Question About Anxiety Symptoms Posted: 11-08-07 19:14pm
There is one thing that I am not clear on
regarding Anxiety symptoms. Do the
symptoms mentioned above only occur when
feeling anxious or when having a panic
attack? Can they be felt everyday even
when not feeling anxious about anything?
Reason I ask, I have the pins &
needles in both my arms, pain in both
arms, chest pain, neck pain, back pain
etc... daily for the last few months. All
the signs of a heart attack... however I
have had 2 EKG's & blood work within
the last 4 months that came back perfect.
I am planning on seeing my Dr. next week
and am wondering if I should push to test
my heart (of which he thinks there is
nothing wrong) or if I should start
looking at Anxiety treatment.
|
Marikallees
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Nov 2007 Posts: 8
Posted: 11-09-07 09:50am
>Can they be felt everyday even when
not feeling anxious about anything?
Absolutely! Stress symptoms can show up at
the time of stress (the fight or flight
reaction), or they can show up well after
the fact due to gradually built up stress.
As an example, you don't have any ill
effects the first time you clench your
teeth, but if you do it habitually, you'll
start getting headaches.
Just because you don't feel anxious
doesn't mean you aren't still reacting to
stress. If you've already had fairly
conclusive tests for your heart (barring
an ultrasound by a cardiologist, which you
probably don't need, I'd say you're good)
then when you see your doctor, you should
mention that you're worried about your
heart and ask him for advice about
anxiety.
The big thing is that if your doctor
doesn't know that you're worried, he'll
diagnose your symptoms and maybe make a
passing comment about stress. In my
experience, you're not likely to get a
sympathetic reaction from the doctor
unless you let him know that you're
anxious and he should consider mental
causes. Anxiety is a symptom too, and
adding it to the list gives him more to
work with in helping you solve the
problem.
|
Georgia59
Moderator
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5557 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 90
Thanked:32
Posted: 11-09-07 13:52pm
There is a difference between regular
stress symptoms and panic attacks. Panic
attacks are a sudden onset of physical
symptoms, and usually a feeling like
you're going to die, or can't breathe, or
something like that. Stress symptoms are
more every day dull symptoms that drag you
down. Tell your doc all your symptoms,
mental and physical. Honestly, it sounds
like it could be neurological, heart,
anything- or anxiety. Just be open and
honest and communicate with your doc.
|
zoomers74
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 14 Oct 2007 Posts: 4
Posted: 11-09-07 14:38pm
Thanks so much for the sound advice! I am
going to discuss my anxiety issues with my
Dr next week and go from there.