Can symptoms of anxiety be worsened or be triggered during physical activity? PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!
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I have been having very bad health anxiety for going on two months now. I began noticing palpitations after I had to fly during the holiday break in December and I had a great fear it would crash. I went to the doctor/ GP and I got checked out and had a resting ekg/ecg as well as blood work and the GP said there is nothing wrong with my heart. Then about a week later I saw pulmonary/sleep doctor because I read stuff online and thought it could be due to sleep apnea. She listened to my heart and did the regular doctor check up stuff and said I was fine (scheduled to do at home sleep test sometime soon in February). Also until around last May or June I took a medicine to help with ADHD (Methylphenidate Alza -36) and I used to have regular med-checks every 2 or so months where they would listen to my heart and all that. Anyway, since I've been to the doctor my mental and physical state has gotten worse. I always feel like I am going to die, try to avoid sleep, anxious all the time, tired and agitated and I always have this weird feeling is my chest and throat (not always at the same time) that makes me think I have a heart arrythmia/ problem like Long QT Syndrome or HCM. I of course had the unpleasant experience of reading articles such as one where high school football athlete died from cardiac arrest in his sleep due to HCM and one where a teenage girl died from cardiac arrest in her sleep due to Long QT Syndrome. I would be more prone to believe this is due to stress except for the fact that it get worse many times when I am performing daily physical activities like walking down the stairs, walking in general, and other stuff. It does not seem to get worse when I do harder activities and also feels like it comes and goes and pulsating every few seconds. I also feel like I am getting out of breath sooner than I used to (of course I haven't been exercising as much since Thanksgiving time). Although no wheezing or crazy hyperventilation (more like sensation in throat). The chest pain and breathing don't correlate or at least I don't think they do most of the time. The only time I don't feel completely crazy is literally when I am going to bed and when I first wake up. I hate this so much. Please help. Thanks
1 like, 2 replies
MarvinMartian trevor47023
Posted
Yes, When you have high anxiety or a panic attack your body makes itself ready to run. Adrenalin is released to make raise your blood oxygen. The oxygen demand makes you feel out of breath. Blood flow is redirected to important things like muscles and your digestive system shuts down. You get light headed. Your heart rate increases. When you exercise the exact same things happen. Adrenalin is still released so your muscles can perform. You get light-headed, they call this "a runners high". The symptoms of exercise and anxiety are the same. Now those of us with anxiety focus on these "normal feelings" and think "we are having a panic attack" or "I don't like these feelings" and this creates more anxiety and even more of the feelings we don't like. What makes things even worse is if you stopped exercising because of these feeling you get out of shape and feel this even sooner when you do exercise. I am battling this myself. Do what you can until you feel uncomfortable. Over time you will find you can do more. Expect setbacks and don't beat yourself up over them. Sometimes that runners high actually feels good when you realized you made an accomplishment or that you are getting better. Other times it feels like hell on earth. Don't push too hard. Get checked out and trust your doctors. If they recommend exercise attempt it. It's not easy I know.
janina83581 trevor47023
Posted
Trevor, I'm so sorry your going thru this. I too have been going thru physiologic anxiety from detoxed methadone & very next month a Dr overmedicated my thyroid. I'm vibrating all over my body for 6 months now & anxiety through the roof. When I read a lot about anxiety it can cause a lot of other symptoms. Do you think your possibly having panic attacks since you flew? My vitals are normal,but I sometimes get heart Palps & my heart pounds (lessened now since it's been 10 months of HELL since started. I have been under naturopath care,but its too expensive. Went to neurologist & had MRI of my brain. That was normal, labs normal except for thyroid mishap. I don't have answers for myself. Now, the naturopath said to see a psychiatrist for an opinion. I see him wed 21st. I will gladly pass on info I've learned. I've been on benzodiazepines for years & am beaming tapered off Klonopin & on to valium cuz klonopin affects neurotransmitter GABA in the brain, also my epinephrine is too high. That's adrenaline. I know this cuz I took a neurotransmitter test. Cost was $275.00. Don't know if that's a possibility for you to see. Now I'm on antidepressant Trazadone to sleep. In all this time I have hardly slept til 2 wks ago. So nervous & body tremors & it's not Parkinson's or MS. Neurologist wasn't concerned. He said ANXIETY . So my nervous system is hyperstimulated. I could see your desperation & wanted to at least answer you. Last year I had panic attacks & kept feeling I was gonna die. Those went away. Do you take any meds for anxiety?