How bad do symptoms have to be for doctors to send you for a scan etc?

[MrAlexander88]

Hi guys, so the last couple nights I have been smelling smoke. The first night I smelt it, I was adament it wasn't me because I smelt it on my landing in and in my bedroom, so opened my bedroom windows (had them on crack) and took a sniff and it stunk of something burning.

Last night again I smelt similar, but what made me more paranoid it didn't smell as strong last night, but I took a sniff out the front door and it did smell of smoke faintly so checked outside my bedroom windows and not much smell at all, but maybe a slight smell of smoke. It's hard to know whether I am smelling something that isn't or if someone is burning something nearby. I live in a semi-rural area surrounded by farms etc, so maybe someone is burning something I don't know.

Apart from the last couple nights, I have not smelt burning at all. I was thinking that maybe it could be the boiler as been having issues with it for a few weeks, where's it's lost pressure than I have had to repressurise it.

I share a place with my cousin, but he's not home much as spends a lot of time with his girlfriend so I am often on my own and it makes me paranoid that I'm smelling this. Today I haven't smelt burning at all and I am thinking "is it me? Am I going mad?" haha. You google "smelling smoke" and it comes up with worrying stuff so I've avoided google searches and just staying away from diagnosing things.

I have been suffering from anxiety/depression and panic attacks for many years. I turned 30 in August and have had anxiety since my early 20's. It has often affected my life in a big way as I have spent a lot of time long term unemployed due to my mental health issues. Anyway, recently (past few weeks) I have been very anxious.

I haven't been exercising as much as I used to and I'm just a bit frustrated. I have been experiencing panic attacks (only mild/moderate ones) and thinking that everything I am paranoid about is my anxiety playing with my mind. I have so many symptoms with panic attacks, it worries me when I experiencing something different.

I obviously hope it's nothing sinister. I occasionally google symptoms and I know it's the worse thing someone with anxiety can do as all kinds of things come up. I have no out of ordinary symptoms that aren't common with anxiety, so I think my anxiety and head are playing tricks with me.

I didn't want to write this out, but was feeling very anxious that I had smell issues the last couple nights. Maybe it is someone burning something outside like my cousin.

[Anxiousamyj]

I started on a really awful HA spiral in June of 2017 due to smelling phantom smoke. I ended up in the ER and got scans of my brain, which showed that everything was fine. Once I was anxious, though, it led to me moving from one disease to the next and googling like a madwoman. Now, under the care of a supportive doctor and psychiatrist, I am back (mostly) to my old self. Don't Google, don't obsess about your body. I have had thousands of dollars in doctor appointments and tests only for them to find nothing.

[MrAlexander88]

I started on a really awful HA spiral in June of 2017 due to smelling phantom smoke. I ended up in the ER and got scans of my brain, which showed that everything was fine. Once I was anxious, though, it led to me moving from one disease to the next and googling like a madwoman. Now, under the care of a supportive doctor and psychiatrist, I am back (mostly) to my old self. Don't Google, don't obsess about your body. I have had thousands of dollars in doctor appointments and tests only for them to find nothing.

Thank you for the response. It's weird, I haven't smelt it all day then all of a sudden I smell it again. I just sprayed some air freshener and smelt smoke again. I wonder whether it's my anxiety thinking certain smellls like air freshener are strong smokey smells lol.

It's all a bit mad. Glad to hear you was okay. Yeah anxiety can be a real horrible thing to deal with. You never know what is a genuine symptom or anxiety related symptom because so many listed anxiety symptoms are very similar to other symptoms.

[Fishmanpa]

Hi guys, so the last couple nights I have been smelling smoke. The first night I smelt it, I was adament it wasn't me because I smelt it on my landing in and in my bedroom, so opened my bedroom windows (had them on crack) and took a sniff and it stunk of something burning.

Last night again I smelt similar, but what made me more paranoid it didn't smell as strong last night, but I took a sniff out the front door and it did smell of smoke faintly so checked outside my bedroom windows and not much smell at all, but maybe a slight smell of smoke. It's hard to know whether I am smelling something that isn't or if someone is burning something nearby. I live in a semi-rural area surrounded by farms etc, so maybe someone is burning something I don't know.

So you smelled smoke and upon further investigation, it was coming from outside. Obviously, you have an explanation. Why this would be considered odd or threatening from a health standpoint, I don't know :shrug:

Positive thoughts

[MrAlexander88]

So you smelled smoke and upon further investigation, it was coming from outside. Obviously, you have an explanation. Why this would be considered odd or threatening from a health standpoint, I don't know :shrug:

Positive thoughts

I don't know if it was coming from outside though because I still smelt it in the morning yesterday and today, which is odd for a smoke smell to linger for that amount of time.

I know it sounds silly, but it's just made me a bit more anxious and worried it's something else. It's only been a couple days, well a day and half, so I probably need to give it longer to see.

I am trying to keep positive, just annoying when I get even more anxious about it and it's a vicious circle you know. :shrug::unsure:

[axolotl]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but it's only we health anxious types that would smell smoke and even consider phantom smells. Non-anxious people would just presume it was something outside.

I live in Sheffield and there was one day this summer where the whole city smelt of smoke, and it was moorland fires all the way in Staffordshire. It's been a very warm, dry summer and autumn and there are a lot of fires around in the countryside, with the smoke smell drifting for several miles, way out of sight of where it's come from.

Now stop Googling ;)

[Fishmanpa]

I don't know if it was coming from outside though because I still smelt it in the morning yesterday and today, which is odd for a smoke smell to linger for that amount of time.


Apart from the last couple nights, I have not smelt burning at all. I was thinking that maybe it could be the boiler as been having issues with it for a few weeks, where's it's lost pressure than I have had to repressurise it....Today I haven't smelt burning at all...

Again, you have very real and logical explanations. This is just your anxious mind creating havoc where there is none. Having suffered with anxiety as long as you have, deep down I believe you know this.

Positive thoughts

[Doug90]

Since you live in rural area it could just be farmers and property owners doing burn offs, burning off their dead vegetation and doing controlled burns to prevent forest fires in the warmer months.
I live in rural Australia and its not uncommon to smell smoke continuously for weeks as the farmers get rid of all their dead trees before summer.

[MrAlexander88]

I have been experiencing, for the past week a wooziness feeling in the head along with dry eyes. I am not unsteady on my feet or anything like that, but it's just I have this strange wavy feeling in my head.

I am going to the doctors tomorrow morning to speak about my symptoms. I have had a similar feeling like this before a few years ago when I had panic attacks etc. I was just feeling a bit concerned because anything to do with the head is a worry.

I think I would prefer to have a scan of the brain to ease my mind, but I am not sure whether the doctor would allow me to have one. I don't know, It's just irritating because the more I worry, the more panic I suffer from and then it doesn't help in any way. There are so many symptoms associated with anxiety disorder that I never know whether they're more sinister or just anxiety. It's very frustrating.

Would really appreciate your thoughts.

[RadioGaGa]

MrAlexander88

The sort of dizziness they worry about is dizziness which makes you unsteady on your feet e.g. fails balance tests. Even then its almost always a simple problem with the inner ear.

You're describing subjective dizziness e.g. dizziness that can't be verified by medical testing. This is almost always caused by anxiety.

I'm 99% sure you're fine, but follow up with your doctor if you continue to be worried.

[MrAlexander88]

MrAlexander88

The sort of dizziness they worry about is dizziness which makes you unsteady on your feet e.g. fails balance tests. Even then its almost always a simple problem with the inner ear.

You're describing subjective dizziness e.g. dizziness that can't be verified by medical testing. This is almost always caused by anxiety.

I'm 99% sure you're fine, but follow up with your doctor if you continue to be worried.

Hi RadioGaGa.

Okay, that's a little more reassuring. It's just I get so anxious about my health and become a hypochondriac whenever I get odd symptoms. I then think "is it something more serious" etc. It's very frustrating.

I see you're a health anxiety sufferer as a health professional. How do you overcome health anxiety if you work helping the sick? That must be tough :unsure:

[jray23]

I think it's fair to say that many anxiety sufferers have had the dizziness you describe at some point in their lives. Radio gaga's advice is spot on.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[RadioGaGa]

I'm exactly the same as you. Today, for example, I had fleeting chest pain. This came on and lasted two seconds, then went away. Repeated a few times. Right away, I started to panic: is this a heart attack? Even though fleeting chest pain is rarely, if ever, serious I still panicked.

At times, I think work makes my health anxiety worse. Then, at other times, I realise I'd have HA anyway, regardless of my career choice.

What probably makes it worse for me, though, is my number one fear is cancer (specifically, a glioblastoma brain tumour). Where do I work? A cancer centre. At times, I do find it very difficult. For example, I was checking a prescription for Temozolomide one time (the anti-cancer drug used in glioblastoma) and I took a bit of a panic attack. I had to walk outside, collect myself, and then return.

Another fear I have is, sometimes if I'm around a patient with glioblastoma, I start to feel serious anxiety inside. My fear is that they will somehow detect this, but thankfully I can hide it well and it's never happened (or to my knowledge anyway).

My HA is relatively improved compared to what it used to be. It's still not gone away, and I'm awaiting CBT for it this Friday.

Unfortunately, I don't have any other advice on how to deal with it just yet. I'm hoping I can pass on any tips I get from my CBT course.

[gracee121x]

i have this, it’s anxiety and dry eye x

[MrAlexander88]

I am just curious. I was prescribed beta blockers a little while ago, but was reluctant to take them as I was trying to first see if I could get better without them. However, I have been having a horrible time of it the last week or so, so I decided to get the medication.

I started using it today (40mg) but was told to take 80mg by the doctor, although I would rather see what the smaller dose does first. I do go out and exercise quite often, usually going for a run or sprints. I am just wondering, is it okay to continue my exercise while on the medication?

[ankietyjoe]

You can exercise, but you might feel it a bit. It's not dangerous.

What are you taking them for?

[Lissa101]

Its safe but I'm not sure you'll get the most out of exercise. I was on a low dose (20mg) as they really make me feel slooooooow and I hate that feeling. I monitored my heart rate doing treadmill intervals and my heart rate never climbed over 110bpm.

[Magic]

I know a couple of folk who take propranolol. One goes to the gym a couple of times a week and the other is just slow walking for about one hour every day.

[MrAlexander88]

I have definitely been at this point recently. I am just fed up with the symptoms. I think to myself "pull yourself together, man. There are people around the world in way, way worse situations" but it's tough to think like that all the time when you're personally affected and you're worried about your own health. I understand I am in a better position than many other people with much poorer health than I, but I can't help but worry about my health.

Do you guys ever think like this and just get fed up at times?

[Darksky]

I imagine almost everyone on here gets totally sick of it, almost all of the time.
It's a big heavy old bag we carry around with us.

[MrAlexander88]

I've been getting this recently, but cannot distiguish whether it's my anxiety or the fact that I've been back in the gym weight training and boxing, so I've possibly over stretched at the gym.

Just wondering if you get similar symptoms with your anxiety?

[BlueIris]

Sometimes, yes, and it's really horrible - a nasty sort of pinching pain.

[Pkstracy]

Yep, I get it I tend to tense my muscles without realizing it when I am anxious.

[MrAlexander88]

I imagine almost everyone on here gets totally sick of it, almost all of the time.
It's a big heavy old bag we carry around with us.

You damn right about that. I am so at my wits end with it. If it's not one symptom, it's another. Constantly makes me worry about my health even if it's likely to be anxiety. :lac:

[MrAlexander88]

I am currently on 40mg. I am pretty sure my doctor said originally I could go on 80mg, but on the bottle it says "take one daily" and they are 40mg. My anxiety isn't really much better on 40mg, so am considering upping my dosage to two 40mg per day. What do you think?

[BlueIris]

In my experience, propranolol is fairly harmless, with one caveat: it can really worsen insomnia. I'd suggest chatting to your doctor and finding out if they can prescribe you the slow release stuff if you're going to have to be taking it in the evening.

We all respond differently to different meds, but the only times I've ever gone 60 hours without sleeping involved propranolol, and it was wretched.

[MrAlexander88]

In my experience, propranolol is fairly harmless, with one caveat: it can really worsen insomnia. I'd suggest chatting to your doctor and finding out if they can prescribe you the slow release stuff if you're going to have to be taking it in the evening.

We all respond differently to different meds, but the only times I've ever gone 60 hours without sleeping involved propranolol, and it was wretched.

It feels like since taking propranolol I have had a lot more broken sleep. I am not going a night without waking up at least twice. I also don't think they are helping me too much, at least not on 40mg.

Do you know if there are any stronger, more effective meds for anxiety than propranolol? What are you on BlueIris?

I will most likely visit the doctor on Monday or Tues and find out if there's any other meds I can take instead.

[BlueIris]

MrAlexander, I've been on Citalopram for a few months now and it's one of the best things to have ever happened to me. Propranolol helps with the physical aspects of anxiety, but once it kicks in (pretty quickly for me) citalopram actually helps dampen down the fear response.

I still get panic attacks, but it's the difference between being nervous and shaky for a couple of hours rather than feeling physically ill for days to weeks - I can have a panic attack now and still be enthusiastic about going out and having fun the following day.

The side effects weren't a picnic at first - I had a bit of nausea and really had to curtail my (admittedly fairly high) chilli consumption for a few weeks. The only thing that's lingered is getting tired a little more easily, though, which is possibly just because I'm no longer stressed to the point of raging insomnia all the time.

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

[MrAlexander88]

This may sound silly, but the last couple days I've been feeling woozy. i have been stressed out and my anxiety has been at an all time high almost. Anyway, last night I didn't sleep well at all.

Tonight I have laid down to sleep, but it feels like I have a pressure on back of my head running to my eyes. The thing is, I think I experienced this before and it seemed to be anxiety.

Also, I have an issue at the moment wih my upper back and shoulders, well also my neck where it is tight. if I move my shoulders around it feels like there might be a muscle or nerve which is hurt, so wondering if it's that.

The thing is, I am wondering if the blood pressure from my anxiety is causing this. It has only been tonight I feel this pressure like feeling, and because I haven't slept well and been looking at my phone & laptop all day, I wonder whether it's overly dry eyes too.

Maybe it's all in my head and it's all anxiety, but I hate that this flares up when I wanna go bed and sleep. It makes me paranoid before sleep and I may go another night having poor sleep.

I am definitely going to go to the doctor next week anyway as I have to go anyway, so can ask about my symptoms, but wanted some advice from you guys if anybody had experience similar.

Any advice?

[nomorepanic]

It really does sound like tension and anxiety to be honest.

[MrAlexander88]

It really does sound like tension and anxiety to be honest.

Hi. Thank you. Because it's only come on so recently and I have not really experienced this before now (apart from maybe one time) I am thinking it may just be anxiety/tension like you say.

I am experiencing a little temple pain and around the eyes, so maybe tension would be doing this to the muscles.

[nomorepanic]

Oh yes it definitely can cause that

[Siffi]

I understand how you feel. It's one of my worries too.
If it helps, brain tumours are unlikely to cause a headache and usually start with seizures. That always makes me feel better.
My mum had one and the first thing that she had were seizures. As far as I remember she didnt even complain of a headache

[MrAlexander88]

I am sure my symptoms are nothing more than anxiety but the problem is, there's been times lately where I would feel more comfortable going for a specific scan. I have seen the doctor (different doctor each time) and been prescribed beta blockers.

The doctors believe it's just anxiety. I know they are not psychic and can only do so much, but any of you been for scans which have been recommended, and how bad were your symptoms? On the other hand, would I need to push the doctor into sending me for one?

I understand scans are expensive, so maybe doctors are reluctant to send a person for one unless symptoms are unexplainable or difficult to diagnose.