Weird arm problem this morning...anxiety-related?

I have been having a slight tingling/crawling sensation over my right forearm from time to time since about 3 days ago. This morning I woke up and my right arm felt somewhat weak and when I tried to move it, it just sort of flopped over to one side and laid there. Of course, I started to panic as I thought about why this was happening to me. Then I made a second attempt to move it and my arm flopped over the other way and I was finally able to regain strength in it and move it around normally.

So I'm thinking paralysis from rabies (a bat flew over my head several months ago but there was no actual contact/exposure) or maybe it's the Cipro XR I took for a whole month or maybe still, it's anxiety or side effects from meds (Like the Vistaril I'm currently on). Perhaps it's even from sitting at my computer for 10-12 hours each day for years. However, my mind seems to want to focus on the worst possabilities. I also thought about the possability that I slept on my arm at some point and I suppose that's possable but if I do roll over and sleep on an arm, it's usually my left one.

Anyway, the "creepy/crawly" feeling is also on the back of my neck or scalp and mt face feels like it's "vibrating" a little bit sometimes and that scares me too. The other day my legs felt a bit wobbly and I have been having blurry vision but I have also been sitting at the computer working a lot more than usual for the past few weeks and antihistamines (like Vistaril) can cause visual disturbances. I also take benzos from time to time and these can cause problems with vision as well

I was so scared from the arm thing that I just crawled back into bed this morning because I did'nt even want to face the day or have to think about it. So what do you folks think?. Has anyone else here ever experienced anything like this and is it even normal for anxiety?.

Thank's again for any help on this!.

I used to have the same sensations all the time. I also forgot to mention I used to have the Vibrating thing as well, mostly located in my legs.

Greygoose, are you receiving any treatment for your anxiety?

Thank's for all the thoughtful replies. Can/does anxiety usually/normally cause weakness (even for breif moments)?. I've hear of people with anxiety having "wobbly legs" and I get that sometimes my arm just sort of flopped over this morning - in other words, I lost some control over it.

IMHO since it was upon awakening, I would think u might have slept on it wrong. If it would continue to happen at other times, I might get it checked out, but I think you probably just slept on it wrong - really.

As for having brief weak moments - sure - even those without anxiety can as well, but for us anxiety people, improper breathing will cause not only the weakness, but the tingling sensations in the extremities and lips, not enough oxygen. The breathing techniques work wonders on many of the symptoms of anxiety.

Dont know much about Vistraril and its side effects, but I have been on benzo's for 15 years and had NO visual disturbance - but we are all different and meds affect us all differently. Curious - why do you take benzo's from time to time?

Like MissHoney asked - are you in therapy of any kind for your anxiety issues?

Thank's for the replies. No, I'm not in therapy nor have I ever been. I had a scary incident with one phsychiatrist and thought they were going to commit me so that was it for me. I am taking Xanax for anxiety and Vistaril for sleep. Both help but sometimes the anxiety is just to bad for anything to help. I am curious about something though and I meant to ask this earlier...

Is it normal for a trigger event to occur that causes you to have an anxiety attack that lasts for weeks or even months and can the anxiety snowball out of control (ie; get worse over time) so that you even begin to think that you have the disease you are worried about to the point where you actually KNOW you are going to die?. I mean, you are absolutely CONVINCED that you have it and the more you look symptoms up and think about it, the more you SWEAR that you have at least a few of them or you look them up and soon afterwards you actually start to have them?.

Also, why is it that even if you try to put it out of your mind or tell yourself that you don't really have a disease, the anxiety is STILL there?. Do you ever (or have you ever) felt so bad that you were sure your anxiety was beyond hope). I sometimes come here feeling so bad that I feel like I should be posting on the "about about to die" forum instead of hear. This time around, my anxiety has been especially bad and some of the symptoms are new which is why I'm so freaked out so bad this time around.

Thank's - I am just really freaking out lately and trying to get a good grasp of this thing.

i don't know if you're going to like my opinion. i think you need to be in therapy. serious therapy. one incident with a psychiatrist doesn't mean it's going to happen every time you see one. that would be like getting a splinter and then saying you would never touch a piece of wood again. which means you wouldn't have a house to live in. weird reasoning, but that's it for me right now. i worked a 13 hour day

GG, if i've ever seen anyone that needed professional help, it's you. your anxiety is ruining your life. you have no life. all you have is your anxiety and your hypochrondia (sp?). that's it. period. almost everyone on here, that answers your posts, suggests therapy. therapy doesn't have to be a psychiatrist. it can be a licensed counselor or a psychologist. there are tons of people who can help you and not be a psychiatrist.

i'm also curious about who's giving you the drugs that you take now? is this a general practioner? with your symptoms, you need someone who works in the field. i'm not too enamoured with GPs, internists, etc. who prescribe psych meds. AND for that you'd need a psychiatrist. the psych doc wouldn't be counseling you...they would be prescribing what they felt would work best for you. i've been misdiagnosed with clinical depression for more than half of my life. i finally went to a psychiatrist and she correctly diagnosed me and put me on the appropriate meds. i'm doing great now.

GG, i know i'm firm with you. i feel like i have to be. your anxiety disables your ability to think clearly, so i "talk" a little louder and firmer. xoxo pat

I agree with Pat, I encourage and urge you to start the search for a good therapist. Work with a therapist, dive into the work, get an accurate diagnosis, get guidance with meds, also have a full physical.

Therapy. *nods* We all support each other here and sometimes the best support is to tell each other to get offline and get some help.

Wishing you well,
Sarah

I agree with Pat and Sarah. This rabies phobia that's going on is getting out of hand and you need to talk to a professional who can assure you that it's NOT rabies. Doesn't this doctor who is prescribing all of these powerful drugs require at least a yearly physical? My doc won't even refill my Celexa without one.

Schedule a physical, mention the bat exposure, get tested, and then one of two things will happen - you'll find out you don't have rabies and you can move on, or you'll find out you do have it and you'll get treatment. But you have to do something besides obsessing about it and not taking any action.

As far as the vision, you said you haven't had it checked since you were a kid, and you're in your 40s now. Um, hate to say it, but you're getting into that age where your eyes don't work the way they used to, no matter how great your vision has been up to this point. It happens to all of us once we hit 40.

good morning tim........how are you feeling this morning?......i hope a little better........you sure are one loved and very cared about person on these forums........people reach out to help you and console you everytime you post.....i think that all the suggestions that folks have given you are excellent ones and really need to be considered......your life has continued to spiral out of control over the last few months...the anxiety and the hypochondia has become your life.....if you are to regain any control...you need to seriously consider therapy......we all love you and i know how very much it hurts us to see you struggling......love you...julia

Thank's to ALL of you for replying and for CARING!. I really need that right now (((((((HUGS)))))))

I have really bad hypochondria, which of course, means that I have obsessive health concerns and am convinced that I have a disease. For me (and I'm only being honest), I feel that a therapist would be trying to tell me it's all in my head and I know it's NOT all in my head because I really DO feel bad from day to day. I don't think just taking deep breaths or counting to ten are going to magically make my probs go away. It may work for some milder cases of GAD/Panic but not mine. That does'nt mean I am rejecting treatment, in denial or refusing advice from people who suggest such things. It just means that everyone is different and these particular excersizes have not worked for me.

I'm also concerned that it's not *just* anxiety. I really do have some pretty freaky symptoms which I'm always attributing to some disease that has no cure (which makes it even scarier). I don't remember it being this bad or having these same symptoms in the past but I know that anxiety symptoms can change all the time. My right arm has been tingling lately and it was the same arm that went weak on me the other morning. I don't think that is a symptom of anxiety. It has'nt done that again since and I may have just slept on it but why would it be tingly and then the next morning (same arm) go weak on me?.

I did see many therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and even a hypnotist when I was in my teens (I'm 42 now). I also spent several stints in various mental hospitals so I've already been that route. I'm not trying to sound like a "pro" here but I'd be lying if I pretended that this was all new to me. I've had all the "deep breathing" and "count slowly to ten backwards" routines, tons of different drugs, therapies, etc. I imagine some of you might be asking "well why did'nt you mention this earlier?". Well, there are probably a lot of things I hav'nt mentioned because my life has been so varied and that was a long, long time ago. As with most of us here, it would be impossable to tell our whole lives in just a few posts.

What happens with me is that I will convince myself that it is just anxiety and that everything is going to be fine. Then, I'll be sitting there trying to relax or do my work and suddenly my arm will start tingling or I'll be a little short of breath or my neck will hurt a little bit or I'll get a sharp pain somewhere and that starts the whole ball rolling all over again. It's not like I have a scary thought and THEN the anxiety starts. It's actually the other way around.

Some of my symptoms include...

* Tingling/crawling sensation in arms, legs and face sometimes
* Vibrating sensation in head, eyes, face and other parts sometimes
* Keys on keyboard look distorted/double at times
* Neck feels kinked on left side
* Constant low-level anxiety/fear
* Insomnia (this is a new one and has me scared!!) - Difficulty falling asleep and waking very early
* Visual blurring or seeing double when I look at something sideways (the doc say this is normal when you look at something sideways).
* Muscle twitching
* Difficulty swallowing about a month ago but it went away

I guess if I were to ask one question, it would be "just how bad can GAD get?" because I always thought that GAD was just a mild case of "bad nerves" that came and went once in awhile and not something that could be so debilitating.

Thank's again. I know that you people care and I can't emphasize how much I truly appreciate it.

- GreyGoose

Okay, GreyGoose, go check yourself into the Mayo Clinic and find out what horrible physical ailment you have. I agree with you, wasting any more time on anxiety, would be just that. Wasteful. You've convinced me, and especially after you withheld the info about your previous hospitalizations, that you do have something awful wrong, physically, with you. I wouldn't hesitate. I would do this Monday, at the latest.

I am very curious about why you withheld so much information about your previous mental health care? That was pretty odd. Letting all of us try to help you, over and over again..keeping that to yourself..while we came up with everything we could think of to be of aid to you.

------
I hope you are being fascicious (I think you are). As I explained in my last post, that was 25 years ago and I was involuntarily commited for something that had nothing at all to do with my current (or recent) problems. For me to have mentioned it would be like mentioning that I had gone to the garage to have my car repaired (which also has nothing to do with my GAD, OCD, Panic or any of the other problems I've had in the last ten years). On the other hand, if everytime someone had suggested something I had said "oh, I've already done that", everyone would think that I was trying to pass myself off as a pro at this and refusing advice. I would'nt win in either case.

I was just a kid then. I did'nt think it was important or relevant to my situation today. I am sorry if you thought that I strung everyone along but nothing could be further from the truth which is why I think you were only being fascicious. I don't feel very well and please believe me when I say that the LAST thing on earth I am trying to do is play games, string people along or post just for the sake of having a good laugh.

Another thing, I have noticed a harshness in your posts to me ever since you thought I took offense to what you posted a week ago - even though I have continuously told you that I am greatful for your advice and appreciate it. It's almost as if you are taking the position that if I'm not willing to see a therapist, then fine...just go to the Mayo clinic because death is knocking at the door. I'm really sorry you feel the way you do. Maybe you are just trying to use the "get tough" approach to get me to go to therapy but to me, it's coming accross in a non-so-friendly way (unless I'm just misunderstanding you).

- Tim

Tim, I think the frustration comes from the fact that you come in asking if it's anxiety, then when everyone agrees that it is, you say it can't be anxiety because the usual anxiety-reducing techniques don't work for you. But you refuse to go to a doctor because you're pretty sure that it's only anxiety.

Can you see how that might get some people a little exasperated?

wi_fighter

Yes, I can understand how people might be exasperated over this but that is just how OCD works. A person with this disorder will repeatedly seek reassurances that they don't have a disease and even with these reassurances, medical tests, etc, they will still be convinced that something is wrong with them. That's why it's called the "doubting disease". That why your mind is constantly thinking "what if?". So what you are seeing here is not the *real me* but rather, this disorder manifesting itself through me. It's when the symptoms get really bad, that I start questioning wether it is really anxiety but since I have suffered from this for 10 years now (on varius levels) I have never questioned wether any of you were right or wether I really had GAD/OCD/Panic, etc. I KNOW I have it. It's just that it can get pretty severe and make you doubt that it's really just anxiety sometimes - thus the "doubting disease" term. I have a few other disorders that cause me to ask the same questions over and over again (in different ways) and I think this is what get's onpeople's nerves sometimes but I really can't help it and it is completely innocent and I mean no harm.

I hope this explains things a little bit better.

Tim............ in the below quote from you..........

What happens with me is that I will convince myself that it is just anxiety and that everything is going to be fine. Then, I'll be sitting there trying to relax or do my work and suddenly my arm will start tingling or I'll be a little short of breath or my neck will hurt a little bit or I'll get a sharp pain somewhere and that starts the whole ball rolling all over again. It's not like I have a scary thought and THEN the anxiety starts. It's actually the other way around.

TYPICAL panic/anxiety response ! Thats EXACLTY how an anxiety or panic attacks starts. We feel OK, then something happens in our body - like you mentioned - and BOOM - its OMG - something is wrong with me !! TURN ON THE FULL BODY SCAN.... FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG by focusing on whatever that "trigger" (symptom) is. THAT is what starts the cycle. We dont "feel anxious" and THEN have something go awry in our body, its absolutely the other way around.....just like you said happens with you.

See if this makes sense - my husband doesnt have an anxious bone in his body. He can get a "flutter" in his chest, and it doesnt faze him. On the other hand, IF he were anxiety/panic prone, that feeling in his chest would then snowball into WHAT IF I am having a heart attack, WHAT IF there is something wrong with my lungs, WHAT IF I get more and more of these feelings, should I go to the ER? WHAT IF, WHAT IF, WHAT IF....... and that is what is happening with you. You state you can feel FINE, not anxious at all, and BAM, you get a tingling, or a stabbing feeling, etc, and you lose it...........THAT IS ANXIETY/PANIC.

You KNOW that anxiety/panic/agoraphobia can be 100% debilitating ! And YES, it can and WILL get worse, unless you get help. You are so determined that you have a physical issue that is causing this, that you cannot stop dwelling on that, and deal with this for what it is.........anxiety/panic.

You also state above that a therapist would try to tell u it is all in your head when you *****KNOW****** it is physical because you feel bad everyday. WHen I had anxiety/panic/agoraphobia - I felt physically ill 24/7. Thats the nature of this beast ! How can you possibly say that you *****KNOW******** that breathing techniques, guided imagery, visualization, etc will not work for YOUR SERIOUS CASE of anxiety? Many of us here could have a good "pissing contest" as to who has/had it worse. But - I made the decision to do ANYTHING suggested to help me get better - and who'd a thunk it - I GOT WELL !!!!! I think you can too, once you change your 'stinkin thinkin' and accept that you have anxiety/panic/agoraphobia, and deal with THIS, rather than keep on looking for a physical ailment, and a magic pill or magic wand. I have been there, and have a T-shirt to prove it.

I hate to see anyone as miserable as you seem to be! But dagnabbit - so many people here are really trying to help you, and altho I KNOW you are grateful, you are clearly stating WE ARE WRONG. What IF we are right? WHAT IF the things we suggest to you WOULD help you feel better? WHAT IF you actually put some faith in those of us who have walked the same path you are walking, and WHAT IF, you got better ? HHHMMMMMM............perhaps thats the key here, WHAT IF YOU GOT BETTER?

Tim, you know me a bit better than most people here do. You KNOW that I am on your side, in your corner, and here for you. I seriously do not think u have GAD, I think you have PAD with OCD to boot. Of course hypocondriasis on top. BUT - you can get better. You just have to want too , and eventually accept that you do not have some rare, yet to be discovered physical disease causing you the EXACT symptoms we have/or had with PAD.

You know how to reach me when you choose too. I think you are getting some great responses, along with a good (and needed) dose of tough love !

Keep on keepin on !

Hi Parker.

I think you summed up the situation here, the help I've received and my condition very nicely and accurately. It is difficult taking that first baby step and just letting go of your fears and convincing yourself that nothing is *seriously* wrong with you though. It can be as bad as a mother having to give up her newborn baby because the thought of some horrible disease is always tugging at you and you can't always just "let it go". I am sure willing to try though

Breaking loose from this pattern of thought no doubt takes some work (and time) and I am willing to do it but my agoraphobia keeps me pretty much housebound unless it's an extreme emergency and I end up at the ER. That is why I so much want to receive my therapy online. I would even be willing to pay for it (and stick with it) and then I can ask my doctor for whatever meds the therapist recommends. Now I'm sure a few people will jump up and say "hey,. why did'nt you tell us you had Agoraphobia earlier!!" but let's be reasonable here, can we?. I mean, I have had so many diagnoses, medications, health probs and life expeiences in my 42 years that it's difficult to keep them all straight in my head and no doubt, I won't be able to think of all of them but that does'nt mean that I am trying to keep them a secret or anything.

My mother, grandmother and many other people throught my life have always praised my openess and how I am willing to be open, honest and talk about anything so if someone has a question about what meds I've been on, what treatments I've received, etc please don't hesitate to ask me. If someone had asked me about my childhood, I would have been morethan happy to bring up my time in the juvenile psych ward and other experiences, etc.

As with many of us here, I'm sure it would take an awfully large forum and many years to tell everything about ourselves and even then, we probably would'nt be able to remember every detail. Parker, I do so much believe you and all others here when I hear you talk about the symptoms of anxiety. Over ten years, I have read so much about this, talked to lots of of people and suffered a lot myself so there's no doubt I have it and yes, I am willing to be helped. I am willing to be like the little pussycat that comes crawling to a bowl of milk. I just took a 1mg Ativan an hour ago. I can't say if it is helping me or not but I think it is. My allergies, watery eyes, etc drive menuts too and somethimes I even wonder if that is part of my anxiety disorder.

Well, I guess that's about it for now. Fay - I would really be interested in putting any misunderstandings we may have had in the past behind us, working this out and being freinds, ok?. I think you are a nice operson who means well and I think you have a lot to offer other people. Maybe we can meet in chat this evening or by IM...would you feel comfortable about this?.

PS: I don't know if I'm allowed to say this here but I have serveral microphones, webcams and various IM clients and although I tend to be a bit shy and introverted, I would be absolutely delighted to get the opportunity to talk to some of you live (sound, video, etc). Of course, only if some of you feel comfortable with it. Maybe a few of you could PM me if you are interested in this?.

I love all of you and we will all get through this together somehow!

Now I would say that post is a definite step in the right direction Tim !!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOHOOOOOO !!!

No one is expecting you to "recover" overnight - but baby steps lead you down the road ! I am thrilled that you are now "saying" you are willing to accept this as anxiety/panic/OCD/agoraphobia, and deal with it !!! WTG !!!!!!!!!! MAJOR MAJOR progress !!!!

Next step .........a bookstore (online ones are good)

Hi Parker....Yeah, like Bush said "lets's roll!"...lol. Yes, I am willing to do this but since you posted before I finished the edit on my previous posts, you may have missed some of it. Not sure how much you read before you started posting but there's some info about mics, webcams,etc.

Two quick things...

(1) What is the half-life of Ativan and how long before it get's into your system and starts working?

(2) Another thing and this scared the devil right out of me but My best friend and room mate have been together for 22 years now. Anyway, I'm sitting here all nervous this morning and suddenly I hear something crashing in the living room and then I hear moaning sounds. Now he is a 260LB man so when he fell, it made a loud BOOM sound. As soon as I heard the moaning I ran like crazy into the living room and saw him laying on the floor keeled over and moaning. Since he is in his 60's I figured maybe he'd falled off the chair and had a stroke. I went into a state of hysteria as I tried to assertain what had happened and he finally told me that spindle in the cfenter portion of the chair had snapped and that he had landed on the floor. You talk abou tsomeone's heart racing...mine was on TURBO!!!!. This guy is a people person and would give you the shirt off of his back and I was in sheer panic that I had lost him but all is ok now. WHEW!!!!. I'm still recovering!.

GG, i do not have a problem with you. i do have a problem with your behavior. your life is totally consumed by your head. if you've read any of my posts on other forums, you would have known that i am direct. if you take the time to ask for help, which you've done, then i'm not going to beat around the bush when i try to help you. i'm sorry if you feel that i dislike you or am cranky towards you. i don't see you accepting "subtle" help and i hardly ever often subtle advice. again, i don't have a problem with you. good luck in finding a solution to your problems. pat