damianjmcgrath
05-08-15, 20:27
I've recently been reading through a book called At Last A Life (http://www.amazon.co.uk/At-Last-Life-Paul-David/dp/0956948103) which I'm finding really good. The general motto of the book is "in order to help yourself, stop trying to help yourself", i.e., stop thinking about ways to cure yourself, and just let the symptoms exist but don't put any importance on them. I think it's decent advice, but it's raised a few questions for me, and I'd really like to get people's thoughts on here. I find this forum incredibly comforting and helpful to me, so people's advice and input is much appreciated.
1. This book, and a lot of advice, mention "when you feel anxious, basically ignore it, accept it's there, and continue doing whatever you were doing". That's all fine, but most of the time, I actually don't feel anxious. Looking back at my forum post history, that's a common theme - I struggle to accept this is anxiety because I don't feel anxious. I just feel pain/aches or weird sensations. I just get symptoms of a heart problem and it's only when the symptoms get intense do I really start to get worried and feel anxiety. Generally, I don't think I feel anxiety. I reckon I could ignore anxious thoughts, but I really struggle to ignore aches and pains. Has anyone got any experience of having quite bad aches and sensations, and trying to ignore them?
2. My chest is really affecting me at the moment. It constantly feels tight. When I stretch, it hurts, so it feels like it is actually tight. I have upper back ache, and what feels like muscle tightness in the centre of my chest. It feels like stiffness after sleeping funny, but it's been going on for 3 weeks solid. Sometimes the tightness feels suffocating, like there's a blockage or something stopping my lungs from expanding fully. When I breath deep, I get that muscle tightness pain at the top of the breath, like I'm stretching something. I can't really describe it but it feels like there's something else in my chest, beating at a different rythym to everything else. It sounds weird, but I hope that makes sense. Could anxiety really cause those types of physical problems?
3. Recently, over the last week, I've started getting rising pressure sensations. It's not painful, but it's incredibly scary. The heart beats a little quicker, and feels louder. I feel shaky in the chest, and I get a slight dizzy feeling that gets more and more intense. Feels like I'm on a rollercoaster and the pressure rises. It hasn't yet reached the stage where I faint but it feels like it's rising to that point. At the same time, there's a rising pressure, like a balloon being inflated, in my left chest. It normally lasts 1-2 minutes and it's incredibly uncomfortable. It makes me want to phone someone for help. It does stop, but I'm obviously convinced it's a serious problem. I can't talk to people, can't concentrate on anything, can't focus on anything else. The last time it happened was when I was lying on bed, with nothing going on. Nothing seemed to trigger it. Does this sound anxiety related? If people experience that too, how on earth do you ignore it, and carry on as normal? It completely disables me for a while.
4. Recently, over the last few weeks, I've noticed problems with my left arm and right leg. My left arm feels numb, or heavier than usual. I can still pick things up, but it feels like a slightly bigger effort. When I hold my arm out straight, it occasionally shakes slightly. I also get occasional pinching pains in my left fingers. Also, I've noticed I get pins and needles in my right foot very easily. Sitting on the toilet for a few
minutes makes it go dead, and sometimes, even lying on bed makes it go numb. I'm thinking perhaps it's a trapped nerve or bad posture or something but it's unusual. Does anyone else get this?
5. I have low energy, as the muscle pains I described feel like a heavy weight on me. Whenever I watch TV, and there's people dancing or running or whatever, I often wonder how they can do it. I get out of breath watching them! Does anyone look at other people and wonder why you can't be more like them!
Thanks in advance for anyone's comments, I really appreciate it.
Hello :)
Yes they are all symptoms of anxiety, probably some of the more common ones too. I have occasionally/ or have had all of this happen to me.
It really does help to try and recognize it, and understand that it is nothing more but symptoms of anxiety and panic. It's your body's way of saying it's stressed out, I don't know if you've heard of the 'flight' response, this is basically what causes these symptoms.
I am the same as you in sometimes I panic thinking that what if it is something else and I miss it, what if it is a heart attack this time? The best thing you can do is ride it out, then distract yourself and some how it gradually fades. When your focusing on it it's about 100x worse.
Here's a massive list of anxiety symptoms which was hugely helpful for me.
Allergy and anxiety
Allergies and anxiety
Allergy problems, increase in allergies (number, sensitivity, reactions, lengthier reactions)
Anxiety cough
Asthma and anxiety
Back pain, stiffness, tension, pressure, soreness, spasms, immobility in the back or back muscles
Blanching (looking pale, loss of color in the face or skin)
Blushing, turning red, flushed face, flushed skin, blushing, red face or skin
Body aches, parts of or your entire body feels sore and achy, feels like your body and muscles are bruised
Body jolts
Body zaps
Body shakes
Body trembling, shaking, anxiety symptoms
Body tremors
Body temperature increase or decrease, change in body temperature
Brain zaps
Burning skin, itchy, crawly, prickly or other skin sensations, skin sensitivity, numbness on the skin
Burning skin sensation on the face, neck, ears, scalp, or shoulders
Buzzing sensation in the feet, toes, hands, fingers, arms, legs
Chest pain anxiety symptoms
Chest pains anxiety symptoms
Chest tightness feeling
Choking
Choking feeling in throat
Chronic Fatigue, exhaustion, super tired, worn out
Chronic pain and anxiety
Clumsiness, feeling clumsy, co-ordination problems with the limbs or body
Cold chills, feeling cold all the time
Cold flashes, flash
Cold hands and feet
Craving sugar, sweets, chocolate, usual craving for sugar and sweets
Difficulty speaking, moving mouth, talking, co-ordination problems with the mouth or tongue
Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, dizzy, feeling dizzy
Electric shock feeling, body zaps
Excess of energy, you feel you can't relax
Falling dropping sensation
Feeling faint
Feel like you are going to pass out
Feel cold, chilly, cold all the time
Feel wrong, different, foreign, odd, or strange
Feels like floor is moving, swaying
Flu-like symptoms, feel sick or ill, feel like you are coming down with the flu
Flushed face, red face, flushed skin
Frequent urination
Frequent urination at night
Frequent urination in men
Hair loss, hair is thinning, or clumps of hair are falling out, balding
Headaches, migraine headaches, anxiety headaches
Head and Brain Zaps
Head and brain zaps - medication causes
Heart palpitations, racing heart
Hot flash, flashes
Hyperactivity, excess energy, nervous energy
Hypersensitivity; super sensitive nerves, hearing, touch, tastes
Increased or decreased sex drive
Infection - increased infections, persistent infection
Motion sickness feeling
Mouth or throat clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking
Muscle tension, stiffness, aches, pains
Muscles that vibrate, jitter, tremor, or shake when used
Muscle twitching
Muscle weakness
Nausea
Nausea vomiting
Neck, back, shoulder tension and stiffness
Neck tension
Nervous cough
Night sweats, waking up in a sweat, profusely sweating at night, anxiety night sweats
No energy, feeling lethargic, tired, exhausted, chronic fatigue
Numb tinging hands
Numbness
Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling
Numbness and tingling fingers
Numbness and tingling, and other skin sensations on hands, feet, face, head, or any other places on the body
Pins and needles: all over, in the hands and feet, fingers, left arm, etc.
Pounding heart, heart feels like it is beating too hard
Pulsing or throbbing muscles. Pulsing or throbbing sensation
Racing heart, heart palpitations
Red skin, skin looks like or is turning red
Rib or rib cage tightness, pressure, or feeling like a tight band around the rib cage
Sexual Dysfunction, sexual uninterest
Shaking anxiety feelings
Shooting pains anxiety symptoms
Shooting pains, stabbing pains, and odd pressures in the neck, head, or face
Shooting pains in the face
Shooting pains in the scalp or head
Skipped heart beats
Sore or tight scalp, headaches, neck tension
Startle easily
Sweating, profuse, excessive, uncontrollable sweating
The floor feels like it is moving either down or up, swaying
Tightness in the ribs or rib cage area, may also feel like a tight band around the ribs or rib cage area.
Tingling numb hands
Tingling, tingly, pins and needles sensations - anywhere on the body, including the hands, feet, legs, arms, head, mouth, chest, groin area
Throat or mouth clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking
TMJ
Trembling, shaking, tremors
Twitching
Unsteadiness, dizziness, feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Urgency to urinate, sudden urge to go to the washroom, sudden urge to pee
Warm spells
Weak - feel weak, weakness, low energy, light, soft, like you may faint
Weak legs, arms, or muscles
Weak limbs/extremities
Weight gain; sudden weight gain
Weight loss; sudden weight loss
Chest Anxiety Symptoms:
Anxiety Chest Tremors feelings symptoms
Anxiety Cough
Asthma symptoms and attacks
Chest pain anxiety symptoms
Chest pains anxiety symptoms
Chest tightness anxiety symptoms
Esophageal spasms
Heart attack or anxiety attack (panic attack)
Heart Palpitations
Feel like you have to force yourself to breathe
Find it hard to breath, feeling smothered
Excessive yawning anxiety
Nervous Cough
Out of breath anxiety
Racing Heart
Rib or rib cage tightness, pressure, or feeling like a tight band around the rib cage
Shooting chest pains anxiety symptoms
Shortness of breath
Short of breath stress symptoms
Shooting sharp stabbing pains in the chest
Tightness, pressue, fullness, pain in the chest
Emotions (see mood - anxiety symptoms associated with emotions, mood, and feelings)
Head Anxiety Symptoms (associated with the head):
Anxiety headaches, migraines headaches
Brain fog
Burning, itchy, tight scalp
Dizziness or light-headedness
Frequent headaches, migraine headaches
Feeling like there is a tight band around your head, pressure, tightness
Hair loss, hair is thinning, or clumps of hair are falling out
Headaches, migraines
Head, neck or shoulder tightness, stiffness, or pain
Head zaps, head tremors. brain zaps
Giddiness
Numbness
Numbness tingling, numbness and tingling
Shooting pains, stabbing pains, and odd pressures in the neck, head, or face
Shooting pains in the face
Shooting pains in the scalp or head
Tingling in Head
When you close your eyes you feel like are beginning to, or will, float upwards
Sore jaw that feels like a tooth ache
TMJ (Temporo-Mandibular Joint) - clenching of the jaw or grinding of the teeth
Chest pain or discomfort
Concern about the heart
Find it hard to breath, feeling smothered, shortness of breath
Frequent yawning to try and catch your breath
Heart attack or anxiety attack (panic attack)
Heart Palpitations – beating hard or too fast, rapid heartbeat
Heart - Irregular heart rhythms, flutters or ‘skipped’ beats, tickle in the chest that makes you cough
Pounding heart, heart feels like it is beating too hard
Radiating pain in the left shoulder and arm
Shooting chest pains
Shortness of breath
Stabbing pains in the back, fear heart problem
Tight band around the chest, fear heart problem
You can find out if you are having a heart attack or anxiety attack (panic attack)
Mood Symptoms; Emotion Symptoms (associated with mood, emotions, and feelings):
Always feeling angry and lack of patience
Chronic Fatigue Anxiety Symptom, Syndrome
Depersonalization
Depression
Dramatic mood swings
Emotionally blunted, flat, or numb
Emotions feel numb; emotionally numb
Emotional flipping (dramatic mood swings)
Emotions feel wrong
Everything is scary, frightening
Feeling down in the dumps
Feeling like things are unreal or dreamlike
Frequently being on edge or 'grouchy'
Feel like crying for no apparent reason
Have no feelings about things you used to
Irritability, irritated, easily annoyed
Mood swings
Not feeling like yourself, detached from loved ones, emotionally numb
Underlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear
You feel like you are under pressure all the time
Mouth, Stomach, and Digestive System Anxiety Symptoms (associated with the mouth, stomach, and digestive system):
Bad taste in the mouth and anxiety
A tinny, metallic, or ammonia, or unusual smell or taste
Aerophagia (swallowing too much air, stomach distention, belching)
Burning mouth, feeling like the inside of your mouth is burning, or tingling, or like pins and needles, or all of these together or at different times
Burping, belching, frequent or excessive burping and belching, gas
Burning tongue, feeling like your tongue is burning, or tingling, or like pins and needles
Choking
Constant craving for sugar or sweets
Constant lump in the throat feeling
Constipation
Diarrhea
Difficulty swallowing
Difficulty talking, pronouncing certain letters or sounds, mouth feels like it isn't moving right, slurred speech
Dry mouth
Esophageal spasms
Feeling like you can't swallow properly or that something will get caught in your throat
Feeling like your tongue is swollen
IBS
Lack of appetite, Loss of appetite
Lump in the throat, tight throat, something stuck in your throat
Mouth muscles twitching/jumping
Mouth or throat clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking
Nausea
Nausea vomiting
Nausea or abdominal stress
Nervous stomach
Stomach upset, gas, belching, bloating
Teeth grinding
The thought of eating makes you nauseous
Tight throat, lump in throat
Throat or mouth clicking or grating sound/noise when you move your mouth or jaw, such as when talking
TMJ
Tongue symptoms - Tingly, stretched, numb, frozen, itchy, crawly, burning, twitching, jumpy, aching, sore, or swollen tongue (when it isn't).
Urgency to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urge to go to the washroom
Vomiting
I think you'll see that everything you describe is on this list. I've had most of the symptoms on this list at some point!
damianjmcgrath
06-08-15, 16:47
Wow, I feel like I could have written this myself! I suffer with EXACTLY what you have described down to every last detail! I feel like I have a new best friend!! I have never known anyone to suffer with the same as I do. it is the worst thing in the world, every day I wish I was someone else, sometimes feel like im trapped in a 85 year olds body when im only 25. the heart thing is the worst, constant flips/flutters/thud/palps and constant breathing problems, at the end of most days I wonder how on earth im not dead! Our bodies hate us, but at least we can maybe sleep a little easier tonight in the knowledge that we're not alone :D stay strong Daniel!
I find it very hard to describe my symptoms to people. I think that's why the doctors have diagnosed anxiety, because I'm unable to properly explain what the sensations feel like. I sometimes feel that if I could find the right words, he might go "oh, that! That's this problem".
It just feels like my body, especially my chest, is broken. It feels like I'm dragging it around, it's heavy, it's achey, feels like muscle strain but I don't remember doing anything unusual. I get slightly hot and clammy like when I'm ill with colds or flu's. I get slightly dizzy and unbalanced but not enough to label it as dizzy. It's just a vague sensation. The aches and pains are similar to indigestion or hunger pains - like a deep uncomfortable ache. This sometimes creates a suffocating feeling which makes me feel like I can't breathe deeply enough.
Occasionally, I'll get the short sharp stabbing pains, or the tingles, or that intense painful throb for 1-2 seconds in my chest, armpit, left arm and fingers all at once, like a throb so painful, it freezes you for a few seconds.
Sitting in weird positions on the sofa makes me super aware of my heart beating, in what feels like an unusual pattern. Sometimes I can't feel my heart beating when I put my head on my chest, sometimes it's really strong. Sometimes it feels like it skips a beat, and when I take a deep breath with my hand on my chest, my heart rhythm feels like it completely changes. It pounds in my ears and left shoulder and makes me feel really uncomfortable.
And sometimes it feels like it's vibrating in there. I can physically feel my chest and especially left armpit shaking, although no-one can see it. It's like a shake I get when I'm really cold. I don't know if that's palpitations or flutters. It just doesn't feel strong.
But the main thing is probably the tiredness and grumpiness. I'm in my own world sometimes, which creates the tiredness, which makes me feel too tired to fight against it. It's like having flu, when your body aches. You're too exhausted to do anything so you just accept it, and lie on the sofa and feel self-pity. Afraid to move in case another bit of your body hurts. Also, my mood definitely changes, and I don't participate in conversations and when people try and help, or try and get me out to social events, I snap at them. That's a pretty annoying side effect.
If I had to sum everything up, it would be that my chest and body in general just doesn't feel strong or confident. It feels weak and hollow but at the same time, heavy and achey. It's incredibly annoying, and very difficult to ignore, because it feels like a serious problem, and feels like my heart could explode or stop at any minute. It's like it's struggling to work.
If you feel anything similar, and want to PM me, and share success stories or coping strategies, feel free. It's nice not being on my own.
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