Generalized Anxiety Disorder

[ploggin]

Are there experiences on here with this disorder?  As you may be able to tell, I have been battling a multitude of physical symptoms over the past few years which have left me very sick.  I have posted questions on a few of them.  Most of the symptoms either feel to be digestive or neurological.  

I do admit I have been an anxious person, and have had a few doctors tell me it is all from stress and anxiety.  I have also been diagnosed with visceral hypersensitivty, tension headaches, etc. on the physical side.  Although it may be true, I am having a tough tough time believing that all these chronic physical symptoms are as a result of anxiety alone.  If I am treated for anxiety, I am wondering if they will improve or if the physical symptoms will linger and if so for how long?  

Would love to here some experiences on this from the forum.

Thanks

[Annalyn7]

I've actually been researching for a while now, thinking there is a possibility I might have lupus. I was "diagnosed" with GAD last year, but have had the symptoms for years before that. I am 21 years old, and I was taking Paxil for a while, which helped, but it makes you not really feel any emotions so I took myself off of it.
Anyway, I have a lot of strange symptoms... mostly anxiety related:

nervousness
shaking
dizziness
fatigue
overwhelming thoughts
trouble sleeping
headaches and neck pain (related to tmj)
IBS (can be pretty severe at times)
and the like...

but I also experience things such as low grade fevers, chronic cough, joint pains, sensitivity to certain lights (mild rashes on my chest from the sun), redness on my cheeks (some of these make me wonder if I may have an autoimmune disease, such as lupus)
I've been in and out of the doctors office since high school, and my family has started to think I'm a bit of a hypochondriac... so it makes it hard for me to tell people when I'm feeling bad.

I just want answers. Is there a chance I could have something besides GAD.. or can all these symptoms be chalked up to anxiety. Sometimes I'm unsure, and I don't want to make a fuss by talking about it to the people around me..

Any advice or answers would be wonderful! And I hope the best for all of you sturggling with similar things.

[Rain_2k3]

Yes, usually while having anxiety or panic attacks..sometimes it will happen all day. Anxiety and panic attacks suck. I have struggled with anxiety, panic, and depression since i was a 14, right after i experimented with some potent Marijuana..i smoked so much my first time and freaked out really bad and have had problems since and never touched it again. from 14-18 i was withdrawn from people, things and school was a struggle to go to and was very depressed and had little interest in anything, i also hated being home alone also or just alone in general. I had some good days with family, friends and school but rarely. Around age 19 i started hanging out with some new people and started having fun going out to bars/clubs getting drunk every night, hooking up with girls and just living it up until i experimented with LSD at age 22, i liked it and did it a few times untill i had 2 consecutive "bad trips" and havn't taken it since. Since taking LSD though i would have severe hangovers whereas prior to LSD i never did or it was very minor.Nowdays if i drink to much i can barely cope. I'm now 37 yrs. old and have never seen a doctor for my anxiety, panic, depression until an episode happend Dec.'06 after a non-stop, five day, alcohol drinking binge where the alcohol withdrawl sent me to the hospital with the most extreme panic iv'e ever experinced. I was having shakes, shortness of breath, sweating, palpitations, dizzyness..my panic and nerves were so bad i was choking and gagging throwing up, i thought i were dead for sure. They perscribed me Ativan and it helped greatly. I went back a few mos. later for the same thing and they gave me Xanax wich i didn't like because it gave me side effects like medicine head and depression. I'm now trying to quit drinking because i can no longer deal with the after effects, it has also cost me relationship problems and loss of jobs. I suggest to anyone that suffers from anxiety, panic, or depression to never ever try drugs or alcohol as they can have permanent damaging effects on lives. I learned the hard way but am trying every day and still have hope, i have a loving girlfriend and new 4 mo. old baby girl so i'm going to concentrate on that. I wish every person who suffers with these problems the best and if i could help even one person i'd be happy. Thank you for reading.

[nellynell]

does anyone ever feel like they are unreal? called derealization? you just dont feel like yourself like your not apart of the world?? you feel liek a fake person!!!!

[milhouse241]

Wow! I can't believe that I have finally found other people who are experiencing the same problems as me. Hopefully we can all help each other to overcome what our problems are. Here is my story:

I am a 28 year old male, non-smoker/non-drinker. About 6 months ago I was tested for a life insurance policy and everything came back perfectly fine. No high blood pressue, nothing out of the ordinary. And I was approved for the "preferred elite" policy. Lucky all that was done before what I am about to describe.

My anxiety attacks started mid-August 06. I was going on vacation with my wife and her family. She was 8 months pregnant at the time. The morning we left for our trip, I was nauseated and ended up throwing up while doing 75MPH on the interstate. I was able to stop and pull over and ended up having everything come up to the point I was just gagging. It was an incredibly long ride and I was miserable. I was also experiencing dirrhea. Fast forward a few more days and I returned home with much of the same problems.

Much of my anxiety was caused by boss-related stress and also the new baby which was coming in a few weeks. I had never changed a diaper in my life and gag or vomit when I see someone/something else's poop. Weird, huh. My fears were beginning to get the best of me. It didnt matter if I was in church, at Wal Mart or Lowes or at a restaurant. I literally had to run to the bathroom when I was in the store only 10 minutes. Finally it was time to see a doctor.

My regular doctor was on vacation, so another doctor just gave me something for nausea. Didnt help one bit. Once my doctor got back in to town, I went to see him where me prescribed Buspar. I guess a spin-off is Buspirone which is on the bottle. Any way, it is a 15MG tablet that is scored 5/5/5 and 7.5/7.5 so that you can take different doses. I stared taking 7.5 in the morning and then 7.5 in the evenings. Eventually upped that to a whole pill in the AM and another in the PM. It made me very sleepy and I felt like the world was spinning when it kicked in. But it definitely calmed my stomach and I was having normal bowel movements. Not having to run to the toilet was beginning to be a blessing.

I got somewhat better and the baby is now a little over 3 months. I changed several poopy diapers and felt I was over that fear. About a month ago my problems got far worse than when they started. I vomited every day for two weeks straight. Anytime I think of the baby having a dirty diaper I gag or throw up. When I tend to my horse in the morning I have to shovel her poop as well. Vomit there too.

Another visit to the doctor and he advised me to quit taking the Buspar and gave me Effexor. I took two tablets and on the third day decided that I would live with the anxiety rather than take the medicine. I felt as if my insides were cooking. I literally felt like I was on fire. So, I quit taking everything for a week. Felt a little better, but the anxiety/diarrhea/nausea still lingered. After a week I started taking the Buspar again and this is when I vomited for 2 weeks straight.

I went back yesterday and was given Lexapro. I've only taken one and when I woke up during the night last night, I felt very weird. Almost as I did when taking the Effexor. I guess I will have to see what happens/

Since now everyone knows my life story for the last 4 months, here are my symptoms that I have experienced:.

Obviously a lot of nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Feeling extremly depressed
neck pains
headaches that last over 24 hours
a lump in my throat that wont go away.
chills
feeling like ending my life

I did actually have a spinal problem that was causing headaches, so I am seeing a chriopractor about that as well. The headaches are less, but still happen. I was just given a script for Axert and it works. The headaches seem to be
vascular headaches.

I actually start a new job on Jan 2, 07. So I am hoping that this will help my problems. It is actually the job I left 7 months ago because I was stressed out. Now different conditions have arisen and all should be much better now.

I rambled on because I know that I am not done with this ordeal. If I can help you, please let me know. And if you can help me, you would be my new best friend.

[Ms_Makita]

Symptoms I experienced from anxiety:

nausea
dizziness
change in body temp (hot flashes then chills)
body pain, numbness/tingle sensations
stomach pain,heartburn,(ibs)
tmj (teeth grinding/jaw pain)
sense of doom feeling or feelings im gonna die
changes in bowel habits (runs or constipation)
tired,no energy
neck and back pain and stiffness
loss of appetite
headaches
weakness
chest pain,rapid heartbeat (sent me to er thinking it was heart attack few months ago,being 28 yrs old dr's figured stress after ekg was normal)
hard time sleeping or staying asleep
       These Symptoms seem to be common with ppl with anxiety disorders,also caffine is worst! I cut out my daily 3-4 cups of coffee,it is helping,I switched to lite first then gradually decreased my caffine intake to decaf now ,stopping all at once will make it worse,withdrawls are not fun! Happy Holidays to everyone!

[Ms_Makita]

Hi! I was hoping to hear you were feeling better! anxiety can cause alot of things,I was just put on lexapro..seems to be working.you prob remember my past post's about abdominal pain..well it turned out to be something...my appendix! it almost ruptured ,oct 27 I was admitted into hospital with 4 day stay,dr said it was chronic,week later back er for severe pelvic pain..found golfball size cyst on right ovary..so what do I do? next few weeks I throw myself into anxiety attacks scared its ovarian cancer,having been through all this pain and **** I think mentally took a toll on me.Finally dr really listented to me and said half of my pain and symptoms is from depression and anxiety,it will disrupt your digestive and nervous system and I'm starting to believe it,before I knew something was REALLY wrong,but I'm still having stomach pain and nausea,which anxiety will cause,I always feel edgy and nervous till I tried lexarpo,I still have waves of anxiety but it isnt as bad,I suspect my nausea is from anxiety,but now I'm afraid I might have cancer,worst thing I can do is get on here and look up medical **** because I do have symptoms of ovarian cancer,but it's just ibs according to dr's,I'm still driving myself batty! I always had issues with anxiety but not this severe.
       It takes trying few anti anxiety/depression drugs before you find out what works for you,paxil dont work for me anymore so ask about lexarpo.
          Happy Holidays,wish you the best!