Health Anxiety or .....

[Misscbu17]

Hi all,

Had a challenging past few years so my anxiety has slowly ramped up (not depressed just anxious), especially on the health anxiety side.

I’m a single mum to a 3 year old girl, work part time, mum helps out a lot, good friends and family, good job etc so in terms of that life is good but I suffer bad with anxiety which started again after the birth which was a horrendous and had a lot of issues after eg catheter for two weeks, episiotomy infection, bad carpel tunnel and prolapse, all of which started to ramp my anxiety up but only slightly.

However, my anxiety has got worse the last few months - had a really bad panic attack when driving and since then I’ve suffered (last suffered with it in 2015 and went on citalapram which helped). Had a dr appointment start of March to discuss tablets as tried everything but appointment was cancelled due to lockdown.

I’ve got some health issues I’m worried about which when I google comes up with the most horrific things eg ms, mnd, als.

These are my daily symptoms;
When I stand my head sometimes pulses/throbs but blood pressure I know is fine, my hands tingle and ache - feels like carpel tunnel but strange my left foot tingles too, electric shock sensations in head occasionally, muscles firing / twitches all over body (most noticeable when I’m sitting or laying eg not busy) and sometimes I’ll jerk if I’m relaxed or falling asleep for example, reflux occasionally and pains in left breast and focusing on things like feeling like my nose is stuffy and can’t breathe. I tried to do the babinski reflex test in my feet and got nothing, which has also scared me!

Obviously nothing I can do at present re the dr and testing because we are in lockdown but the dr has said he will conduct bloods and tests when able to do so.

In the mean time, I’ve down a thriva test to check for vitamin deficiencies as I know this can be related.

Has anyone else experienced these?

I fear I sound a nut case and I would do anything to not be in this predicament but I just need reassurance and to hopefully know I’m not alone ❤️
Xx

Hello. All the symptoms you have described are easily those of anxiety disorder...

I have suffered with MH issues since 1998 so I'm no stranger ...

Back in 2011/2012 I experienced only what can be described as a full mental breakdown absolutely 200000000% convinced i had ALS. Started off as GBS, progressed to MS and finally settled at ALS (the worst). I spent literally hours a day doing neuro tests on myself (which is pointless, it's like trying to tickle yourself - can't be done), walking on tip toes, holding books between my fingers, balancing, ... I SAW muscle wasting, I had actual twitching all over my body 24/7 which my family and friends could feel which only validated my fears, i also had tingling, I couldn't swallow, I had this internal vibration that was relentless, I had weakness in my hands and legs.... I joined up to an ALS forum convinced I had it, sharing my 'story' with others only to be told to 'get help' which made me angry because they didn't believe me, same as my family, they didn't believe me either... I was constantly trying to get them to understand what I was going through. I had planned for my future when I could no longer walk... where my bed would go.. etc. I was calling my mother all hours of the night to come and see me because I had noticed ANOTHER symptom. I recall it was about 1145pm and I thought my tongue was wonky - I was taking pictures and could see there was something wrong, so I called her to come and see... baring in mind, my mother was late 60s at the time and she lives 15 mins away!!!

I was seeing the doctor up to 3 times A DAY (they'd always get me in because I was bonkers but I never believed him when he said I was fine!)... I was sent to a neurologist and was given an EMG, but they didn't test the 'bad' side ... I got half way home after the appointment and got my mother to drive me all the way back to confront the examiner. I really did confront him with my fear enhanced rage and was escorted out. I was absolutely crazy. During that period which lasted all of Dec 2011, Jan/Feb 2012 if I wasn't googling symptoms, on the forum, testing myself, at the doctors I found solace in alcohol. Now, I'd never been a drinker in my life, but it was the only way I could escape the hell I was experiencing... I would lay in the bath for hours and hours drinking ... it was the only place where I couldn't use the internet or test myself. On one of my last visits to the doctor late Feb 2012 I was told I either take medication or I would be sectioned... I chose meds. A few days later at the doctors (they now had a chaperone in the room as well because I was so volatile and unpredictable) I was told my EMG was clear apart from an issue with my spine which would cause a few of my symptoms.... not all, a few!

After being on meds for a number of weeks, slowly the symptoms disappeared. Basically because my brain at the point was so messed up, everything I read, I got.... within days....

I really do feel for you, but I can pretty much guarantee you have nothing wrong apart from severe anxiety disorder. Some vitamin deficiencies could potentially cause some minor symptoms, so it's worth looking into that, but I'd say, GAD...

How are you doing OP?

I’m also finding that lockdown really doesn’t help with the health anxiety - you get so over-attuned to your body that everything seems sinister in the end, and the anxiety itself also causes very real physical symptoms which seem like more compounding ‘evidence’! It’s all a matter of perspective, but it’s sooo hard to flip the switch when we’re inside most of the day. Anyway, I just wanted to say I understand and for what it’s worth, I totally agree with pp that it sounds like a lot of your symptoms are just down to you being in this constant, heightened state of stress, even the breast pain. Obviously go for the tests if the GP is offering, but it’s so much more likely that you’re fine. Big hugs though as it’s exhausting. Do you think this might be some kind of displacement strategy related to bigger anxieties about work, coronavirus etc?

Also, just to dwell on the power the mind has on physical symptoms - time after time I’ve found that once I stopped focusing on pain (somehow), it would disappear. So headaches, cramps etc, what felt like really debilitating pain which I thought must have an ‘organic’ physical cause was probably down to muscle tension due to stress. Obviously this isn’t applicable to all pain, not to insult anyone who suffers chronic pain, but in many cases the mental factor is probably pretty decisive. Sometimes I’ll suddenly realise I’ve been clenching my stomach or jaw for ages - it becomes a habit in the end.

ElfieSelfies Omg, that’s like reading my life! I have EVERYTHING you had! So grateful! I’m seriously going to stop this nonsense right now! Thank you thank you thank you!

The inner tremor! I have it all. I’ve never known if it was psychological but it came on after intense stress. God, I’m going to sort my life out I really am.

I’m so sorry you went through such a terrible time, it’s even harder when people don’t understand how real the symptoms are to us.

I totally get what you say about reading symptoms and then suddenly developing symptoms - it’s a vicious circle.

I’m just in such a state of panic, I’ve got all sorts of symptoms that all point to me thinking I have Ms or something worse. But the sensible side wants to believe it’s anxiety or something that’s always been the way with my body eg seeing more dim colour in my right eye - maybe it’s something I’ve only just noticed and am now focusing on!

I’ve started citalapram today so I hope it calms me down slightly! I do feel like the dr is taking it slow as they want to see if symptoms subside now I’m taking something but I just want an Mri to reassure me or find out what’s wrong so I can either deal with it or move on! Xx

Hi,

Started tablets today so am hoping it takes the edge off! I’m trying not to spend all my time googling as it al points to Ms or something horrible.

I think you’re right, not working and all of this down time makes you focus on things you normally wouldn’t and with health anxiety you focus on everything and anything!

I’m
Getting such bad tension headaches nearly which are horrid but I think that’s stress and not sleeping xx

Hi!

Can totally relate to how you feel and definitely agree with the others who say how being in lockdown makes you hyper focus on everything! My boyfriend has been overly focused on the house (keeps noticing cracks in the walls and things that need re painting etc) whereas my focus was on my weight/body image, tidying/decluttering, my past/mistakes I thought I'd made then it has now turned to my body and every little sensation there which is unbearable. I went on venlafaxine (I know it's got bad reviews) as well as started CBT counselling over videocall. I also started getting tension/hormonal migraines on one side of my head which isnt good.

How are you getting on with the tablets? Have you been sleeping better?

Hi @Misscbu17
How you doing? I'm going through similar and I'm so worried. I also suffer with health anxiety.

Hi,

I am a different person since starting citalopram and also going on iron tablets. The citalopram worked well but the main symptoms were related to me being anaemic (it’s incredible what a deficiency can mimic) and also anxiety can mimic so much within your body too!

I still have episodes where I feel panic attacks coming but I am so much stronger now!

Hope you are ok - never be afraid to ask for help ❤️

@Misscbu17 so glad to hear you are doing better. I've suffered with health anxiety my whole life but the past 6 months have been horrendous. I'm having panic attacks, tingling, pins and needles, tension headaches. I'm thinking of giving gP a call but I think they are sick of hearing from me lol x