Health anxiety?

[Velvet992]

Hi,

In November last year randomly I started to feel a numb feeling on the left side of my face that could be alleviated only when I touched it with my hand or something external.

It didn't bother me at first but after a week I went to a GP who suggested it could be viral but then after another few weeks sent me for a MRI of my brain to be sure nothing else was going on.

On Christmas eve the results came back with the all clear but they incidentally found a small aneurysm in my brain that didn't explain the symptoms. It was a bit of a shock and naturally I thought the worst, I wasn't able to see a neurologist until March so spent 3 months worrying about dying because of it and stopped all exercise and anything I thought could increase the chance of rupture because I was given no guidance by my GP other than not to worry about it.

The neurologist said that it was small and in an area that would unlikely rupture and only require monitoring and that I could live a normal life without worry. Of course this was great news but my facial symptoms continued.

The day after the appointment I started to feel dizzy, not in a room spinning way but in an off balanced elevator type of way. No treatment from physio or anything has helped since then so I have had this feeling for almost 5 months on top of my face and now a stomach issue (possible gastritis) that has been put down to anxiety. I have started to see a psychologist who believes I have health anxiety.

Now I don't even worry about the aneurysm but having all these other symptoms constantly does lower my mood and make me worry about my health. Has anyone else experienced these symptoms?

Nothing I'm doing seems to help them stop. I'm not sure if anxiety symptoms can present months after the initial stress but these overall have been going on for almost a year now and before them I was a very happy and healthy person with great mental health.

Just wanted to see who else suffers from these symptoms especially as long as I have.

Thanks for reading

Velvet

[MarkBt]

Hi Velvet,

Your post triggered some memories for me. I had a tingling sensation with a very slight numb feeling that kind of stopped when you touched it. I was convinced it was the early warning sign of a stroke, it was around christmas and didn't want to go to the doctor as I wasn't at home. There was no other sign of problems. I had this feeling on and off for around a year, then I ran into massive trouble with my teeth. I had bad gum disease and was about to lose a tooth. After months of treatment, I noticed the feeling had gone. It took some time. Anyway, what I noticed is that I can feel the tingling whenever I have health anxiety around strokes or any thought of a neurological condition. It is utterly weird, I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't experienced it. You have had it checked out and the stomach is pretty consistent with anxiety. Regards the feeling, I kind of got used to it and only felt it when I focused on it. Maybe it was the teeth or maybe my belief that it could have been.

[Trixie_A]

Hi there everyone - Nee here and I’m so happy to be a part of this forum. Currently feeling very alone, knowing there are others that are experiencing the same, makes me feel supported.

I have never been one to feeling like I had a form of health anxiety until recently - 8 months after having my daughter. Now having so much to live for, I am feeling an immense pressure and pre occupation that I am going to become terminally ill.

I had my first panic attack over the weekend - a hot flush up the back of my neck, numbing in the right hand side of my face and a feeling of derealisation. Of course, I had this checked - CT and pathology came back normal but have an MRI scheduled tomorrow as well. I have since had tingling in my arms, tingling in my legs (which may or may not be nerve related) and like others have mentioned, this also feeds the fear that something there is something terminally wrong with me.

Are there any new parents experiencing the same sort of thing?

[Rach93]

Hi Trixie,

i too had my first baby 4 months 4 weeks ago & I have started feeling a numb feeling in my face on and off - tingling in my arms and legs on and off, mostly my legs but sometimes all over my whole body , sometimes it feels like goosebumps. have you found out what is causing yours? I am convinced I have MS.. but drs are saying highly unlikely and saying it’s probably anxiety.. I have no idea what it is. Maybe it’s something to do with our hormones? It’s very hard to say.

[Rach93]

Please let me know how you went. I have very similar symptoms to you.. it’s very worrying.