Can this really be stress/anxiety?

[duncfunk]

Hi everyone

I'm new to the forum and would welcome your help :-)

I started with headaches over three months ago and apart from a couple of small breaks during this time, it's pretty much been constant throughout each day. I complained to my GP and he said it was stress related. The problem continued and I worried more and more thinking that it was something serious and started obsessively checking my symptoms on the internet - this obsession continues in all honesty.

A month later I found a lump and passed out three times from the shock (I do have a history of fainting especially when it comes to health related matters). It turned out to be cyst and nothing to worry about but the event seems to have amplified my symptoms.

Panic attacks started during the day and at night, tingling fingers, tinnitus sounds, aches and pains, and fatigue. I can't get it off my mind. I have stopped doing everything I enjoy. Social situations are increasingly difficult as well. I passed out again last week after getting wound up - I went all hot, stood up and fell to the floor.

I have seen my own and several other GP's on numerous occasions and other than blood tests, there have been no further investigatons. The thing that concerns me the most is this damn headache, can it really last this long for stress/anxiety sufferers? It moves around my head and stays predominantly on the left side. I thought the GP would refer me for a MRI or CT scan but he seems to think that a negative result would just lead me to wanting more tests.

I should mention a history of cannabis abuse which lasted over 15 years - I finally quit 6months ago. I have been prescribed diazepam, started a course of citalopram 3 weeks ago and referred for CBT.

Its a depressing situation and driving me mad!

Thanks for reading.

[stevie]

I don't know why you've been having the headaches, but the other symptoms sound like anxiety. There's a list of symptoms on this forum- you'll probably see that you have some, many or a few of those symptoms. MAybe ask your GP if he can refer you to a psychologist?

Good luck!

[alankay]

Yep, anxiety is what it sounds like too me. The meds sound right(I take valium(diazepam) for anxiety/panic on occasion) and celexa(citalopram) is an good ssri to try. CBT is also good for anxiety. I used to have the same type anxiety. Scared every little thing was a terminal illness. A bruise was leukemia, a spot in my mouth oral cancer, etc. All that's happening is your body is under muscle tension from anxiety and in your oversensitive/anxious state misinterpreting all the various sensations for a serious problem. Stay on the celexa as prescribed, use the diazepam(either for the really bad times or however the doc told you), practice progressive relaxation, deep breathing, get some aerobic exercise and limit caffeine and alcohol. The pot is all out of you system now. Message me any time.

[duncfunk]

Thanks guys much appreciated.

I'm trying relaxtion techniques and increasing excercise too, which are both helpful.

What concerns me now is that my reaction to the headaches and the other symptoms are masking a underlying problem which has been missed by my GP - although I suppose that's the health anxiety kicking in again! Feel like im going round in circles.

[alankay]

Dunc, I have no doubt that if you had MRI's etc, you'd get an "all clear" and be relieved. Then in time you'd feel something(a twinge, etc), somewhere else and start to get anxious about that. Or you'll feel that "they might have missed something" and get anxious about that possibility, etc, etc, etc. The anxiety will not denied it's effort to distress you. If you've gotten a prescription for diazepam and not feeling better, you might want to get the OK(from the doc) to take a little more. Diazepam is a very good drug. That's why it's still popular. It does the trick for most folks. But the dose needs to be enough. It's not easy for a doc. to hit the nail on the head right off(all patients are different) so will start you on the lowest dose he feels likely to help. Often the dose needs to be tweaked. Just a suggestion. I have been through it as well(health anxiety). But until you go a little further along with CBT(I hope they also review your life/family history/experiences/stressors, etc, to make sure there's not anything in particular making you anxious and it's manifesting itself via your health anxiety. Message me any time.

[nonstopheadache]

Duncfunk, Please let me know how your headache feels. My story is exactly like yours. I've been heaving nonstop headaches for 3 months now. The headaches are mostly on the left side, but they move around. It's mostly a "burning" headache. It seems to get much worse when I get stressed. I used to even have the headache while I was sleeping, but now that i've taken some time off of work, I'm able to sleep through the night. I also had a history of cannabis abuse and just stopped about 2.5 months before the headaches began. I also had some dental work done around the time when the headache began, but I've been to my dentist and to an endodontist and they say that the headaches have nothing to do with the teeth. Please write back and describe your headache to me in more detail. Slso, how is this medicine working for you? I haven't taken any anti-anxiety meds yet. Thanks!