Weak, shaky, flutters and constant anxiety

[saintdee]

Hi All.
I started having a couple of palps or flutters last Friday but just carried on. Went out for a few drinks that night and woke up Saturday with hangover but at same time in total panic with my anxiety, palps, heartbeat racing, dizzy, shaky and weak. Since then my anxiety and stress levels have not dropped and these physical symptoms have stayed with me. I have had a fairly stressful couple months which resulted in having full blood test three weeks ago ( which is a huge panic time for me as convinced something was wrong ), but all bloods came back ok which was like a huge weight lifted off me. I’m trying really hard to tell myself that what I’m going through is another tough spell of anxiety, but it’s an internal battle trying to convince myself this. My anxiety is also up because of this Coronavirus which is in your face everywhere you go and gets my heart racing each and every time. And now my mind is saying that these palps and Shakes are a heart condition and I’m at risk from the virus, it’s like a vicious cycle at the moment. When I try to lay down or sleep the physical symptoms are magnified which means I don’t relax, and then rest of the days I’m tired aswell as anxious which makes my physical symptoms worse. I can’t escape these symptoms and I can’t convince myself that this is anxiety causing this, even after only recently having a load of blood tests done. Sorry for the long post but I’m in a mess and very scared right now.

[Gary A]

When you have an illness, your illness manifests and identifies itself by producing symptoms. Each illness has a unique pattern of symptoms that point whoever is diagnosing it in that direction. If, for example, you went to a GP with severe headaches, visual auras etc, you’d be diagnosed with migraines.

Anxiety in extreme forms is an illness. Like any other illness, it produces symptoms. Now ask yourself, do your symptoms match the physical manifestations of anxiety? Palpitations, racing heart, dizziness, weakness, they all point directly at anxiety. Especially since you’ve had a full bloodwork that was absolutely clear.

In fact, it would be strange if your body did not produce symptoms in times of anxiety. Of course an anxious mind makes your heart race, of course it’ll give you palpitations, of course it’ll make you dizzy. Your mind is suffering and your body is merely crying out, exactly as it should.

Your heart races and palpates due to excess adrenaline being produced by your brain sending your body distress signals. You get dizzy because your breathing patterns during anxiety are messed up, which in turn produces a poor balance of oxygen and CO2 in your blood. Aches and pains are caused by tension in your muscles, again produced by your anxious mind.

As hard as it is to believe, the fact you’re suffering from these symptoms actually proves that your body is doing what it should be.

[saintdee]

Thank you for your message, much appreciated.