new here - could it be anxiety - internal shaking and tingling??

[cloverleaf]

I've been experiencing neurological symptoms for the past 6 months. I have tingling in my feet and legs and an internal buzzing sensation in my chest and arms. This is always present however more noticeable at rest and at night. I also have a slight tremor in my hands and muscle twitching. I have had numerous blood tests and a MRI of my brain and spinal cord, all clear. Basically i don't think the neurologist knows what it is. He said it may be restless legs, except I don't have restless legs!! He has given me amitriptyline to help me sleep. I have only taken a very small dose so far and have not had any benefit.

I asked the neurologist if he thought it could be anxiety. But he doesn't think so. I saw a GP who thought it might be and gave me beta blockers but they just made the symptoms worse at night time.

I'm going to see another neurologist for a second opinion next week. I have been doing a variety of relaxation type activities and have simplified my life and the symptoms are only getting worse.

Do any of these symptoms sound like anxiety?? Of course, this whole episode is anxiety provoking however I didn't feel particularly anxious before this all started. Although i would say i am an anxious person by nature.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Not sure if i have posted this in the right place

[venusbluejeans]

Hiya cloverleaf and welcome to NMP :welcome:

Why not take a look at our articles on our home page, they contain a wealth of information and are a great starting place for your time on the forum.

I hope you find the as site helpful and informative as I have and that you get the help and support you need here and hope that you meet a few friends along the way :yesyes:

[MyNameIsTerry]

Hi and welcome to NMP :welcome:

Yes, this internal "buzzing bees" issue is very very common in anxiety. I have GAD (also had OCD after a few years of GAD only) and this has been one of my most prominet features. I find it is always worse when sitting or lying but if I get up & moving, it can go away. This again only tells me it is adrenaline based as exercise burns off adrenaline quicker than waiting for your body to metabolize any excess into something else. Deep breathing & exercise burn off adrenaline.

For a neurologist not to know that does make me wonder about them as another member said this last week about theirs!

The tingling is causes by excess adrenaline around your body, hence why it tends to be more extremities however we do also have adrenaline around some of our organs too hence the chest thing.

Since you have joined to find this out, I wouldn't rule out a physical issue or even a deficiency and that has to be dealt with by doctors. But, it is definately an anxiety disorder symptom and a very common one.

Perhaps examine whether you have other symptoms too as these can be used to rule out the physical and determine whether it is more an anxiety issue.

[cloverleaf]

Thanks, that is very helpful. I have being trying to get more exercise and have noticed that i generally feel better after having a long walk, although sometimes after I exercise I get more tingling! I find that I'm generally ok during the day as i'm distracted and moving about. Its just the evenings that are difficult.

I'm hoping the new neurologist I see next week will have some more ideas.

thanks again

---------- Post added at 15:59 ---------- Previous post was at 15:43 ----------

Terry,

Have you been able to get rid of this buzzing sensation for any length of time, or is it always with you? Just wondering if this is a symptom that takes a long time to pass??

Thanks again

[MyNameIsTerry]

For me, it has been a long term one but I am still trying to recover so some symptoms have gone, some reduced and some might be there until closer to a full recovery. So, it can be hard to say and it depends on the form of anxiety you have because some people move from symptom to symptom instead.

I can get rid of it nearly everyday by getting moving. It may then come back when I start sitting about but what I have noticed is that if I am more stressed, it is more likely to return. If I sit and feel relaxed or distracted, its not there.

So, it can be a matter of distracting yourself, relaxing yourself or both. If you are at a more severe ends of the anxiety scale you will likely find its there a hell of a lot and to higher intensities but this does greatly reduce once you start recovering.

The tingling from exercise is likely because you have stimulated more adrenaline and it will fade pretty quickly normally since thats a normal response in exercise. An anxiety sufferer will notice this more though and prolong it through worry & inward focus.

If certain types of exercises trigger it, as long as you don't feel anxious, try to reduce the exercise tingling through warming down with something less intense just to burn it off a bit quicker.

Good luck. If you find it is anxiety, you will get loads of help & support on here from people.

[cloverleaf]

Thanks so much for your help. I hope you make a full recovery soon.

[markhgv]

Have you read up on low magnesium?

[hudnallks]

Hi cloverleaf. Welcome!

I second that your symptoms may very well be anxiety related. I'm currently dealing with a lot of physical symptoms myself that I've been told are likely due to anxiety.

I am one of those people who hops from symptom to symptom and it always seems as though something is wrong. At any rate, I understand the frustration in having these physical disturbances that seem (at many times) entirely out of your control.

Best of luck to you!

[chellebelles]

Hi cloverleaf, I'm a newbie here, my main reason for coming on here is for social anxiety and then i came across your post. I too have your symptoms. My began happening around October 2013 which was around two months after my second little boy was born. Dizzyness (feeling like I'm drunk), widespread aches and pains, tingling, buzzing, internal shaking, sunburnt feeling on skin but no rash or anything, feeling like I have dead arms, fatigue. I had all the blood tests, MRI of brain and cervical spine, seen rheumatologist, neurologist and no one can't diagnose me. This caused alot of anxiety for over a year thinking that I have some horrible disease and no dr is detecting it. This past 8 months though I have been in a much better place with it all (except for the social anxiety). I still get the symptoms but I don't focus on them much anymore. I don't know why these symptoms happened Ive gone round in circles with it all. Maybe I've over loaded my nervous system through stress or something (all though I didn't feel like I was stressed at the time). Good luck with your second opinion xx

[cloverleaf]

Thanks for your welcome and stories. I saw the second neurologist and he is quite certain that my symptoms aren't caused by a neurological problem. Which is a huge relief. To my mind it looks like it may well be anxiety based. Where should I go from here? My gp suggested advanza (mirtazapine) but it sounds like it makes you very drowsy. He also said I could take cipramil (citalopram) as I've taken it in the past for a depressive episode. Has anyone found these helpful? Would they help with the buzzing? I was initially prescribed very low dose amitriptylene by the neurologist to help with sleep and the nerve sensations but I didn't notice any difference.

Chellebelles - do you take anything for your symptoms? I also didn't feel particularly anxious when this all started up.

Thanks

[ricardo]

Hi cloverleaf.

As you can see anxiety strikes all over the body but what I find interesting that even afte exercise you still are experiencing these symptoms. Is it possible that you may have circulation problems.Perhaps check that out with your doctor.

[chellebelles]

Hi cloverleaf
That must be reassuring for you. I take 20mg of amitriptyline but to be honest it doesn't stop the nerve pain and sensations. But I do feel it helps me sleep. I don't take anything for anxiety as my GP told me that the amitriptyline is an anti depressant so to keep on that. The rheumatologist told me to come off the amitriptyline if it's not working so I don't really know what to do myself. I just tolerate the symptoms and don't focus on them as much as I used to but they still are always there even when I'm not anxious and quite calm. The buzzing I get now and again but I get this sunburn feeling on various parts of my body all the time, even now which I think is to do with the nerve endings.

[Davit]

Scalded skin syndrome, I have had "touch me not" too. Both gone. Both painful. RH for over 25 years.

[chellebelles]

Hi cloverleaf:)

Glad the neurologist thinks it's not a neurological disease and I hope that's reassured you. I also have been told that aswell. I've stopped looking for answers now and just putting it down to anxiety. I'm too on amitriptyline 20mg although it didn't help with the nerve pain and sensations but I do find it helps me sleep. I'm not on any other anti depressants as my GP said although it's for my nerve pain but the amitriptyline is also an anti depressant. I am going to go back to my GP to see if there is anything else I can try or she might say to up my dose of amyitriptilin. I hope you find something that works for you. Oh I am considering acupuncture as I have heard this works wonders xx

---------- Post added at 18:42 ---------- Previous post was at 18:23 ----------

Sorry I reposted again as I thought my post didn't send xx:blush:

---------- Post added at 18:45 ---------- Previous post was at 18:42 ----------

Davit is that what you call scolded skin syndrome regards to the sunburn feeling I get? Do you know what causes it? Is it an anxiety symptom as I get it even when I don't feel anxious. What is RH that you have had for 25 years?