Physical Symtoms of Anxiety-hypochondriasis

Sugarmama · Post by **Sugarmama** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:04 am

A great number of people with anxiety also can display real physical symptoms which can lead to more anxiety and the feelings that we are dying. I thought it would be good for us to share our anxiety related physicl symtoms so maybe we can stop worrying ourselves more if we share our common symtoms of anxiety. Please don't take this as a post to ignore any type of symptoms that are not normal to you, this is in relation to those of you that know for a fact your symtoms are anxiety related and some of your symtoms have either gone away or dimenished.

I for one was having these muscle spasms and crawling like tremors throughout my body. They were happening all day everyday when my anxiety was real bad, now that I am getting better they are still there every day but they only happen every few hours. I was also having bad headaches and my whole left side at one point was tense and I was on muscle relaxers for several weeks until it finally went away. One other symptom I want to mention which is the one I hated the most, was the feeling of unreality, I was having this feeling all day everyday, I would look at my surroundings and it seemed as if I or my surrounding were not real, this has deminished almost completely I only have it every now and then.

RCA · Post by **RCA** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:43 am

Since last spring, I have had every know medical test done, but ALL my test results show there is nothing wrong with me except I have mitral vival prolapse, two bulging dics, a pinched nerve and am hypothyroide. I have had stress tests, MRI,CAT scan, heart cath.,test on my thyroide, upper/lower GI, and numerous blood tests for everything including autoimmune diseases.Before this I might have gone to the doctor once a year.I still have shortness of breathe and I feel tired most of the time. I have taken medicine for depression for many years and I am now taking something for anxiety.I walked by my doctor the other day on the street and he asked me how I was doing. I told him I still did not feel great. I also told him that I did not know if my problem was physical or mental, but I was tired of having tests done.

stephyannette · Post by **stephyannette** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:54 am

When all this came on a couple months ago, my physical symptoms consisted of pains/numbness/shakiness in my chest, fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, feeling disconnected, shortness of breath, muscle tension in my upper back and shoulders, and digestive issues.

Most of these go away after my episodes pass, some stick around to torment me for a little while though

The physical symptoms were never really my problem though. I have a hard time dealing with the cognitive ones.

ellkay · Post by **ellkay** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 4:56 am

Anxiety symptoms... hmmmm let me think! Right now I have an ache between my sholder blades. I get that alot. Is it anxiety - more then likely since I have had every test known to man and all are normal.

Tingling on my left side..... comes and goes.

An occasional skipped heart beat - normal everyone gets them.

I don't know that this is a symptom but the constant thought/worry about having anxiety. I am constantly thinking about "is this just anxiety or is something wrong with me and or my health".

Anxiety is exhausting.

Jamika · Post by **Jamika** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:32 am

Wow Sugarmama it seems like we have the same symptoms. I get dizzy, feel off balance, that unreality feeling, muscle twitching/spasms, nauseous, heart palpitaions. I have had numerous tests that come back normal but still these physical symptoms scare me and make me want to go to the ER. I never knew that anxiety was so physically debilitating.

3desrsa · Post by **3desrsa** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:32 am

I thought it was just me with the physical symptoms,I am having nose bleeds. I have never had nose bleeds this often. I now have something else to worry about. elkay you said it anxiety is exhausting.

Kelly22 · Post by **Kelly22** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:58 am

Hi Everyone!! Just wanted to let you guys know you are NOT alone with these crazy symptoms. I was and still am having muscle twitching and spasms. It almost feels like my insides are vibrating and it's scary. I told my doctor and I thought FOR SURE he would say you are crazy or you have something really wrong with you. It didn't phase him at all. He said it was high levels of znxiety. They say it can take months to a year to make it go away because when you keep cycling, things stay in overdrive and make it worse.

Also, this has been happening for a while....that strange feelings of depersonalization. I just don't feel like me and it scares me to death. I think about it and I think who am I really?!? It's hard to explain but I don't feel like my old self. I had posted another comment about this and it's almost like I don't feel familiar in my own body. Does that make sense to anyone?!? You just aren't comfortable in your own skin. You can hear yourself talk and basically it's like you are disconnected. Just living through the motions?!? Can anyone relate to that?!?

Firebug · Post by **Firebug** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:08 am

Lately my anxiety has felt just like stephyannette's cat picture looks. The one that really hurts the most is the tighness in my stomach, becouse It makes it nearly impossible to eat, wich in turn zaps my energy and motovation. I dont much care for the "mind screaming" bit eather from over anilizing things till it freaks me out knowing all the time I'm just beating myself up for no reason.

MBS · Post by **MBS** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:13 am

Kelly 22, i know exactly how you feel. i been going thru those depersonalization symptoms for a while now, thought i was losing it till i finally found out that it was a symptom of depression & anxiety. i still dont like the feelings of it but at least i know it is a symptom and that im not going crazy. i would still like to find out more about how to get rid of it asap, but all i can seem to find is to try to ignore it, but thats kinda hard to do completly on a daily basis but im trying. if anybody out there has some tips or ways to get rid of this stuff dont keep it to yourself, share the info there is a lot of people that could really better their self with some good advice or cures thanks Q.S.

Sugarmama · Post by **Sugarmama** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:39 am

Hey Guys,

Thank you so much for sharing your symptoms, I am reading these post and saying oh my goodness all these things relate to me. I am hoping that our stories will help someone so keep sharing.

Hey Jamika where are you at in Cleveland, I am in Euclid?

I wanted to say something about the depersonalization symptoms, these symptoms are pure torture to me and I hate every minute of them. There is a way to get rid of these feelings the way that worked for me was to ignore them, I would literally go to the bathroom mirror and say to myself "I am real, this is a part of my anxiety and it will go away", and then I will go and focus on something else. My therapist had me practice an approach called mindfullness where you are totally focused on everything you do. For example lets say you are washing dishes and your mind starts wandering to your problems, your health or something else. Bring your focus back to just the dishes, concentrate on every stroke of washing the dishes and if your mind wanders again bring it back. These things may sound silly but they work, I was having the feelings of depersonalizaion all day everyday and the mindfullness along with talking back to those feelings helped them go away, now I only have them every now and then. Oh and if you guys want I am willing to share everything I learn from my therapist, some of the things that she has me doing along with the program are really helping.