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

[ancline2004]

okay, well I have had anxiety disorders for awhile...used to be only panic attacks here and there, I didn't have any long term fears or effects from them, to be honest with you I didn't even know that's what they were at the time of the attacks, but the doctors said asmea attacks, funny thing was I ran track and never needed an enhaler, so I knew something was fishy about that diagnosis.  It was one night while driving home that all of the sudden I felt like I was having a heart attack, my chest hurt so bad, I was tingiling all over, kept feeling hot then cold in a matter of seconds, I KNEW I was dying...well obviouslly since I am posting this I didn't die, but I knew that was the end of me at the time.  The hardest thing is that now it's an every day struggle, and there are physical and mental things going on that I wished would stop.  My family dosen't understand it and I hate looking back and remembering being NORMAL so I say and now feel like I need to be in a looney bin, cause I have phobias from things that never used to bother me before....like being alone, driving at night etc...my physical symptoms (and I don't know if they are all related)are..shortness of breath, lump in my throst that feels like a fingernail, backpain, chestpain, fatigue, feeling of dying, obsession of getting my songs and plans together for my funeral and YES I'm serious SO STUPID!!!, I HATE IT!!! I have been to the GI doctor and my doctor numerous times and all the test come back normal as most all of you also say...sooo I'm crazy I guess, I feel like **** but there's NOTHING PHYSICALLY WRONG, IT"S ALL IN MY HEAD???...I read a book called "Let Go and Let God" that has helped a lot for me, but I still suffer.  Will this ever go away?, I want to have kids, but the way I am as of now I would be afraid to be alone with them and be responsible for their care if I'm freakin' out all the time...so the doc. has perscribes Buspar for me and I read up on the side effects and let me tell you it can be writtin' a page long!!! I'm scared!!!!!  WHAT DO I DO???

[robstone]

Hi dejay78,
I'm also 28 yrs old and have been having panic attacks for years, but only realized about 2 months ago what they actually were being that they have recently gotten more intense and have developed all the threatening symptoms. As for the jolts you have while falling asleep, I have those as well. What it feels like to me is the moment before falling asleep my body shakes and tingles, my heart races, and my brain gets fuzzy (almost like electricity). I feel as if I need to break myself out of that feeling or I will pass out or faint. Is it the same for you as well? I'm almost positive that those episodes are directly related to my panic attacks and were the prelude to them as the panic attacks have gotten progressively worse over time. I am not on medication for anything yet, because I feel as if I could control it mentally (although that does not usually work very well) being that I know they are not harmful physically. My experience has been that, for me, caffeine will sometimes induce a panic attack or the night time symptoms as well as dehydration (after having more than four or five alcoholic drinks)so I try to stay away from those particular things which kind of stinks, because I love my coffee in the morning and like to enjoy a few drinks occassionally. Hope this helps. Good luck.

[garetryan]

I have anxiety disorder also. I have been on every drug for the past 10 yers. The drugs I am on right now have kept me stable since July. I also have trouble waking up in the morning ( to the person who feels nauseous) I could barely function...sick and jittery. My Dr. put me on Ativan as soon as I wake up. It was my miracle.

Anyway, I consider myself a hypochondriac since they found encapsulated cancer when I had an appendectomy 2 years ago. Of course, the Dr. said all is well because it came out. They had me get a colonoscopy to be safe and blood work. All clear. Good to go. Well that is when my live got even worse. I changed.

I became even more more anxious. I had a really bad back ache for 2 weeks. I thought I had a tumor and cancer. My Dr. did a CT Scan. All okay. I noticed my tailbone sticking out ....for some odd reason. My Dr. did an xray. Fine. I had a rash on my breast...I thought definitely cancer. No. Now...I have this awful awful cough. I have had it for 2 months now going on 3. It has gotten a lot better but it is still there. Somedays I might cough 2 x's and another day I may cough 10 x's. When the cough began it was awful ...I would cough out really hard with a tickle and then suck the air back in and make an awful noise. My husband claimed it was the whooping cough.

My Dr. order a CT Scan on my chest. They found a 5mm spot. Now how do you think I am...? Screwed. Help!!!

[Lightwise]

Dejay 78... this jolt when trying to sleep also happened to me early on in my now "4 month ordeal". It went away after a couple of weeks and I can usually get decent sleep at night (sometimes I take Tylanol P.M.). I don't know what else to tell you. It's so confusing and understandably scary when things are happening to you that you or your doctors can not explain. I  myself am trying to figure out what is going on with me right now. Test after test ... it is very frustrating. What life change happened to you (if I may ask). If it's too personal I understand. God bless and hope you get back to enjoying your life.

LIGHTWISE

[dejay78]

Hi, I am a 28 year old female.  I am on Xanax for severe anxiety.  I have alot of the same symptoms.  I think I know exactly what you are talking about with the pain in the back of the neck and head.  For me my anxiety takes over and I start thinking I have a brain tumor.  The pain is right at the back of my skull and radiates into my neck.  Anyway, I also have something else that is driving me crazy and scaring me.  I have insomnia which is caused by muscle jerking all night.  I start to fall asleep and then all of a sudden my body jolts.  I never had this before, it just started a month ago while I had alot of stress in my life.  It happends all night.  As soon as I get up, it stops then I start to fall asleep and then bang.  Does anyone have this with severe anxiety?  I am so scared it could be something more serious.  It's just weird it started when I had a big life change happen and stress.  During the day I only have little muscle twitches sometimes but nothing major only at night, when my body is trying to relax.  Any info would be great.

[johnnyb583]

I have many of the symptoms everyone has decribed.  I also have been to many doctors and the only diagnosis I get is either Anxiety or Allergies.  I have one other problem though, I get a lump on the back of my head that will last for a few days, it is tender at times.  Of course I have been told it may be swollen lymph nodes just cleaning out my system from allergies.  I also have gotten little pin size blood spots on my skin also chalked up to allegies.  Needless to say these symptoms cause me great anxiety.  But have been assured I am not dying.