topic Flu-like symptoms - Anxiety? in Anxiety

Flu-like symptoms - Anxiety?

MiaBella — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 04:21:17 GMT

Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum, I am a relatively healthy 37 year old female with a history of anxiety/panic attacks. Just when I think I have it all under control it seems to manifest itself in a new way. I just wanted to ask if anyone else out there has experienced the following. Flu-like achy feelings through out your body, fatigue, very very sluggish, just cannot seem to get moving, this in turn causes more anxiety. I have had a very thorough check by my doctor, full blood count done, all normal, checks for any auto-immune diseases, all negative but anti-bodies present for Glandular Fever and Cytomegalovirus but doc says all from a past illness, I didn't even know I had CMV. Traces of blood in my urine, renal/bladder ultrasound all clear and Urine cytology negative so doc is at a loss, I just cannot shake this achyness, it's also effecting my sleep at times, I cannot stay asleep due to feeling so ill, it's like a cursing wired feeling going through my body and my mind constantly races which prevents me from sleeping and I feel very thirsty all night, during the day I could be feeling fine one minute and the next completely crash with the flu like feelings again. I just can't seem to accept that this could all be anxiety related??! My husband says YES most definitely, I am over thinking everything and always thinking something is wrong with my health but nothing ever shows up in tests. So hoping someone shares my symptoms and can shed some light on it all because it is driving me crazy, some days I am bed ridden because it literally feels like I have the flu, never have fever though. I also suffer with IBS. Thank you for anyone advice.

Flu-like symptoms - Anxiety?

White_Rose — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 05:11:52 GMT

Dear Mia Bella

Hello and welcome to Beyond Blue. You sound very uncomfortable with your symptoms. I hope I can shed some light on the subject.

Some years ago I had symptoms much the same as yours and they did not go away. My doctor did a series of tests. One showed I had high inflammatory levels. My GP told me I had a specific condition but unfortunately I cannot remember the name. This condition would be treated with cortisone pills. By the time all these results were back the pain has started to subside a little. So my GP agreed to leave the treatment to see how I was traveling.

At the same time I was receiving therapy from a psychologist who told me these aches were due to muscle tension and causing the very real and uncomfortable pain, all because of the emotional traumatic situation I was in. I don't think it was a case of one answer over the other. I believe both people were correct. I was so uptight and tense my body was just one big ache. The tension causes major inflammation all over with the result I was in pain and exhausted by the pain. So 'flu-like aches, sluggish and fatigue were the major problems. I also had massive headaches, pain at the base of the head and a sore jaw.

My dentist identified the cause of the jaw pain. I was clenching my teeth when I was asleep. The remedy was a small mouth-guard-like aid I used when I was sleeping, and reduced the power of my jaws to clench. Amazingly that pain subsided after a few weeks although I wore the mouth guard for a year or so to make sure I had no more problems.

As I began to recover from the emotional trauma my body started to relax. The therapy was helping me to get back to 'normal' and the aches and pains started to go away. I also had some treatment from a physio which gave me a lot of relief. My GP repeated the tests and found my inflammatory markers were greatly reduced.

So everyone was right in a way. I expect my GP could have given me a relaxant medication but that would not have identified the cause of the pain, just masked it. As it was I could measure how well I was going by the decrease in pain.

I am not a doctor. I say this because I don't want you to think I can diagnose your symptoms. They sound similar to mine (very painful) and the suspected cause was anxiety. Giving me a cortisone treatment probably would have reduced the pain, but identifying the real cause was the key.

Oh and in answer to your question, yes anxiety can result in a great deal of pain.

Mary

Flu-like symptoms - Anxiety?

MiaBella — Sat, 04 Jun 2016 08:20:16 GMT

Hello Mary, thank your sharing your story with me, I'm sorry that you went through all that and I hope you're better now! Was the condition you had anything to do with your adrenal glands by any chance? Adrenal fatigue was something else I thought I may have but doctors tell me it's not a real condition.

its such a frustrating thing to feel this way when all blood tests are coming back normal. I also tire very easily, a day out shopping or being busy kills me and I crash when I get home and get all the aches and pains, not sure if that's even related though or just me being unfit and a person who never exercises. I'm not overweight though just unfit so anything strenuous tires me out even a couple of hours of shopping. I went to Ikea once and it damn near killed me! That place is massive.

the jaw pain you were getting sounds really uncomfortable, I haven't experienced this, for me it's just the overall tiredness and achy feeling.

Thanks again for your reply I really appreciate it and I hope this is just a phase I'm going through, I'm going to the health shop tomorrow to pick up some supplements I was taking when my anxiety flared last time which I think might help.

Flu-like symptoms - Anxiety?

White_Rose — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 01:36:49 GMT

Hello Mia Bella

I still cannot recall the name of illness the GP thought I had. It was an inflammatory illness that made all my joints ache quite painfully. I also had at one time Post Viral Fatigue. A blood test showed this up. Similar aches and pains and extreme tiredness. If I went shopping I wiped out afterwards even when I was there less than hour. My GP tells me that shopping is one of the most exhausting things to do.

My jaw thing was really the result of tension. It was treated on it's own by the dentist, but whether it would have responded to the reduction of tension I don't know.

I gather you are not going with your GP's diagnosis of anxiety. That's a great shame. I am always amazed when my GP can sort through the symptoms and come up with the correct diagnosis. Do you think you could give it a try instead of the health food shop.

Mary

So did your GP suggest that you take an antidepressant or anti anxiety medication? If your pain is caused by anxiety, and I know from experience this is possible, then why not try medication? It will take a few weeks to kick in and become effective but worthwhile if it help to lose your muscle tension.

Buying supplements is not often the answer. I know the advertising tells us this but you really need tests to determine if you are lacking in some vitamins, trace elements, hormones or whatever. Guessing is not the best way and can be counter productive.I take Vitamin D tablets because it was shown by a blood test that I was deficient in this area.

Have you or your GP considered talking to a psychologist? Again this is one way to help you relax. It could be a better expenditure than health shops.

Flu-like symptoms - Anxiety?

Jessme — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 02:51:04 GMT

Yep, at the height of my anxiety last year I felt achey all the time