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GAD and Constant Physical Symptoms
I know that I'm not the first person on this site (or other similar sites) to have these concerns, but how can anxiety be causing all of the physical symptoms that I feel all day, every day? I feel jittery and lightheaded and off-balance (like I'm swaying even (or especially) when I'm sitting or standing still)...my legs feel wobbly (even though no one can see them shaking)....I get tense muscles in my neck and shoulders and (not surprisingly) headaches....it all started seemingly out-of-the-blue in March 2013 and hasn't really let up since then (although I've had a few good weeks and months where I felt better)....I'm seeing a psychiatrist, have tried medication, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, exercise and nothing has seemed to help. I've had probably eight ECGs, loads of blood work, an MRI (brain), five trips to the ER, countless visits to my GP (as well as a few other primary care physicians when I started to doubt my GP's diagnosis).....I'm constantly (and compulsively) Googling my symptoms, which (of course) causes more anxiety, but I can't seem to help myself. I guess the million dollar question is....how do you TRULY accept that everything you're feeling is anxiety? I cannot seem to convince myself and so waste more time than I can count in search of the "real" diagnosis....UGH!!! Right now, I'm convinced that I have heart disease.....but tomorrow it could just as easily be something else. I'd love to hear from y'all, especially those of you who have similar physical symptoms everyday...how do you cope? And how do you learn to trust your medical team? Sorry for the long post....
I could have written most everything all three of you have written. My journey began 3.5 years ago with an out-of-the-blue, intense, and long-lasting panic attack during which I was absolutely convinced I was dying. I had no idea what was happening, and no one could/would tell me. Two weeks later with help from Web MD I self-diagnosed it as a panic attack. I've struggled with panic/anxiety, and its myriad of symptoms, to this day. While I haven't fully conquered my condition (not sure I ever will fully do so), I have learned a lot along the way. A few examples...
1. Don't be hyper-vigilant and focus on your symptoms. I once gave myself a full-blown panic attack by focusing on my dizziness/lightheadedness and getting myself worked up over it. I learned the hard way that it's best to "plow through" those symptoms. Just keep going about your normal activities and ignore the symptoms as best you can. Focus your attention and energies outward to the world and people around you, not inward on your symptoms. Eventually those symptoms will subside, at least somewhat.
2. Call anxiety's bluff. Say "Screw it. If something bad is going to happen to me, then let it happen. I'm tired of living my life in fear. Bring it on." Nothing will happen, which should be no surprise. After all, how long have you been dealing with anxiety and your fears? How many months/years will it take before you finally realize anxiety is a poser, tricking you into believing you have a serious illness or that something bad is going to happen? You've sacrificed enough of your life on the altar of anxiety. It's time to take back your life.
3. Don't give in to your fears. A while back, my family and I were on vacation traveling to Florida. We had stopped for the night, and I woke up early the next morning with a terrible feeling of dread. I wanted very much to turn around and go home, and told my wife so. But I realized that if we did, I would convince myself that I couldn't handle taking a trip with the family. I knew right then that I *needed* to continue our trip, if only to prove to myself that I could. I instantly found the resolve to press on, and we ended up having a nice time. Moral of the story -- don't buy into the lies that your anxiety would have you believe.
As for the dizziness/anxiety, I saw a neurologist recently who suggested taking Ativan a couple of times every day whether I felt anxious or not. His strategy is that by alleviating my underlying anxiety, I might basically "reset" my brain and the dizziness will go away. We'll see how that goes.
Two good resources are The Anxiety Guru (google it), and Reid Wilson's book "Don't Panic."
I hope one or more of those suggestions proves worthwhile. God bless us all!
1. Don't be hyper-vigilant and focus on your symptoms. I once gave myself a full-blown panic attack by focusing on my dizziness/lightheadedness and getting myself worked up over it. I learned the hard way that it's best to "plow through" those symptoms. Just keep going about your normal activities and ignore the symptoms as best you can. Focus your attention and energies outward to the world and people around you, not inward on your symptoms. Eventually those symptoms will subside, at least somewhat.
2. Call anxiety's bluff. Say "Screw it. If something bad is going to happen to me, then let it happen. I'm tired of living my life in fear. Bring it on." Nothing will happen, which should be no surprise. After all, how long have you been dealing with anxiety and your fears? How many months/years will it take before you finally realize anxiety is a poser, tricking you into believing you have a serious illness or that something bad is going to happen? You've sacrificed enough of your life on the altar of anxiety. It's time to take back your life.
3. Don't give in to your fears. A while back, my family and I were on vacation traveling to Florida. We had stopped for the night, and I woke up early the next morning with a terrible feeling of dread. I wanted very much to turn around and go home, and told my wife so. But I realized that if we did, I would convince myself that I couldn't handle taking a trip with the family. I knew right then that I *needed* to continue our trip, if only to prove to myself that I could. I instantly found the resolve to press on, and we ended up having a nice time. Moral of the story -- don't buy into the lies that your anxiety would have you believe.
As for the dizziness/anxiety, I saw a neurologist recently who suggested taking Ativan a couple of times every day whether I felt anxious or not. His strategy is that by alleviating my underlying anxiety, I might basically "reset" my brain and the dizziness will go away. We'll see how that goes.
Two good resources are The Anxiety Guru (google it), and Reid Wilson's book "Don't Panic."
I hope one or more of those suggestions proves worthwhile. God bless us all!
1 Comments
How did the ativan. Brain reset go
I have very similar problems. lightheadedness, pains, chest tightness, feels like i can barrly breathe, very tense muscles, muscles twitches. Ive been to the ER , the doctor, had blood test, xray, everything was normal. Im always freaking out thinking i have something wrong. In the past month ive thought i had fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, stroke, heart attack, some sort of brain issues. i know i have anxiety and that it is probably causing all this but i still cant convince myself that its not something very serious. And of course im always in the internet looking up symptoms and diseases which i know it not bright at all. Im not sure there is a way to know that its just the anxiety but im hopeful that we can find a way to control it.
Trust me, it does! I suffer with the same condition, I just get different symptoms. Last time I went to the doctors, I took an envelope FULL of symptoms and the only thing I came out with was a referral for health anxiety CBT and some cream for a burn on my finger I did from a curling wand ha! I am just now until I get my counselling trying to convince myself that I'm fine, and that what I've been to the doctors about before has been checked and I just try to enjoy life instead of fearing it. And yeah, it feels a lot better. I've been through the worries of skin cancer, ovarian cancer, liver, pancreatic, breast cancer...all to no real avail but to worry! I'm sorry I can't fully relate as my symptoms are different...but I went through something similar to yourself years ago and thought I was honestly dying...I was put on Citalopram and they made me really dazed...so that gave me the kick up the bum to bin them and sort myself out. Yet here I am again but going down a different route now as apparently the pills mask the symptoms, rather than get to the bottom of them. I have THE most understanding doctor. And the last time I went to see her, she gave me my list of symptoms back and said I can cross them off one by one when I'm ready...that day, the list when in the bin and I've not looked back. Trust me, get out, do lots, you will find you feel SOOOOOO much better and healthier and surprise yourself. Take care xxxx
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