Spiralling. Need a hand.

[Willspring]

Hi all,
im going through the mill a bit here and need a hand. I have GAD and severe HA for a long, long time. Over the last few years the anxiety has been really, really bad, which has caused all sorts of things (all but one resolved themselves as I calmed). Currently though things are piling up. A month ago I was developing blurred vision in one eye. Long story short I began treatment for anterior uveitis, which has resolved but has caused macula edema. So I’m having to take hourly steroid drops and have had two injections into my eye. It’s still not resolving so that is a stress. I make my living as an artist so y’know…
the thing is though that over this period other ‘symptoms’ are showing up. Aching upper arms, aching legs, bizarre sensations of ‘wetness’ and cold around my knees. (Wearing trousers feels horrible) tingling and sort of ‘numb-but not numb’ sensations in my feet and knee. The thing that’s really starting to blow my mind, and forgive me for this, is a change in my stool. It’s become, (sporadically) a bit yellowish and really smells bad. Consistency and regularity are all normal, no urgency or anything. No abdominal pains, change in weight etc etc. just colour and that horrible smell.
im not going to lie, I’ve been on the internet. I know I shouldn’t but I couldn’t stop myself.
I really wish I hadn’t.
anyway…I think what I’m after is does this stuff sound like typical long term stress / anxiety response? Can anyone relate? I’m basically after some reassurance I think.
I keep avoiding calling the gp mainly as it’s virtually impossible to actually get to speak to one, and also I’m not sure I can handle the anxiety of what they might suggest. (I’m constantly on the brink of panic)
anyway…anyone who mig have a word, I’ll be grateful. Thanks.

[ServerError]

Does it sound like long-term stress/anxiety? Very much so. Anxiety can play havoc with the bowels. What you're experiencing actually sounds mild compared to what some people's bowels do when they're stressed. A wet feeling on the legs was something I experienced in the run up to my first ever panic attack. I was very worried about it but I realise now it was linked to my state of mind. Still happens sometimes if I'm a bit frazzled.

Numbness and tingling are about as classic as you can get with anxiety. I spent a night in hospital convinced I couldn't feel my face - all anxiety. I've collapsed from losing feeling in my legs - all anxiety.

The fact you're having this range of symptoms points firmly to an anxious mind and body. Obviously you're going through a real medical issue, so keep treating that and do what the doctors want you to do, but you should also seek some sort of help with the anxiety.

[Willspring]

Thanks so much for the reply. Has really helped. I keep telling myself it’s all the result of very prolonged, very extreme stress and anxiety and it all impacts your system, but I can never hold it for long enough. I think where I fall down is when something comes along like the whole stool colour / smell thing and I think ‘well, I’ve been this stressed before, and that didn’t happen. So why now? It’s something new, therefore…*at this point my mind puts on a jetpack and goes off on one*
I also can’t quite get my head around the idea that if I have a day feeling okay, then why doesn’t that instantly ‘cure’ my stress symptoms. ( being autistic I do have a very linear, black and white way of thinking)
Deep, deep down there’s a tiny part of my brain that knows it’s all anxiety and stress, it’s just so far down I can’t really access it when I actually am in the middle of things.
I’ve been seeing a therapist for the last few months but to be honest it only really helps while I’m actually there. I think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and see if I can get something from the gp. Should I be able to see one.
All that aside, thanks again for the reply…had been really good to read.

[Willspring]

Posted about this a few days ago, but it’s still kind of freaking me out. I keep telling myself it’s all anxiety, but you know what it’s like. Health anxiety has been my companion for a long time and I’m on a bit of a hair trigger at the moment.
Ive been going through a very stressful period lately in regards to a serious eye condition that is on the mend. However through this I’ve started getting very strange skin sensations. It started a few weeks ago with the feeling that I had a weak knee. That then became both knees. Later it became a feeling that the skin in the inner side of both knees was wet and cold.
that’s still there a little bit and the feeling of weakness has faded, but now it’s moved on a bit. It’s mainly my legs, but also bum, hips and mid back, and this is kind of hard to describe. It’s almost a sensitivity to pressure and most weirdly a lingering sense of pressure. If I’m walking about or stay on my feet I don’t really notice it. If I lie down I can feel a sense of pressure along the back of my legs and when I get up that feeling remains for some time. Yesterday I was lying with a hot water bottle in the small of my back (I’d tweaked it a bit) and when I got up it felt as if the bottle was still there for about an hour.
If I take my trousers off, I can still feel the fabric against my legs for a while. Plus random feelings that my lower legs have become heavy, or gone to sleep etc etc.
now where goes actually numb, or anything. It’s just the skin behaving weirdly.
as you can imagine, my mind is going to all sorts of unpleasant and anxiety provoking places, so really just wanted to see if anyone had experienced anything similar.
it’s been about two weeks now btw.
really appreciate any thoughts.

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.

Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.

It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.

[clarrie]

I can relate to this! I too was diagnosed with uveitis in the summer ( I just thought my eye was bad from hayfever but an optician sent me straight to A and E). After injections and two courses of steroid eye drops I was given the all clear although my eye is still giving me trouble. I too have a long history of health anxiety and this was just another new manifestation of it for me. I’ve been having muscle aches, particularly in my legs. A physio diagnosed a problem with my hip flexor tendon which has not resolved since last February. In addition I have an almost constant ache in my hip and lower back which often wakes me in the night and gets worse after walking any distance. More bizarrely it’s always worse after a bowel movement or if I get trapped wind in the bowel. I can’t get to see a doctor - my practice would be in special measures if it were a school- and they will only deal with emergencies. I also get light headedness and weird allergic sessions daily of sneezing and streaming eyes and itchy skin. If I clear my throat or blow my nose too enthusiastically my vision shifts momentarily to the side. I told my sister this and she thinks I’m mad. I know my doctor would raise his eyebrows too. Like you, deep down I suspect this is all the result of an overwrought nervous system which is on the alert constantly for symptoms and misinterprets every sensation that comes its way. I simply don’t know how to reset it after all this time. I am so tired of trying! You are not alone in having these weird symptoms.

[NoraB]

so really just wanted to see if anyone had experienced anything similar.


Server gave you a really good response which appears to have helped you first time around. Maybe read it again? Otherwise, this becomes a reassurance seeking cycle which just serves to feed the health anxiety.

[Willspring]

Hi Clarrie,
thanks for replying, and was amazing to read. So close to what I’m sorting out. Basically I gritted my teeth and called the doc on Monday. By a miracle I actually spoke to her fairly quickly and she was very patient with listening to everything. She basically said nothing I told her signals anything but the effects of long term stress / anxiety, being too sedentary and possibly a touch of sciatica / irritated nerves, and as a long shot a bit of the steroid getting into my system beyond the eye.
She also prescribed me pregabalin for anxiety and the nerve stuff. Haven’t taken it yet as i’m feeling a bit scared of it but I will in next day or so. Also went to osteopath the same day who basically told me everything that faces backwards on me was made of concrete.
The only thing now is that I have to stop getting triggered by the slightest, vague change in bowel habit (my big hair trigger for anxiety) so furiously CBT-ing my way through that.
so yeah… think I have answers, think I have a plan. Deep breath and plough on.
your stuff sounds so close to mine I can only assume it’s similar source. Madly sparking nervous system, muscle tension etc. hip flexors! Yes! (Piriformis for me is constant burn) hope you feel better soon.
oh…btw…think I’m a bit IBS-y and get so much trapped wind pain. Often in areas of my back or jabby pains in stomach. I find having a trebor extra strong mint after meals helps a lot. Oddly though, antacids and peppermint oil tabs make it worse. Weird. But just saying. Mints. ��

[Willspring]

Hi Nora,
Yeah. You’re dead right. Every day seems to bring some new ‘thing’ to get worked up about.

[olivia0703]

She also prescribed me pregabalin for anxiety and the nerve stuff. Haven’t taken it yet as i’m feeling a bit scared of it but I will in next day or so.

What dose of pregabalin did they start you on? It seems to be used quite often in the UK for anxiety.

[Willspring]

75mg twice a day. Suggested I take just one a day for a few days then up it. I took the first one last night. Haven’t noticed a great deal except feeling emotionally slightly numb, a little bit ratty and a teensy bit paranoid. Slept well though. It’s only slight but I don’t like it. It’s a bit disconcerting. I’m not sure to continue.