monkey31
21-08-17, 16:58
Hi everyone
Im new here. Just looking for support really. Its been a crazy few months and Ill try my best to keep it short and sweet. Im wondering mainly if anyone has experienced facial tingling etc as a long term symptom of their anxiety? mine has been going on for 6 months...
firstly, I've always been quite an anxious person. there were a few events in my 20's (I'm now 32) that I feel really solidified my issues. So anxiety is something Ive struggled with for a while.
Basically, in march this year, after a few months of a persistent left eye twitch, my left lip/cheek started tingling and twitching (very fine twitches, not always visable). I also had some burning neck pain for a week or so. My face felt weirdly numb/but not numb if that makes sense and I took to google. Big mistake! I freaked out thinking I was either having a stroke or had MS. Fast forward a few weeks, I had been to the GP and told it was nothing, ended up in A&E after having panic attacks. Began experiencing tingling and numbness in my arms and legs etc. Was again told, it was nothing but I was in such a state my GP referred me to a neurologist for reassurance. To be safe, he ordered an MRI which was fine. My bloods were also fine. So once again, I was told its nothing (probably stress if anything) and hopefully it would go.
After my clear MRI I was elated, and a lot of the MEGA anxiety I had been experiencing lifted. The facial symptoms remained however (and when I say remain- I mean have been there all day every day since march in varying degrees). I saw a chiropractor because I was wondering if my issues were to do with posture. He assessed me and agreed that was possible (I have bad posture from years of working at a desk). He also noted some TMJ issues which he chalked up to stress. He has done a lot of work which has massively helped my posture/neck pain/lower back pain but my face remains the same.
In amongst all of this, I have been dealing with infertility issues. My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for over 8 years. We have been doing IVF treatments unsuccessfully for the past 18 months or so. We had to take a break early this year during all of my tests like the MRI etc. We finally returned to clinic for another attempt in June which was also unsuccessful. Since then, my anxiety has gotten a bit worse. As I say my facial symptoms have been constant. I began to worry that my anxiety, though not at fever pitch like they were in march/april, was not helping our IVF attempts. I felt I couldn't continue with treatment while this was still on going.
So two weeks ago, after seeing my IVF dr, my GP and the Chiropractor, everyone agreed that dealing with the two issues was simply too much at once so a break was absolutely necessary. My GP has prescribed me Amitriptyline to help with my anxiety and the facial sensations. She really believes ALL of this is because of my prolonged anxiety issues. She also thinks I'm depressed. During my appointment she kept saying, "You have to understand that 8 years of struggling with infertility will have taken its toll on your body and mind"...
So currently, I'm on a break from IVF I'm taking my meds and waiting to see if they help. Its been so hard to accept. Ive felt like Ive coped all this time, but I guess I haven't been and its tipped over the edge and effected me physically. I just feel so defeated.
Has anyone out there experienced similar symptoms/reactions to their anxiety/depression? Some days I feel comforted to think that the sensations are just my anxiety, but other days I find it hard to believe that my anxiety can cause these issues 24/7 for 6 months, because I don't always "Feel" anxious. Does that make sense? hope someone can relate.
Im new here. Just looking for support really. Its been a crazy few months and Ill try my best to keep it short and sweet. Im wondering mainly if anyone has experienced facial tingling etc as a long term symptom of their anxiety? mine has been going on for 6 months...
firstly, I've always been quite an anxious person. there were a few events in my 20's (I'm now 32) that I feel really solidified my issues. So anxiety is something Ive struggled with for a while.
Basically, in march this year, after a few months of a persistent left eye twitch, my left lip/cheek started tingling and twitching (very fine twitches, not always visable). I also had some burning neck pain for a week or so. My face felt weirdly numb/but not numb if that makes sense and I took to google. Big mistake! I freaked out thinking I was either having a stroke or had MS. Fast forward a few weeks, I had been to the GP and told it was nothing, ended up in A&E after having panic attacks. Began experiencing tingling and numbness in my arms and legs etc. Was again told, it was nothing but I was in such a state my GP referred me to a neurologist for reassurance. To be safe, he ordered an MRI which was fine. My bloods were also fine. So once again, I was told its nothing (probably stress if anything) and hopefully it would go.
After my clear MRI I was elated, and a lot of the MEGA anxiety I had been experiencing lifted. The facial symptoms remained however (and when I say remain- I mean have been there all day every day since march in varying degrees). I saw a chiropractor because I was wondering if my issues were to do with posture. He assessed me and agreed that was possible (I have bad posture from years of working at a desk). He also noted some TMJ issues which he chalked up to stress. He has done a lot of work which has massively helped my posture/neck pain/lower back pain but my face remains the same.
In amongst all of this, I have been dealing with infertility issues. My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for over 8 years. We have been doing IVF treatments unsuccessfully for the past 18 months or so. We had to take a break early this year during all of my tests like the MRI etc. We finally returned to clinic for another attempt in June which was also unsuccessful. Since then, my anxiety has gotten a bit worse. As I say my facial symptoms have been constant. I began to worry that my anxiety, though not at fever pitch like they were in march/april, was not helping our IVF attempts. I felt I couldn't continue with treatment while this was still on going.
So two weeks ago, after seeing my IVF dr, my GP and the Chiropractor, everyone agreed that dealing with the two issues was simply too much at once so a break was absolutely necessary. My GP has prescribed me Amitriptyline to help with my anxiety and the facial sensations. She really believes ALL of this is because of my prolonged anxiety issues. She also thinks I'm depressed. During my appointment she kept saying, "You have to understand that 8 years of struggling with infertility will have taken its toll on your body and mind"...
So currently, I'm on a break from IVF I'm taking my meds and waiting to see if they help. Its been so hard to accept. Ive felt like Ive coped all this time, but I guess I haven't been and its tipped over the edge and effected me physically. I just feel so defeated.
Has anyone out there experienced similar symptoms/reactions to their anxiety/depression? Some days I feel comforted to think that the sensations are just my anxiety, but other days I find it hard to believe that my anxiety can cause these issues 24/7 for 6 months, because I don't always "Feel" anxious. Does that make sense? hope someone can relate.