Hazelnut
26-08-15, 14:38
Hello NMP
I recently turned 26 (last month), and have since been experiencing a variety of physical symptoms that my GP now believes to be anxiety-related (fibromyalgia).
I have always been an anxious/shy person, even as a young child in England - I would chase after my dad after being dropped off at school! When I turned 7, we moved to a Caribbean island; sounds like paradise, but in actuality it was very small and suffocating place to grow up. Not to mention I went to an all-girls school, where I often felt like a misfit. Compiling that on top of a lot of unwanted male attention in public (which isn't unusual there), and I found myself to be increasingly self-conscious.
Consequently, I have always taken comfort in being a homebody and avoiding most social interactions that I often find awkward. I worry about the way am I perceived and I suppose that would be social anxiety? I find myself getting hot/flushed, sweaty back, etc. and just want to run to my safe place. However, I don't let it inhibit me from getting normal things done, shopping, etc.
In 2013 I married and moved to the US. About a year ago I noticed some palpitations that caused me some concern, and I saw a cardiologist that cleared me of anything serious, saying that they are benign PVC's. Since then I haven't let them bother me too much, but a few weeks back I started getting twinges deep in my chest. Since then I have had a couple of blood tests, three EKG's, chest x-ray and an endoscopy that all came back clear. The x-ray was taken one night when I woke up feeling like I couldn't catch my breath and went the ER, where I began to have dry heaves for the next 5-6 days. Throughout this process I found it increasingly difficult to sleep; it would feel like I would forget to breathe just as I was on the cusp of falling asleep. Since then, I have progressed to having a loss of appetite, random joint and muscle aches. They are short-lived, although they occur mostly around my chest, left arm, upper back. Needless to say, I feel as though I have developed a form of health anxiety as there doesn't seem to be any clear reason for my symptoms. My doctor believes I have anxiety and fibromyalgia.
I am struggling with the idea of accepting that I may have a chronic pain condition, often tied to some other awful autoimmune conditions, so I am trying my best to get on a road to resolving my anxiety. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
I recently turned 26 (last month), and have since been experiencing a variety of physical symptoms that my GP now believes to be anxiety-related (fibromyalgia).
I have always been an anxious/shy person, even as a young child in England - I would chase after my dad after being dropped off at school! When I turned 7, we moved to a Caribbean island; sounds like paradise, but in actuality it was very small and suffocating place to grow up. Not to mention I went to an all-girls school, where I often felt like a misfit. Compiling that on top of a lot of unwanted male attention in public (which isn't unusual there), and I found myself to be increasingly self-conscious.
Consequently, I have always taken comfort in being a homebody and avoiding most social interactions that I often find awkward. I worry about the way am I perceived and I suppose that would be social anxiety? I find myself getting hot/flushed, sweaty back, etc. and just want to run to my safe place. However, I don't let it inhibit me from getting normal things done, shopping, etc.
In 2013 I married and moved to the US. About a year ago I noticed some palpitations that caused me some concern, and I saw a cardiologist that cleared me of anything serious, saying that they are benign PVC's. Since then I haven't let them bother me too much, but a few weeks back I started getting twinges deep in my chest. Since then I have had a couple of blood tests, three EKG's, chest x-ray and an endoscopy that all came back clear. The x-ray was taken one night when I woke up feeling like I couldn't catch my breath and went the ER, where I began to have dry heaves for the next 5-6 days. Throughout this process I found it increasingly difficult to sleep; it would feel like I would forget to breathe just as I was on the cusp of falling asleep. Since then, I have progressed to having a loss of appetite, random joint and muscle aches. They are short-lived, although they occur mostly around my chest, left arm, upper back. Needless to say, I feel as though I have developed a form of health anxiety as there doesn't seem to be any clear reason for my symptoms. My doctor believes I have anxiety and fibromyalgia.
I am struggling with the idea of accepting that I may have a chronic pain condition, often tied to some other awful autoimmune conditions, so I am trying my best to get on a road to resolving my anxiety. Has anyone else had a similar experience?