common changes in symptoms of anxiety?

[nutcasetom]

Hi all im a 19 year old male and i have been experiencing some horrible symptoms in the last few months such as...
*Weakness
*dizziness (drunk feeling)
*tiredness
*feeling sick
*loss of appetite
*eye pressure
*tight face
* numbness in arm
*jelly legs
*teeth chattering
*shaky
*jumpy


Are all these symptoms familiar with anxiety?
Ive noticed that usually when i have one of the above symptoms i have one for a couple of days to a couple of weeks and then when that symptom goes i get the other one then that goes and so on does this happen to anyone else?

Like recently i have been having the dizziness really bad and that went and for 2 days now ive had a numb feeling in my right arm feels very uncomfortable i have had this before but was wondering if anyone has had this numb feeling in the arm for a couple of days and what to try and do to relive the symptom.

[Mark13]

I have most of those symptoms daily, but as you say they do vary in intensity. Some days my foot will be "buzzing" (parasthesia), another I'll be mainly dizzy, next mainly muscle pain & stiffness.

These symptoms like to alternate to keep you interested :)

[nutcasetom]

yeah it is very strange lucky enough they don't all come at once im just very scared with this numb arm as im scared it is a stroke or something had it since yesterday and im sure ive had it before.

[Emphyrio]

I've had quite a few of these symptoms - even when I had no worries at all on my mind. I was worried for a considerable period of time that I had some kind of physical problem or a mineral/vitamin deficiency. I was also much more sensitive to changes in body sugar, caffeine and alcohol.

What was more likely was that I had experienced a number of changes to medication/stress in the past/lack of sleep/too much alcohol in the months before that. I guessed the brain/body takes a while to readjust itself to major changes - hence the physical symptoms and hypersensitivity to certain chemicals.

Interestingly enough, once I went back on the fluoxetine - many of the physical symptoms disappeared. I have since stopped taking it because of other side effects, but that's another story.

Of course, its also good to try and ensure you receive a balance of vitamins and minerals in your diet. Are you taking any supplements? A good multivitamin with iron and possibly other minerals won't do you any harm. I've been taking b-vitamins and magnesium glycinate in the last month and I have noticed changes in my levels of alertness/wellbeing.

[nutcasetom]

well done at the minute im at a bad stage with anxiety and still trying to tell myself it is anxiety as i feel it is a physical problem. I take a multi-vitamin a day and i have cbt at home because my anxiety is so bad i can't get out do you have symptoms everyday and how do you deal with them?

---------- Post added at 00:13 ---------- Previous post was at 00:12 ----------

im also on fluoxetine been on them for a week now do they really help for anxiety a i was told it is only for depression?

[Emphyrio]

I try to avoid things that make me more agitated/physically anxious. For some reason I react badly to caffeine now - its a shame really because I do love a cup of tea/fresh brewed coffee now and then. I had a coffee this evening and its put me more on edge, and with it comes the intrusive thoughts.

I had a good response to Prozac the first and second times I took it (late 2003 - early 2008 and late 2008 to mid 2011). Third time around and the side effects were too much. It really helps with anxiety and depression, and in my case, OCD thoughts.

[nutcasetom]

is it common to feel tired, dizzy weak and numb on the pills in the first couple of weeks please?

[Emphyrio]

I didn't have any side effects the first and second time I took it.

However, the third time I did. I felt horrible - luckily most of them went away by around week 6. You have to give it time - its a slow acting SSRI.

[nutcasetom]

ohh ok thank you.. also can anxiety just come on for no reason i mean i had no issues when it started i was fine not stressed and it ain't left me since i get it everyday :\

[NoPoet]

Everything in your first post is textbook anxiety symptoms... hmm, I think my grammar is starting to suck.

I cannot emphasise this enough, and it is something so important and so basic I am a bit surprised it is not being repeated as gospel: anxiety will shift and adapt its tactics constantly. You will particularly notice this when you start bringing it to battle. Learning to cope with some symptoms of anxiety obviously reduces the anxiety's chance of survival, so lo and behold, suddenly you are presented with totally new symptoms. This will continue throughout your recovery.

Sometimes some symptoms are so severe that you only notice others once the bad ones have gone.

Anxiety is like the Borg. When you try to fight it, it adapts and hits you again, which can make some coping strategies seem obsolete. If you start figuring out your core problems and hit them without mercy, anxiety starts to break down, but your best bet in the early days is to concentrate on building up your confidence and self-esteem. Once you start trusting and believing in yourself, it doesn't really matter that the anxiety changes tactics, you will be wearing the armour of contempt and anxiety has no real answer to that.

[nutcasetom]

yes that is very true thanks ive read your post and im starting to feel a lot better. I it is very frustrating because not only does it ruin your lie but you have to live with all of these symptoms but i guess if i learn to ignore them as best a is can and fill my mind with positive thoughts i should be ok. This site helps me alot because people on here understand and can help.

[NoPoet]

You have to accept that you will have these symptoms for some time to come, but you do not have to expect to live with them permanently. You've got to bear in mind that it is your body and it's your life, the anxiety will not take that away from you. I call it the "armour of contempt", when you lose fear of something because you called its bluff and it failed to follow up on its threats. That's a perfect description of anxiety. It's all front with nothing at all behind it.

[nutcasetom]

that is true... it makes a lot of sense. It is a shame we don't automatically ignore it how do i get off my mind that it is nothing physical as i have had a numb arm for 4 days and i can't help but think it is something because not many people have mentioned about having a numb right arm for days? thanks for your help.

[Arnie365]

Hi Tom

I think enough people have confirmed this is 'normal' however thought id still share my experience of this.

Ive had pretty much everything you have listed but only once or twice. My main issue is chest pains as Im worried Ive damaged my heart. Once I started getting on top of this following loads of tests etc the chest pains disappeared and I got pins and needles in arms and legs/trouble breathing/headaches etc etc. They were always one at a time and I genuinely think it was my anxiety systematically probing away to see what got my fear going. None of these other things bothered me that much if Im honest which is why I think I only got them one or two times over 7 months. The chest pains are the ones that get my fear going so my anxiety is sticking to that!

[nutcasetom]

ok thanks.. i know i keep repeating it but im just so worried i keep thinking it ain't... I don't really get heart palpitations but apparently they really are scary but i get alot of other symptoms very scary it is hard not 2 show fear.