Could anxiety cause these symptoms?

[Nangaroo]

I'm just trying to understand what might be wrong with me. I've suffered with debilitating anxiety disorders for the past 7 years. I've been on Ativan for the past four years, atenolol for almost 3 years now, and between the two of those meds (and dumping my husband who was a huge source of anxiety for me) I finally felt strong enough to go back to work in 2006. I felt like I'd conquered the world because I went back to work. It was a great feeling. My panic attacks virtually disappeared, though I still struggled with agoraphobia and general anxiety. I met a great guy in 2007 who broke my heart and I've been in a deep depression ever since. In November I was fired from my job and lost physical contact with the guy (we still talk on the phone) but all of this has put such stress on me I can't stand it. I've applied for so many jobs these past four months and can't even get an interview. I had to go on welfare. I'm very lonely. Kind of live in the middle of nowhere with no transportation of my own. Just everything seems a mess. I feel absolutely hopeless. Panic started to come back and then I got something new. About a month ago I got a mild sensation of weakness in my right forearm in a place where I had previously torn two muscles. It felt awful, but only lasted about 30 seconds. Within a few days the awful feeling had spread all over my arm and I started to feel it in my right leg as well. Then after a couple more days my right hand began to spasm, pulling my fingers in toward my palm, then after a couple more days it started causing my toes in my right foot to spasm in the same way. These attacks last about 30-60 seconds and are accompanied by a horrible sensation, not pain, but I can't even describe it. Now the spasms are all the way into my right forehead and I feel that horrible sensation all over the right side of my body. I've been to 2 PCPs and just saw a neurologist 2 days ago. I had an EMG and EEG and he didn't say one word about what he thought it might be. He did say something to a nurse who was with him during the EMG. He said "Could be MS related anxiety." I asked him if he thought I had MS and he said "No, no, but you need an MRI on your brain." And left the room. So my question is, could this thing, whatever it is, be stress/anxiety related? I've had some weird symptoms in my time, but nothing quite like this. Has anyone else had anything like this? I'm also having a strange sensation that I've a couple of times in years past after very stressful events where my skin feels hot and tender to the touch and if I come in contact with anything cold, I feel heat.

[JSGeare]

And to top everything off, you post here and nobody answers you.

Well, I've answered you and I'm sure you'll be hearing from others, as well.

No question of the fact that "thorough workup time" has arrived to rule out as many things as possible. The mere thought that other things might be at work in you -even if remote-is a contributor to the anxiety, of course. So, for right now the mission is to get all those test results in and see what we have.

I do see you were fired twice -once by a boyfriend, and also from your job. Can you say more about those incidents? I'm wondering how they might contribute to or shed light upon whatever stirs up the anxiety.

We're with you!

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

hi, so sorry to hear what you are going through , and yes thats enough to throw anyone over the edge. ive not had any of the things you have going on , but anxiety can do so many things to your body and everyone is different, like i have the burn/tingling of the ears not many have said they have that. i get real weak feeling  and they never the same because as soon as you get used to whats happening to your body it changes up onyou gives you something new to deal with, so that throws you off and you start thinking well i never had this before is it anxiety or is there something really wrong with me, step back and listen to your body if it comes and goes its probley anxiety. yes plz have a work up go have the mri it gives you peace of mind. we are here for you . as far as job take day by day, if nothing comes a long you want take a smaller job and work back up to what you want to be doing. good luch here if you need to talk.Barbara

[cj29]

You are doing the right thing by working with your doctors getting your diagnostic testing done.  I too have suffered from anxiety and agoraphobia which totally debilitated me for awhile three years ago.  I went on medication and talked to a great therapist to learn about where this all was stemming from.  Then I was panic free just like you, and I thought I was in the clear.

My anxiety came back after over 2 years of never really worrying about it.  Now that it is back, I am doing the same thing I did last time to confront it.  In a way it is more depressing but you do have the knowledge to deal and cope with it as long as what is learned is applied.  This bout of anxiety, which is health related to me, came about during times of tranistion and family members being sick.  You are going through many changes right now and stress and anxiety can add to so many symptoms.

It sounds like you are taking the right steps, and keep on using this forum because so many people here have/are going through what you are experiencing and care about what happens.

[Nangaroo]

Thanks for replying. I had forgotten about how anxiety works, you know, conquer one thing that's bothering you and something else comes along soon to keep you down. It is a vicious cycle. I find that the less attention I give to something it usually goes away. Even with what I'm going through now, which is almost always triggered by movement of my right arm, I've noticed that if I am preoccupied with something else it doesn't happen. Weird, huh? Plus, so many doctors tend to dismiss those of us with anxiety issues, like "Ugh, here he/she goes again." And JSGeare, if you want to know about my firings you'd have to be willing to read a short book. =)

[Nangaroo]

Thanks for replying. I had forgotten about how anxiety works, you know, conquer one thing that's bothering you and something else comes along soon to keep you down. It is a vicious cycle. I find that the less attention I give to something it usually goes away. Even with what I'm going through now, which is almost always triggered by movement of my right arm, I've noticed that if I am preoccupied with something else it doesn't happen. Weird, huh? Plus, so many doctors tend to dismiss those of us with anxiety issues, like "Ugh, here he/she goes again." And JSGeare, if you want to know about my firings you'd have to be willing to read a short book. =)