New Here! Just a quick question

[Teresaj336]

I have recently found out that what I have been experiencing over the last two months is anxiety. It hit me SUDDENLY while on vacation - literally out of no where came a full blown panic attack. Of course I thought I was deathly ill and dying (I never had an attack before). Since then, I have been a mess. Turns out on top of everything I had a sinus infection that was pretty severe after 6 plane rides! ANYWAY, For two weeks I felt crazy every day. Anxious. Thought I was dying. My skin felt like it was crawling inside. I couldnt eat. I just stayed in bed. When I started to think about how horrible I felt it just got worse, I got dizzy and cold and shaky. I went to the urgent care and there it was - anxiety. The doc said it was a bit of "health anxiety" and gave me some lorazepam.

That helped. I went a few days feeling great. Positive. Then it hit me again. I felt like 0103. So, I finally got the nerve and went to my doctor and told him about my anxiety. It seems to be worse when I think about illness or death (lost my mom 3 years ago to a rare degenerative brain disorder) or even watch movies related to illness or death. SO weird. I am a filmmaker and a writer and NEVER had a problem with that.

Anyway, long story short - 3 weeks ago I started on Zoloft and a PRN of Xanax... which I tend to take every day (only .25mg) because it helps. The zoloft is helping a little - obviously not when I start to obsess about what is wrong with me. Then I get to be a mess again.

My question is... has anyone had persistant muscle tension in their shoulders/neck that in turn causes odd sensations? It doesnt feel like anxiety, just an unsettling feeling in my shoulders and down my arms occasionally. I'm wondering if its because I am so tense and was tense for practically 2 months straight. I do catch myself tensing my muscles for no reason sometimes... as if I forgot how to relax. The odd sensations freak me out a little bit... because I would think that these meds would kick in soon or I would be relaxing a little more by now. Granted, I do sit at the computer all day.

I just dont like this feeling. The last two months have been horrible... and I have been SO unlike myself. I was distant because I couldnt stand being in my own body.

I will stop writing now.  would be nice to know that muscle tension can cause odd sensations. Or that these sensations can occur - or even anxiety occur when you arent thinking about it (or at least dont think you are. haha)

Thanks for reading... I am SO glad I found this place!!

[niteriders1]

I aslo get the muscle tension as you described. Anxiety can do alot of crazy things. I have had anxiety for over a year and when i finally realized that it can do all this stuff i was amazed. My anxiety is sometimes pretty bad and i feel so horrible. I try not to take meds but sometimes i have to or it will make my life miserable. My muscles tense up for months at a time. Then it will go away for awhile and sometimes it comes back again. Hope this helps.

[variety]

hello
just wanted to say i get the same pains in my shoulders and also across my upper back and >of course< chest pains.
my doctor didn't even check me out, he knew it was stress. stress causes all kinds of pains and symptoms that we haven't
even heard of I'm sure...
also symptoms can occur at any time, even when your busy having fun, thinking if nothing bad, at least they do for me.....
so take care and i hope you feel better

[lovejah75]

Hi Teresa,

Along with alot of other symptoms Ive been experiencing with my anxiety, my arms have been bugging me the most lately. My shoulders are feeling increasingly strange! They feel weak and kind of a hot sensation at times which tends to travel down my arms and sometimes my palms burn. My hands have been falling asleep at night as well which really freaks me out. I also get a hot achy pain in my spin right at the top of my back and occasionally some tingling on my upper back. I went to the Neurologist and he did not seem to concerned and thought maybe it was Carpel Tunnel. That explains the hands but not the shoulders, back and arms. Im starting to think it is due to all the muscle tension in my neck and shoulders from the crazy anxiety Ive been dealing with.
Hope this helps and hope you feel better soon.

lovejah75