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Anxiety- physical Symptoms and treatments?

Posted , 4 users are following.

david88975
david88975

Hi, I've been experiencing what my doctors describe as anxiety for four months now. It all started after a massive attack in the cinema which was completely out of the blue. It's the physical symptoms that are getting to me- headaches, chest pain, weakness in hands/arms, eye floaters, second guessing my vision, funny taste in my mouth from time to time, palpitations and a recurring feeling of dizziness and just feeling not really present. It got better after 3 months but never really left and now it's back. I have a lot going on in my life- clise family illness, separating from my wife and moving apart, meaning I don't see my son more than twice a week and I have come through two years of an awful lot of sustained stress and worry to do with money and property as well as a disintegrating relationship. I just can't help thinking that despite all the things I've read and my context that it is anxiety BUT any instance of the symptoms just makes me think I have something life threatening or degenerative. Life is hell. I just can't seem to get on top of it. I've tried mindfulness, cbt and am having weekly psychotherapy and taking propanol but nothing seems to get on top of it. I'm wary of the side effects associated with citalopram. Reading these threads have helped me feel better today, seeing the similarities. Is there anything else anyone can recommend, too many times I feel like my life is falling apart?

1 like, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Soanxious
    Soanxious david88975

    Posted

    Hi David,

    I am going through the same thing right now and have been for the last 2.5 months. I had alot going on in my life and thought I was coping as hard as it was and then I had a panic attack and it spiraled from there. Ithis the physical symrpoms that is keeping alot of the anxiety going for me. If it wasn't for them I probably wouldn't still be as bad as I am. I can't cope. I have the arm hand weakness which is the most concerning for me right now. I have muscle twitches everywhere, severe muscle tension and it seems sometimes I get these feelings in my arms where it feels the tighten on their own for a minute or 2. I get the headaches shortness of breath lightheaded Ness and just don't feel present either. I havent really left my house or my bed for that matter. I google symptoms and convinced myself I have a neurological disease which makes me panic and feel worse and I can't get past it. I have been on sertraline for almost 4 weeks now and the anxiety is not getting much better. I can't go on like this.

  • Soanxious
    Soanxious david88975

    Posted

    What do your arms and hands feel like? Do you get the muscle tension/ contraction feeling and muscle twitches?
    • david88975
      david88975 Soanxious

      Posted

      Hello,

      Yes I get the twitches and my muscles feel like they are contracting. It is, however, also really hard to describe and I fail miserably in front of the doctor when I try to do so! Generally I have periods where I don't feel in control of my hands/ arms feel heavy or light. However, I am never not able to do anything, I always have complete dexterity. I just find it so concerning. I am over the googling symptoms- because I've had so many that I basic tick every box for any major illness, but still find it so concerning all the time that I might be really ill. Whilst it is better than it was a few months ago, the hand thing happened a bit last week and led to me spiralling a little.

    • Soanxious
      Soanxious david88975

      Posted

      Ok I have had the hand thing too and my arms feel heavy and light. What do your hands feel like? I know it's hard to describe but do they feel kind of like they aren't working right. Kind of like a stiff feeling when bending them or picking things up. Almost like maybe cramp like but they don't hurt at all like a stuck feeling but they aren't stuck?
    • david88975
      david88975 Soanxious

      Posted

      Yes, I'd say that's it. Exactly as you describe. Not constant, but randomly and, if I'm honest, at times when my anxiety is high.
    • Soanxious
      Soanxious david88975

      Posted

      Is it sometimes just in one hand? My dr told me that it was from the muscle tension causing Compression on the nerves or lack of circulation. Do you notice when it happens if your shoulders are tensed up? I'm going to a chiropractor tonight to see if there is anything he can do or find. The dr also mentioned to me something called thoracic outlet syndrome which is caused my tenion slouching and poor posture repetitive motions if your shoulders are tensed up and forward they can compress on the brachial plexus in your neck shoulder or above the collar bone and cause all kinds of weird sensations. Do you get any tickle feelings at all down your arm and into your hand? That's the only wake I can describe it and is it sometimes just in on hand arm that feels weak heavy or light?
    • david88975
      david88975 Soanxious

      Posted

      Yes it does and weirdly I do slouch forward a little when I walk (I'm quite tall). Yes, tickling sensations and have had some pins and needles. It does happen in one hand and not the other alternately. It sometimes also seems worse in little fingers. The arm weakness and lightness tends to lead up to hand sensations and follow hand sensations.
    • Soanxious
      Soanxious david88975

      Posted

      I get a tickle feeling down my arm into my hand and the palm of my hand is where it's the worst. It feels like I have to massage my hand. I have also been getting little feelings in my fingers and palm hey feel like little pulling sensations maybe a little muscle twitch. And the arm weakness is usually followed my a tightening feeling in arm muscle constrciting tension or weird sensation and I have been trying to pay attention and it seems to be on certain movements or positions
  • ellebi
    ellebi david88975

    Posted

    I know the feelings!! Have been suffering with this about the last 10years, some years worse than others. Been on loads of meds for it etc. To date nothing has cured is but Ive got loads and loads of tests done and nothing has ever showed up so Its definly anxiety I would say you have too
    • david88975
      david88975 ellebi

      Posted

      Whilst it must be horrible to have felt this for so long- it is really good to hear that other people have the same symptoms and feels; it all helps combat the anxiety. I am not keen to go down the drugs route and have found that therapy has coincided with a gradual improvement. Have any drugs correlated with better years?
    • ellebi
      ellebi david88975

      Posted

      I found drug wise the Lexapro and Prozac have helped but only for a few years, I seem to have a high tolerance to drugs. Have also been trying other bits to help like anxiety management, CBT

      I find the Xanax helpful for when things get really bad

  • dhode
    dhode david88975

    Posted

    David you are definitely not alone in this department.

    I have not had work in 6 months and I have been feeling like crap for 2 months.

    I started to get tension headaches all over again in August, after taking some Pau'd Arco got dizzy in October, took some Pau'd Arco with calcium again, had restless legs in November, had my neck worked although my chiro said she felt for restrictions in my neck and now I have a terrible case of tinnitus this month. Nothing has really resolved and I was on the floor in a terrible panic not knowing what to do and being extremely distraught to the point of wanting it all to end being so miserable. I am only 24 too. 

    The tinnitus does make me hesitant to go on any SSRI but I do have a neurology appointment for Wednesday this week. 

    Anxiety is definitely a chicken and egg problem. Many in the medical field think it is the root of it all, others will say it is a symptom of something underlying such as deficiencies. 

    My psych was suggesting citalopram but given my response to methlyfolate I was recommended to try zoloft (sertraline) to help instead.

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