Am I really experiencing anxiety?
Posted , 10 users are following.
I am a 20 year old male. I don't drink apart from the occasional glass on my birthday or at Christmas. I don't smoke but I do use e-cigarettes.
For around 2 years, I have been feeling not myself. This all started back in October 2019 when I had a weird feeling of numbness and tingling in my body after drinking a coffee with double shot espresso, I think this is where it all may have started. I don't know if my symptoms were caused as a result of drinking the coffee, but that is what happened before these symptoms started. The symptoms continued for a while and I had trouble sleeping because of it, mainly because I was scared and didn't have a clue what was wrong with me. The symptoms cleared up about 1-2 weeks after.
I have always had feelings of anxiety before doing simple things such as attending school, college and events but that's common in a lot of people.
After the symptoms I experienced after the coffee, this is when I noticed other symptoms start, which are the symptoms I still experience today. I experience constant dizziness and a sense of light headedness which don't tend to improve and usually always stay active. Sometimes I would get a few days of relief, but the symptoms would begin again afterwards.
I also experience weakness in my muscles, especially after waking up after a night's sleep. I experience what I think are panic attacks, where my heart rate increases, I feel like I'm choking, I get confused and I have sweats, I hyperventilate and struggle to breathe properly. There was a point where I had what I thought was a panic attack that lasted the entire night, I was just so scared and didn't sleep at all that night.
Most nights when I try and sleep, I get increased heart rate and palpitations. I struggle to breathe, my face, mouth and tongue go numb and sometimes my arms and other muscles go numb and weak too, as well as occasional tingling.
I have had memory problems for a couple of years where I would put something down and later forget where I put it, I sometimes forget recent events that have happened or what I had for dinner a couple nights ago, etc. I also have brain fog which I've had for a while, but I heard this is also quite common in people with anxiety too.
I sometimes have these pains on the right side of my head at the top that usually last a second but happen quite often throughout the day, I also have a lump on my head and I don't really know what it is. It feels like a skull deformity of some sort that I think may be putting pressure on my brain, but I'm not sure if that's what it is.
I have been to the doctors about this and had blood tests, ECG's and ear tests but they all came back clear and the doctors said it must be anxiety. I was prescribed anti-depressants but I was only on them for a month and wasn't sure if my symptoms were relived while taking them, but I did feel a little bit better.
I always worry about my health a lot and end up searching my symptoms on Google and end up finding the worst possible conditions which causes me to worry even more but I just can't stop looking symptoms up on the Internet.
Does anybody else experience symptoms like these with anxiety and/or depression. I've got to the point where I don't really think anxiety could cause these types of symptoms, I've started thinking I could have a heart problem, brain tumour, multiple sclerosis or dementia. I just want relief and to feel like myself again.
1 like, 15 replies
meghan49196 Joshh2000
Edited
hi, so sorry to hear about your problems! I too have experienced all of these symptoms. The one where your trying yo go to sleep and heart racing etc, i was getting that every single night, would take me hours to go to sleep, numbness, tingling, heart thudding, if i heard any sort of noise through these episodes it would be WAY louder than it would normally be to the point i jumped with s fright, even my child moving in her cot would jolt me awake too or give me a fright if i was up. I get the dizziness and lightheaded too and i get all jittery and shaky inside, nobody can see it but it feels like my body is vibrating. I worry most times too but i am alot better than what i was, ive been to doctors a good few times and always been told its anxiety so i am now trying to just move on with my life. Breathing exercises have helped me a lot! Have you tried cbd oil? I take some every morning and every night and have been a lot more relaxed since taking it. Fresh air helps me a lot too, even just at your door step. Googling does not help but i totally understand when your saying its hard not too. It just sends you into a downwards spiral. I hope you find away of coping with this. It's a long hard road but you will get there and you will be okay!!
Joshh2000 meghan49196
Edited
I'm sorry for a late reply, it took a while for your reply to go through moderation.
Thank you so much for responding with some of your experiences the same as mine. It is definitely a relief knowing it's not only me experiencing this.
It's quite hard to believe it could all be down to anxiety, but after a while of multiple doctors telling me it's anxiety has just got me believing that it is, and knowing more people with anxiety are going through the same symptoms made me believe it even more.
I have been recommended CBD oil by my Mum, she said it would probably help me with my symptoms so it's definitely something I am going to try after hearing its something that has worked for you.
I'm only 20 and don't have a job yet, and my anxiety symptoms make it impossible for me to go out to work because I'm worried about being in work with my symptoms, and the symptoms make me very uncomfortable.
I'm definitely hoping CBD oil will be beneficial to me, I just have to try it to find out but I'm positive it will help me some way or another.
Thank you so much again for your reply, it means a lot!
Ava3535 Joshh2000
Edited
Hey Josh! Anxiety's a s**t, and reading through your experiences made me feel as if I had written them myself. The beginning where it all started with tingling and numbness all over your body (mine started when I was reading an ebook), I flew out of the room 'cause I thought I was having a heart attack or stroke. And that's how it all started with me, to the point I was searching through google like crazy and thought I had a serious neurological illness. Tests and tests and still I wouldn't believe my doctor when she said it must be anxiety and stress, because hey, I suffered through panic attacks 6 years ago and it was different to this. Until I started reading the experiences shared on this platform. Tingling, numbness, weird ice cold stinging all over my body (limbs, torso, back of throat, even eyeball!) When one symptom stops another starts. The latest thing being night tremors when I fall asleep (which again many people shared that they experienced the same!)
I don't take medication, I prefer not to, I am a mother of three young ones so I need to be alert.
I found the best thing was exercise. If you can, as often as you can, find something that tires you out. Running is so good, I run like crazy. If you don't have a pet,they help so much! I really hope you get better, its all about trying to find what helps you with these symptoms. Most times you think, but I'm not stressed? Its what I thought, until I realised it was worrying of these symptoms which kept triggering them, its a damned circle! But I did it before with my panic attacks, I'm hoping I will again! Another thing that helps, writing all your thoughts down when you have noone to discuss it with. I hope this helps, because I know how it feels. I'm not one who's good with meditation or relaxing techniques unfortunately. Oh and stop with the caffeine, chamomile and other herbal teas will help relax. Take care.
Joshh2000 Ava3535
Posted
Hey Ava! Thank you for your reply. When my symptoms started, a heart attack or stroke is exactly what I also thought and I was so scared wondering what was happening. I thought I had severe neurological problems too, I did loads of research about MS because I thought I may have had it, and that was very scary for me.
I guess I was stressed because I lost my Nan, Dog and my Auntie all in the same year and I lost my Grandad earlier this year, that definitely worsened things.
Thank you so much, I'll take your advise and hopefully my symptoms can improve with time!
Ava3535 Joshh2000
Posted
Hey Josh, how are you feeling these days? Hope so much better! Thumbs up!!
reislerart Joshh2000
Edited
A lot of my symptoms are also crazy physical to the point where I was convinced I had some sort of serious neurological disease like sCJD, ALD, MND/ALS, or something like that. I've went to the ER, walk-in clinic several times, naturopath, had a CT Scan and MRI done (both clear), blood tests (also all good), and now waiting to see a neurologist. I've also mentioned my symptoms a couple times on the Ask Docs subreddit and they say my symptoms are typical of anxiety.
I currently have or have had:
I'm starting to come to terms that it's quite possible most of these are being caused by anxiety (even though some of my symptoms started before my anxiety). I've found CBD oil really helps with sleep
Joshh2000 reislerart
Edited
Thank you for your reply!
Your symptoms are exactly like mine, I couldn't stop checking symptom checkers and also came to the conclusion of it perhaps being some sort of neurological problem.
My sleep is terrible at times, and I do get fatigued a lot too. I do get to sleep quite late so getting to sleep earlier would definitely help.
I'm going to try CBD oil and see how it helps, hopefully it does!
reislerart Joshh2000
Posted
Question, did they check your iron levels? They didn't initially check my iron levels at the ER (my Naturopath ordered it) so it may have been missed, but I got my results back today. And although I'm not really in the Iron deficiency range, they are on the lower side (mine is 52 ug/L, anything below 40 ug/L for men is usually considered Iron Deficient) which could potentially contribute to some symptoms (fatigue, headache, dizziness, weakness) but I'm also no doctor.
Still, many people are low on iron without being anemic, so it might be worth looking into. I plan to take some Iron supplements to see if it'll help.
Joshh2000 reislerart
Posted
Hello,
I did have blood tests, I'm sure iron levels would be shown on a blood test, right?
If not, then I haven't had my iron tested. It would possibly be a good idea to ask my GP to check my iron levels.
Thank you for asking! 😃
reislerart Joshh2000
Edited
Usually they would need to specifically test for it, and if your CBC appears fine they probably assume you're also not iron deficient (as they're often associated). But you can have iron deficiency while having a normal CBC, which can cause many of these symptoms. It may be worth asking your doctor about, and even if it's not in the Iron Deficient range (usually below 40 ug/L), if it's low (eg. less than 65 ug/L) it might still be worth getting Iron Supplements just to get it in a good range (which could very well relieve some of the symptoms).
Let me know how it goes!
Joshh2000 reislerart
Posted
Thanks for the response!
I am going to book an appointment to have my iron levels checked when I can, it's just hard at the minute because my GP surgery isn't seeing anyone because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I'll let you know how it goes when I have my iron levels tested
Ava3535 reislerart
Posted
@reislerart Hey there! Just read your answer to Josh's post. Sounds like a lot of oeople have similar symptoms, many of those you listed sound similar to mine. For about 6 weeks I had it good and the symptoms had all disappeared, until it started again with an ice cold prick to my cheek. This time though, my more dominant symptoms are an occasional tremor in the hands (especially in the right), along with weakness in the hands. Sometimes I drop stuff (but only light things, never heavy) and when I type, I press the same button twice accidentally. Naturally these symptoms are a bit more worrying to me. Have you experienced anything similar?
I hope now its all part of my anxiety. Oh and another thing, I don't feel anxious constantly, it comes and goes, but I still get weird jittery feelings out of the blue, even when I'm feeling good.
Would be good to hear your opinion! Support from people who can empathise really helps. All I get from everyone around me is "Don't think about it." Yeah. Gotta figure that one out.
vanessavee reislerart
Posted
Can't say how much of a relief it is to read that someone else is experiencing these sensations.
I've had so much tingling, numbness, body pain, muscle weakness and persistent twitching that it truly terrifies me.
I'm absolutely fixated on this being a horrible neurological condition, despite seeing two different such specialists. Even still, I sometimes read stories like yours and think "yes, but mine is different than this; it's the real thing."
I hope that you begin to feel better! I'm frequently in some despair that I ever will. But hoping I can turn it around.
randy98101 Joshh2000
Posted
Hey Josh. Know you are not alone. i am in my late 20s and have been experiencing the same symptoms since im 18 and its terrifying. After I have a latte now and walk I get body vibrations, sometimes numbness. and now get out of breath. its so terrifying. It makes me terrified everytime I drink coffee now. I lately have been getting the lightheadedness and nausea too. Sometimes I get out of breath for no reason. I know what you are going through 😦
Craig2211 Joshh2000
Posted
Hi Josh,
So much of what you have written above I can relate to. I'm suffering with a load of physical symptoms which are making day to day life a real struggle.
Doctor is adamant its all anxiety based after blood tests, eye tests, urine tests & a basic GP neurological examination.
The constant fogginess and dizziness is affecting me the most at the minute. My head feels fuzzy and like there's pressure in it. This was initially on and off but it's pretty much 24/7 now.
I too find it hard to believe all the physical symptoms I'm suffering from are purely down the anxiety. It's difficult to know where to turn isn't it.