Help! Scared of my symptoms!

Anxious Jenny · Post by **Anxious Jenny** » Wed May 20, 2009 12:21 pm

Hi everyone! I'm having bad anxiety the past couple days! I went to my best friends baby shower on saturday and her mother had a stroke right there at the shower. She's doing fine thank God but since them I seem to be mimicking a stroke symptoms. Can this happen? It was also a very tough week last week. I have slight tingly numbness feeling on the left side of my face and around my eye. And my eye is a little blurry. I also get numbness and tingling down the left side of my body. I am 28, have great blood pressure, great cholesterol and both EKG's have come out fine. I do smoke though which I'm in the process of quitting and I'm anemic and on iron pills. Does anyone else get these symptoms?
I think I'm just freaking myself out here but its hard not thinking I'm having a stroke or something fatal. I hate this!
Help!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 20, 2009 1:33 pm

Yes it's your anxiety that is causing your symptoms. You witnessed someone having a stroke and it scared you. You are now fixated on stroke symptoms and your mind is causing your body to feel similar symptoms. I've had stroke-like symptoms before and it was caused by my anxiety. You are fine and you need to tell yourself that. Positive thoughts!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 20, 2009 1:52 pm

AnxiousJenny...You will be fine!!! You are perfectly healthy. It is only normal for someone with anxiety to become consumed with worry, when they see someone having a stroke.

Of course, your brain picked up on that one!!!
You became sooo scared; therefore, you began having all the symptoms of a stroke!!!!

This is just your brain playing tricks on you!!!
You are NOT having a stroke!!!

I pray you have a great night free from worry and fear...God Bless..

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 20, 2009 3:47 pm

Hi. I get that numb or tingly feeling in my arms and face too sometimes. Also I've had feelings of my jaw feeling like it's clammping shut real tight. It's all only our nerves. And we have to do the breathing and tell ourselves positive things. Talk to ourselves like we would a good friend. Say assuring things. Like "this is just anxiety, it will pass, I'm ok, it's just a symptom. Tell yourself you are safe. Then prove it to yourself by doing something. This may sound strange to you but I usually eat a slice of cheese and it seems to help for some reason. Maybe it's the calcium or potassium in it. Get busy, do something, dust,clean the fridge, write a letter, call a friend on the phone. It always helps me to do something to distract myself. This is also a great time to listen to the relaxation cd. Try not to be afraid of the symptoms and only say positive things to yourself. Hope this helps.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 22, 2009 7:16 am

Thank you everyone for your responses! It helps a lot to know that there are other people that can sympathize with me. It's so hard to explain to people that don't have anxiety. The only thing they seem to be able to say is "you need to calm down." I understand that they don't understand and it's not their fault. I cause it by thinking there is something wrong with me or my heart. I haven't been working on my breathing and the relaxation cd in a while too. Which is silly! Thank you all again for your positive affirmations. It truly helps coming from people that understand! xoxo!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 27, 2009 4:44 am

Anxious Jenny,
I have the same exact symptoms and have had them for several years on and off now. It scares me every time I get them. My mother had a stroke right in front of me. It was the scariest thing I ever witnessed and unfortunately she died that same night. I get the numbness tingling down one side (left usually sometimes right though), the funny eye, vision, all of that but I know it is my anxiety getting the best of me. Keep on truckin' through. I am 33 and fortunately we are young enough not to have to worry but quitting smoking is always a good idea! Good luck!