constant anxiety -physical symptoms

Hi all, i've just turned 21, and for about 6 months now i think i have had anxiety. ive never really had it before, but i moved to university and in freshers after about a week of constant drinking alcohol, i woke up one night feeling as if i was on drugs! i woke up shaking and sweating and felt like i couldnt breathe. its been 6 months since then, and i dont feel so much anxious thoughts, but i have ALL the physical symptoms.

I've had every single test there is to do and theres nothing wrong with me apparently but i definetly know that something is not right, does anybody else feel like this;

- constantly feel as if im not in my own body, and that i am trapped, like someone else is living my life for me
- constant blurred vision, which literally never goes away, as if im trapped behind my eyes, and theres black spots everywhere, cant describe it well! its as though im wearing clear glasses but theres a fuzzy film over it.. (this is my worst symptom, its horrible)
- feel dizzy as if im going to faint constantly
- tight jaw
- general tingling just all over my body, like i am really aware of my blood pumping through my body and can feel it travelling
- numb teeth!! and tongue
- constantly ill, and always tired, sleep all the time
- chest feels really heavy
- feel like my heart is working really hard

(all of this is constant, it doesnt get worse or better with anything in particular)


but i dont feel anxious thoughts, i just have all these physcial symptoms!!

does anybody else have these too? alcohol makes it worse, even while im drinking it, the anxiety doesnt seem to go away i feel worse when i drink alchol actually i feel really light headed.

ive been like this for a while now and im finally accepting there isnt anything wrong with me and that it must just be anxiety, 6 months later after MRI, HEART SCAN, ECG, ECHOGRAM, 3 BLOOD TESTS, £700 ON A PRIVATE DOCTOR!! the lot

ive been prescribed citalopram, BUT i dont feel depressed AT ALL, im really happy, i just feel as if im not in my body and can barely see!!! lol, can someone please reply and let me know if there physical symptoms are as bad as this and if their eyes are just as bad as mine ?? THANK YOU

Hi JT and welcome!

I am so sorry to hear of all you are going through.:( Anxiety is so confusing, scary and can certainly wear you down!

Good that you have checked out physically...now to work on anxiety management.

It is intersting how one can be dealing with anxiety...yet not feel anxious, right? This was also my own experience. I was shocked to have an anxiety attack...I thought I was a pretty chill person afterall!

However, many of us with this issue are simply extremely adept at compartmentalizing, or pushing aside stressors....to the point where our bodies are eventually going to push back!

Do you have a counselor at school that you can consult with as far as finding help in the form of therapy as Hibee mentioned? Perhaps there is a peer group at your school?

Or you can get a referral from your GP if you prefer...

If therapy is not an option for you at this time...we do have an amazing Resource Guide here:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=9&m=104206

Let me know if you would like any specific recommendations...but I think starting with the Stress Relieving Exercises and shutting down panic links would be a good start for you.:)

Post with us anytime for support! We understand what you are going through, we care...and are here to listen anytime.:)

Scaredy Cat

Hi JT

I am new to the forum like yourself, and I have been experiencing ALL of the same physical symptoms you have described, including the numb teeth, which is by far, the weirdest sensation. I have the constant dizziness as if I am going to faint... the only difference being I have all the thoughts that dont stop. BUt those came after, I didnt have them at first.
I have also had every test done, with the results all being negative. I have just started with a therapist and will see a psychiatrist next week. I am hoping they will be able to help me figure out some sort of solution to this, bc it is quite dibilitating. And I, like yourself just want my life back. Just know you are NOT alone

I have occasionally blurred vision, but for me, the most constant thing I have is the vibrating feeling & dizziness, I feel like I have to walk around in slow motion, or I will wind up passing out from it. These two symptoms never go away, and again, every test has come back negative, so unless I have some strange as of yet un-diagnosed illness, then it is just the anxiety. SO FRUSTRATING!!

I started taking effexor XR back in 2007 for some depression I was having, (no anxiety), and it seemed to work well. Work was stressful and my blood pressure was elevated. After a few years of pressure from my general doctor, I consented to go on blood pressure medication. He prescribed Norvasc, and BAM... ANXIETY...
I spoke to him about it and was told it couldnt be the medication and to continue to take it which I did. I started it mid October 2012, I started keeping a journal of the anxiety in November 2012, which increased daily. I had a full blown panic attack in February 2013 and was hospitalized, as I thought I was having a heart attack. I explained to the hospital staff what was going on, and no one would believe me, they gave me every drug test under the sun, insisting I had taken something else. All came back negative. I searched frantically for some help with this and found an online forum of people who had taken it and had the same symptoms, seems the combination of effexor & norvasc was the catalyst.
I of course stopped taking the norvasc, and after a few months the constant anxiety seemed to ease but I still had periods where it would come back. For me it seems to come and go now, with no real reason, I am told it becomes a "learned" response to stress.
I currently take buspar 7.5 2x a day, it helps some, but not enough.

 

You said:

 

after about a week of constant drinking alcohol, i woke up one night feeling as if i was on drugs! i woke up shaking and sweating and felt like i couldnt breathe. 

 

alcohol makes it worse, even while im drinking it, the anxiety doesnt seem to go away i feel worse when i drink alchol actually i feel really light headed.

Stop drinking. http://www.thedoctorsays.com/anxiety/caffeine-and-alcohol/

 

Hi JT, welcome!

My anxiety also, started with physical symptoms. Though, I've always had minor health anxiety, after my symptoms I got all tests and they were clean.

I asked my psychiatrist and he said later in life anxiety may come out and you don't necessarily have something to worry at that moment.

If your tests are ok, then there is nothing to worry. Try to learn breathing techniques, it's a good practice to cope with anxiety. If you can, contact a professional to ask opinions.

We are here, keep us updated!

I'm having a panic attack now and trying to relax. I do have a lot of the symtoms you described plus mental ones as well. I also get visual problems when I'm very anxious, but I think it's due to me being in my head too much. Try PMR and Deep Breathing, it's kinda wierd that I can give out advice, but find it hard for me to accept

WHAT?! Five years? But you said you're 21 and started drinking 6 months ago? Very confusing.

So you started drinking when you were 16 right? Is that correct?

Then that makes perfect sense! You'd been drinking for 5 years and you just continued to do so after you started attending university and 6 months later, these symptoms appeared.

I'm glad you were honest. You have to find a way to stop drinking. Yes, it's easier said than done but your symptoms will not go away if you continue drinking. 5 years is long. You probably were always prone to anxiety and alcohol just triggered the first major anxiety attack. There are people who drink and never have anxiety issues.

Please get some help regarding the alcohol. You can't continue to drink and suffer from these symptoms. It may get worse.