Anxiety-Is this a common symptom?

[yikespanic]

Hi everyone,

After reading through alot of the site and posts and signatures I noticed alot of anxiety sufferers?

I too have been suffering since last year with anxiety. It sometimes seems to come out of nowhere! Sometimes for days, then just as it came, subsides. Is this common? I have mentioned to Dr and she doesn't think it has anything to do with each other. I am seeing a Pschologist trying to deal with it and it has helped knowing the anxiety won't hurt me, it's just VERY uncomfortable. It's sometimes like an adrenaline rush feeling, like someone just scared me. I am afraid of this more than the feeling of I might faint. Anyone else with similiar symptoms.

Kim

[Guest CyberPixie]

Yes me. Used to come out of the blue for no reason every 6-8wks, last 10days or so then disappear. Its been a lot better since I've been on my meds.

[mom4cem]

Hi,

I suffer from anxiety also. I think it is hard to tell what is genuinely anxiety, anxiety from being ill, or adrenaline that is being pumped out too much by our ANS that gives all the symptoms of anxiety but is not related to a specific phobia or generalized anxiety. Does that make sense?

I know when I have anxiety that is from a situation or just generalized anxiety but I also know that much of the adrenaline rushes I have been experiencing this past year is not from general anxiety but for some reason I am just pumping out to much adrenaline and my body is reacting by my heart racing.

This may not help at all.lol..

[Guest Belinda]

Kim-Welcome to the forum. I am new too. This stuff can definitley cause panic. I hear you on that one.

I have young kids and yes I get anxiety rushes too. I usually do deep breathing and relaxation to get me through them.

I am also from the area. There is a doc. at University-Dr. Chleminsky that deals with this stuff.

I have not seen him yet, I am waiting for some results to figure out which disorder I have. Definitly Bp

problems. Got a cold then boom dizziness, passed out twice. Anyways, I hope your doing ok, it's good that you ask questions.

What I did was go through all the old topics from the last year and that helped me answer alot of questions

I had.

Take care! Belinda

[Poohbear]

I think you will find once you do some reading and research that anxiety can be very interwoven with disorders of the autonomic system.

It can be a complicated process because your autonomic system could be the cause for the anxiety (because your body can release hormones--adrenaline and norepinephrine to name the most common two--inappropriately and at the wrong times and in the wrong amounts) AND sometimes, you have anxiety first which then exaccerbates the physical condition.

I disagree with your Dr that the two are not related. Perhaps after you do some reading and begin to understand things better yourself you could print some info off to share with your Dr.

Good Luck and know that you are not alone in this.

[d4g7]

I also suffer from anxiety. My doctor tells me that it is to do with autonomic nervious system. She says it gets confused, and thinks it needs to panic when it really doesn't.

I find I normally wake up anxious, and then get another bout in the afternoon, and then another one later at night.

[Gena]

I developed anxiety when I got POTS. Never had anxiety issues before. A great book that helped me understand dysautonomia and its often associated anxiety is "The Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome/Dysatunomia Survival Guide." by authors James and Cheryl Durante. It provides a lot of great insight, tips, advice and personal reflections by others with dysautonomia.

Even if you don't have MVP (which isn't always picked up on an echo), this book provides great info for anyone with dysautonomia symptoms and offers advice on dealing with anxiety and panic.

I go through phases too, of feeling anxious and jittery and having adrenaline rushes, then I can go for months at a time without them. Just gotta love our strange and wonderful bodies!!

Gena

[Evie]

I have been wondering about this question too

In my wisdom teeth thread i ask the similar questions. When i get blood tests or teeth out etc i tend to get really dizzy and cry and shake. They tend to assume its like an anxiety reaction, while i tend to assume its just my ANS system wigging out. I get similar reactions when i get migranes or randomly too when i faint. I use to just assume it was triggerd by pain. Now im wondering if it is just anxiety.

Sorry to semi hijack a thread Kim, its just that nobody has responded in my wisdom tooth thread.

I hope you find some treatment and it helps you, anxiety is really annoying. Especially on top of a illness that creates similar states.

[Poohbear]

This is copied from another thread I answered but I thought it was worth posting here too since it's a similar question. I hope this helps somebody understand better.

POTS and other forms of Dysautonomia are disorders of your Autonomic nervous system.

Your autonomic nervous system regulates "automatic functions" in your body ie..blood flow, getting rid of waste, maintaining your body temperature, digestion of food, bladder control, energy production & delivery and the "fight or flight" response.

When your autonomic system does not operate properly the brain & body sometimes get the message to "fight or flight" (even though it may be the wrong message in the moment) and then your body releases adrenaline (because the adrenal glands, which are controlled by the autonomic nervous system are getting the message to release adrenaline).

This is the simple explanation and I hope this is what you meant by wanting an explanation.

Too much adrenaline could make you feel jittery, anxious, hyped up, shaky, rapid heart rate etc

[ramakentesh]

Anxiety is listed in nearly all studies and discussions of POTS as a symptom.

It makes since as previously stated that most if not all of the symptoms of POTS are caused by an overactivity or inappropriate response of the sympathetic nervous system - too much adrenalin/noradrenalin= anxiety among other things (irritability, not to mention pots symptoms)

Generalised overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system - even minor - such as in low grade hyperthyroidism will cause anxiety.

[Mrs. Glass]

Oh yes anxiety is a common factor in my life. At first the docs thought that was all that was wrong with me, but the meds did not work. I too see a Psychologist just to help me to deal with being sick all of the time. She is great, she is teaching me relaxation techniques to help overcome some of the anxiety. It helps some but does not take it all away. Mrs. Glass aka Vanessa

Hi everyone,

After reading through alot of the site and posts and signatures I noticed alot of anxiety sufferers?

I too have been suffering since last year with anxiety. It sometimes seems to come out of nowhere! Sometimes for days, then just as it came, subsides. Is this common? I have mentioned to Dr and she doesn't think it has anything to do with each other. I am seeing a Pschologist trying to deal with it and it has helped knowing the anxiety won't hurt me, it's just VERY uncomfortable. It's sometimes like an adrenaline rush feeling, like someone just scared me. I am afraid of this more than the feeling of I might faint. Anyone else with similiar symptoms.

Kim

[HoldOnToHope]

Yup, anxiety is a POTS symptom at our house, too. Zoloft has worked wonders - helps with anxiety and also with other POTS-y stuff. Just knowing that anxiety can stem from POTS, is somewhat comforting. My daughter barely left the house when this symptom first began....now she's back out and about!! Good luck to you!!!

[Primoz]

Anxiety is one of the most common syptoms of pots. I dont think it is anbody here, who wouldnt have suffered from anxiety. I personally have symptomes, when I am in crowded, noisy place, after exercise, when I have a longer walk,...

bye p.

[HoldOnToHope]

...then throw in an occasional panic attack just to keep things interesting! Ask your doc for something to treat the anxiety and it may help lots of other things. Hang in there! Things do get better!!!

[Lukkychrm42]

It makes sense that anxiety is so common among sufferers of chronic illnesses. I mean, it's quite a stressful situation, isn't it? I think I have more of a tendency toward depression, but I imagine that all people with chronic illnesses have some emotional repercussions at some point.