Help with symtoms

I have posted before but haven't got a reply , I have anxiety which is worse in the mornings I have had a cough and cold for a week and keep blowing my nose etc. The mornings have been deadly lately, I can barely walk heart racing feeling lightheaded. Congestion in head, just wondered if anxiety is worse when run down with a cold.the doctor has given my vitamin b compound until I am well enough to go for a blood test. I am under a lot of stress at the moment with family illness etc. I really wanted to know if the anxiety can cause weakness in legs like their stiff and shaking, I am alright if I am pushing a trolley for balance , any info would be appreciated. Also I would like to try a multi vitamin but can't swallow big pills any advice would be appreciated. Thankyou.

[LMCello]

I'm sorry you're not feeling well. I know my anxiety definitely gets worse when I get sick because being sick causes me to get behind in my work and that gives me more anxiety. Not sure about the legs, but sometimes I have restless leg syndrome with my anxiety. Hope this helps a little...

[Jeff1943]

Hi Bluegirl222, can I just say that of your 21 postings here only one, a year ago, didn't get replied to, the rest all did, up to more than 20 replies to some of your postings. When we are down with things like respiratory illness inevitably anxiety disorder seems worse just as a short walk in the sunshine lifts our spirits. Unsteady legs, racing heart and feeling light headed are all classic symptoms of anxiety and well known to modt of us on this forum at some stage in our lives. As I always say, anxiety takes many forms but it is always still anxiety. And although the bad feelings that come with anxiety blight our lives for a time, they are not life threatening and cannot permanently damage your body or affect the balance of your mind.

You see, Bluegirl222, all the symptoms you describe and the dozens of others we know about are not real organic illness, I am presuming when I say that that your doctor has (or will) confirm that your symptoms are "only" nerves. Though I know they are none the less troubling when they first strike. The symptoms of anxiety disorder are the result of glitches and blips in an over loaded, over sensitised nervous system which is very good at mimicing real illnesses and frightening us half to death.

And that's the problem, by constantly reacting with fear to the symptoms of anxiety we create more stress for our over sensitised nerves which maintains the anxiety state in a vicious circle of symptoms causing anxiety causing more symptoms causing more anxiety ad nauseum.

Once we understand the limitations of sensitised netves and the process by which it works we should experience some reassurance and an end to the bewilderment we experience by not knowing what the hell is happening to us. But the next step towards returning to the quiet mind we all wish for is to take control of our recovery through self help methods which have proved to desensitise the nervous system.

First, if it is still present, the causes of our sensitisation need to be addressed and here the advice of a trusted and wise friend can be most helpful in finding a solution or new attitude towards the cause of our woes. Second, in order to allow our nerved to recover we must develop a frame of mind where we accept all the symptoms (for the time being) with a minimum of fear now knowing that thosr symptoms are frauds, fakes and confidence tricksters - they are in fact 'unreal' for all the midery they can cause. If we can stop fighting those dymptoms, whivh only causes more tension and stress, and learn to Accept them as no more than temporary irritations then we cease to bombard our nervous system with shed loads of fresh fear. And after a while, though not immediately, our nerves return to their normal state and all the symptoms that you describe will cease to trouble us. We will have become the architect of our own recovery through Acceptance and I spell that word with a capital A to emohasise its importance.

Bluegirl222, I notice that like many people who suffer from anxiety disorder you find the symptoms worse in the mornings. This can be because secretions of the hormone cortidol are at their peak in our bodies at 8a.m. Cortisol is a fight or glight hormone we no longer need so it can just slosh around in our bodies causing extra anxiety in the mornings. An antidote that many find effective is green tea which contains a natural dubstance known as L-thianine so you may find it helpful to start your morning with a strong cuppa of green tea.

Many, many people on thid forum have founs relief and cure of theur anxiety by taking control of their lives once more through Acceptance and other self-help methods. No matter how long you have suffered there is absolutely no reason why you should not join them. I wish you God's speed on your journey along the Yellow Brick Road to Recovery.

[Hidden in reply to Jeff1943]

Thanks Jeff 1943 I was acting like a prat this morning, thinking I am on my own ..with this horrible anxiety, Jeff I have read Claire weekes books forever and the tapes they are part of my life, but I kept thinking this is a new one ....I really must be ill this time . This is not anxiety. But I did my acceptance thingy and breathing and telling myself this will pass as the day goes on. Which usually gets a bit better,not a lot but I can reason with myself more. I will,try some green tea even though I have been here many many times. I still,cannot sometimes have faith in myself that it is anxiety. As the feelings are so strings , because my family don't understand they think I am just a bit wierd and should face my fears and get on with it which I do every day, I have tried to explain to my daughter and son how it is with this anxiety but they don't understand. Thanks for your detailed answere I appreciate it. As a person who knows what it is like. .i do the loosen and accept thing which I repeat to myself when the feelings are strong but it's hard as although you know you have been here before you cannot loosen and accept as it is as you are going to faint or can't walk.when I get the stiff legs I try and shake them and loosen them up as I think it's tension. Anyway thanks for your help

[Jeff1943 in reply to Hidden]

Bluegirl222, perhaps when you get the results of your blood tests eventually you will be more disposed to accept that the cause of your symptoms is nerves, we all have that saying in the back of our minds: just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you're not being followed☺ As Claire Weekes says somewhere no matter how stiff of jello like our legs, they still get us where we want to go and always will, and no matter how lightheaded we never actually faint. Also as she says, if relatives don't understand give them her first book 'Self help with your nerves' to read so they can understand how you feel, you never know they may actually read it! Anyway, I wish you good luck with your health issues, you've read the book, may I encourage you to have the perseverance to practice what you know.

[hippieebbbz09]

Yes . You are under a lot of stress ..not only from being under the weather, but the family issues you are going through & whatever else is on your plate. I've had experiences where my anxiety is crazy while having a cold , PMS ...or if I'm stressed out. Jeff1943 made some really good points , too by the way. Anyways , yes, anxiety causes that. I've had panic attacks & anxiety attacks where I felt like I could move , but it's in slow motion almost , like my legs were like jello or that I was walking in quicksand. Anxiety spooks is into believing that our bodies are going through something when really it's our over-stimulated mind & in a panic we freak out , causing all of this crap to go down. Yes, what you feel is there, no doubt, but will it go away? Yes. It will not hurt you, don't give it power to do so. I'm taking my own advice currently. It's not easy but I'm trying & doing so. I wish you luck & that you get over this cold & hoping for the best in your family situation & that your loved one will be ok . :))

[Lynikinz]

Hi Bluegirl222 I have just joined this group and have read up a few posts. I saw yours and thought I'd reply. I have suffered with anxiety, panic attacks etc etc for over 20 years. I have the same symptoms as you describe with legs etc. All I can say is stay positive. Some days you are going to find harder than others, but you will get through it. The mind is an extremely powerful thing and will cause you to think you are dying. Symptoms rise up and the more you worry the more they'll come. As other people say you need to go with the feelings. I have downloaded an app called Headspace which I play every morning. You can choose anxiety, stress modules etc when you've completed the foundation. Meditation really helps with deep breathing and mindfulness. I've recently had hypnotherapy so I'm seeing how that pans out. Be kind to yourself and pamper yourself and try not to worry about other people's reaction to you. Stay strong. X

[Hidden]

Thanks.