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Jules147
17-06-11, 13:24
Hi,

I've suffered HA for the last eight years off and on. It began when life was going too well... (I was on holiday and reunited with my partner after a few weeks apart due to the fact that she was living abroad. We since married and remain so) and I felt that something had to come along to spoil it.

Other causes of anxiety last year gave me some alarming symptoms (tingling/burning sensations in my extremities, numbness in the odd finger or toe and around my mouth that came and went, light headedness, feelings of unreality and detachment from the world around me etc.) I made the mistake of googling the tingling etc... and ended up with peripheral neuropathy, MS or MND before noticing twitching calf muscles after having read about them first. Finally in March this year I tipped over the edge and finally found the courage to see my doctor who spent a good twenty minutes with me running a few simple tests and asking questions. I told him everything including about my checking behaviours. He diagnosed me with anxiety.

I've learnt to make the tingling/burning/numbness sensations go away in part by breathing better i.e. not hyperventilating and also by the simple fact that they don't scare me so much. Other symptoms have taken their place including prickling sensations all over, watery eyes, sleep disturbances, trembling, twitching etc. and more recently the tight band around my head two days out of three. I need to shake the feeling that there is a sinister underlying cause and/or that my condition will worsen to the extent that I can no longer work.

Fortunately I don't get all of the symptoms all of the time but at any one given time I tend to have at least one. I did however lose all of the symptoms for two whole days while on a short city break last month.

I'm still working but find it increasingly difficult. I long for some quality time off but can't really afford it as I'm self employed.

nomorepanic
17-06-11, 13:25
Hi Jules147

A huge warm welcome to nmp.

You'll get loads of advice and support here and make some lovely friends along the way.

Best wishes

Jules147
17-06-11, 13:28
Thanks. I ordered one of the Dr Claire Weekes books from the shop yesterday.

MinnieMouse
17-06-11, 15:45
Hi Jules147

I also suffer from HA and am in a heightened state of panic of late. Not sure that I can be of help other than to let you know that know exactly what you are going through. I Google too which is the worst thing we can do but I feel like my GP doesn't believe all my symptoms -some of which are very scary so I try and self diagnose. I long to feel normal again as I feel life is passing me by and it's putting a huge strain on my marriage as my husband says "it's just anxiety" but he doesn't see the daily struggle I have to endure. I have similar symptoms to you and I am also worrying about those conditions. I have a neurology appointment next Thursday so am hoping for either a diagnosis or reassurance. I don't wish to add to your list of ailments but I do have a lot of symptoms relating to Silent Migraines - where you get the aura (numbness etc) but no classic headache. Just a thought and a better option than the other choices!! In your case you just need to remind yourself that your GP thoroughly examined you and has diagnosed anxiety but maybe some CBT will help break the loop? I told myself that I wouldn't Google symptoms today and I haven't and my symptoms don't seem too obvious today. I also find relaxation CDs helpful and try to cut down on caffeine and alcohol - boring I know but willing to try anything to get better! The fact that you didn't have symptoms when you were on the city break indidcates it definitely is anxiety as you didn't have symptoms when relaxed. Maybe you need to increase your 'down' time so that time off work won't be an issue.

Chin up!

MMx

Jules147
17-06-11, 15:58
Thanks for reading MM. The doctor when I saw him last week did say that the absence of symptoms during the city break should be proof in itself that it is anxiety.

I've read Overcoming Health Anxiety - a self-help guide to Cognitive Behavioural Techniques by Rob Wilson and David Veale and Self Help for your Nerves by Dr Claire Weekes. Both were helpful but only to an extent. I'm waiting on my first CBT appointment to come through within as couple of weeks.

My alcohol consumption has been cut back in recent weeks as it makes me feel worse for longer than better. Caffeine has been a no-no for a number of years due to high blood pressure as well as the fact that my background anxiety has always been on the high side and I therefore find its effects rather unpleasant.