Anxiety? Bizarre symptom

[tmazzz]

Hi all!
A few weeks ago I was extremely anxious, even my moderate triggers started causing full blown panic attacks. It got to the point where my vision started to become affected and I woke up absolutely petrified because my brain was screaming that something had changed in my vision and I couldn't tell what it was.

I saw an optom who told me my eyes were in perfect health.

The vision problems terrified me so much that I started to wake up extremely anxious every day, hoping my eye sight would be back to normal. One morning, I woke up so terrified it triggered a panic attack that made my entire body start shaking.

I visited my GP who told me what I was experiencing was high levels of anxiety. It's weeks and while the shaking has lessened, I can still feel it. Particularly in my neck and upper back. I mostly notice it when I'm laying down or resting or if I check to make sure it's still happening. Sometimes it feels like strong heart palpitations.

I've worried about MS, ALS, Cervical Dystonia and just about every other neurological disease or nerve disease I could research.

Just as I was starting to believe it was anxiety, I had a check up with my doctor and when I told her the shaking had lessened she asked me to explain what I felt and when I did, she told me it was an unusual symptom, but didn't refer me to a neurologist or a nerve specialist. She mentioned that it didn't sound like M.S but it could be some kind of rare nerve related illness.

Obviously this gave me no sense of comfort and all my thoughts about what it could be completely took over every waking moment.

Just some additional information:
- it gets worse when Im anxious, stressed or in a rush
- my vision problems basically completely went away when I forced myself to believe that they were just caused by me hyperfixating on my vision
- my family took me away for about a week to help clear my mind and while I was away the shaking almost completely went away or I stopped noticing it as much anyway
- I don't think it's constant
- the shaking is more internal than external, no one sees it.

I also want to add that the shaking only started after I had the panic attack that made my body shake.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? And does anyone know any tips to help me stop waking up so anxious!!!

[Mudcakes]

When I get really anxious I feel like I will pass out and my vision gets really blurry, I can’t really move my arms as I can’t see. Maybe ask your GP for a referral if it’s really concerning. I also feel like when my heart is beating so fast It will just stop. I get health anxiety so every anxiety symptom I think is serious and fear the worst. 💜 I also get, don’t know if it’s vison related but my mind gets foggy and things don’t look clear. Maybe try some meditation? An app called headspace could calm you down when you wake up. It sometimes works for me. 🧡 We are all here for you.

[JungleJulia]

You should check out "Complete Self Help for your Nerves" by Dr Claire Weekes. She discusses many anxiety symptoms including blurred vision and 'tricks of vision'. While scary, it is a known anxiety symptom xx

[tmazzz]

I will check it out, thank you! Yeah the vision problems are basically completely gone, it's just the weird shaking when I tense my neck or turn it to touch a shoulder that I find really bizarre??

Hopefully the book mentions something about how neck nerves can be affected haha

[JungleJulia]

I think she does actually! Worth checking out 🙂