Is anxiety a type of dysautonomia?

[pigsmightfly]

Currently going through a rough anxiety patch (7 months and counting). My anxiety manifests as insomnia, chronic fatigue and a myriad of distressing physical symptoms, leading to hypochondria / health anxiety, and a vicious spiral downwards.

My main problem is that I struggle to fully buy-in to the anxiety diagnosis. I think it's because I have this notion of anxiety as an illness of chronic worrying. IMO I don't worry anywhere near enough to justify the level of symptoms that I suffer. And so I go looking for other explanations that provide a better fit (I know that this is the wrong thing to do but with the internet it is so easy to give into temptation).

For a while I was trying my best to convince myself I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Perhaps this felt more palatable than telling people I had anxiety. But although I have chronic fatigue, I recently walked 50 miles over three days, so I'm pretty sure that rules out CFS.

A lot of my symptoms seem to relate to the autonomic nervous system - insomnia, palpitations and ectopic beats, digestive issues, eyes slow to focus etc. So now I'm wondering whether I have some form of dysautonomia. Can anxiety be considered a form of "temporary" dysautonomia? (As opposed to the more permanent autonomic neuropathy).

[Bigboyuk]

Hi Pigsmightfly :) I wouldn't completely rule out anxiety, so take it you have been diagnosed by your dr? As for CFS I would say no as your 50 mile walk has proved other wise and well done ;) I couldn't have done that well not with out many breaks lol, are you on any meds or therapy? Cheers

[pigsmightfly]

So the "working diagnosis" from GP and Psychiatrist is Anxiety. I've had a whole bunch of tests and scans this year. I'm lucky that I have private medical cover, although this can be a double-edged sword for somebody prone to health anxiety. Nevertheless, despite being very symptomatic, tests have not pointed to anything sinister, and so the current line of thinking is Anxiety. My main complaint initially was insomnia, so after a a short course of sleeping tablets I was started on Mirtazapine, which I found great for sleep initially, but that side-effect wore off. Over a period of several months I also tried Sertraline and Venlafaxine, but I can honestly say I never felt much difference on any of them in terms of my symptoms. In terms of mood I just felt emotionally numb. My current regime is Zopiclone and Pregabalin at night for sleep, and Propranolol during the day for heart palpitations. Plus a whole bunch of vitamins. I am going to have a sleep study on Sunday so they can see how much deep sleep I am getting as I always wake up feeling unrefreshed. I think lack of quality sleep is one of the main things causing my symptoms. On a good day I tell myself that it's all because my sympathetic nervous system is just out of whack and it can restore eventually. On a bad day I can convince myself it is something much worse..........

[ankietyjoe]

Anxiety and 'worry' are only partially related.

Anxiety is far more complex and deep reaching than just worrying about things.

It's a state of mind, a learned autonomic response, a habit, a disease(?), an infinite number of linked physical and mental symptoms.

The key is taking control of the conscious part of the brain you can take control of. That will hold the hand of the subconscious brain that's causing the anxiety (and the resulting symptoms) and allow it to calm down again, over time.

My own research has suggested that mind and body can perceive stress on many different levels, including things like vitamin and mineral deficiency from a bad diet (for example) to over-exercising, to 'thriving on stress'.....or rather making yourself believe you do. And then realising several years later that all you were really doing is storing that stress up for a sinister later date.