I've always had symptoms like upset stomach, cold and heat waves, but in the past few months they have worsened and now I have some really random stuff like:

- constant shaking of hands and legs
- leg pain
- sometimes my chest shakes when I breath out, so I have difficulties breathing normally
- muscles spasms when I swallow (but not while I drink or eat, only for normal relaxed swallowing), which can happen during the whole day or once in a while, and gave me a terror of swallowing
- dry mouth
- random laughing fits??
- rigidity in random parts of the body, muscles always contracted
- everything is much brighter and I have difficulty focusing or looking at the peripheral of my sight
- random crying fits
- heartburn
- general tensing in my neck area that ends up in headache, nausea, dizzyness

So I guess, this is not getting any better.

Hi Kjp1409

i can certainly relate to your post.

as soon as some physical symptom stops and I feel reassured I’m in a few months later I get a different one.it is so exhausting

i have had everything from headaches, to pins and needles , tight neck, difficulty breathing,severe leg cramps,weakness in my limbs . You name it . I find though reading through these posts reassuring. Even when I don’t think I have anxiety these symptoms appear it’s so weird!!!

Hello,

I relate to a lot of these symptoms (digestive issues, catastrophising, planning escape route, sometimes heart racing) as part of my general anxiety, but I feel like I can manage these.

What I cannot manage well and I haven't seen mentioned is sudden anxiety that comes with certain work meetings (or even thinking of them) - generally where there may be conflict, emotion or i feel a little over my head.

In these situations my physical symptoms are very different. I feel a dropping sensation in my stomach, I cannot get words out, and i feel my mouth pulling down / chin wobbling as thought i'm about to cry. I've become so paranoid about this happening now that it's become much more daunting than the topic of the meeting itself. Has anyone had these sorts of symptoms?

Yes, I experience a huge variety of symptoms and they vary each time. When I'm really anxious for long periods I can't eat. I've dropped 8 kilos in a year and I was small to begin with. I'm getting worried about this.

blondguy -Paul - what assistance do you get from your gp? I see you regularly check in with yours. I can only see my psych every six weeks and I really feel like I need more help.

Hi Everyone and Thanks to Annabay for the super helpful thread topic too!

Hey Dan....I used to have the same symptoms for a long time.....and they are awful to have! The earlier the symptoms are treated the better your recovery will be. The frequency of our appointments also help us with the rocky road to recovery too!

Hey Katy....always a treat to see you on the forums!

GP assistance......Great question! Many people including myself years ago thought GP's were only good at treating physical issues...Here are the benefits we can have with frequent appointments...

• Monthly/Fortnightly/Weekly visits help us decrease any ongoing overthinking
• Being able to vent what we feel.....this is a great feeling after we leave our appointment!
• GP's have a greater understanding re anxiety/depression now compared to even 10 years ago
• The GP will keep the discussion on track and help us....as long as we are honest with them of course
• This is my 23rd year seeing my GP every 6-8 weeks for a 'fine tune'

The psychiatrists are experts and we sometimes need their help depending on the severity of our symptoms and if specialised meds are required....The psychologists can help us rebuild our mindset yet the appointments are placed too far apart (and expensive) to have a similar benefit as seeing a GP on a regular basis

When I had chronic anxiety I had weekly/fortnightly appointments with my GP...now its every 6-8 weeks

You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by confiding in your GP Katy...It may be difficult at first yet you will feel a lot better after each visit.....Even to start with a double appointment is a bonus too so our doc can understand what we are going through

my kind thoughts

Paul

I think the easier question to answer would be “what symptoms doesn’t your anxiety manifest as”!! Mine does just about everything on a rotating basis.

My psychologist once asked me to write a list of all my physical symptoms Head to toe and no kidding their was over 50 things on it. Everything from tingling lips to brain fog, shooting leg pains, jaw pain, headache, chest pain, palpitations, blurry vision, hair falling out, metallic tastes, ear pain, fingers tingling, nausea, diarrhoea, itching, the list goes on.

This is the nature of the beast but if we all stick together, we can get through this.

HelpsAlwaysNear96 - absolutely agree, it's always changing. Love your positivity too though, it's much easier with support :)

blondguy (Paul) - thanks for your response. Yes, I've never really thought of my gp in that way. Although my gp has made it clear she's always available to me if I'm feeling low, and she made regular appointments for me to see her when I was in a rough spot and had a while to wait until I could see my psych. So it appears you are quite correct. This is really good to know, and as such, thanks for sharing.

Hi all and thanks for the interesting topic!

Sorry for barging in but it's fascinating to see the wide range of syptoms. I get the usual stomach churning and chest palpitations when I'm nervous, and also have regular stress-headaches (sometimes migraines but that's been much better lately). Plus I intermittently suffer from heartburn which might be anxiety-related (hard to tell). But when I'm truly anxious I get a horrible choking feeling. As if I was suddently growing an enormous Adam's apple that would block the respiratory track. I hate it because this symptom actually makes me even more anxious and it can stay for days. It's quite painful too :(

I've also had panick attacks a couple of years ago where I got pins and needles in the weirdest places (jaw, tongue, fingers...), difficulty finding words, and one time I even had a partial paralysis in my arms/shoulders (couldn't raise my arms anymore). Crazy how powerful the mind is! I thought I was having a stroke or a brain tumor...

Recently something else has happened that I suspect might be a symptom of anxiety too - a weird local burning sensation on my skin when touched (even barely) - but there is no rash, no dry skin, nothing that could explain it. It's a bit as if my nerves where really raw or hypersensitive. Anyone else ever experienced this? It's pretty weird. Not suuper painful but quite draining when it continues for a few days. It's often on the inside of my wrists/fore-arm although last time it was my whole left thigh... I'll go to the doctor if it happens again just to rule out any actual physical problem.

Cheers to my fellow worriers

Mil

I wish my GP was up to the challenge. The first time I brought up my anxiety he set me homework to read a self help book I had to order from the library "The happiness trap". A book about depression, but sure I read it. I dont think he gets it, mental illness I mean. He once said to my son with rapid cycling bipolar that he didn't look sick ... I mean ...

My symptoms vary:
heart burn
headaches
tachycadia
palpitations
Exceedingly high blood pressure/white coat syndrome
tremors
crying
mutism
indecision
dissociation
flight ... like just up and leaving, quickly, running away! (not ideal in pre-op)
need for deep pressure sensory input
high startle reaction
hyper vigilance
procrastination
social isolation
form/ paperwork avoidance
phone avoidance
confrontation avoidance
dry mouth
dermatillomania
OCD
impaired emotional regulation
buzzing under my skin, sometimes like a tiny electrical current that doesnt hurt, up to full on bee/butterfly invasion
panic
crowd avoidance
new venue avoidance

I have overcome my binge drinking, that was over 10 years ago.
I have been advised that some of this stems from a possible autism link and looking at my son I can see that possibility, but diagnosis this late stage in a female would be pointless

I get worried, so so worried that something bad is going to happen. I feel like I should just run away.

I get the runs, my stomach churns and I feel like I cant breath.

Then my OCD plays havoc.

My GP is an absolute legend. She has helped and supported me every step of the way and her door is always open for me. I see a psychologist on friday to start getting myself help ive put off for so long!

we can only get telepsyche here. I feel like it cant even be a bandaid option for an artery bleed

Hi Everyone and thankyou to Annabay for the great thread topic too :-)

Hey Katy....Thankyou for your caring post....You are helping so many people with sharing your experience with these awful physical symptoms of anxiety we experience

Hey Mil....You can barge in as many times as you wish on the forms :-) You speak from the heart and thankyou for your helpful post too! I have had the same heartburn type of feeling in my throat as well and (subject to your doc's opinion) it can be not only painful but a nuisance too...Sometimes I feel I have a golf ball in my throat and my doc keeps telling me its part of having acid reflux as a result of anxiety....Just my humble opinion Mil...Milk does help with this as it calms our stomach and is a natural calmative too! Thankyou Mil

Hey Gambit87....Thankyou for your heartfelt post and mentioning " My GP is an absolute legend. She has helped and supported me every step of the way and her door is always open for me. I see a psychologist on friday to start getting myself help ive put off for so long"! You have a proactive mindset where your anxiety is concerned..Nice1

Hey Lady Nova......Im sorry that you are going through such an awful time with your illness...There are no experts on the forums....just heaps of gentle people that can help support you with their own life experiences with this horrible condition

You mentioned "we can only get telepsyche here. I feel like it cant even be a bandaid option for an artery bleed" I used to have chronic anxiety for a long time until I started having frequent ongoing counselling with a psychiatric nurse every week which worked wonders. You are always welcome to start up your own thread if you wish as well!

We need to have determination and a strong desire to heal for our recovery even when we are struggling

my kind thoughts

Paul

Wow what a great thread! This is my first post.

My physical symptoms are chest pains, heart palpitations, obsessive disaster scenarios, shallow breathing, avoidance, and a few others that I can’t think of right now.

My anxiety has gotten so much worse since I had my daughter 17m ago. I’ve stayed up all night watching her breathing, I’ve called an ambulance because my heart rate was going up and down from 60-120, and I’ve had tests on my heart due to palpitations and pains.

I had a miscarriage 6 weeks ago, and the last 2 weeks I’ve had migraines with aura including once when I couldn’t talk; or the wrong words were coming out. It was terrifying. I’ve only just considered that this tingling in my hands, feet and face and cold hands and feet might actually be anxiety ...

Not physical but the absolute worse thing about my anxiety is the obsessive thoughts that something bad will happen to me and take me away from my daughter and family ... then the anxiety from that causes physical symptoms which convinces me that something really is wrong. Such a viscous cycle.

Hi Mil,

"Recently something else has happened that I suspect might be a symptom of anxiety too - a weird local burning sensation on my skin when touched (even barely) - but there is no rash, no dry skin, nothing that could explain it. It's a bit as if my nerves where really raw or hypersensitive. Anyone else ever experienced this? It's pretty weird. Not suuper painful but quite draining when it continues for a few days. It's often on the inside of my wrists/fore-arm although last time it was my whole left thigh... I'll go to the doctor if it happens again just to rule out any actual physical problem."

I have had something similar for months now, although it seems to be getting less now. I don't know whether it is time and rest or the amount of tests I have had ruling out serious nerve issues (MRI's, bloodtests, Nerve Conduction Studies, all seemed fine). I am starting to think this was caused by some kind of mental breakdown last year, maybe due to stress (which I really did not see coming, but in hindsight might have been possible).

My youngest son, 16, is on the Autism Spectrum. I always try to keep open dialogues with my children, but I am challenged to explain things to my youngest in terms HE can relate to. This time I gave him a name for the way he sometimes feels

My son & I were out & about running errands together. On the way home on a small coastal “major” road I began to have an anxiety attack so I took a detour into a park with sweeping bay views & we talked

Me: Mummy’s just having a moment sweetheart. Let’s look at the water for a while & see if I calm down

Son: What’s it like?

Me: It’s like tight metal bands around my chest making breathing really hard
It’s tears hiding just behind my eyes burning to escape

It’s my heart racing & feeling like it wants to escape my chest
It’s my limbs being heavy, cold, numb, unresponsive
It’s a bone deep shudder that just wont stop
It’s a fear so critical I need to get away, but I don’t know what from
It’s an icy creepy feeling up my back
It’s hairs all over my body standing up like goose bumps
It’s a sweaty, sticky, gross, clammy feeling in my hands, my hair & my feet
It’s a feeling of dread like something really bad is just about to happen, but I don’t know what

Son: Can you really feel all that? What makes it happen to you?

Me: It’s like my brain tells me lots of stories of all the things that could go wrong & they worry me

Son: you can’t stop the stories?

Me: I try very hard to not pay attention to them, but it’s like I have port holes, little boat windows, of reality in my windscreen & mirrors, but all around there are flashes of horrible possibility trying to distract me

Son: What sort of images?

Me: a dog running into the road, a child, a ball, a stroller
Insects crashing guts all over the windscreen, pelican poo, or a bird
Branches falling, rocks flying, pot holes, bridges collapsing
You hurt

Son: none of that was real

Me: I know it the whole time, but the stress of it makes my body react as if it were real. Adrenalin gets released into my blood stream & I can’t help feeling all the things that real disaster creates in a body

Son: are you ok now?

Me: I’m much better thank you

Son: Why do you thank me?

Me: Because focusing on your questions gave my brain something to do other than panic

Son: I helped you?

Me: More than you could possibly imagine

Son: Can we go home now?

Me: Absolutely! that’s just where I want to be

*quiet moment as we get back on the road*

Son: I feel like that sometimes …

Hi Mil and PeterBa

If it makes the both of you any better, I also have the Burning feeling under my skin, Its never constant and only lasts for a few seconds, it mainly happens in my legs, but it has also appeared all over my body, even my face and ears! it can happen many times a day, or just once or twice (depending on how busy I am) For two months now I've been worried that I have been having symptoms of MS, although I have not lost any function or numbness or even tingling!

I have other symptoms like muscle twitching, pain, headaches and varying amounts of tiredness! Its making it hard to concentrate at times! these have been going on since early October.

I'm now on Medication starting Monday, I've had positive results with this in the past, so I hope this helps me!

Hi Earthmumma96

Welcome to the forums...I am sorry for the pain and anguish you have been through yet you are an amazingly strong person for posting from the heart as well as you have and thankyou!

Just a note about the intrusive thoughts you have been experiencing....These are very common after a major life event like you have gone through. I hope you can stick around the forums and maybe even create your own thread topic as there are many gentle people that can be here for you

Hi PeterBa...Welcome too and thankyou for your contribution to Annabay's thread topic too! Anxiety can manifest itself in so many ways including feelings/sensations with our skin. I know when my immune system is down I also suffer from skin issues as well...You are proactive with your health by having all the various tests done. You mentioned possible stress too.....That can definitely be a part of what you have been experiencing

Hi ThatGuy.....Welcome to the forums and great to have you with us! Good on you for having the courage to talk with your doc on this. I used to have chronic anxiety for a few years and the symptoms were similar to your...I also take meds for my lack of concentration and my own various anxiety related symptoms. Thankyou for speaking from the heart in your post too!

The forums are a rock solid safe and non judgemental place for everyone to post

Happy Friday :-)

Paul

Hi That Guy,

Am I right to understand you had a similar issue before and it has returned? What medications worked for you before? I don't need the details, but were they antidepressants or pain killers? I am still struggling to link these physical pains which pretty much started overnight, months ago, to just anxiety alone. All the tests (and I have had a lot done) seem to come back fine however.

I am also dealing with a LOT of anxiety and I don't know if this is BECAUSE of the pains or if it is causing the pains...

Hi everyone,

I am honestly not sure if I have anxiety or not however after chatting to another member here, he advised me to check out this post. I had a good read and can relate to some of what members are saying..

These are my symptoms;

- two months ago, I suddenly became extremely fatigued, barely enough energy for about 4/5 days.(came back once for 2 days a month ago)

-very tight chest for a couple of days at the start( has not come back since)

-followed by, being emotional for about 3 days, crying for no reason(came back for 3days a months ago)

-sleep is not consistent.(better now with herbs or sleeping medication when needed)

-good appetite but i crave different foods in the morning)

-tremors in my arms and legs.(worse in left leg)this is consistent and still present accept when laying down or sitting still.

-no strength/very weak and fatigued but able to do normal domestic chores including shopping.

-burning sensation on both forearms and forehead( comes and goes)

- heart rate is normal

-digestive system is normal as well as all organ functions.

Ive noticed the better I sleep the severity of the symptoms reduce but still weak even though I am more mobile.

Ecg clear. X-ray clear. GP checks are good. Bloods are all good however states I had glandular fever in the past which I think was about 7/8 weeks before this happened and my kidney function is slightly high too. ( I dont drink alcohol, I eat very clean and drink loads of water)

So...this is me, it slowly came on a couple of days before asking someone out on a date and them saying no as she had a partner but never told me she did..it surprised me and I felt anxious at the time asking here out (increases heart rate/tight voice) but went away minutes after which is normal for me then I crashed the next day.

i am seeing a Psych but at this time she doesn’t feel it’s anxiety or depression.

Its crazy what the body does!

glandular fever can mess you up for a LONG time. There is this thing could post viral syndrome where the symptoms of the virus just casually and randomly throw us under the bus sometimes for days.

Something to consider is sleep apnoea, which can FEEL like good sleep, but just isnt, so we suffer through the day. I was convinced I had type 2 diabetes, but my bloods were fine, my sleep was interrupted by 19 apnoeas an hour. Sleep apnoea is not all about snoring, it's about sleep quality and snoring is only one symptom.

Not everything is in our heads. Gook luck finding your answer

Hi PeterBa

That's the thing with Anxiety Symptoms, they just feel so real, and its hard to pinpoint what could be causing them, however your doing the right thing by getting the tests done! Its the same with me, most possible causes so far have come up Negative. However Like Johnny_ I was struck with Glandular fever in November and struck with Gastro the day I was diagnosed (Talk about a double Whammy) its likely the post viral is also contributing to these symptoms.

As for medication I am on Antidepressants, but I won't say which one! I only went on them on Monday, so I'm dealing with some side effects atm, but this is one I've been on before, and has helped with both Anxiety and Symptoms.

Hi Again Johnny_ Sorry to hear your still having Symptoms, if it makes you feel better, I'm still having them aswell, it got pretty bad yesterday, so much so that I couldn't concentraite at all yesterday! But strangley they were pretty much gone by the time I went to bed, and even today they've been very minimal! Its crazy!

Hi Lady Nova
That's EXACTLY what my doctor said when I was diagnosed! she was not expecting that diagnosis as she honestly thought it was a deficiency of some kind. She has told me to prepare to be tired for at least 6 months..... Crazy how one illness can mess things up. What didn't help is while I was recovering, I was struck with Gastro, which I think made things worse!

Hi Lady Nova,

thankyou for your reply. It’s always nice to hear others experiences.

ive heard that once you get past the main part of glandular, it can be triggered by stress and cause all sorts of issues.

I had a psych app today and after that app and my drs app this afternoon, it looks like stress has bought on glandular.

Im watch my diet, use stress reducing techniques and try to get good sleep...this is what works for me but is slow...so patients is the key.

Hello that guy,

thanks for the referral to this post, it’s opened my eyes.

sorry to hear your still very up and down...somehow we and everyone will get through this.

just remember glandular is a sensitive beast and if you push, it pushes back. I can only suggest to run on 70% of your energy, spread your food out, and get enough quality sleep....my dr said keep it simple...this is what I do and it really does make a difference when all three are going well.

i had an off sleep last night and today I have those forehead tingles and tight neck muscles...otherwise my energy was stable throughout the day...one day at a time my friend.

This particular thread has to be one of the more powerful ones for sure. Just for the pure fact that those worrying about sinister physical illnesses due to weird anxiety symptoms would most definitely find some peace of mind here. I have. Even my most unusual symptoms are listed somewhere here amongst peoples replies. It makes me feel not so isolated. Hats off to annabay opening this discussion.

Mil, you have mentioned 2 symptoms which I don't hear so much bout and both of which I experience off and on. The migraines with visual aura being one, especially coupled with the speech difficulty. I lost my ability to form sentences during one of these and was taken to ER , thorough testing was done and I was physically fine, it was put down to migraines likely brought on by anxiety. The other is the loss of limb strength, for months I felt my left arm was weaker, it went away as fast as it came but in the last few days I have had the sensation come back again. I has so much trouble believing these symptoms were anxiety at first.

Thoughts are with everyone struggling to cope with the myriad of symptoms that come with anxiety :)

Hi Everyone! Its great to see so many new members post their symptoms! You are helping others by letting them know they are not alone by having these awful symptoms :-)

Hey Calmseeker thankyou for mentioning "This particular thread has to be one of the more powerful ones for sure"

Calmseeker also mentioned "Hats off to Annabay opening this discussion"....Really appreciate you acknowledging Annabay as the person who created this excellent thread...Nice1

Paul

Hey everyone,

It's great seeing all the answers and testimonies - I hadn't realised how common these symptoms are amongst people with anxiety! It sucks but it's also kind of reassuring in a weird way. We're not alone and we're not just "imagining" (it'd be weird to all imagine the same kind of things right?!).

I do think it's very important, once you have found a GP you trust, to check in with them regularly about these symptoms while being transparent about our suspicions that they might anxiety-related. If it's "just" anxiety, it's still important for them to know for their own reference, plus they might have good tips or referrals to help. And this way they're up to date and can better diagnose any possible physical condition too! It can be quite hard to find a good GP though, good luck for the ones who are still on the hunt for a nice doc!

Thank you to all who have shared their experience of the weird burning sensation :) I feel better about it now.

And for migraines with aura/tingling/speech or movement loss, according to the emergency doctor I had seen when it happened to me it's indeed a type of panic attack that is apparently related to epilepsy! But thankfully not chronic. He said it's often a once or twice occurence for people around 25-35. I haven't done any research on it though so just repeating what he had told me there.

Thanks @BlondGuy for the tips too! I didn't know the golf ball feeling could be related to reflux, I'll see if reflux meds can help next time...

Sending my best to all!
Mil

Hi Mil!

No worries at all :-)

Thankyou for the complimentary post...Its always a bonus to have feedback that a thread is reassuring and helpful

my kind thoughts

Paul

Hi everybody! The most consistent physical symptoms for me is muscle twitches and pins and needles sensations. Ugh they suck so much!

But the worst and thankfully least symptom I get is a sensation of choking and not being able to swallow. I've only had that once but it last for about 5 months or so.

Was terrifying but thankfully, it passed and hasn't came back. Phew!

Hi Everyone,

Just thought I would contribute to this thread with my own symptoms as well as seek some advice.
My usual symptoms from day to day include headaches, lightheadedness, blurred vision and nausea. Each day it can be so on and off it's hard to keep up.
Yesterday I felt great, whereas today I woke up feeling extremely anxious and it has now led to extreme lightheadedness. The hardest part is that I can't pinpoint any triggers besides being anxious to my own symptoms and how I might feel today. It is a hard cycle to break, that continues to fuel the anxious thoughts.

Curious how everyone else deals with anxiety flaring up on some days. It can be so frustrating as it greatly affects my mood and unfortunately that impacts with work and those who I socialise with. The usual meditation can ground me a bit more, but its the flare up of those symptoms I can't shake until much later on.

Thanks,

Mendel