General feeling of body tightness, inflexibility, everythings an effort

[damianjmcgrath]

I've posted a few times about my health anxiety, especially in regards to my heart. One symptom that I often fail to mention is how tight or heavy I feel. It's a really hard thing to describe and I've felt it for years now, longer than I've experienced the "major" anxiety symptoms.

It's like I have no energy in my muscles. I see my wife dancing and I think "i couldn't do that". It's an effort to get off the sofa. My shoulders feel achey and heavy. So does my collar bone and chest feels heavy.

It feels like my body needs a complete stretch, or I need to shake it loose. Feels like I've been squashed into a suitcase for 10 hours. All stiff and inflexible.

It's really hard to explain, so hopefully someone understands.

Also, quite often, I see singers on TV singing and dancing, or even simple things like watching the Big Brother contestants walk up the stairs, and I get exhausted watching them. Like I'm imagining walking up it myself and I don't think I've got the energy to do it.

Oddly, if I force myself to exercise, I can do a reasonable amount, like cycle 6-7 miles in 30 minutes and I'm not terribly out of breath or tired. On the other hand, really simple exercise, like walking from work to the car park can tire me out and give me chest, shoulder and back aches. It's like when I'm exercising slowly and I have time to wonder if I'm ok, I start to get pains.

Does anyone else get this lethargy and feel a bit tight or stiff often?

---------- Post added at 17:15 ---------- Previous post was at 17:11 ----------

By the way, I forgot to mention:

I often feel tired even after sleeping. I never feel relaxed, at ease or completely rested.

I have had full blood count, thyroid check, magnesium check, kidney function, multiple ECGs, echocardiogram, blood pressure and pulse, and a 24 hour urine test and all have come back fine. I'm bang in the middle of the normal range on all tests.

I don't take any medication, and as far as I know, I'm not allergic to anything or suffer from hay fever etc.

My theories are:

- I'm just hugely unfit.
- I have bad posture and/or sleep in a bad position.
- My heart is causing chest, back and shoulder pains.
- I have some digestive issue like acid reflux or GERD.

[damianjmcgrath]

Does anyone else the lack of energy or just feeling lethargic and heavy?

[worrywart29]

In the mornings when getting out of bed I feel as if I was ran over by a truck, my entire body hurt. Throughout the day I have all the stiffness you described. I notice I feel worse when I think about it. If I was to do some sort of exercise while not anxious I feel fine, but if anxious I focus more on how I feel and I tire easily. I think you trained your brain to expect to feel tired during exercise by over thinking it so now it has become a norm for you. Since you could cycle 6 to 7 miles easily clearly it's not a medical issue. Maybe trying some physical therapy can help with the tight muscles.

[pepperutchie]

Hi i can relate to this,i am exactly in the same position right now to many pain and aches.. Not to mention gi problem and this siffness and heaviness all over my body. I just cried to my husband a while ago because right now we are on vacation and i just cant seem to manage to enjoy everything this feeling is really holding me ... And the tiredness too

[sial72]

Hi Damian
Yes, can relate totally to what you are saying.
On your theories list you have not mentioned the one I think it is:
Nerves! Being nervous is physically and mentally exhausting.
Xc

[Justanutter]

I've posted a few times about my health anxiety, especially in regards to my heart. One symptom that I often fail to mention is how tight or heavy I feel. It's a really hard thing to describe and I've felt it for years now, longer than I've experienced the "major" anxiety symptoms.

It's like I have no energy in my muscles. I see my wife dancing and I think "i couldn't do that". It's an effort to get off the sofa. My shoulders feel achey and heavy. So does my collar bone and chest feels heavy.

It feels like my body needs a complete stretch, or I need to shake it loose. Feels like I've been squashed into a suitcase for 10 hours. All stiff and inflexible.

It's really hard to explain, so hopefully someone understands.

Also, quite often, I see singers on TV singing and dancing, or even simple things like watching the Big Brother contestants walk up the stairs, and I get exhausted watching them. Like I'm imagining walking up it myself and I don't think I've got the energy to do it.

Oddly, if I force myself to exercise, I can do a reasonable amount, like cycle 6-7 miles in 30 minutes and I'm not terribly out of breath or tired. On the other hand, really simple exercise, like walking from work to the car park can tire me out and give me chest, shoulder and back aches. It's like when I'm exercising slowly and I have time to wonder if I'm ok, I start to get pains.

Does anyone else get this lethargy and feel a bit tight or stiff often?

---------- Post added at 17:15 ---------- Previous post was at 17:11 ----------

By the way, I forgot to mention:

I often feel tired even after sleeping. I never feel relaxed, at ease or completely rested.

I have had full blood count, thyroid check, magnesium check, kidney function, multiple ECGs, echocardiogram, blood pressure and pulse, and a 24 hour urine test and all have come back fine. I'm bang in the middle of the normal range on all tests.

I don't take any medication, and as far as I know, I'm not allergic to anything or suffer from hay fever etc.

My theories are:

- I'm just hugely unfit.
- I have bad posture and/or sleep in a bad position.
- My heart is causing chest, back and shoulder pains.
- I have some digestive issue like acid reflux or GERD.

I am the same - convinced I have Angina as when I walk that's when my chest hurts/aches but I can climb 3 flights of stairs fine? Don't drink or smoke and no family history but still could be a problem. My whole body is stiff in the morning and I too look at other people walking and exercising and it makes me anxious and upset to see them doing that as if I am doing it myself and I can't. I'm too frightened to go for tests as I'm terrified of hospitals and the outcome of tests. Always default death for me :weep: I am having CBT but that seems to be making me even more anxious for some reason. I am getting worse with age. I am a 58 yr old female and my family are fed up with me and my HA.