Cold/flu symptoms caused by Anxiety??

[fairyclairy]

Hi Guys,

I just feel awful today - I was fine this morning and went to work quite happy etc, i was only on a half day today so i knew id be home again after lunch.... but the last hr or so at work I went really really cold (its always the opposite, i never feel cold!)
I was anxious because i always am in work, so my body was tense etc but this coldness just made that worse.... i was shaking, my arms and whole body now feels weak.
I have abit of a sore throat but iv had cold/flu symptoms on and off for last couple of days and i read anxiety can cause these symptoms???

I just feel absolutly shattered, my body is achy and tense, i dont know whether to take a cold/flu tablet - i worry about taking meds!

Iv got work again tomorrow which im worrying about.. i feel really weird.

Has anyone else had anything like this? xx

[~glowly worm~]

Hey Fairy Clairy :)

Sorry to hear you are feeling so rough :(
Always wary of responding to medical questions (havent before) as i know nothing about medicine, am not medically trained and am very new to NMP! However..

Just wanted to let you know my experience (which may be completely different to yours). In a nutshell anxiety i think can cause those symptoms yes. having said that..

I too find it hard to tell the difference betwen illness and panic and all my life if i got a little ill i'd make it far worse due to panic, get scared then make it worse still. I worry that it is illness and only start to feel better if i know it is anxiety.

Last time i got ill and it lasted weeks, my therapist listed all the symptoms classic of anxiety which matched all mine and once i went out i began to feel better. It was an illness that triggered the il feelings but my anxiety kept it going. However sometimes it might not be anxiety in which case..

What i find helps is to remind myself if it is a cold/flu it will get better very soon and take every minute on its own, not try to think of how long it might be and how long the day/night is. This relieves stress and eases symptoms. Also, drink lots of warm fluids, soothing teas, juice, anyhting that is healthy and you like and anything that can distract you form how you ae feeling. That way it can feel more under your control like you are doing something to feel better. I also hate taking meds so i try natural things first but it might help you to take something.. i dont know x

I also try to notice any changes *for the better* in my body, which helps me realise i am improving tho this may make things worse for you so please only do what you think will help x

If it will help you DO see your GP i do and it can help to put your mind at rest.

Re work, maybe see how you feel in the morning, get up as if you are going and see how you feel? I have found this a good way of finding out if its anxiety or im too ill to do what i set out to. Again this is only my experience and i'd hate you to do what feels wrong for you.

Really hope this makes sense, is okay for this forum and helps you a little... hope you feel better soon!

Warmly,

~glowly~

[fairyclairy]

Thankyou so much for your reply Glowly xx

It has made me feel much better - i worry so so much when im ill, but i dont know why, because i cant exactly stop being ill!
Iv felt much better since writing that post, i think it was just a bad day. Also, my partner has come down with such a bad cold/flu so i think i got abit of that but my body fought it off before it got bad ( i hope it has anyway :) )

I dont know why i worry so much - its only a cold! Iv had them hundreds of times before but this health anxiety has really got a hold of me at the moment.

Thanku for your tips and advice, really appreciate it xxx

[~glowly worm~]

Aww you're *so very* welcome Clairey!

Was so anxious about posting so just relieved it helped you :) And so very very glad u are feeling better today!
I too wish i could stop feeling so anxious about being ill because you are right we cant stop it if it happens and stressing tends to make it worse no matter how many times we have had illnesses in the past!
Still we have NMP to help and we have each other for moral support ;)

Sounds like you worked really hard to feel better too, so try to remember that as it may help you realise you have much greater strength to cope than u thought ;) x

And does indeed sound like u may have had the flu thingy b4 him so try to relax now if u can.

Warmly battling with ya!

~ Glowly ~ x

[MidnightCalm]

I feel cold/fluey alot its horrible.
It's like when you're just coming down or out of it, my skin feels sensitive and I go from hot to cold and just can't get feeling right, I feel lethargic and just drained and want to mope about, it's got worse with the meds I've just started (sertraline) but I usually have things like this anyway.
I told the doctor and he didn't seem too concerned and put me on sertraline so I'm guessing I needn't worry?

[fairyclairy]

Yeah that sounds exactly like me MidnightCalm... as though you're coming down with a cold but it never actually hits, just feel drained, weaj, hot/cold etc.... its very annoying! But im trying not to worry too much about it xx

[MidnightCalm]

I'm sick of having something to worry about, I wish I'd just come down with something then I could give myself what I need because I'd know what it was and I'd have the hope of it getting better, ugh.x