A symptom that has no name

[jayknight]

I’ve had a symptom for over a year now that I’ve failed to understand or come to terms with. I’ve never heard anyone else refer to it per se; I don’t even know the name for it. I suspect it’s related to tension and anxiety, and perhaps it might make sense to some of you.

I’m dealing with some complications around Celiac Disease, and it’s left me scared and worried about my health. Surely the worry is making it all worse, but these things are difficult to pull apart.

My main issue of course is thus GI problems, but that’s not what I’m writing about today. What I’m trying to understand is what I call “chills”, but that’s a stand-in word for something that for me has no name.

You know when you’re about to catch a cold, and you get patches of skin that feel extra sensitive to touch? Those areas feel prickly and uncomfortable, almost goose-bumpy, but not cold? I get that every single day.

Sometimes it’s my face, often other times my arms, and frequently my knees and lower legs. It comes in waves throughout the day, often making life unpleasant, and then going away. Often, if I have the time and peace of mind to take a break from what I’m doing and do some belly breaths and relaxation exercise, the feeling improves for a while. Likewise, it’s often the case that I experience this feeling more strongly during a stressful day. And this feeling of “chills” in itself stresses me out, which no doubt makes everything worse. Strangely, it almost always crops up when I’m sitting down to play some guitar. Why then?! My best guess is that my position is very tense.

I had a complete blood panel done a few months ago when this symptom was especially prevalent, and everything was maddeningly normal. I had thought, maybe iron deficiency or anemia, what with Celiac Disease and all, but no serological evidence of that.

I am doing everything I can to investigate the Celiac/gastro thing further, so my bases are covered there. I’ve done and am doing basically everything possible to figure out this thing medically, and outside of my preexisting issue, nothing comes up.

Does anyone recognize this symptom in themselves? Does it relate to stress and anxiety for you?

Thanks for your time.

[SLA]

Hi Jay,

So have you been diagnosed as being a Celiac?

Some of these worried surfaced for me earlier this year after a battle with a horrendous cold.

My daughter has a gluten intolerance, and I went gluten-free in August, and have never felt better.

[MyNameIsTerry]

It might be paresthesia.

That includes things like pins & needles, the dead limp sensation, etc. It's a nerve thing and can be postural or strain related (such as carpal tunnel), and has many possible causes including mental health issues.

[Wjason]

I get a similair feeling on the bottom of my foot just down from the big toe.. usually when im walking around a shopping centre.. it makes me feel really strange and its sensitive.. like i cant walk properly. I think it ill put it down to anxiety due to being in a place full of people.

[jayknight]

Thanks for your thoughts. Yeah, paresthesia sort of fits the bill. This all cropped up when I began to (slowly) discontinue a moderate daily dose of klonopin that I had been on for far too long. However I've been off for almost a year, so I don't expect that it's related. I also take a moderate-to-high dose of mirtazapine. This sensation started up about 9 months after getting to that dosage, so again don't imagine it's related, but I suppose it could be.

@SLA, indeed I'm full-on Celiac. Glad you're feeling so much better. Be vigilant about avoiding gluten! My issue is now some unresponsiveness despite being on a GF diet, and this developed years after not taking the diet as seriously a I should have.

[NoraB]

You know when you’re about to catch a cold, and you get patches of skin that feel extra sensitive to touch? Those areas feel prickly and uncomfortable, almost goose-bumpy, but not cold? I get that every single day.

I get that a lot. Literally anywhere on the body including the scalp.



I had a complete blood panel done a few months ago when this symptom was especially prevalent, and everything was maddeningly normal. I had thought, maybe iron deficiency or anemia, what with Celiac Disease and all, but no serological evidence of that.

I'd be happy with that tbh. All mine came back clear as well aside from low Vit D due to living in rainy Blighty.

It most definitely is related to my anxiety and it's all to do with the stress response because when we go into fight or flight mode blood is shifted away from non important areas to vital organs. Blood is shifted away from the skin so you don't bleed to death if you're cut. The body is very clever, no? It is doing all it can to keep you alive as it is supposed to do. It doesn't know that it's your only your own thoughts that have triggered the flight or flight button and not the sabre toothed tiger. It just does it's thing. This stimulates nerve cells in the skin hence you get all manner of weird sensations, this being one of them.

Does this help?

[Beckybecks]

Thank you for writing this post. I've never heard of anyone else experiencing this skin sensation. I've had it on and off for a number of years. It's usually in my legs, just one spot that feels cold and tingly. Like you it seems to happen when I'm sitting down. I put it
I've had the sensation in my hands and feet when I'm having a panic attack, but that's different.

[jayknight]

@NoraB, thank you for the generous and thoughtful ideas. The physical state of affairs you describe certainly makes sense. I'm always struck by how this stuff doesn't seem to happen when I feel the most worried, consciously, but naturally I expect the relationship between disposition and bodily reaction is more nuanced than I might think.

I am indeed pleased by the normal blood test results; at least for a time I can remind myself of this when the sensations come, and de-ligitamize the concern I feel. Of course, after a few months, I get worried and want to get tested again...but I'm familiar with that feedback loop ;)

Thanks again.