Has anyone else experienced this?

wiskersonkittens · Post by **wiskersonkittens** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 6:37 am

Hello! I know we have all experienced the ususal symptoms of anxiety -- racing heart, difficulty breathing, light headed-ness, etc. I have experienced these to no end, but it seems as though my body constantly wants to change my symptoms, I think to just frighten me. My most recent is burning sensations. I experienced them once while briefly on PAXIL and chocked it up to the drug and stopped taking it after just 3 doses. However, last night I experienced them again -- I felt the burning slowly creeping down my back. I know I was concerned about something prior and rationalized it that way, but I feel I am the only one who has experienced this. Has anyone else gotten those burning sensations? Does anyone know what causes it? Please know over the course of the last few months of extreme anxiety, I have had EKGs, X-rays, blood work, even a CT scan of my brain and everything has come back just fine. I am trying not to let it frighten me, but I can't deny that it does. I feel if I knew others out there experienced the same thing, it wouldn't be as scary. Thanks! Oh, also can anxiety really be that tricky -- it can sneak up on you, giving you new and odd symptoms, even though you don't feel anxious?

LaceyM · Post by **LaceyM** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:37 pm

i think the symptoms are different with everyone. my dad (who happens to be an M.D. and helping coach me through my anxiety) says.."now Lacey just remember knowledge is power." The more research i do, the better i feel. although i'm still learning.. knowing that it's just anxiety really calms me down sometimes. my interpretation on your burning sensations is that that's how your anxiety is manifesting itself. sometimes i'll feel totally fine but will all of a sudden break out in hot flash. im 23! i know i'm not menopausal, i just have a lot of crazy hormones in my body due to anxiety. the key is, don't let it scare you, just let it pass. and remember, knowledge is power~

Nana June · Post by **Nana June** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:15 pm

I get LOTS of burning sensations. It starts sometimes in my neck and or shoulders. Then, it creeps down my back or sometimes my arms starting at the shoulder and working down to my elbows. There are times it goes up my neck into the base of my head, too.

I do have fibromyalgia, and I attribute it to that sometimes, but sometimes I think it is just anxiety. I started with these symptoms when I was caring for my stepmom who was living in my house on hospice, and I was her only caretaker. She was only 60 when she came down with cancer, and my dad who is much older than her and in poor health could not care for her. So, they moved in with me. Once she began reaching the end stages of her cancer and we knew she was going to pass soon, my anxiety went through the roof, and that's when I began the burning. Once I began getting my life back together, it got much better and mostly quit for a while. Now, I am taking care of my elderly dad full-time (he remained living with us after my stepmom passed), and his health is failing. It seems like I spend every waking moment caring for him and taking him to doctors and specialists. So, now I am having an FM flare-up, my anxiety has returned, and so has the burning.

BUT - it does help to know it is the anxiety, so I can self-talk my way out of a major panic attack! I thought I was the only one with burning muscles. I am sorry you are going through such a bad time, but I am glad you posted this, so I would know it's not something awful about to happen and it's not just the fibromyalgia. It's kind of weird how knowing the symptoms can be manifested from anxiety helps the anxiety to leave. I'm still pretty new to this program, and I really appreciate everyone's posts. It helps to know you're not alone in this!

pleasehelp · Post by **pleasehelp** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:12 pm

I have, on occasion, experienced those burning sensations. I've also experienced a 'cool burn' sensation. Hard to describe, I suppose.

I've had all of the tests you've mentioned, as well as others (heart ultrasound, etc.).

My newest symptom is facial numbness. It seems to get much better when I am relaxed. After two days of being panic-free, I actually had very little-to-no numbness, whereas a week earlier, when I was having panic attacks several times a day, I have pretty pronounced numbness 24/7. But it is very scary, yes.

Kumiko · Post by **Kumiko** » Tue Jul 22, 2008 4:15 pm

I've had that burning senstation after I tried Celexa and Lexapro and I stopped taking them. My therapist said that maybe it is seratonin overload and I may be sensitive to the SSRI's and felt I should not take them again. The second time I went to the ER and the admitting nurse explained that the sensation is normal for those type meds for some and it was a common symptom in people who try SSRI's. He told me to go home and it would just wear itself off. I notied the more I ddrank water the more I would get those sensations too. So I had dry mouth and was wide eyed for hours until it wore off. The first time I felt incredible heat from the top of my head to my thighs and the second time it was my back and neck. Weird feeling!
Now sometimes it seems my body wants to mimick it (the burning sensation) when I am anxious.

LMM · Post by **LMM** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:29 am

Yes, i have symptom shifts. I recently completed lesson 12, and at athe same time went to see a neurologist to talk about my symptoms and get checked, and now my "off balance" symptom has shifted to sligth tremers in my right hand, and feeling a little shakey. so, i am now just "underreacting" to this. Burning sensations have been documented to be a symptom of anxiety.

Gina Marie · Post by **Gina Marie** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 10:27 am

I have has both the cool burning sensation and the burning sensation. Both symptoms were felt on and off the medication. Take comfort in knowing they are symptoms related to the anxiety. Body symptoms felt to let you know you are approaching an anxiety attack. Try to think about that when they come. Float through it and in time they will disappear.