Tingles

[ShortyW84]

Hey I have posted before but thought I would try again, about this time last year I noticed a weird tingling in my arms, started googling and omg it started the worst anxiety attack of my life it took 6 months and medication to make me feel normal again! I have seen many doctors they but the tingling down to anxiety but even now when I feel calmer it's still going on! I can't help think it's some awful disease and doctors are just ignore my symptoms because of how bad my anxiety has got! I get muscle twitches and jerks which they put down to the citalophram but I can't help but think what if they are missing something that the twitches and tingling isn't anxiety!! I have never suffered from it before this year and I believe the anxiety came after the physical symptoms!!! Anyone else experience this???? Please help

[anthrokid]

Tingling can be caused by hyperventilation. You might not feel like you are hyperventilating, but people with anxiety can begin to hyperventilate all the time instead of breathing normally, which begins to feel 'normal' for your body. Try some breathing exercises and see if they make any difference.

Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, breathe out for 5 seconds and hold for 2 seconds. If you find that difficult or if the 'holds' make you panic/feel like you can't breathe, then you are probably hyperventilating. If you are, practicing breathing exercises can help get into a better breathing pattern which could alleviate some of that tingling :)

[CleverLittleViper]

I can relate in the sense that I'd dealt with HA all my life, but this year, was the first year I'd experienced physical manifestations of it. It can be hard to swallow that all of these symptoms can be caused by anxiety, but they absolutely can.

I wondered the same thing. What came first? The chicken or the egg (re: the anxiety or the symptoms)? Honestly, I think for a lot of people, they experience one symptom and breed anxiety around that which creates more symptoms, and often it came be very tricky to figure out where it all came from.

It must be noted that a lot of anxiety begins subconsciously. So, you can start to feel the symptoms of anxiety even if you aren't knowingly anxious. That's how it was for me this time round.

I had a tiny HA thought in August, and then by September, I had a symptom: perceived numbness in my hands. Quickly, it graduated to cold extremities, facial tightness/numbness, tingling in feet and hands, tension headaches, muscle cramp/stiffness, nausea, insomnia, dizziness, eye flashes/floaters, electric zaps, hypnic jerks, internal buzzing, chest pain, difficulty swallowing/choking sensations, and the list goes on.

Often, those symptoms were constantly in the background of my life. They were like my own personal soundtrack. It was/is very hard for me to accept the diagnosis (and I've seen 3 doctors, 1 dx. me with Carpal Tunnel, and the other 2 with severe anxiety) and had all the blood work taken, and I'm fine according to that. :shrug: I had a short physical with the third GP and he ruled me fine.

I suppose my point is that I wouldn't put anything past anxiety and what it can cause. It can convince us that there is something seriously wrong with us when really, there isn't. It's a sneaky little beasty too. It can slither in when no one is looking, and make itself a nice, cosy little home, and by the time we realise it's there, it's already eaten us out of house and home, and has left the mess for us to pick up. :lac: It's our job to kick the little beasty out, and then clear up.

If you're really having difficulty with the diagnosis, I would recommend getting a second opinion. If they concur, it's time to get that little beasty out, and start clearing up after it. Once your anxiety goes down, you will notice your symptoms will gradually ease up.

[ShortyW84]

Thanks anthrokid I have tried the breathing thing the cbt councillor taught me how to breathe but unfortunately it doesn't help :-( seems to accrue even when I'm not thinking about stuff! Cleverlittleviper u r clever! Everything u says makes sense! I notice the tingling all over and especially when clothes touching my skin! Today I have been brave and wore skinny jeans my biggest fear for the last year due to the tingling that sends into a crazy place and it went well no tingling!!! Whoop whoop. Could be due to ur post telling me how u have felt anxiety too and me trying to realise it is just anxiety!! Thank u both for taking the time for postnng it has helped!! Xx

[IrishLondon]

Hey Shorty

I had prickling and tingling for a few months last year. I was like you, couldn't wear clothes that were too tight - and hated wearing jumpers even in the winter, cause my back and arms would tingle and prickle so much. It made me super anxious.

But then another symptom started....and guess what? It disappeared. I've now got the tingling prickling feeling back in my legs, but it's all down to anxiety again,

Just try not to get too upset by it and gradually it will go away

ryan

[ShortyW84]

Thanks Ryan :-)