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snowberry
10-04-2013, 05:57 PM
Hi! I'm new here. Pleased to meet you all.

I've had anxiety for a long time, but had a full blown panic attack resulting in a visit to the hospital in August. I'm feeling a lot better mentally, but I have this new symptom which I never had before - the burning. :(

I've had trembles, shakes, numbness, palpitations...but the feeling of my neck and back being on fire is by far the most annoying and difficult to live with. It started about a week after the panic attack, and I literally had to sit with a fan pointed at my back constantly. My skin felt sunburnt - when my arms brushed against the cotton material of my bedsheets, it was honestly no different to sunburn. The worst was my back and neck, though. Constant heat, for about five days! I went to the doctor, thinking I'd picked up a fever from the hospital. "It's just anxiety," she said.

Thankfully it went for about five weeks, but now it's back again. It's not as bad as it was before - I don't need the fan, for example - but it's very hard to concentrate on my work and my studies. I'm not talking about occasional flushes or something that comes and goes. In the morning it isn't always there, but after a couple of hours of being awake it comes back, and stays with me until I go to sleep. It's been constant for about four days now. My mental health has been generally good these past few weeks, with a little slip earlier in the month of no real consequence. I'd be perfectly fine were it not for the stupid heat!

It seems to be an uncommon anxiety symptom, though. For those who have experienced it, what is it that you do to cope? Can anyone even relate to what I'm talking about? It's like I've got my back to a roaring fire. I'd appreciate any advice/consolation. Thank you. :(

snowberry
10-08-2013, 05:37 AM
Wow, last night it was REALLY bad. For the whole day I felt nothing and thought I was finally getting better. Then at night it was so hot it was like I had scalded the back of my head. This is so HORRIBLE. :( I just want to feel normal again. Is there anything I can do? The doctor will just tell me it's anxiety and to calm down, but I feel calm.

sanders1502
10-08-2013, 09:05 AM
Hi there. Burning skin is one of many symptoms of anxiety. When I'm anxious my lower legs and hands burn and yes it feels like sunburn. The annoying thing is nobody seems to understand when I mention this frustrating symptom.

Anyone else suffer like this?

sweetypie
10-08-2013, 10:03 AM
I have gotten it in my scalp for some reason. It made me afraid that my brain was on fire, if that makes any sense, because my whole scalp was super warm and it was annoying. What I did was try to ignore it by distracting myself and eventually it went away.

saralouise75
10-08-2013, 01:14 PM
I get the burning inside my head,it really freaks me out!!!!!!

Aggiegal76
10-08-2013, 04:39 PM
I have that too. I've recently been suffering from anxiety and depression. I have the burning sensation in my arms, face, neck, and back first thing in the morning. I wake up to it. It is terrible, I agree. Mornings are generally harder for me. It's hard to get up and do my job, which causes most of my anxiety but it has started to affect the other parts of my life as well. When I'm at home I can't focus on anything but work and when I'm at work I'm just trying to survive the day. I take Lexapro right now - it's only been 2 weeks since they put me on it. I read that the burning sensation can be a side effect of Lexapro. Anyone else experience it?

atcmom
10-10-2013, 08:56 AM
I have that too. I've recently been suffering from anxiety and depression. I have the burning sensation in my arms, face, neck, and back first thing in the morning. I wake up to it. It is terrible, I agree. Mornings are generally harder for me. It's hard to get up and do my job, which causes most of my anxiety but it has started to affect the other parts of my life as well. When I'm at home I can't focus on anything but work and when I'm at work I'm just trying to survive the day. I take Lexapro right now - it's only been 2 weeks since they put me on it. I read that the burning sensation can be a side effect of Lexapro. Anyone else experience it?

I've been on lexapro for about 6 weeks, I did start with just one drop per day b/c I was so scared of meds. I did get the burning though as the levels went up. It feels like I'm burning on the inside. My doc said it is a side effect. I just wait at that level of meds till the burning goes away and the up it again. I'm now at 7 mg but still noticing no real difference in my anxiety.