Final confirmation that its anxiety?

[adrian29uk]

I will not post my problems on here anymore. I will be helping other people on here. I just need you to help and work out If I do infact have anxiety.

It all started about 2 months ago. I woke and my left arm felt all tingly and weak. I am a webdesigner. Around this time I was totally pressured at work and working around 15 hours a day in front of the computer. I would easily lose my cool and end up punching the monitor or banging the keyboard. I would also get real uptight about the world as well and adverts and celebs on television. People would tell me to chill out. I then decided to follow a diet of porridge in the morning, followed by beans on toast, followed by a tuna roll in the evening. On top of this I was cycling everyday because I thought this was the problem to the funny weakness I got.

I then got a lip ulcer and thought I had oral cancer. This ulcer went but it caused me lots of distress because I smoke.

On top of this I had Urinary Tract Infection that played on my mind for 2 years.

Anyways about 2 weeks ago I decided to visit the Doctor as I had read scary stories on the Internet on UTI, bad move because it comes up with stuff like Kidney Damage etc... Never ever look at these bloody websites because I truly believe they have screwed my head!!

As regards life, I have always been healthy and I hate doctors. My father had bi-polar disorder and finally died due to not taking care of his diabetes.

Anyway I plucked up the courage and visited the Doctor and he told me I had slightly high blood pressure, but was no cause for concern.

I also came back for a blood test Diabetes and came back clear. Kidneys ok, and everything else ok except for liver check in six months.
He also gave me some pills to fight the infection for the UTI but has still not gone which is causing me panic.

When I left the Doctors that day I felt slightly depressed. I went down to work and flipped out big time. I ended up walking out and sitting outside in silence for 20 minutes.

The next day at work I started to come over all dizzy and light headed spaced out and wondered what the hell was going on with me. I thought I was having heart problems.

The next day it happend again. Dizzy, light headed spaced out.

Finally on Wednesday I took time of work becuase suddenly it felt like my body was losing control. I lost 6 pounds in one week, and thought I was going to die. I felt fatigued, light headed, spaced out, back ache etc... I could not even be bothered to do anything I lost all interest. It felt like a dark cloud over my head,. I also had quit smoking for about 3 days and also coffee.

The only time I used the Internet was to see what was going on by reading health websites, and this made me feel worse. I also got thrush in my mouth and this made my situation worse becuase my tongue was completely white. Of course looking on the web brings up all types of information. I presume I got this because I was run down.

Last Saturday I decided to keep a control on things and started eating eating eating becuase my immune system felt down. Each day the dizzyness went, but I still got spaced out wondering what the hell was going on.

Yesterday I managed a full day without being spaced out or Dizzy.

However this morning I woke up and that bad all feeling was back, dizzy, felet sick, lightheaded, tired and I started investigating why on the internet. However I only managed about 4 hours sleep last night and secondly my girlfriend is away for the evening so I have no one to speak to and reassure me I am not dying.

What I wanted to know is do I have anxiety or do I have a serious medical problem related to my UTI.

I keep thinking I have so much bad bacteria that its eating me alive inside. However looking at the scales my weight moves and and down a couple of pounds each day. I also got a bad salty taste in my mouth two days ago, this has now gone.

I am going back to the doctors next week to look further in to this UTI.

[dorigen]

I think I replied to one of your other posts. Glad that you went to the doctor. From your last few paragraphs about dizziness/spaced out feeling, it definitely sounds like anxiety. Stress at work and health stress could definitely be the culprits. Also, less than 7/8 hours of sleep a night can definitely cause those same symptoms. Black cloud feeling also depression/anxiety. Tingling arm can be anxiety, but also could be from sitting at a computer for 15 hours.

Consider seeing a therapist or getting some books or programs. I hope you feel better. Best wishes.

[DaveUK]

I'm scarily like you actually,

I am a webdesigner - Me too
working around 15 hours a day in front of the computer - Same here
caused me lots of distress because I smoke - Yep, I worry about what smoking is doing to me
come over all dizzy and light headed spaced out - Daily occurance here
fatigued, light headed, spaced out, back ache - Daily occurance and you may find like me that the backache is actually worse because you're dwelling on it. Plus, sitting on a chair in front of a PC each day does not do us any favours.
I lost all interest. It felt like a dark cloud over my head - Yep - thats depression.
I also had quit smoking for about 3 days and also coffee - This is exactly what brought on my breakdown, I quit smoking and Coke / Pepsi 7 days before the worlds worst anxiety and depression hit me.

I think you have anxiety and a bit of depression. Try not to stress over everything, it's not easy and even if you can't stop dwelling on stuff and the physical symptoms come on just realise that they are just your anxiety - You're not going to drop dead !

Ask you're doctor about an anti-depressant - Escitalopram helped me, but i would not reccomend Lofepramine - (see post i've just made myself)

[adrian29uk]

Holy shit mate, but its to know I am not the only one.

Im suffering big time today. Woke up all dizzy and all my worries where back again. Getting no work done whatsover due to feeling spaced out.

[Foxfire]

I too was working 15 hours a day on my computer when I finally dropped the bundle completely. The constant flicker of the screen doesn't help with the spaced out feeling either and I ended up doing nothing for about 6 weeks because everytime I went to the computer I would trigger attacks.

Don't sweat the small stuff would be my advice. If you're at the computer and things aren't working because you're dizzy, get up and go and do some excercise to burn off some of that excess adrenalin. Remind yourself that your symptoms really aren't THAT bad (if you sit down and actually analyse what you're feeling) that they're not going to hurt you and that they will pass in time. Don't be afraid of them (again, they're not going to hurt you or cause long lasting damage) and just let them happen naturally rather than fighting them or being afraid of them. Once you start doing this, you'll find that suddenly (sometimes hours, sometimes days depending on how hard you try) they seem to be quite inconsequential where once they would have you floored. It sounds simple and obvious and almost OVERLY simple for what feels like a terrible condition but these are the principles by which I kicked this thing so I know that it works.

[greenleaf]

This can also be side effects of an antibiotic medication for your UTI. Sometimes they use stuff like Cipro or other strong medications for UTI's. Some of these sound like side effects. However, if you had this before starting medications, could be anxiety. 15 hours a day is also too long to be on a computer with your arms. Not saying that it is the reason why you have weakness or tingling, but definitely will cause it.

[adrian29uk]

You are exactly correct. These antiobiotics are having a lot of side effects. However I only start to feel my worst in front of the screen when concentrating.

This morning when I woke up I was all dizzy, I ran my mum to the airport and felt 99%, when I got back and started on the PC I began to feel shit again.

I am going back to the docs on friday, when this horrible drug is out of me, them my mind will be clearer.

Another problem I have is my glasses, I should have got these changed over 2 years ago. They still feel right, but this might be another problem and making harder for me to concentrate, which in turn makes the brain work harder.

My days of 15 hours in front of the PC are now over. Its now 9am - 5pm with 2, 20 minute breaks and 1 half hour a day.

Secondly I bought a new ergo keyboard for £35.00 like you say the tingling could be because of RSI.

[dorigen]

Good for you adrian.

Changing your lifestyle and making little ergo changes can do a lot! Oh, and the glasses thing??? I was wearing too strong of a prescription for a couple years... let me tell you that made a huge difference when i got it fixed!!! Stupid eye doc! haha

[adrian29uk]

Update. I went back to the doctors yesterday and he has given me Fluxotine for 1 month which is really helping me lift my mood.

I went to the opticians as well and got new glasses. Of course I was worried that I would be sent to the eye hospital, because you know what anxiety is like, anyway it turned out my eyes have only slightly changed in 4 years. I went in their feeling sick, lightheaded and as soon as I got out of there, guess what I felt normal, like how I used to feel.

I do have underlying health problems, however the pills are taking the edge of my anxiety and not making me feel as though I am not dying.

I have also now had two nights restful sleep as well. I have been given a tape to help me relax and information sheets.

I have also stopped looking at health websites on the web, these are a definate NO NO and is one the reasons why my anxiety got to where it did.

Once I get my head straight then I can start to work out where the health problems are. The anxiety bought out lots of other things in me which made me confused.

I have had mouth thrush for nearly a month now and this is another thing that needs to get sorted.

My Urine sample came back fine, and I am not burning so much when I urinate. So I presume I dont have a UTI. As regards the Thrush in my mouth I presume I have candida which makes me feel worse.

At the end of the day whatever I have, it will get sorted and its not the end of the world.

But let me tell you I have been on one hell of big trip.

I would like to say Thank You for helping me recognise the symptoms of Anxiety.