stucoo
07-03-16, 17:31
Sorry for the long post.
I joined tis site in 2005 and found it really useful. A little bit of history.
2004 – 2006 I was diagnosed with anxiety that manifested itself in various physical symptoms – headaches, chest pains, muscle stiffness & twitches, aching joints, muscle twitches, crawling ant sensations in legs, vertigo, tinnitus, tingling etc. Over that time I convinced myself that I had a brain tumour, MS, MND etc and just could not believe it was just anxiety. I saw various GPs, psychiatrist, psychologist, neurologist, rheumatologist and various therapists in a search for answers to my symptoms. It was the rheumatologist who said that I needed to get on with my life and eventually I started having more and more better days until all the symptoms faded away at the end of 2006. I believe the initial problem was linked to stress at work, but it manifested itself in my head as more than that.
Fast forward to May 2014 and I started to have chest pains (aching, shooting, pinching) as well as painful left arm and back, so much that over a period of 18 months to Christmas 2015 I went to A & E about 5 times as I was so worried and convinced I had a heart attack or cardiac disease. Of course I saw the GP and they offered me antidepressants as well as attending a stress awareness course. It was also during this time I experienced stomach pains as well, convinced myself I had cancer, had a gastric endoscope (not pleasant) and was diagnosed with Gastritis. I was also diagnosed with a heart murmur by the consultant and I saw a cardiologist. The chest pains would come and go and I had weeks of no issues but then have months of pain and discomfort.
January of this year, and again I suffered chest pain after a pain free Christmas , went to the GP in a panic, he sent me to A & E and was eventually sent home after all the usual tests came back negative. The next day, I felt breathless, rang 111 and was sent back at A & E – again all ok. I went back to the doctor as I was experiencing extreme anxiety and It was at this time I started to suffer the same symptoms from 2006 (tingling, sensitive skin, twitching, joint pain), but I no longer had chest pain! I now think I have a neurological disease.
I honestly don’t understand my body or the way I feel. I’m back on ADs for my anxiety and it has helped with that, but I still have the symptoms. I’m constantly having the battle in my head of ‘it’s a serious illness, no its anxiety’. The symptoms come and go and change but I’m constantly thinking about my health and it is affecting my personal and work life again as it did in 2004.
I just don’t know what to do. Is this classic health anxiety? Am I going mad? Something else?
Thanks for reading.
Stuart
I joined tis site in 2005 and found it really useful. A little bit of history.
2004 – 2006 I was diagnosed with anxiety that manifested itself in various physical symptoms – headaches, chest pains, muscle stiffness & twitches, aching joints, muscle twitches, crawling ant sensations in legs, vertigo, tinnitus, tingling etc. Over that time I convinced myself that I had a brain tumour, MS, MND etc and just could not believe it was just anxiety. I saw various GPs, psychiatrist, psychologist, neurologist, rheumatologist and various therapists in a search for answers to my symptoms. It was the rheumatologist who said that I needed to get on with my life and eventually I started having more and more better days until all the symptoms faded away at the end of 2006. I believe the initial problem was linked to stress at work, but it manifested itself in my head as more than that.
Fast forward to May 2014 and I started to have chest pains (aching, shooting, pinching) as well as painful left arm and back, so much that over a period of 18 months to Christmas 2015 I went to A & E about 5 times as I was so worried and convinced I had a heart attack or cardiac disease. Of course I saw the GP and they offered me antidepressants as well as attending a stress awareness course. It was also during this time I experienced stomach pains as well, convinced myself I had cancer, had a gastric endoscope (not pleasant) and was diagnosed with Gastritis. I was also diagnosed with a heart murmur by the consultant and I saw a cardiologist. The chest pains would come and go and I had weeks of no issues but then have months of pain and discomfort.
January of this year, and again I suffered chest pain after a pain free Christmas , went to the GP in a panic, he sent me to A & E and was eventually sent home after all the usual tests came back negative. The next day, I felt breathless, rang 111 and was sent back at A & E – again all ok. I went back to the doctor as I was experiencing extreme anxiety and It was at this time I started to suffer the same symptoms from 2006 (tingling, sensitive skin, twitching, joint pain), but I no longer had chest pain! I now think I have a neurological disease.
I honestly don’t understand my body or the way I feel. I’m back on ADs for my anxiety and it has helped with that, but I still have the symptoms. I’m constantly having the battle in my head of ‘it’s a serious illness, no its anxiety’. The symptoms come and go and change but I’m constantly thinking about my health and it is affecting my personal and work life again as it did in 2004.
I just don’t know what to do. Is this classic health anxiety? Am I going mad? Something else?
Thanks for reading.
Stuart