Healthy Anxiety symptoms 24/7?

[jadedreams]

Hey everyone, new here. Going through a rough time and looking for any/all help I can.

A little background is that I've fought health anxiety for 9-10 years now. Usually a steady lower level with an intense flare up every couple years. And you guessed it I'm in the middle of a major flare-up! This time feels worse that ever before.

Here is a brief history of this current run. Leg/knee injury first of April started me worrying about blod clots, H.A was through the roof - doc did bunch of tests and all came back ok. A few weeks after this started began to get tingling/pins & needles sensations in legs/feet. Totally new sensation for me, then my arm started with it too, at this point I'm in panic mode and asked doc to put me on Lexapro (beg of May) which I had taken before with success.

A day or 2 after Lexapro started I began to get nausea and IBS symptoms. Feeling worse, doc also put me on neurontin for the nerve pain with a referral to neuro. After a few days on neurontin got extremely agitated and lack of coorrdination, went off it. Still daily nausea with Lexapro so doc switched me to effexor, nausea and more side effects.

In the midst of this started getting OCD type intrusive thoughts that I never had before, totally freaked me out. Called hotlines and got into counseling. Have spoken couple times with counselor and really like him, but too early to see much effect yet.

Fast forward to now, still fighting physical symptoms (tingling, fatigue, stomach issues) all day and anxiety every day about, them. Still have intrusive thoughts and dealing with those, even have some derealization going on which is also new. Very scared, tired due to lack of sleep and wondering how to fix this.

At this point I'm not sure whether anxiety, real physical issues or med side effects are causing my issues. Or if it's a combination of all 3, I admit I've googled symptoms and med side effects a lot and just managed to scare myself more. Not sure what to do to help myself, any ideas would be very appreciated!

I don't even feel like me anymore and I want me back!

[sial72]

Hi Jade
I am sorry you are going through such a rough patch.
Your physical issues are caused by your anxiety and your thougts. As you surely already know DO NOT GOOGLE symptons, I know too well from experience that this will not allow for your anxiety to decrease, therefore yoi will carry on having more symptoms, it is a vicious cycle. We go to Google looking for reassurance but nobody ever gets any...
You will feel like yourself again, but you need to stop fighting. I always recommed Claire Weekes books, do you know them?
Sending you a

[jadedreams]

Thank you for the hug and reassurance, all is very appreciated right now. I will work on avoiding google, it's like worst habit at the moment and I know I need to break it!

I will look up Claire Weeks, haven't read her things but I like to read so that is a plus. Thanks again.

Jade

[sial72]

Morning Jade
How are you doing? X

[jadedreams]

Hello, had a few good hours last night then kind of rough. Racing thoughts and some derealization going on. Called my therapist and have an appointment with him tomorrow, pretty worried right now.

[sial72]

Sending you some strength Jade, you'll be ok until tomorrow and then see what your therapist has to say

[jadedreams]

Hey there, thanks for the reassurance! I actually did an inpatient stay for a few days at a hospital as my anxiety was so bad. Got home last night and do feel a little better with a little hope coming back. Hopefully I can use some of the new skills they taught me as I continue to work through this. Of course any more help is always welcome..

Hope you are doing ok!