Anxiety & Flu like symptoms but no flu....

[bandicoot1987]

Hi all

Does anybody else suffer from a long list of symptoms that seem almost like flu, and other things actually, IBS, anxiety, bad digestion, my whole body has become so sore and sensitive, I've got flu like aches and pains especially in my ribs which feels like I've pulled a muscle. Along with elevated heart rate, I'm so tired but don't sleep well. My shoulders feel heavy and tense, I have awful tummy problems with bloating and have just been diagnosed with ibs after having excruciating pains in my abdomen last week.

Is this all really related to anxiety?

It seems like so many different symptoms, I feel like a hypochondriac if I'm honest. I'm even off of work again today, my partner and I run our own cleaning business, we have no staff it's just us 2 and I'm off again, he has gone out on his own and I feel so bad.

Has anyone else experienced any or all of this?

Thankyou all in advance 🐰 and happy Easter xx

[JaneN40]

Hi, yes I’ve experienced all the same in the last 5 weeks. Flu like body aches, chest and rib pain that radiates across back and shoulders. Fizzing sensation in face, jaw, dizziness, blurred vision. Awful fatigue, weak legs. But all tests normal. No temperature either. I’ve been to A&E twice, doctors numerous times. They said possibilities include a virus, heartburn, anxiety, Costochondritis - still no closer to a diagnosis! Hopefully it will pass - am better than a few weeks ago but still not able to work. Hope you feel better soon.

[bandicoot1987 in reply to JaneN40]

Yes fatigue is so bad, I've never been like this in my life, I've no drive to do absolutely anything at the moment. I feel tired all the time, I'm behind at work, my partner also has ms so he suffers from much the same, but at least he battles through it. I feel like a light weight but I just can't describe how my body is feeling right now there's just so much going on. I hope it passes.

I hope you feel better soon xx

[JaneN40 in reply to bandicoot1987]

All you can do is rest and focus on your well being. Don’t put yourself under pressure to do too much too soon. I was pretty much bedridden with similar symptoms. All I could do is rest. I’ve never felt fatigue like it either. I organised an online food shop so I didn’t have to go out and read a book to take my mind of things. Easier said than done though. I also got checks at doctor. Rest, try to relax and not worry. It will pass.

[hippieebbbz09]

Yep, I have digestion issues sometimes, I have TMJ so that alone , affects me...I get tension aches , my sinuses get stuffy even when pollen count is low. Legs feel like jello when I’m nervous , and the obvious thing from going through all of that is feeling blah afterwards...you go through all of that daily so you feel wiped out after. Anxiety, I find, affects us in ways we wouldn’t think. There’s a thread on here , I think the guy titled it “List all the weird symptoms you have with anxiety” and I kid you not , there was more than 20 things on there, all anxiety related. I finally felt heard when I saw it. Don’t feel like you’re alone in this or going crazy ...I’d even go on to say you’re not being a hypochondriac, it’s more-so anxiety related ...it sucks lol but you can get through it.

[bandicoot1987 in reply to hippieebbbz09]

That's really helpful thank you, I just feel like people think I fake it or I'm lazy and it really upsets me because I don't want to feel like this. I literally hurt so much right now I could just sleep the day away but I know I've got so much to do I can't expect my partner to do everything on his own. So then I panic about that, it's a vicious cycle.

I just want to feel fit healthy and alive again 😕 xx

[hippieebbbz09 in reply to bandicoot1987]

Of course!! No problem I totally get it, when I first knew of me having anxiety disorder, everything was new so I had so much visits to my dr. I don’t mean to make a triggering statement but I was fine after each one. But my family thought i was being dramatic. They finally looked up the disorder, after 3 years of me going through it , idk what came over em but they looked it up , now whenever I go through a panic or I feel blah , they’re so helpful. But 3 years, I felt alone, my family wasn’t there nor was my ex , only my meds and my therapist. My new partner is there though, took him some time, too :/

Is there maybe a time of day you can set for yourself?? That may be helpful so you won’t feel overwhelmed. I understand where you’re coming from. You will feel that way, sooner than you think. I know yoga helps so much , soooo much, then when you’re ready ..exercise ! That makes me feel so good , or dancing .

For right now, maybe massages, the smell of lavender , taking advantage of some down time for you and some relaxing sounds / music will help. While I work, I felt similar to you, only thing that helped was deep breaths , at times where business was slow and it was only me on the floor or at the register .. and slowly rolling my shoulders forward then backwards a couple times, maybe also keep the scent of lavender in the store..pure lavender. It’s relaxing.

[bandicoot1987 in reply to hippieebbbz09]

That's so amazing thank you. Yes my partner is sooo good bless him, he's the only one that trys to understand, he's always asking what he can do to help.

I'm just so shocked that people really do have so many different symptoms regarding anxiety, many assume it means feeling afraid of something and that's it but it has so many other affects on your body.

It's a shame it not a disorder that is very well recognised for what it is. Like IBS itself also is/can be brutal for some people and very embarrassing. Others seem to think its either diarrhoea or constipation and that's it if only people knew.

I've suffered anxiety for years, diagnosed 4 years ago but this is the first time I have experienced physical aches and pains with is or as a symptom. Ever people with these problems are still learning. Xx

[bl_85 in reply to hippieebbbz09]

Same for me, you are definitely not alone or going crazy. Before 4 weeks I developed eye floaters in my left eye, out of nothing. Rushed to opthalmologist and they did tests and told me its just me ageing, no nerve or retina damage. Weird in 34 years for healthy male so I couldn't accept its just ageing, and I wish I did and lived on with few specks in eye. I went full Dr. Google and found horrors. I went to opthalmologist again, then to GP who told me it is likely sinusitis. More I Googled more symptoms I seen, had terrible headaches, felt congested, developed strange sensitivity and pain on left side. Thought it might be meningitis or worse... after all that I ended up in ER. My temperature was good, blood pressure good. Had CT of head done, all good. That day I could sleep but then I developed insomnia and further worries, pain in temples and forehead, back of head, stiffness of left side of neck. Went to GP again and had bloodwork done, all good. Then started having dry cough and pain in chest shooting to jaw and back. Rushed to ER thinking I might have heartattack from all that stress and anxiety. They told me its stress playing tricks with our bodies. Tomorrow I am heading to ENT to tackle sticky mucus that probably causes cough and likely chest pain in my lungs.

Never had that serious anxiety like now. I am technical person who believes that each action has logical trigger, never had any issues with health. Now sudden thing comes without explanation and shows how fragile is border between happiness and fear... Luckily my gf is very supportive as my boss and team at work. I took some days off to have doctor rounds as well as counseling session... I hope I will tackle my anxiety, learn to manage it and live with it step by step...