Arcolite
28-08-16, 12:56
I’ve had anxiety from emetophobia for as long as I can remember.
It used to just be an annoying niggle that only appeared at times when I felt ill or when those around me were ill, however through over time, bad habits have snuck in and I've now spun this into a full blown phobia that is present practically every hour of every day.
It's reached the point where I get daily physical symptoms which are at times quite limiting.
Nearly every day I get either everything below at once, or just a handful.
- Nausea
- Burning in the wind pipe (which I'm guessing is reflux). Doesn't hurt, just feels like something fizzy just below my voice box.
- Indigestion and IBS like symptoms (no pain, just the messy symptoms) - sorry for TMI, but sweaty bum crack but no sweating anywhere else!
- No appetite
- Extreme tiredness (to the point I can barely keep my eyes open!)
- Yucky sweaty feeling, without being hot or even sweaty. I feel like I'm clammy, but when I touch that patch of skin it's cool and dry. Feels like my clothes are slightly damp, but they aren't. Cold yet sweaty feet sometimes too!
- Headache, but not bad enough to require pain killers. Just enough to make you feel rubbish. Almost like being over-tired.
- The sensation of a tight cap/hat or hair band around my forehead. No pain, just feels cool/tight. Almost as if my forehead/hair is damp.
- Dizziness. Not room spinning, just lightheaded and uneasy on my feet.
- Difficulty focusing on text, but not blurriness. Almost as if my eyes naturally want to remain unfocused on anything and I have to concentrate hard to make them focus. Sometimes feels like pressure behind the eyes.
- Really thick post nasal drip and congestion that anti-histamines and nasal sprays do nothing about. It feels like there's a constant blob of something stuck right behind my uvula that no amount of swallowing can shift. This causes constant throat clearing.
- Neck tension (to the point where even a pillow under my head at night feels uncomfortable)
- Lack of libido
- Underweight with a poor appetite
I don’t have any problems sleeping, but I wake up most days feeling just as washed out as I did when I went to bed, sometimes even more so!
To most I appear as quite a chirpy chap, however it's a brave face and in reality every day is tough. I feel unwell more days than I feel well and I'm constantly looking for a solution to make myself feel better "physically".
If it's not my stomach, then it's a headache.
If it's not a headache it's tension.
If it’s not tension, then I’m congested and feel rubbish.
Planning day trips and enjoying life is hard as I never know if that day is going to be a "good day" for me.
Sometimes it’s a cycle. It’s bad at the start of the week (Mon-Wed) but improves by the weekend. But on top of that I'll have two good weeks where I feel "OK", not brilliant, but not unwell. Then I'll have one really bad one where I feel unwell like I'm coming down with something and I’m back to square one again.
Some of them even feel linked. When I get a bout of tension I know I’ll be congested for a day or so after followed by a bad stomach with IBS and headache. As an example - last weekend I felt congested all weekend. Today I feel tired and have a unsettled system (IBS, I won't get graphic...) and feel all flushed in the face as if I'm starting to get feverish. This weekend, I felt tense on Friday night, unsettled tummy yesterday and today I feel very heady, dizzy, congested and sweaty.
Intellectually I’m pretty certain it's anxiety, my doctor doesn't seem worried about anything, yet there’s a part of me that’s searching for an easier solution. If there was a way to relieve the physical symptoms!
Maybe the stomach problems are a food allergy/intolerance!
Maybe it’s Gluten… (it's hardly ever gluten...)
Or Dairy, that can make you congested!
Maybe it’s dust allergies! That’ll explain the congestion and the headaches, let's use allergy sprays and take a daily anti-histamine! (they do nothing...)
Maybe the dizziness is sinus related! Steam inhaling and sinus rinsing will cure me! (it doesn't...)
Maybe I haven't eaten enough, that's why I'm lightheaded and dizzy.
Maybe I have GERD, that'll explain the congestion and stomach issues.
Over the last 10 years I've tried many routes to try to feel better and gain some control over things.
These include...
- Under advice of my doctor I had two periods of approx. 12-18 months on Citalopram and then Sertraline SSRI's. These "eased" things, but caused just as many problems as they solved.
- I’ve had multiple rounds of CBT of all different types. I can see why it would help, but it didn’t do much for me. I don't "feel" anxious. The physical symptoms are normally the first thing I notice, not anxious thoughts.
- I've tried numerous IBS "cures" and diets. All without effect. Sometimes I can eat something and feel fine. Other times it upsets my system.
- Multiple rounds of blood and urine tests for infections, thyroid issues, gluten intolerance (coeliac), anaemia, weak immune system. All clear.
- I had laser eye surgery as I thought my eyesight was the cause of the headaches. I now have great eyesight as well as headaches.
- I had a ENT referral to investigate my sinuses to see why I'm always congested and muzzy headed. Deviated Septum found, but sinuses were all clear. No cause for headaches and congestion found.
Can these all really just be anxiety?
Does anyone else have similar symptoms, and have you found any relief?
It used to just be an annoying niggle that only appeared at times when I felt ill or when those around me were ill, however through over time, bad habits have snuck in and I've now spun this into a full blown phobia that is present practically every hour of every day.
It's reached the point where I get daily physical symptoms which are at times quite limiting.
Nearly every day I get either everything below at once, or just a handful.
- Nausea
- Burning in the wind pipe (which I'm guessing is reflux). Doesn't hurt, just feels like something fizzy just below my voice box.
- Indigestion and IBS like symptoms (no pain, just the messy symptoms) - sorry for TMI, but sweaty bum crack but no sweating anywhere else!
- No appetite
- Extreme tiredness (to the point I can barely keep my eyes open!)
- Yucky sweaty feeling, without being hot or even sweaty. I feel like I'm clammy, but when I touch that patch of skin it's cool and dry. Feels like my clothes are slightly damp, but they aren't. Cold yet sweaty feet sometimes too!
- Headache, but not bad enough to require pain killers. Just enough to make you feel rubbish. Almost like being over-tired.
- The sensation of a tight cap/hat or hair band around my forehead. No pain, just feels cool/tight. Almost as if my forehead/hair is damp.
- Dizziness. Not room spinning, just lightheaded and uneasy on my feet.
- Difficulty focusing on text, but not blurriness. Almost as if my eyes naturally want to remain unfocused on anything and I have to concentrate hard to make them focus. Sometimes feels like pressure behind the eyes.
- Really thick post nasal drip and congestion that anti-histamines and nasal sprays do nothing about. It feels like there's a constant blob of something stuck right behind my uvula that no amount of swallowing can shift. This causes constant throat clearing.
- Neck tension (to the point where even a pillow under my head at night feels uncomfortable)
- Lack of libido
- Underweight with a poor appetite
I don’t have any problems sleeping, but I wake up most days feeling just as washed out as I did when I went to bed, sometimes even more so!
To most I appear as quite a chirpy chap, however it's a brave face and in reality every day is tough. I feel unwell more days than I feel well and I'm constantly looking for a solution to make myself feel better "physically".
If it's not my stomach, then it's a headache.
If it's not a headache it's tension.
If it’s not tension, then I’m congested and feel rubbish.
Planning day trips and enjoying life is hard as I never know if that day is going to be a "good day" for me.
Sometimes it’s a cycle. It’s bad at the start of the week (Mon-Wed) but improves by the weekend. But on top of that I'll have two good weeks where I feel "OK", not brilliant, but not unwell. Then I'll have one really bad one where I feel unwell like I'm coming down with something and I’m back to square one again.
Some of them even feel linked. When I get a bout of tension I know I’ll be congested for a day or so after followed by a bad stomach with IBS and headache. As an example - last weekend I felt congested all weekend. Today I feel tired and have a unsettled system (IBS, I won't get graphic...) and feel all flushed in the face as if I'm starting to get feverish. This weekend, I felt tense on Friday night, unsettled tummy yesterday and today I feel very heady, dizzy, congested and sweaty.
Intellectually I’m pretty certain it's anxiety, my doctor doesn't seem worried about anything, yet there’s a part of me that’s searching for an easier solution. If there was a way to relieve the physical symptoms!
Maybe the stomach problems are a food allergy/intolerance!
Maybe it’s Gluten… (it's hardly ever gluten...)
Or Dairy, that can make you congested!
Maybe it’s dust allergies! That’ll explain the congestion and the headaches, let's use allergy sprays and take a daily anti-histamine! (they do nothing...)
Maybe the dizziness is sinus related! Steam inhaling and sinus rinsing will cure me! (it doesn't...)
Maybe I haven't eaten enough, that's why I'm lightheaded and dizzy.
Maybe I have GERD, that'll explain the congestion and stomach issues.
Over the last 10 years I've tried many routes to try to feel better and gain some control over things.
These include...
- Under advice of my doctor I had two periods of approx. 12-18 months on Citalopram and then Sertraline SSRI's. These "eased" things, but caused just as many problems as they solved.
- I’ve had multiple rounds of CBT of all different types. I can see why it would help, but it didn’t do much for me. I don't "feel" anxious. The physical symptoms are normally the first thing I notice, not anxious thoughts.
- I've tried numerous IBS "cures" and diets. All without effect. Sometimes I can eat something and feel fine. Other times it upsets my system.
- Multiple rounds of blood and urine tests for infections, thyroid issues, gluten intolerance (coeliac), anaemia, weak immune system. All clear.
- I had laser eye surgery as I thought my eyesight was the cause of the headaches. I now have great eyesight as well as headaches.
- I had a ENT referral to investigate my sinuses to see why I'm always congested and muzzy headed. Deviated Septum found, but sinuses were all clear. No cause for headaches and congestion found.
Can these all really just be anxiety?
Does anyone else have similar symptoms, and have you found any relief?