Health anxiety- which physical symptoms do you get?

[ACCx]

Hi, I was just wondering if there’s anyone on here that suffers with anxiety/health anxiety and what physical symptoms you get? I have a bunch but right now I have random twitches/spams mainly in my legs and just started to get a kind of shivering/tingling feeling in my leg. Speaking to the GP in the morning but anyone have any words that may help? What symptoms do others get?

I suffered badly from HA several years ago, I have always been a bit anxious about health but it went off the scale due to three immediate family cancer deaths within 12 month period, I suffered for a long time had therapy and CBT which helped a bit. My HA comes and goes now, I’ve had a long period of time where I felt much more measured and pragmatic but now I’m in the throes of menopause it’s hit me again, I’m trying to control it but it’s so hard as I’m convinced there is something really wrong, leg pains, jaw pain, pains in general! Every twinge my mind immediately diagnoses terminal cancer, it’s exhausting. When things get bad I put a cosy tv programme on or go for a walk to appreciate nature, that helps and generally getting out and about, keeping busy. It really sucks OP you are not alone!

This also caused my HA to be way worse, when two close friends died within two months from cancer. They were young and healthy before being diagnosed. It scared the hell out of me and effected me greatly. I still think about them a lot.

I finally made the call to the GP today who has prescribed me Sertraline, and now I feel anxious to start but I know it’s the best thing for me at the moment. Just hope my side effects aren’t too bad - it’s a never ending circle isn’t it.

@SpecialK01 I hope you don’t get any side effects. I did when I took my first one yesterday, I’ve had to halve the tablet and just take 25 mg today. I feel a bit weird and still really anxious but I’m just trying to power through!

I’m sorry to see so many of us suffering with HA

Personally, I get:
Palpitations
Panic attacks
Tingling
Numbness
I twitch everywhere face, arms, legs, feet, hands
Short of breath
Feeling like I’m disconnected from myself etc.
I also fixate on certain things. At the moment I’m convinced one pupil is bigger than the other 😬

@user1488481370 I’m so sorry you’re having all those symptoms. I must admit it is a small comfort to me to hear other people have them too as with HA you worry that everything is something serious don’t you? I’ve been really struggling to come to terms with the fact the twitches are just from anxiety. I spoke to the dr again this morning who said she’d only worry if I had weakness too, so now I’ve also convinced myself my right hand is getting weak. It’s torture

@ACCx I first noticed increased twitching (I say increased as I’ve always twitched to an extent) after my middle daughter was born over 2 years ago. This was the start of my HA. I ended up on medication which really helped but then seem to have relapsed again since my third daughter was born almost 11 months ago.

It’s really difficult to wrap your head around the fact that anxiety can do that but it really can. My twitching has really increased this last few months as my anxiety has piqued.

@user1488481370 ah No I’m sorry you’ve been dealing with it for so long. I have been getting it all over really like you, arms, legs, hands, feet, back pretty much anywhere really. Did you ever have to go for any tests or anything? My dr hasn’t been concerned about it really and is satisfied that it’s anxiety x

Google the sympathetic nervous system - that's the bugger that's in charge of your fight/flight/freeze reaction and is responsible for all your symptoms.

If you want a fun but detailed explanation have a look at this video;

This is is an interesting thread to read. I have suffered with anxiety in the past and took setraline. I would say it has come back worse after each child and only started after miscarriages 10 years ago. I’ve just had a set of bloods done because of
headaches, neck and shoulder ache, chest pain under my ribs, heart palpitations made worse by caffeine that come and go. The blood tests have all come back clear. I’m more convinced my symptoms are physical signs of anxiety. I think I focus on my kids though… every little sniffle, cough, twinge, my anxiety comes roaring to the surface. Yet 99% of the time the anxiety trigger leads to nothing or even if it does they get over it quickly enough and I wonder why I got so worked up. It’s robbing me of enjoying my children and robbing my children of a mum who is present and fun…
I take comfort I’m not the only one but no fun for any of us. OP I hope the setraline helps you. I really noticed a difference after a couple of weeks.

I’m so sorry to see a lot of people are also experiencing this.

I get the ‘normal’ anxiety symptoms with mine, irritability, fast heart, that ‘oh shit’ feeling etc.

I can panic myself into symptoms too, so if I think about getting a headache I’ll end up with one, if I think about coughing/cold symptoms (covid is a MASSIVE trigger for me) then I’ll start feeling like I have them.

I have been on imipramine for years, and currently doing some high intensity CBT. Hoping to get to some version of ‘normal’ soon.

@Bubbean I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling. I can relate to the worrying over your children. I’m the same with my daughter. I really try to hide my concerns because I feel like if she sees that I’m worrying over health then she will begin to also. Thank you I really hope the sertraline works to! x

@Bubbean mine is definitely linked to the birth of my children, particularly the last two. I don’t know if it’s hormonal or the thought of having dependents and perhaps not being here for them in childhood. I think that’s what I find more terrifying than anything.
I went to the opticians last week and I had a thorough eye exam, OCT scan, visual field test etc and everything came back normal. She said my odd pupils are just a normal variation and as far as she’s concerned nothing to worry about which of course, is great!

However, I’m already wondering if she missed something. I’ve noticed two dimples on the inside of my left foot, below and across from my ankle slightly and now I’m worried it’s atrophy. My arm also felt painful this morning, almost like a bruise but there’s nothing there to see. It’s gotten worse as the days gone on, I felt about and can feel a lump! its soft and movable so my bet is a lipoma. Not sure whether the lump is causing the pain or whether that’s an incidental finding. I really need a break!