Could I Be Imagining My Symptoms?

[Crimsonskies]

This past week I was genuinely ill, by which I mean I had the flu followed by an acute chest infection. It also happened to be a stressful week with a loved one going to hospital and another battling addiction recovery... and before I knew it after 48 hours deprived of sleep I started having tingling sensations in my toes and fingers, sometimes almost numbness and occasionally spasms and cramps. As soon as I acknowledged it, I couldn't stop noticing it. So I consulted Dr Google... and now I am petrified I have a rare condition as a result of the flu where my muscles could deteriorate and leave me temporarily paralysed (I. E. my worst fear. Ever). The crazy thing is not only have i experienced these weird sensations before and found that they went away when I addressed my anxiety issues, it's almost as if I have started to feel all of the symptoms of these scary conditions after I have read them! Today I put down my perfectly understandable weakness in my arms to my muscles rapidly being destroyed!

Is this a normal feature of anxiety disorder, and does anyone have any advice on identifying whether or not one has a real or imagined problem? I've had these issues so many times in the past, even when reading the side effects to my medication! But after losing my Dad very suddenly last year I have been so scared that I am overlooking a serious problem (as he did) despite GPs and A&E doctors proving me wrong again and again any help would be appreciated

[MyNameIsTerry]

It's certainly a well known anxiety symptom. There are plenty of threads about it and here is a recent one:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=159740

The thing that stands out to me is that you have stated that you have found triggers for it that are stress based. If it were more than anxiety, wouldn't it happen outside of these occasions that are very likely to be increasing your anxiety?

[Crimsonskies]

Thank you! While I have noticed it as a trigger, because I feel anxiety as a result of something seeming wrong with me as well I become concerned that the symptoms caused my anxiety not vice versa. It's also hard not to wonder if I had been stressed 'enough' to be having such a bizarre symptom!

Is it common for this to last for a while? It has been a few days for me now more or less all the time

[MyNameIsTerry]

Mine was there all the time too. It has been a feature of my GAD since about 6 or so months after it began. For a long time now though it has been more a background thing which I notice but don't care about. Getting up and moving around would make it go away quite quickly.

Adrenaline can cause it and in these disorders we have too much of that pumping around our bodies for too long. So, things that address adrenaline like exercise or deep breathing can help metabolise the excess. Ultimately working on recovery to reduce overall anxiety levels and out symptoms focus helps greatly.

[Fishmanpa]

Is it common for this to last for a while? It has been a few days for me now more or less all the time

Absolutely! I always use the campfire analogy. You anxiety is up right now from the illness and symptoms and it's like a roaring campfire. Even when the flames dies down, there's still a bed of white hot coals. It takes a while for the fire to go completely out.

Positive thoughts