Anxious Causes - Nausea? Headaches? Urgh...

[Glyph]

So I feel a bit silly making this post when I only made one yesterday, but it seems feeling silly is a common theme around here for many of us so at least I’m not alone.

I’ve been referred for a blood test and scan on my neck re: a small lump there, possibly to do with my thyroid or lymphnodes, which is apparently routine -of course, I don't believe the poor Doctor, which makes me feel bad . It still freaks me the living heck out because my brain immediately thinks it’s the horrible thing, rather than any of the less harmful things.

Anyway after all the fuss of yesterday I’ve started feeling really sick/dizzy for most of the day. Especially after I’ve been in the shower (I tend to have it quite warm) or when I haven’t eaten, which happens often actually because I’m just one of those people who forgets to eat or just doesn't eat enough.

I’ve lost quite a bit of weight in the last two months (didn’t think I had any left to lose!), which the Doctor added to the list of symptoms explaining why I’m getting the blood test (I did mention that I wasn't eating properly and had no appetite and the weight loss could be to do with that, but it seems it still counts ). I dunno, maybe if you’re just not eating properly for a while you start to feel LESS hungry?

I also get headaches – moderate, generalised across a lot of my brain but occasionally spiking in one place or another.I THINK that's what an anxiety headache feels like judging from the posts I've read here.

I’m probably asking a silly question but... who here has similar experiences with feeling sick like this? And how do you STOP it? I would rather not go five days until the blood test and then god knows how many to the scan like this! Is it anxiety plus my terrible diet getting to me?

[overhead_drums]

Hi glyph,

Sickness was one of my main symptoms of anxiety. I was sick every morning for about a month before my medication starting kicking in and I actually started believing my doctor.

Like you I completely lost my appetite and had to force food down, the thought of eating made me sick. This was all COMPLETELY down to anxiety. Your sickness sounds like mine was, are you on any medication for anxiety? Fluoxetine helped me.

X

[Wanderlust]

I can honestly say that if there's a few symptoms that I have been able to rely on over the years for anxiety it has been those two, almost every single time. I mean, everyone reacts to anxiety and stress differently but they are very common. Tension headaches, from experience, tend not to be focused in any one area, an most people describe them as less of a pain and more of a dull ache, or a vice like sensation.
Nausea comes commonly with worry, as does fatigue.

Hope you feel better soon

[Annie0904]

Nausea is the worst symptom of anxiety for me. I try to eat little and more often but sometimes just can't face food.

[vicky23]

yep when my anxiety was at it's worse I would just CONSTANTLY feel sick I really feel for you :(
Some little tips I find helpful are sniffing a tissue with a few drops of peppermint and lavender on both anti nausea essential oils and peppermint is very refreshing
-nibble on ginger. Either in the form of root, or in a tea, or esp this time of year ginger wine
-nibbling on jacobs crackers or pretzels

---------- Post added at 16:58 ---------- Previous post was at 16:57 ----------

oh and make sure you're keeping hydrated

[Glyph]

Thanks everyone. Nice to know I'm not alone again. It's funny (and by funny I mean annoying as heck) to keep feeling sick even when the anxiety itself is in a waning phase and I don't feel especially nervous at that point in time (it'll be back in an hour but the breaks are nice >.>).

In answer to your question, overhead drums no, I'm not on anything for anxiety. My anxiety tends to fluctuate - I'll be fine for weeks on end, then a lump or something will show up and my brain will go into total overdrive. I am usually quite reluctant to take pills, not because I distrust them but because I don't want to get too used to them as a solution to my problem, but it probably doesn't actually work that way). But I do want to ask about this next time I see/talk to the Doctor, which should be after my blood test results...

I shall be sure to put your tips to good use, Vicky... in my experience, I hate peppermint but right now I'll try anything

Hydrating - now that's something I ALWAYS forget. I remember being told once that actually a great many people in a set area are dehydrated at any one time. It's surprising how much you actually have to drink to be properly watered- and how often you just undo your good work by drinking caffiene.