnosis for a mental health condition that impacts you on a daily basis (the official criteria is every day for at least two days) in which normal functioning is impaired. EVERYONE has nervousness or anxiety but the mental health disorder of anxiety does have criteria that perhaps your doctor doesn't feel you meet.  A therapist is a good option for someone in your shoes to work on coping skills when a bout of nervousness crops up.  And obviously, cut out the caffeine.  

If you don't feel your doctor is giving you the best care or is missing something, then time to find another doctor.  good luck