Physical Symptoms a year after panic attack

[Azura66]

Hi there,

I am new to the forum. I experienced my first panic attack last year in August which left me with chronic anxiety for around 2 months. I managed to get myself back through the use of many strategies and naturopathy. However I still have some residual anxiety which is hard ask never had it before. But I also feel some physical Symptoms like feeling super fatigued to the point where my arm muscles feel achey and tingling. I never had it before. Did anyone else get this? It's like my body went into shock and is still recovering from the attack? I hope this makes sense. It's just frustrating as I feel I'm left with the physical Symptoms. 😩

[ecomama]

Hi Azurra66, a big warm welcome to the forums.

I hope you find lots of support and help through the forums. I'm sure others will be along soon to welcome you also.

There are lots of threads in the Anxiety section, so you'll see you're not alone at all with the feelings you're describing. Have a look around and you may see so too.

I went through years of extremely high anxiety (because of many Courts and issues relating to safety), they ended about 2y ago but I am still exhausted some days and I call it "adrenal fatigue".

I understand alot more about the condition I was diagnosed with, being Complex PTSD, but I sought more specialised treatment for it this year (it skyrocketed due to covid implications) and I am SO much better for it all now.
I saw a trauma psych for 5 sessions.
I worked really hard on it all and have managed to be quite fine since.

I've kept my Counsellor going for many years now.
I Saw her through this treatment and still do.

Mainly I ask her "Is this a normal reaction?" question now lol... I listen intently and enjoy receiving her feedback.

One thing ppl do when experiencing anxiety is to monitor everything about their mind, body etc.

This can be both good and bad for anxiety.

How are you doing today?

EM

[therising]

Hi Azura66

Sorry to hear you are left dealing with the challenges that come with such life altering events. The thought 'Nothing seems to work, physically' can really have an impact on the mind.

You mention you've tried a variety of things on your path to recovery. Wondering if Yoga, acupuncture or Tai Chi or Chi Gong have been a part of your list. In these areas, unless you have a practitioner or master who can explain the basic principals, they're just 'movements' and 'needles'. Once the principal of each and all are explained in a relateable way, you come to see each as energy based practices. So, they deal with achieving effective energy flow. They address 'stuck' energy, 'tired' energy, 'erratic' energy and so on. While a lot of people may poo poo these natural therapies, saying 'All this energy business is a load of rubbish' (which is fine as their view), quantum physicists actually acknowledge 'We are energy in the form of matter'.

I know it might sound a bit weird but maybe after such erratic energetic behaviour (the anxiety) it's a matter of 're-calibration', getting things back to normal and moving again. A strange thought but a thought nonetheless. By the way, if you find your self stretching more than usual and not just when you get out of bed, take that as the body's cue to take it to the next level. Instead of one long stretch, stretch for 5 minutes or however long it takes to feel some positive difference, even if that difference is slight.

With anxiety, there can be extreme levels of hyperactivity throughout the body which can be thoroughly fatiguing. I can imagine it feels like you've been running a psychological marathon. Your body experiences that marathon too, in its own way.

Take care and all the best on your quest for recovery 🙂