CT scans

[Seachell71]

Hi, I'm new here, I've been struggling with anxiety and panic disorder for three years this week. Symptoms include, chronic fatigue, breathlessness, dizziness and pain. The last 6 months I've had swollen glands in my neck and found it difficult to swallow and breath.. I've had to push for blood tests.. I had a CT scan with iodine injection the other day and I've been quite ill since, is this normal? Also does anyone else suffering like this?

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Not normal after a few days. Maybe a reaction to the contrast but that's usually right away and short lived.

[Jeff1943]

Yes, Seachell71, those symptoms you describe are all classic symptoms of anxiety disorder. I have heard that a small percentage of people do react badly to iodine injection. Drink plenty of plain water to flush it through and it will resolve before long.

You don't say what the results of your blood test and CT scan were. The thing about anxiety disorder is that sensitised nerves are very good at imitating genuine physical illness. Everything from heart failure to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, you name it. When we have bloods and scans nothing usually shows up. Which is reassuring but doesn't solve the discomfort.

If nothing was found on your bloods and CT scan then your gland/throat problem is almost certain to be anxiety. But you need to hear a doctor confirm that. If he or she does then accept the diagnosis, don't keep telling yourself "they've missed something" which is a frequent reaction of people experiencing anxiety disorder. You can't cure yourself of an illness you don't have no matter how hard you try.

The symptoms of anxiety cause us fear and fear hormones only serve to keep our nervous system over sensitised thereby ensuring further symptoms: it's a vicious cycle.

The best course for recovery is to cease stressing and obsessing about all those symptoms you mention and concentrate on fixing the cause of your anxiety disorder. Identify what has been causing you so much stress that you've ended up with anxiety disorder - and neutralise it. This may require major changes on your part but you must protect yourself from the cause of your distress.

All your symptoms are toothless tigers - they make you think you're ill big time but on their own they can't kill you or disable you or make you lose your mind.

So instead of fearing them frame your mind to accept them for the time being. Don't respond to the flash of first fear (caused by your symptoms) with second fear. Stay calm, you are in no danger. And eventually with practice and persistence you stop flooding your sensitised nervous system with fear and stress hormones. Thus giving your nerves a chance to recover. Your body is always waiting to heal itself if you give it a chance.

Once your nerves lose their sensitivity all the symptoms resolve. So maybe your way forward is to accept the symptoms for the moment (as opposed to fighting them which causes more stress and tension).

[Seachell71 in reply to Jeff1943]

Jeff, thank you so much for taking the time to read my post and reply to me. I get my scan results on 29th when I go back. I sincerely hope they don't find anything sinister. I understand about anxiety symptoms, they are so fierce and cruel sometimes aren't they. I've been in art class all day and thought I was going to pass out on the bus. I feel like I'm on a ship.

My anxiety stems from emotional trauma, I have been having healing sessions, reiki, meditation, all things natural to release the emotions causing me stress. I don't take pharma meds but I use cbd oil for pain ect. Once I get my results I can work on getting my head around things again. This scan though had done my nerves in. I would like to keep you updated if you would like me too. Thank you 😁

[Jeff1943 in reply to Seachell71]

Please do keep me updated, Seachell71. A lifetime ago a psychiatrist with anxiety disorder created a self-help method that enabled her to recover. She published her method in a short book that has brought understanding, reassurance, respite and recovery to untold thousands.

In the u.k. the book is titled 'Self help for your nerves' and in the u.s. it is titled 'Hope and help for your nerves' available new or used from Amazon. Her method is what my reply was based upon.

If you decide to read the book your life will never be the same again.

[Seachell71 in reply to Jeff1943]

Super thanks Jeff, I'll get myself a copy. ✌️

[kittenkisses91]

Years ago I had a CT scan with an iodine injection when I was having difficulty breathing. I had a real hard time getting a deep breath in ( this lasted for years). Nothing showed up in the CT scan and it was only later that I discovered that my difficulty breathing was due to a panic disorder. Anxiety sucks and as others have said it takes all forms. I hope everything turns out all right for you. Keep us updated.

[Seachell71 in reply to kittenkisses91]

Thank you, I'm hoping it is part of the anxiety I can then move forward with helping myself further with it. ✌️