Continuously struggling with anxiety symptoms.
Posted , 9 users are following.
Recently in the past few months my anxiety has increaed dramatically, to the point where I've had to have time off sixth form and work. The part of anxiety I find the hardest though is the pains I get from it and I am finding it hard to cope.
I can get numbness anywhere around my body, stomach pains, acid reflux, nausea, chest pains and headaches. Even though I don't feel anxious most of the time I still get these symptoms, and it's getting to the point where I'm worried its more than just anxiety. The worst pain of all is the chest pains, because it's the scariest and most painful of all the pains.
I know in my mind that it's most likely going to be the anxiety, as I'm not overweight, I eat healthy, and I regularly do physical activity, but I'm getting to the point where it's affecting my life and dictating what iI do, whether I go out, whether I even want to get up in the mornings.
If anyone has any sort of advice or coping mechanisms for this I would appreciate it a lot 
Thank you very much, even if you just read this and find my experience relatable
0 likes, 15 replies
Tammy123 anhouraday
Posted
anhouraday Tammy123
Posted
I don't take medication for my anxiety at the moment as my GP wants to keep it as a last resort as I'm still young. Thank you for your time, even just the comfort of knowing it's nothing strange puts my mind at ease
x
anxietysite123 anhouraday
Posted
They really are the worst, and even scarier when they don't only happen at times when were anxious.. Have you been checked by a doctor just to make sure? I would do that first, even though like you said you'll most likely be told it's anxiety, but I usually notice after my doctor visits, my pains will randomly go away. It helpsyou realize that it's all in your mind (even though they feel horribly real)
anhouraday anxietysite123
Posted
Yes I've had checkups from my doctor and they havent found anything abnormal, so they related it to anxiety. I think even just creating this post and getting replies has put my mind at rest, like you said!
anxietysite123 anhouraday
Posted
Try talking outloud to yourself then when they happen.. Not in public, you don't want to look crazy haha. But if they happen, say outloud "I know you're not real" and just get up and do something.. You have to trick your mind into believing that you're not scared. Are you in counseling? If you don't want to go the med route, maybe therapy and meditation or yoga?
anhouraday anxietysite123
Posted
Yes I willl try that! I have an unofficial counseller at the college I go to, as a once a week thing but its the only form of support I have at the moment. I have had counseling in the past with professionals, but not anymore.
I would prefer to avoid the medical route as much as possible, and so yoga/meditation is another good idea I will look into!
Thank you!
Arioch anhouraday
Posted
You are definitely not alone...
I developed Anxiety as a result of blood pressure gone out of control. this was in the begining of December this year, and I got the blood pressure under control quickly. But the results of that caused me to feel numbness on various parts of my body - usually the head, I've had twinges in the chest, but those were less common, I've also had eating issues (can't eat hardly anything anymore) and disrupted sleep. (very rare that I can sleep for more than 3 hours at a time now)
how I cope with this is in one of a couple ways, and maybe one of these might help you...
1) relax... Deep breath, in through the nose...hold...out through the mouth. do this for about 5 minutes. then ask yourself - as disassociated as you can be. "Is this likely a <insert whatever your fear is> or is it more likely a symptom of anxiety?" since we know we have anxiety, and you just worked to get a bit of a grip on it...hopefully the answer is going to be anxiety, and that alone will help you take control and move on.
2) The stomach pains I'm dealing with right now I haven't found a solution to. It makes it hard to eat more than a nutrition shake, and then it sits with me for hours... I've always been very large - but I've dropped about 20 pounds in 3 weeks now. I know that if I can't eat much, at least take vitamins to replace what I'm losing... drink water with electrolytes. and keep regular appointments with my Dr. so they can advise me. I have read that the B complex vitamins are the most important for anxiety, along with Vitamin C, and Calcium with Magnesium. Taking these has helped me to keep control of myself and my anxiety. My sleep and appetite... well I'm working on it.
3) look up a thing called Adrenal Exhaustion.- it fit me to a T and focusing on that has helped... not significantly but it has.
I also had to cut out alcohol, Caffeine (hard - had 2 days of headaches) and chocolate (no biggie for me)
All of the above has helped.... I still miss a day or two of work per week, but these are the things that have helped me.
I wish you peace an a solution to your problems
anhouraday Arioch
Posted
Thank you Arioch!!
I'll definately try these methods, I have tried breathing techniques before and I found they helped a lot with how I feel as a person, just not as much with the aches and pains I get along with it! But I will keep at it and not let anxiety rule my life!
Thank you and I wish you all the best in youre life
unlucky63610 anhouraday
Posted
I must say chest pressure in the left side or pain every one have doubt that it may related to heart...but its not my father is heart patient and have 3 volves blocked italk to him that u feell ike what i feel he say no and i know different people whi has heart attack before they arr living happy....i have also lot of fear and also feel my heart stoo beating...i have done echos of heart 16 ecgs 24 hour holter ecg complete body blod test 3 times chest x ray 4 times ultra sounds aNd before i have un digested vegetables in my stool once i eat water melon the colour of my stool is red go to doc he say it may be because of water melon but i say no i insist on colonscopy as dr google poop out cancer i have done colonscopy which was clear i have done endoscopy also clear....i have acid reflux problem most the time i burp and when i burp i feel heaviness in my chest some time my breath stop i feel dizzy like i will fall down any time....i have been to different docs and more then 30 docs all of them mention i am mentally sick but i am not .......believe me its related to acid reflux which create a satuitation for us like heart problem or like a heart attack and we think about that and feel scared......i talk to my doc about reflux surgery but in japan they can not preffer surgery and on medicine my reflux problem csnn ot solved now i m taking proponolol 20 mg 3 times a day and lexapro 10 mg once a night from last 35 days i m taking that i am not completely fine but there is difference then before if some time. Ifeel heavy in my left chest i didnot make any panic i say to my self it will not kill me if it kills me i will die 4 years back when it starts bcoz heart attack didnot give any chance to any one...its hard for me to accept that i dont have heart problem but still trying to figure it out and controlling on my selfu can only defeat this sitatutiin by being brave and confidence.....just b patient and use medicine for anxiety and fix ur reflux problem u will feel fine
Arioch unlucky63610
Posted
Unlucky... Sorry to hear about your challenges as well. I have found a book my therapist suggested. It's been a dual-edged sword for me. On one hand it explains how and why the anxiety makes things happen that we might mis-interpret for somehting else PLUS it gives you tools to work with them. Some of the control mechanisms I use are taken right from this book. on the other hand... sometimes something sounds like a perfect match to your problem... but then again so do a few other things. It's a big book - almost 800 pages. It's been worth it for me - maybe it will be of benefit for you - It's called The Anxiety and Phonbia Workbook by Edmund Bourne. I got my copy on Google Books for under $10 US. It is long and some part read like an instruction manual, but it has been really helpful for me. and it might help you by giving you other tools to help be brave and take control of your personal challenges.
I wish you well and success - I don't like to wish luck, just success
anhouraday unlucky63610
Posted
You sound very brave for the challenges you have overcome.. I admire you for that!!! Yes I think the worst part of the chest pains is understanding that it is nothing to do with the heart at all really.. But I had also been put on Lansoprazol 20mg a day for 28 days but the side effects I got from it was worse than the actual acid reflux, so I have now got Omeprazole to take as and when I need for my acid reflux.
I wish you all the best and hope for you to find your own ways in dealing with your problems!
Melissab1985 anhouraday
Posted
Hi anhouraday!
I get literally the same exact symptoms as you.
I get bad headaches, especially in the back and base of my head and get neck tension
I get ringing in my ears
Feeling of almost dreamlike, or not real state
Dizzy, lightheaded
Chest pressure and sharp chest pains all over
Hot sensations in my chest
Muscle twitching, especially in neck amd face and fingers
Vibration feelings in random places in my body
Constant fatigue
Acid reflux /gerd
Constipation
Sharp shooting pains all through my body head to toe
Face tingling
Cold feet
Sweaty palms
Hot amd cold flashes
Insomnia
Pvcs/ heart palpitations
Adrenaline feeling in chest
Now mind you I don't get all these all the time or all together at once, but these are ALL my anxiety symptoms I get off and on
And yes I also get them when I don't even feel anxious also. I suffered very badly with panic attacks about 6 months ago and ever since i get any one of these symptoms at any time whether I'm anxious or not. But after time it's slowly goes away if you can teach your mind and body to not always be on alert to go in fight or flight mode at any time. It does linger for quite some time unfortunately. Well at least for me it does. I've heard relaxation techniques, meditation, and acupuncture do wonders although I haven't personally tried them yet but I am going to. Hope this gave your mind some ease and is helpful to you.
anhouraday Melissab1985
Posted
This is very similar to me in how my symptoms began also, so it is very reassuring to hear a story like yours!
jodie11659 Melissab1985
Posted
Peonygirl1 anhouraday
Posted
Hi, yikes this is such a pain to deal with! You are showing courage, determination and sensitivity to others, soooo be proud of yourself you are doing a great job! I am an old duck and went thru similar issues my thyroid was off which can happen anytime. Make sure yours is doing its job. It pretty much rules the body. The anxiety attacks embarrassed me so I kept them a secret, until I read an article that encouraged one to face them head on and out Loud! Sooooo, instead of pretending I was fine I say something like oh no, I am getting another one and I am ashamed oh that. Most women men too respond w much support and empathy sharing they too have issues w it. And, darn if it didn't work for me, I let all hang out there and it calmed me down, made fun of it and boom, it would leave me. What a relief. Maybe it could help you under certain circumstances, I sure hope so. I send you big hugs and want to say I think you are brave and are showing great courage. You are doing a good job of helping yourself, that is big! You can do this girl! 🎄🕊??🍀🌸🤔