Physical Anxiety Symptoms - what do you experience?

[Headintheclouds]

Anxiety can manifest itself physically. I have experienced a range of physical symptoms and spent off an on over a year on trying to find a physical cause through various medical tests, appointments, specialists. I recently accepted that its just anxiety and started an antidepressant (sertraline) a little over a month ago. I also do therapy every other week. I have noticed a drastic decrease in physical symptoms since going on medication.

 

[Kerly13]

Hey,

I'd like to find out what all physical symptoms you other anxiety sufferers have??

If there is already a post like this, then i apologise

Anyway, the reason that i am asking is that i experience various physical symptoms on a regular/constant basis. I am waiting to see the neurologist just to rule out any other cause of my symptoms, however i have a feeling that it will come back normal and i will be told its all in my head!!!

To start my symptom list is:

Dizziness/lightheaded
Problems with balance
Headaches
Blurry vision/double vision
Facial numbness
Palpitations
Chest and arm pain
Choking feeling/cant swallow
Pelvic pain
Tightness around rib cage - like a band crushing you
Numbness in legs and feet
Twitches
Tingling or crawling sensations
Pins and needles

Damn i didn't realise i had so many. They are not all present all the time but i would say that i experience most of a daily basis.

I used to experience severe panic attacks, but now i just have this elevated anxiety level!

Thanks

Cas x

Sorry you experience this. I have the same most evenings.. even though it happens regularLy, it still doesn't get easier or control my fear that I'm dying of a heart attack.. I will be up all night making sure I don't go to sleep because if I do I might die. it's affecting me and my family....

 

[sixxdegrees]

Luckily I haven't had a panic attack in about a year and they are far and few between. I do have significant anxiety still that I have worked really hard on and it's gotten better over time. My physical symptoms are usually just:

• Intense sweating (i will be sweating through my clothes while I am sitting down or otherwise not being active AT ALL)
• Tightness in my chest
• Numbness and tingling in my hands and fingers
• Idk if this is physical or not but I feel like I can't speak and I can't focus on anything and also I can't hear properly. It's probably more emotional response than physical but yeah.

The sweating has been the worst for me it happens every time I get even a little bit anxious and sometimes it happens before I even recognize that I am feeling anxious! I have to excuse myself and go into the bathroom grab paper towels and dry myself off it's incredibly embarassing when it happens at work.

 

[sixxdegrees]

Hi Sounds like there’s loads of Physical symptoms. Does anyone get them for hours on end and will Prozac make them go away? Thanks H

Medication like Prozac( Fluoxetine) work for some people. It's an SSRI and they can help with anxiety as well as depression. It doesn't hurt to try if you're finding your anxiety impacts your life this much.

 

[sixxdegrees]

Diarrhea and sweating are the most common for me.

Anxiety poops are the worst!! I forgot about this I get that too sometimes.

 

[Alexander Ypsilantis]

Luckily I haven't had a panic attack in about a year and they are far and few between. I do have significant anxiety still that I have worked really hard on and it's gotten better over time. My physical symptoms are usually just:

• Intense sweating (i will be sweating through my clothes while I am sitting down or otherwise not being active AT ALL)
• Tightness in my chest
• Numbness and tingling in my hands and fingers
• Idk if this is physical or not but I feel like I can't speak and I can't focus on anything and also I can't hear properly. It's probably more emotional response than physical but yeah.

The sweating has been the worst for me it happens every time I get even a little bit anxious and sometimes it happens before I even recognize that I am feeling anxious! I have to excuse myself and go into the bathroom grab paper towels and dry myself off it's incredibly embarassing when it happens at work.

You should have a full physical run, with all the bloodwork. I had similar issue to intense sweating caused by anxiety, but it was also complicated by some hormonal issues. Addressing those helped somewhat with the sweating.

Also, SSRI's are great for Depression, but not so good for anxiety. Anxiety and Depression are two sides of the same coin for many of us. I've been on an SSRI for many years and they help my depression quite a bit, but don't really do too much for Anxiety. In some cases SSRI's even promote anxiety.

Only things that work on anxiety for me are light doses of Xanax or similar tranquilizer drugs, breathing exercises/mediation and on occasional alcoholic beverage.

 

[sixxdegrees]

You should have a full physical run, with all the bloodwork. I had similar issue to intense sweating caused by anxiety, but it was also complicated by some hormonal issues. Addressing those helped somewhat with the sweating.

Also, SSRI's are great for Depression, but not so good for anxiety. Anxiety and Depression are two sides of the same coin for many of us. I've been on an SSRI for many years and they help my depression quite a bit, but don't really do too much for Anxiety. In some cases SSRI's even promote anxiety.

Only things that work on anxiety for me are light doses of Xanax or similar tranquilizer drugs, breathing exercises/mediation and on occasional alcoholic beverage.

Thanks for your input. I mentioned the sweating to my old counselor and she just assumed it was anxiety related and we never investigated further.
I've never tried medication for anxiety partly because I was addicted to benzos (xanax, clonazepam and ativan) in the past. I also don't drink anymore due to my addiction issues.
I was on an SSRI before that was fairly effective. For me i think CBT and meditation has helped the most but i still get the sweating a lot.

 

[Paulhamilton81]

Have

Hello, I have suffered all of the above symptoms above and just like you can vouch that they all nasty...
By far m worst symptom and the one I wish I could eliminate is skipped heart beats... I would take any other symptom over these as they cause me the most distress

Me too

 

[Laudanum]

Does anyone else get mild headaches?

 

[Julie41]

Me too

I hate them too
Sometimes l get fluttering - sometimes missed beats or extra ones put in

 

[Mimi14]

Yes! And depending on how stressed or anxious I am, the headaches are sometimes worse than others. Occasionally I get a heavy head, tightness, and lightheadedness too. I've been checked for all of it and my doctor said they are tension headaches. The main cause of them is related to accelerated levels of stress.

 

[jajingna]

Nervous stomach I guess. What's been happening lately is I'm not comfortable around anyone at all. Used to at least watch telly with brother, now I'm just staying in my room like my other brother does in his. Kinda weird but I guess you can get tired of people too, their habits and little things, I don't know, I've been irritable.

 

[Alexander Ypsilantis]

Does anyone else get mild headaches?

Just about every day lately. It's from the stress, mainly of pandemic isolation. I take an 300 mg of aspirin every day for headaches.

 

[Laudanum]

Just about every day lately. It's from the stress, mainly of pandemic isolation. I take an 300 mg of aspirin every day for headaches.

I've been getting them for about two weeks, usually just pressure in head, and sometimes it moves around during the day. Not sure if it's anxiety or something else.

Make sure you don't take aspirin on an empty stomach.

 

[Alexander Ypsilantis]

I've been getting them for about two weeks, usually just pressure in head, and sometimes it moves around during the day. Not sure if it's anxiety or something else.

Make sure you don't take aspirin on an empty stomach.

Lots of folks in my region have been complaining about sinus headaches. We haven't had a lot of rain in my state this last year so pollen is relatively high, that hasn't been helping things.