Can these really be anxiety symptoms?

Thank you, it's just hard to believe that it's all down to anxiety at times, on one hand i think 'yeah it is and i am being a major hypocondriac' but then i think there must be more to it, at the moment the doctors wouldn't take me seriously because my anxiety is so bad so they instantly blame everything on that.

I really need to cut down smoking, i know it's bad and nicotine will make things worse but it's so hard.

The heaviness is horrible but the feeling off balance is terrifying, it's like being drunk but i don't drink at all, i had 5 minutes without feeling it earlier and then bang it's back out of nowhere xx

Thank you, it's horrible isn't it and i hate that feeling that i'm going to lose my balance,fall over or have my legs give way, it's makes me feel even more vulnerable than i already do.

Self taught cbt is a good idea, i am getting phone sessions but not for about 6 weeks yet and don't get me wrong i am very grateful for those but the wait for face to face sessions is so long and i do feel they would be better, not that my cpn will refer me anyway, she will not do anything unless i take more medication that i don't want.

Thank you, that does make sense, adrenaline creates some odd sensations and the anxiety will definitely increase it, i will keep telling myself that's all it is and use the same techniques as i do with my other symptoms, hopefully that will help xx

It will take some time but once you get into the habit it will become automatic and you will find the anxiety reduces because you have lost the fear xx

Also you will be in control of it xx

Thank you, i know i need to try to be patient because recovering is going to take a long time but i really hope that i am able to work through it by accepting the feelings as anxiety and dealing with them in the same way i do with my other symptoms xx

Sorry again but because you expect it, you bring it on yourself. Face the fear Hun, nothing will happen if you do xx

It's about believing in the cure for it. Please believe me, I went through it on my own and got through it by following this way. Not easy I know, you have to keep going with it, even when you think it's not working. It will xx

Thank you so much, that is the hard part, thinking it's not working no matter how much you try but i know it's important to keep going, i'm sorry you had to go through it on your own,that must have been so awful for you.

I tell myself it cannot harm me and it is just a feeling, deep down i know that the worst that can happen is fear and symptoms, it's a tough battle but hopefully one i can win with time and the right techniques and mindset xx

Don't feel sorry for me honestly, yes it was horrible and I thought, like you, I couldn't conquer it, but if I did it so can you. You just have to keep trusting this way. Good luck, I'll be here for you. (Saying that, I'm going to bed now but will pick up any message in the morning) xx

Thank you, it's so encouraging to hear from someone who did conquer it because despair has really set in with me now so it's good to know that someone else once thought they couldn't beat it but they did.

I hope you sleep well xx

Sometimes it does yes but mostly i feel acutely aware of everything including how i am feeling, i do have depersonalization too but this feels like very physical symptoms, my body is heavy and i have no balance, it's like i'm dragging myself along with weights hanging off me and i have to constantly grip something to keep my balance.

You've expressed the trouble with mobility to your doctor, right? If you have, trust me, they know when it's something to worry about. I've been in there both when my symptoms were anxiety and when they were legit, and they can tell the difference.

At one point I was obsessed with the idea that I had a brain tumor. Several times a day I would get an ice pick headache, a stabbing sensation in my head that radiated all over. I went to my doctor asking for a neuro reference during one of my health anxiety episodes, then she did this thing to check your brain function (having you watch her finger while she looks at your eyes, having you push against her with your legs and arms, etc) and said she thought a neurologist was unnecessary. I felt a little bit better after that, but then came the hard part: saying "you're fine" over and over every time I got scared. I told myself if it continued, I would go back, but for just a few days I only allowed myself 15 minutes of worry time at the same time every day. At 5 PM I had 15 minutes to worry, any other time, I had to block it out, no exceptions. Even when I got the head pains. And then something just clicked--the head pains went away. Now I only get them very rarely, but they don't have power over me anymore. I know this is a tough journey and I'm by no means trying to make it sound like it should be easy, I just thought I'd throw that out there. A lot of people say the breathing excersizes helped them overcome their anxiety, but those didn't work for me so I just thought I'd share something that did.

Yes I spoke to my doctor about it, I was having flashes of light in my eyes at that point too and she did a full examination just like yours, had me doing the pushing and pulling, squeezing her fingers and lots of other things, she said it wasn't neurological and seemed satisfied and not concerned by it.

Thank you for sharing another idea, the breathing is good when I am in a full blown panic attack but not so much when I am generally anxious and worrying.

I have had anxiety for many years but two months ago it just suddenly got out of control for no reason so I know I need to look at new ways to deal with it because it has taken over my whole life and I am desperately trying to claw my way out of it and find ways to deal with the symptoms and general fear x

omg i have the heaviness in my legs and body too! i have to have my bf walk with me to the bathroom or use a broom to walk i hate it so much ;(

I understand where you're coming from. Healthy anxiety is absolute torture. It feels like your brain is betraying you. Another thing I had to cope with was that this fear was rooted in a fear of death, and I had to come to terms with that. But I know you can beat this. If I can do it, me having been scared of everything since I was a little kid, I know you can too. I was so young with my first episode of health anxiety that I can't remember how long it lasted, but the second one lasted at least 6 months. I thought there'd never be a light at the end of the tunnel, but when I wasn't expecting it, I suddenly found the light right in front of me. I consider myself to be in "remission" right now healthy anxiety wise, and someday you will be too!

The flashes of light could just be ocular migraines, they're usually painless and there isn't much that can be done for them, however they're harmless. Can be bought on by smoking or stress.

It's all been a bit of a shock to be honest because although i had anxiety for years it was never health anxiety then as the panic attacks became non stop and the agoraphobia worsened the health anxiety kicked in.

I'm so glad you are in remission and found that light at the end of the tunnel, i pray for the day it happens for me.

It's truly horrible isn't it? My husband has to walk me around the house and help me shower because of that heavy feeling and lack of balance and because i feel so weak, it's awful.

That was what they said when i had my eye examination, i do have ocular migraines but they have worsened recently, i expect stress and smoking are both to blame.