Cant stop shaking or function. Is this anxiety/stress over something so trivial???

[Shakeyshakes]

I have had a shit week. I am having a total over reaction to an ongoing tax credit saga (7 years). They have sent me 10 letters this week telling me nothing I dont already know. I always get a bit worked up when dealing with this ongoing saga with them because we just go around in circles nothing ever getting resolved - usually I have a few sleepless nights as I worry until it passes, swear about them to DH but its no real biggy.

This week though as soon as I saw the brown TC envelopes (just 2 on Weds)on the mat I felt physically sick and a little bit shakey. Thursday 2 more - same reaction. Friday 6 letters arrive and my legs gave way before I even read them. They are only telling me stuff I already know and although its a bit crap news wise for us - its not devestating or anything new we didnt already know, so I just dont understand what has happend to me.

Anyway I was concious but collapsed to the floor. I started to physically shake and I have not stopped shaking since. I tried to go out (I was just on my way out when the post arrived) but was shaking so much and felt so sick I couldnt move to stand up. Half an hour later I managed to get to the toilet to be sick.

I sat watching a DVD to try and calm down and just shook for 3 hours until DH came home. As soon as I saw him I burst into proper sobbing tears and cried solidly for around 2 hours. Really hard crying. It would not stop. I could not even speak properly to tell him anything. DH has been lovely and calm and practical about the letters telling me as I already know - its a bit of a non issue in the big scheme of things. He sat down today to respond the letters
and just been lovely but today I am still shaking. I have had to force myself to eat because I feel so nervy and sick. I had to try eating to make sure it wasn't lack of food making me shake. I am very tearful today as well. I am shaking in my chest as well and my heart feels like it is racing.

My head knows this is a stupid over reaction to a small hassle but my body is acting as if something massively awful has happend. Its so bad I can hardly function. I could not even manage to make a cuppa 3 hours ago - I knew what I need to do but somehow was all disjointed and trying to put water in the kettle with the lid still on and stood there thinking I need milk I need milk I need milk but not able to kind of connect that I had to get the milk from the fridge.

This is freaking me out! I even left the house earlier with odd shoes on and didnt notice until I got home and went to take them off. Funny yes - but I cannot function properly. My head feels odd and fuzzy and I keep bursting into tears and I dont know whats caused it. The shakes continue.

Can anyone tell me what the hell is happening to me??? Why have I had this over reaction? And how can I make it stop. I am scared - I feel I have kind of lost control. Please can anyone offer me some advice or tell me they have been through similar and how they got back to normal.

Can you get some exercise? Last year I had a massive panic attack, very like what you are describing. Called my neighbor who came over, made me put my shoes on and dragged me out of the house for a long fast walk. It really helped, something to do with the chemicals your body releases when your heart rate goes up. She hauled me out again in the afternoon with her dog and afterwards I felt much more able to function. Now I find if I start feeling panic I try to do something, even if it's just a few sit ups and it helps to calm down.

Good luck with your gp, hope you're feeling better today.

Sounds like you could have anxiety. Like others say though the best thing to do is go and talk to your doctor.

Well I dragged myself out of bed this morning after another fretful night if broken sleep. I felt awful - nauseaus although I am now wondering if this is just complete exhaustion.
I had to be somewhere for 10am. I managed to get there and do what I had to do but 1 hour later when I got back home I completely broke down and I dont know why really.
DH came home lunch time to check on me as he is worried. I managed a banana - nothing else will go down really.
Was a mess this afternoon really but again forced myself out. I had to do a leaflet drop for a local charity so walked for an hour posting those. Excercise did help actually.
I decided to put alot of effort into relaxing etc this evening and had a bath with lavender oil and candles. Lovely but as soon as I got out I starting fretting what crap or non response we will get from TC and started shaking again.
Still edgy now and my ribs and back hurt from being so tense all the time.
I was really hoping today I would get back into my routine and be normal but I am not.
I had to write a hand written letter to someone close to me today and my hadwriting was all weird and disjointed. I just dont feel right just so so tense.
Anyway - have decided tomorrow I am definately getting intouch with my GP. I am scared and freaked out by myself. I want this to stop and its looking like it wont stop without help .

Sorry for boring you all but it helps to get it all down and I may even print this and hand it to my GP cos I am struggling to string a sentence together when I actually talk about how I am feeling or the sodding TCs.

Do you think this is some kind of break down??

Not bored, Shakey. I checked in once or twice, then been working hanging around on Pedants' Corner (recommended) so missed your update.

Keep posting, keep getting some fresh air. I'm not an expert at all but think you should take some vits if you're not eating. Complan?

I hope next time I log on you'll have seen/made an appointment with your GP.

Don't think of it as a 'breakdown'. It's a reaction to a situation. I think you're realising you need to respond to how you're feeling - and that it's okay.

It sounds like your DH is being supportive - and he'll be really sad for you too - thank him!

Try deep breathing to hold it at bay - this is not a substitute for the doc though, just to try to help calm you between now and then.

Breathe in through your mouth to a count of 3
Breathe out through your nose to a count of 5

It doesn't matter how fast or slow you do it, as long as the out breath is longer than the in breath. Do it 3 times at least, and the slower the better, but when you're anxious slow can be hard, so just make sure the out is longer than the in at first.

Hope you get good sleep tonight.

Oh no. I've got it a bit mixed up. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth (all else stands though). So sorry.

Don't be sorry Jux, you got there eventually

Good advice btw, I forgot about breathing.

What else? A bit of meditation/stretching's helping me. It's all to do with starting to realise that if you fall apart there's a domino effect. So no. 1. priority - Look. After. Your. Self.

Meh, you'll be fine.

Shakeyshakes
I went though this a few years ago. I was diagnosed with Anxiety disorder. I realised some time afterwards that life was generally stressful prior to the anxiety starting. It was a terrible experience but it did lead me to understand the limitations of how much could cope with. My GP gave me Anti depressants and anti anxiety meds which I stayed on for a while and I saw a councellor too, which helped.
I found that taking some over the counter calming tablets helped break the cycle of anxiety, as did talking about it, not drinking alcohol and getting plenty of rest. I also tried to remove some of the worst stresses out of my life.
PM if you need some support. remember you are not alone or going mad. X

How are you Shakey? How was the doc?

I woke yesterday with the same sicky shakey feeling so called the Dr. Went straight in and he was lovely. He prescribed me some Zopiclav to take at nigh - it is apparently a sleeping tablet. I can take 1 or 2 tablets depending how I feel - but have to try 1 the first time.

I was all set up to take it last nigh but fell asleep before that - I woke on the sofa and just climbed into bed and slept through until 9am this morning on my own. Sadly i was woken by some insurance cold caller on the phone. Which woke me up with a jump and a start so I am shakey again today and have a pain in chest now. I feel really nervy and edgy. Its probably not just down to be woken up by the phone but it didnt help iykwim.

I am off out in an hour to help out in a charity shop and am finding that if I get out and about I generallly feel better. So fingers crossed this subsides soon.

I feel better for the sleep but dont feel right at all. Most bizarre. I ache - I think from being so tense, feel sick and shakey although not physically shaking as much. Do have a pain in my chest today but wondering if its wind/indegestion through sporadic eating and nerves. I am totally pissed off and fed up with feeling like this now and just want it to stop. I am grateful that I am not working atm though as it does allow me some leeway with doing things to make myself better. I may take myself off fo a swim this afternoon if feel upto it. I need to force myself to eat something though first. Have no appetite at all.

I have lost 5lbs since I weighed on Friday morning. I know this isnt healthy but I have a bikini to get into at the end of May so am being positive think every shitty cloud has a silver lining!! Woud just be nice if I felt fab instead of a shakey pathetic rag though!!

Oh and thank you all so much for your support! Its really helping and I am practising the breathing!

Breathing Is Good

We're still here if you need us x

Just wanted to say sympathetic, know-how-you-feel type things. There are times when life just gets too much and the most calm person gets utterly overloaded. It's scary how physically your body can react to stress, isn't it? Try and think of it as a useful warning signal - your body is giving you a clear sign that you need to stop, and be kind to yourself for a while. Don't ever think that you're being pathetic or that you 'ought' to be able to cope, we all have our own particular triggers and I think a lot of us would react as you've done to such a long drawn out stressful situation. I've done a lot of crying in supermarket carparks in my time, trust me! (In fact, I read a thread on here where someone else said the same thing and I have this lovely vision of us all sobbing gently in our cars ...!) Keep breathing in and out!! (Oh, and try nice perfumes/scented candles etc.)

Just wondering how you are today? Did you manage to see a Dr?

Did you take a pill last night? How do you feel today?

Congrats on the weightloss btw!

I know that shaky feeling all too well from a couple of things that have happened recently. I too found that I really couldn't eat, and anything I did try made me feel very ill, so I didn't bother and drank lucozade and took multivitamins to keep me going until I felt like eating again (and I too was a little pleased at the weight loss that occurred although I would have been happier really for the things not to have happened and to keep the few extra lbs) What helped me was accepting what had happened, not worrying about the what ifs as they were not something I could do anything about now and making a plan to go forward. Oh, and talking to as many supportive people as possible. I don't know if you're in a position to do any of that but hopefully it may help.

Do be kind to yourself.

Just seen this thread and wanted to offer an unMNsanctioned hug. I have felt as you describe over much lesser issues, and have always found the TC system an inpenetrable nightmare. How are you doing today?

Can I make another suggestion, based on something similar that happened to me a while back - I had a couple of weeks of feeling more & more jumpy & irrational physical reactions, though my mind was fine - IYSWIM, I even collapsed with chest pain & shaking as you describe & ended up in A&E, with what did turn out to be a panic attack - thankfully it was the only one I've ever had & I've new respect & empathy for sufferers as a result - it was horrific, far worse than I ever realised prior to that

Mine turned out to caused by LOW POTASSIUM - this showed up in blood tests they did in A&E - in my case the low potassium was as a result of a new blood pressure drug the GP had me on - it leached the Potassium from my system - changing BP meds sorted it out for me, but it can just as easily be missing in your diet - so might be worth asking about a blood test for that too

Hope you are okay, really feel for you, its no fun at all :(

Second what mathanxiety said. The only time I have been shaky and anxious was when I had an overactive thyroid. Other symptoms were, feeling tired and unwell (like flu without the fever and loss of appetite), trouble getting to sleep, legs felt heavy, and weight loss.

hello everyone.

Thank you so much again for your comments, words of support and suggestions.

I keep putting off taking the sleeping pills. TBH - I am frightend to take them after reading the side effects leaflet! However, last night we went out with DHs work and I have to say although I was not my normal self it was the most normal I have felt since last Friday morning - before the TC letters bombarded me. I had a few drinks - enough to feel the effects but not be drunk. I actually ate a fair bit of a meal as well. However, not long after getting into bed I felt quite ill again and has the most stonking headache. However, I feel that there has been progress. I felt normalish for almost 3 hours whilst we were out. There was still like a trembling but it was in the background more - or maybe because I was trying to be sociable I didnt notice it. Whichever - I feel like I have had a break from the traumatised feeling that seems to have become my norm.

I had a panic on today - as I am behind with sorting lots of odds and ends out because I have felt so ill so forced myself out shopping today for a few birthday gifts. I was OK. A bit iffey here and there but I feel and hope I have turned a corner. Again once I got in I felt a bit ill - kind of drained and so achey (from being so tense I guess). I felt sick coming in and looking to see if the post had delivered anymore sodding TC letters (thank god no). DH is out tonight (did offer to stay with me bless) and I am OK. Not myself - but I feel there is some kind of improvement. I have my girls home this weekend and am going to pick them up tomorrow. I have a long drive which I normally can do with eyes closed (not literally) but am a little apprehensive. I am hopeful that with the housefull and the nice family chaos that will go on all weekend - I will continue to feel better (I bloody hope so).

All that said - I still feel like I have been through the wringer. I still am struggling to eat and have had the runs today (surprised its taken this long - usually any nerves effect me this way).
I am thinking of phoning my surgery tomorrow and making an appointment for myself mid week next week to see my GP again. Just that if I am still feeling like this I want to ask him to check me over for something physical. I am well aware that stress and anxiety can bring on very real physical symptoms but frankly I feel like shit. So drained, weak, shakey and just pathetic. I have tummy pains, back pain am weeing for Great Britain etc etc. Do you think they will think I am a bit weird to ask for a once over if I still like this??

Wow - I have prattled on a bit . Thank you once again - ALL of you for sharing your experiences and advice with me. It really helps. Before this had happend to me this week I would never ever have guessed how absolutely awful and scarey it is. I am still quite shocked at my lack of slef control iykwim.

You are very down on yourself ('pathetic', 'lack of self control') and seem most anxious in general.

It would be very odd not to give you the once over if you presented yourself with the symptoms you are experiencing. Do get a thyroid check. xx

And check for dietary deficiencies.

& check for Kidney infections too, your last post mentions symptoms that are classic, & the shakiness & not being able to cope, insomnia anxious etc can also be symptoms -

In the past I've actually had a GP prescribe me what I thought were sleeping pills, after complaining of very similar symptoms, but turned they were actually nerve tablets, I took them & ended up in A&E - turned out I actually had a raging Kidney infection & spent a couple of weeks in hospital as a result, so please DO take it seriously & see a GP asap - & maybe drink plenty of cranberry juice in the meantime - it cant harm if its not an infection, but can help a lot if it is

& by the way, your HUMAN, not a robot, cut yourself some slack, you sound like you are coping amazingly well, whilst quite probably very ill - you need to appreciate yourself & your strengths a lot more :)

Going back to my last post Shakeyshakes, tummy upsets are another symptom (the only one I didn't have) of an overactive thyroid. I know nothing of depression and anxiety but know a little bit about hyperthyroid as I suffered it for 2yrs. Do you have a swelling at the front of your throat? where the thyroid gland is. This is called a goitre. Thyroid conditions can be misdiagnosed as depression, but a simple blood test can determine that the thyroid has gone a bit wonky.

I hope you get it sorted soon.