Is This Anxiety or Something Else?

[ro44]

I have been feeling bad a lot lately, especially mid morning or just before lunch and I'm wondering if it's anxiety or something else. My mornings go like this: I wake up feeling pretty good, except for being stiff in neck, shoulders and back, like every morning. I get up and have one cup of tea (one English Breakfast tea bag) with sugar and milk. About an hour later I sometimes exercise for 30-40 mins. Then I bathe and do makeup, hair, etc. We usually go out for lunch around 11:30 or so. By now I am feeling awful. Arms are tired from doing my hair and neck is so stiff. Almost always on the drive to town, I feel anxious, nervous, (I'm not shaky, so I don't think it's my blood sugar)I'm uncomfortable with my neck and shoulders. If I'm driving, it's even worse. When I'm not driving I recline my seat and try to relax. I am always thinking, WHAT"S WRONG WITH ME? I feel this way everyday! Sometimes I pop a xanax before we get to the restaurant (not very often) and then in a few minutes I feel SO much better.! Usually after I eat I feel better. If I don't overeat, if I do then my pvc's kick in. Why do I always feel this way? Does anyone think that one tea bag worth of caffeine could make me feel this way? I've tried not to have it but end of with a bad headache by mid afternoon if I don't. Sometimes I think my tight neck, shoulders and back muscles make me feel this way. Sometimes when I go in a store I feel "off in the head" and want to go back to the car and recline. I am so sick of feeling this way. I want to enjoy my life and going shopping and out to eat and not feel anxious. Can anybody relate?

[sagey]

I've been a tea addict in the past but these day find I function better if I stick to Decaff tea. Can you get it in the states? Do you eat breakfast? Maybe you need a little more food.

[ro44]

Yes, I can get decaf tea, but I don't like the taste. Tastes so watered down. I guess I should really try it again or perhaps herbal. I just love my real tea so much! No, I usually don't eat much breakfast. It's wierd though because on Sundays, I have my tea and then go to church with no breakfast and don't eat lunch till usually 12:30 or 1:00. I always feel okay at church. It makes no sense to me.

Thanks for replying.

[joannap]

hi - it sounds like a combination of low blood sugar and tension in your neck and shoulders making you feel spaced out and agitated. you MUST eat something when you get up. do you exercise before you go to church? if you don;t then that is why you feel worse in the week - you are not giving your body any fuel and then on top of that you are exercising too. you wouldn't expect your car to go without any petrol -your body is just the same.

by the time you eat at lunchtime - you have probably gone more than 12 hours without food which can cause all the symptoms you mention. you may also need to change your mattress if you find you are stiff in the morning. x

[ro44]

jonnap,

Thanks for the reply. No, I don't exercise before going to church. I know I should eat in the mornings. I just never feel hungry and I'm always counting calories and trying to lose weight. I know you are right, I will try to eat something. This morning I had herbal tea with honey instead of my real tea. Went for an early lunch at 11:00. Didn't feel anxious on the way but did have a headache. Took motrin when I ordered my food and drank a Dr. Pepper. I always get a headache when I don't have my morning tea. I am really going to try to give it up though, I'd rather have a headache than feel so anxious.

As far as the stiffness in the morning, I've had it for YEARS! I've had every kind of mattress and recently purchased a very expensive Tempurpedic foam mattress hoping it would help however it hasn't. I don't think it's the mattresses, it's just me. Neck problems and low back problems are the reason according to all the chiropractors I've seen. Went to a rheumatologist and he said it was probably fibromyalgia. Who knows?

Thanks for replying.

[sagey]

Have you looked at the ingredients of Dr Pepper? It may well have caffeine in it. I've found it very helpful in cutting my caffeine intake, I try to drink more water. Quite a few people on here have cut caffiene completey, including our host Nicola, I believe. do you get any exercise? you could ask your doc for advice on that.

[nomorepanic]

Hi there

It does sound like you are running on empty as you are not eating any food till lunchtime.

Your body has no fuel in it.

Caffeine is renowned for aggrevating panic and anxiety so if you can give that up it will be good. Yes Dr Pepper contains caffeine too.

[ro44]

Thanks everyone!

I know Dr. Pepper has caffeine, it's so hard to give up the things we love, isn't it? I'm gonna try to at least cut down and eat something in the mornings.

[Gunz]

i gave up on all caffeine, and i was a daily coffee drinker...

dont know if it helped but i imagine i'd actually be worse if i was still on it.

[celia davies]

Seems to me your into a routine each mornin and your thiking about having a pannic attack which is then coursing you to have one,i bet you have the same symtoms every morning? Dont make yourself think that tea will course you to have a panic attack its your own mind! celia xxx

[Phill2]

I used to get the exact same thing.
I found that by having a snack between meals I was cured.
Obviously low blood sugar - I also only drink decaf tea.
Try eating Low GI foods as they keep the blood sugar stable for longer.
Phill :shades: