Is this anxiety or something more serious?

[CougheeBean]

I have suffered from anxiety for as long as I can remember and am now medicated, making my day-to-day life far more bearable. I have had a very stressful month which has caused a lot more anxious feelings and symptoms than I've had since before starting medication. Chest pains, gasping for breath, spontaneous crying etc. However there are a few physical symptoms which I don't recognise and are starting to concern me.

Several times a day I will become very dizzy and will need to sit or lie down immediately - at home I have collapsed twice. Sometimes these coincide with chest pains and shortness of breath but not always.

I have also got 'floaters' in my eyes for the first time, either a single grey one or several smaller bright white ones. These don't seem to be connected to any other symptom.

On top of this I am exhausted with no appetite. I have been forcing myself to eat regular healthy meals but I could easily sleep for 16+ hours a day and still be tired. In January I was working out 5 times a week and now I can't even walk up two flights of stairs without my body screaming.

Has anyone ever experienced these in connection with anxiety or any other medical issue? I'm aware I also have pre-hypertension levels of blood pressure. It's near impossible to get GP appointments around here so I don't want to waste their time.

You need to see a doctor. No question.

Make appointment.

Go to appointment.

OK I'll give it a go! I know it will be at least a 3 week wait though. Because the symptoms do seem very linked to anxiety and don't cause any physical pain (most of my usual symptoms are more debilitating) I am suspicious this is just a stress response.

Bump in case anyone recognises these

You should definitely see the doctor, OP, but these are all symptoms I have experienced: it's astonishing what "just" stress or anxiety can induce, unfortunately, as you clearly know - but these could also be symptoms of something else entirely so definitely worth checking

Plus, perhaps the GP will be able to tweak your medication a bit to help with the increased stress you mentioned

Why do you not consider anxiety as serious?

I used to suffer badly with anxiety then recovered. Then one day I started struggling to breath. I worried it might be anxiety again. It was bronchitis. The recovery from that was way quicker and easier than the recovery from anxiety, but the amount of sympathy and slack I was cut from others was exponentially more.

This is me. I had a really dizzy spell yesterday with sickness which was the final straw and I was fitted into someone's cancelled appointment. I've been put onto new medication and given beta blockers for the 'episodes'. GP was without a doubt that it's all down to anxiety.
Good luck

It could well be anxiety, but worth getting checked out. Don’t want to add health anxiety brainweasels to the existing mix.

I do consider anxiety serious (but then worry that I'm just being anxious... about anxiety...) but at least I'm medicated for it!

Thanks @BlancheM, that's incredibly reassuring. Did the GP have any concerns about switching your meds and starting new ones at the same time? I hate the initial side effects. To be honest I'm not sure citalopram is for me, my depression is 90% controlled on it but does very little for the physical elements of my anxiety.

I would see a doctor as soon as you can. The exhaustion, dizzy spells and floaters sounds like the start of a migraine. You can get them without the head pain. When mines start my mood is all over the place and I need to lie down or sit because I feel like I could fall down. My eye sight gets a little fuzzy. I get a little confused and I struggle with having conversations as I lose my train of thought. If I don't take my migraine meds I fall asleep randomly. I have GAD and if I get really stressed or anxious I can start to fall asleep.

I could have written this OP myself.

These symptoms are what originally got me onto medication. I went in to the doctors pretty much convinced I had a brain tumour, or cancer. I knew I suffered from anxiety but these were real physical symptoms that I couldn't cope with. Turns out I was having rolling panic attacks and didn't even realize it. Nothing triggering it just the anxiety itself

I would absolutely see your doctor again but I wouldn't worry well i would but it would be completely unfounded and unnecessary about it being something sinister.

Good luck. It sucks xx

Coughee I'm glad you feel a bit reassured. The GP had no reservations about it, but asked me how I felt about it. For me it's got to the stage where I'm happy to give them a go as I've plodded along for so long struggling. I only rang the doctors on the spur of the moment and it just so happened they could fit me straight in.
Recently I'd been getting more and more migraines aswell but yesterday GP said they were more likely to be tension headaches which will only be resolved by tackling stress so it was all the more reason to switch tablets and up the dose. I was on Citolopram a few years ago, i didn't really get on with it at all.

I have had shocking headaches this week (never diagnosed with migraines but even codeine hasn't made any difference) I've also fallen asleep briefly in meetings during a long blink(!!!!) which is pretty fucking shocking. Fall asleep on the sofa every day as soon as I get home and have to set alarms to cook dinner. Eyesight and head are totally fuzzy and have been for a few weeks, looks like I'm seeing things through fine cotton wool?

I'll definitely go to the GP - thanks all. I was worried this might be the start of a different health issue which to be honest I wouldn't have the capacity to cope with right now.

I had mega vision problems too, OP - it's horrible, and quite frightening. I had to give up driving for a few years, but with a change of medication, I've not been bothered since. Hope you're feeling much better soon