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Health anxiety and OCD ruining my life =((

Posted , 6 users are following.

jennifer85396
jennifer85396

I really need some help, I feel like I am falling apart.  Every couple of months its a new symptom of something or a problem.   First, I thought I had heart disease, then obsessed with Perimenopause, then my IBS.  Now I have very bad neck pains and soreness, and my eyes feel extremely strained and tired.  It is all giving me bad migraine and headaches.  Giving me terrible anxiety.  Just had to take a Xanax to calm down.  I was on Nortriptyline, but went off abrubtly cause it made me tired. Now thinking about going back on.  Neck pain seems to be making my head and eyes hurt.  Also, on the computer more than ever since I got a new Laptop.  Any advice would be appreciated and loved...Please Help!!!

 

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • kerri_00009
    kerri_00009 jennifer85396

    Posted

    Totally get it!!! Maybe go back on it but take it at night??? If it makes you sleepy??

  • mia20808
    mia20808 jennifer85396

    Posted

    Hi Jenifer, really sorry to hear your not feeling great, I am very similar to you with many of your symptoms and feelings. I have been diagnosed with depression with this. 

    I am constantly exhausted, feeling sick, joint pains, IBS, migraines... I take propranolol to calm down my anxiety episodes. Many of these symptoms are all Anxiety related! Sometimes I feel like I have a horrible disease which DRs haven't noticed! rolleyes

    However, yesterday I have been prescribed citralopram... My GP explained it has great benefits for Anxiety & also OCD. Hope Xanax has kicked in and your feeling much more relaxed! Sending hugs your way xxx 

    • jennifer85396
      jennifer85396 mia20808

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your replies, definately thinking of going back on the Nortrip.  Feeling a bit calmer, but people do not understand what we go through and how we feel.  Its very scary..I have to go back to exercise and try to keep busier.  We are all very brave people on this site to reach out for help.  Thank you again...xo

       

  • athol91131
    athol91131 jennifer85396

    Posted

    You may have come of the Nortrip too abruptly which can have a rebound. It's not a good idea to stop any meds suddenly. They need to be tapered off.

    All the things you mention that might be wrong with you come from Anxiety. You actually only have one problem - and it's Anxiety. All the rest of it are just symptoms of Anxiety. It can really make you run around thinking you've got this and that but really it's all anxiety, and thank god really because unlike the many illnessess we imagine we have anxiety is not life threatening. Anxiety can do you no harm at all it just feels horrible. Try to remember that as horrible as it feels, anxiety will do you no harm. It is your own defense mechanism and your body is designed that way. You are perfectly safe even when your heart is hammering and your legs are jelly and your eyesight goes weird (along with your thoughts). Your muscles tense up tight and give you pain. All of these symptoms are caused by adrenaline (look it up) and that's all! Adrenaline is released into your body as a natural response to stress. The more you stress about the symptoms, the more adrenaline is pumped into your system so the more symptoms you get. Then you worry about the effects of adrenaline, causing more stress, so your body pumps out more adrenaline. The good news is that the body has a limited supply of adrenaline. The more you can relax about the effects you are getting, the less adrenaline. Easier said than done, believe me, I do know, but that's what's happening - nothing else.

    • jennifer85396
      jennifer85396 athol91131

      Posted

      I must say that your reply was a tremendous help to me.  Thank you so much for taking the time to help me.  I think I go back to my safe place of obsessing about my physical self to protect me from the things in life that scare me or upset me.  But I agree with you and I appreciated the education.  It makes a lot of sense, I might go back on the Nortrip and take it at night.  This is a fight we all can win, it's just tough, and people that don't have anxiety can't imagine what we go through.  Thank you again and God Bless

       

    • francesca45319
      francesca45319 jennifer85396

      Posted

      Yes Athol has summed it up perfectly ! It's hard to accept and xbelieve initially but acceptance helps recovery. Just try and accept and treat it like say a bad cold happening in the background, you feel crap but you know it won't harm you. When the body and brain calms down all the symptoms alleviate one by one. The other thing is also of you get any anxiety flash again say in the future after being calm for a while don't get scared by it. Accept it even will it on and float through it just knowing it's adrenaline. In an odd way I think we feel that even though we hate anxiety it some how protects from further things happening ie on permanent guard duty! Take care Fran x
    • jennifer85396
      jennifer85396 francesca45319

      Posted

      I agree completely, we're always on guard.  Living in a hightened state at all times.  It becomes exhausting, I know it can't kill me but boy it sure feels like your dying sometimes.  Thank you Fran, God Bless xo

       

  • debi62095
    debi62095 jennifer85396

    Posted

    jennifer did you have some skipped heart beats and bt of breathlessness on and off and or acid reflux and panic?  i have these and prob suffring like you, ? any info pls would be good thanks
    • jennifer85396
      jennifer85396 debi62095

      Posted

      Yes, I had fast hearbeat at times where I could feel my heart beating. Some skipped beats ect...If you have had your heart checked and all was okay, then it is definately anxiety or hormone related.  I also have acid reflux and heartburn at times.  This was more when I was on the Nortriptyline for a year for Migraine prevention.  I abruptly stopped it because I was trying not to be on so many chemicals. But, I went back on because it did help with tension headaches and muscle pain. We'll see what happens.  Hope you feel better

       

  • debi62095
    debi62095 jennifer85396

    Posted

    thanks well i only had an ECG and gp listen to y chest saying not prob but that was june and my symptoms have got worse so am terrified now, But having said that i was under stress back then which gt worse since then if thats making sense, i am however going to GP tomorrow again, thanks debi
    • jennifer85396
      jennifer85396 debi62095

      Posted

      I do know from experience that focusing and obsessing over your heart will speed it up and cause palpitaions.  Then the more you focus the more anxiety and more your heart beats faster.  It is a vicious cycle, I have been there and still experience this from time to time.  After you get another good check up try some self talk and breathing exercises.  Also, exercise does help me with anxiety and panic. Good luck to you!! Jennifer

       

  • debi62095
    debi62095 jennifer85396

    Posted

    thanks i went for the ECG today something not right nurse said, oh my god i said whats wrong i asked, well i dont ned to call an ambulance so dont worry but see your GP, i was already well anxious now its a whole lot worse an so so woried, she just left me............................................
    • athol91131
      athol91131 debi62095

      Posted

      Some people can be very insensitive and it sounds like you came across one of them! but bear in mind that it cant be anything really serious or they would have called an ambulance. I know it must be very scary for you but try and see your GP as soon as possible. Not because you may have something seriously wrong with you but because you need to be reassured so your anxiety can calm down. If a situation like this ever occurs again, tell them you suffer from an anxiety disorder and insist that they tell you what they meant from their remark so that you dont get needlessly anxious. 
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