becks888
15-11-15, 12:59
I'd like to share my experience of the after effects of panic and anxiety.
I've had this disorder for more than 20 years so I feel like a pro now. But I've discovered something that I'd be interested to hear if others experience too.
In the early years when I had no help with treatment I would have full blown panic attacks every single day sometimes more than once a day. I had all the usual symptoms such as trembling, sweating, heart palps, shortness of breath, chest pain, numb hands, light headedness followed by bouts of depression and general anxiety which could last from weeks to months.
I always wondered if this constant and extreme panic would cause any long term physical effects and years later when I had pretty much got the whole panic and anxiety thing in control (lots of therapy, medication, research) I began to feel ill for no apparent reason. It was almost like recurring Malaria and out of the blue I would feel flu-ish with aches and pains. It could last for weeks but never got worse, then just disappear. I hounded the doctors thinking something must be wrong but although they took blood tests and tried various medications they could never pinpoint an exact illness or cause.
Eventually a Doctor diagnosed me very vaguely with Fibromyalgia and another with Adrenaline fatigue. But nobody was too sure.
Over the years I got used to having this regular "illness" and stopped annoying the Doctors, stopped telling my husband even and just dealt with it as best as I could.
I put it down to the effects of all those panic attacks and decided I'd have to live with it.
This past year I've noticed something. Each time I have a bad bout of anxiety, which isn't often now, a week later I will come down with this strange 'illness'. My body aches and I feel feverish. It can last two weeks or more, and then disappears.
I won't go to the Doctor. I'm sure they'll thnk I'm mad. But it would be interesting to hear if anyone else has a similar experience. Is there a link between an overdose of panic and the immune system maybe?
I've had this disorder for more than 20 years so I feel like a pro now. But I've discovered something that I'd be interested to hear if others experience too.
In the early years when I had no help with treatment I would have full blown panic attacks every single day sometimes more than once a day. I had all the usual symptoms such as trembling, sweating, heart palps, shortness of breath, chest pain, numb hands, light headedness followed by bouts of depression and general anxiety which could last from weeks to months.
I always wondered if this constant and extreme panic would cause any long term physical effects and years later when I had pretty much got the whole panic and anxiety thing in control (lots of therapy, medication, research) I began to feel ill for no apparent reason. It was almost like recurring Malaria and out of the blue I would feel flu-ish with aches and pains. It could last for weeks but never got worse, then just disappear. I hounded the doctors thinking something must be wrong but although they took blood tests and tried various medications they could never pinpoint an exact illness or cause.
Eventually a Doctor diagnosed me very vaguely with Fibromyalgia and another with Adrenaline fatigue. But nobody was too sure.
Over the years I got used to having this regular "illness" and stopped annoying the Doctors, stopped telling my husband even and just dealt with it as best as I could.
I put it down to the effects of all those panic attacks and decided I'd have to live with it.
This past year I've noticed something. Each time I have a bad bout of anxiety, which isn't often now, a week later I will come down with this strange 'illness'. My body aches and I feel feverish. It can last two weeks or more, and then disappears.
I won't go to the Doctor. I'm sure they'll thnk I'm mad. But it would be interesting to hear if anyone else has a similar experience. Is there a link between an overdose of panic and the immune system maybe?