A Host Of Bizarre Symptoms...can Anyone Relate To This?

[Aarone]

Hi, my name is Aaron. I came here today to run my symptoms past people who are experiencing anxiety to see if this is what I'm going through or if it is something else.

Last year about this time, I started getting a feeling in my legs that felt a bit like they were made of water. No numbness or tingling, no swelling. They just felt as though they were filled with water...as if they were swollen. This sensation moved up through my body and into my arms and neck, which scared me greatly. No panic attacks, though. Tests from neurologists, head scans, blood work...no leads. It was only debilitating for a few days, but I was able to return to work/school the next week, even though it took months for the symptoms to actually fade. Yes, I was under stress at the time. I was going to school full time, working part time, living on my own, and wasn't getting a break anywhere.

Starting in July or so this year, the feelings in my leg came back. I thought, bagh, it's just that crap that came and went last year...except for this year, it didn't go away. August 1, I'm going to bed and I have a full blown panic attack. Now get this. During the attack, I had trouble breathing, my neck seemed to close up, my temperature was wild, my heart was racing, fear of death -- all classic signs so far -- but I was feeling as though I was losing connection with my body. That watery feeling in my arms and legs took over to the point where I thought whatever it was I had last year and now this year was going to kill me. I felt, in a way (not literally), that I was turning into some sort of ghost. I could feel my arms and legs, but they seemed less like a part of me? I finally passed out. I had another episode like this that sent me to the ER. They said it was just panic attacks/anxiety that manifested in my limbs...and I'm doubting this.

Several panic attacks later, these symptoms persist during the day and get worse with panic attacks. Fast forward to today, and I'm still having this weird feeling of being disconnected with my body..all day, everyday. Sometimes the feelings become overwhelming and I go into a panic attack. I read today online that sometimes anxiety attacks are brought on by waves of dissociation, but I'm not sure if that's what this is I'm going through...

Now, I'm told that this is anxiety built up in my body, just being manifested differently than most people. From what I've read online, what I could be going through is dissociation...but if that's true, would that happen all day, everyday? Has anyone else experienced something like this? Weird body responses to stress like feeling disconnected from your own body (without out of body experiences, mind you)? Also, if you've had problems like this, how did you manage?

Thank you very much for your time! :)

[yorkiegal73]

Hi Aaron

Welcome to the forum. I think anxiety can show up in all different ways. For example, my friend gets nose bleeds, my dad vomits, and i get the watery legs quite often. I also had a period of having palpitations, to the extent that i thought i was having a heart attack. As one physical symptom goes away, another seems to take its place, whether it's dissociation or skin rash or difficulty swallowing.

I used to dissociate a lot during therapy. My T told me to put my feet flat on the floor and my hands on the arm rests and concentrate on feeling the contact with the carpet beneath me, then slowly start to focus on what people were saying. It usually worked for me.

The watery legs is horrible because i start to panic about how i'm going to get home without embarrassing myself and falling over. I usually talk to myself in my head, reminding myself it's not real and i can still walk, and that i'm nearly home.

Are you having any help from a psychologist or any medication at all?

[Aarone]

Thanks for your reply. What was the diagnosis you received for those symptoms? Because I have these symptoms all of the time + I have those attacks several times a month, they diagnosed me with GAD/panic disorder. I'm going to CB therapist next week. I was seeing a psychiatrist on campus where I used to go to school, the past tense being because I've had to move back home with my parents as a result of this...he thought it would be best to try Remeron to balance me out, get me back to sleeping 7 solid hours again, and prevent the panic attacks. Well, I didn't take to well to that, so I had to go back to my original medication for sleep/depression...Trazodone. I still only get 4-6 hours of sleep a night with it. Plus, when I went to an urgent care facility, the doctor there prescribed me a medication called Risperidone...I was taking that 2-3 times a day for a while, but now I only take it when I'm going to bed so that I sleep better- it turns me into a zombie. She prescribed it to me because she thought that the way I described the symptoms, they could be hallucinations about my body. To be fair, I had a panic attack during the day about a week ago, took a Risperidone, and calmed down within minutes. Otherwise, I don't really like the idea of being on that medication.

My biggest concern is that these symptoms plague me almost every single day: the watery legs & dissociation (the world all of a sudden seems more dream-like, it's very difficult for me to focus), both of which increase 10x when and after I've done exercise...which is supposed to relieve stress and anxiety. That is what leads me to doubt that this is just anxiety. It's not something that comes in waves; I wake up feeling watery in the limbs, I go to sleep feeling watery in the limbs. This has been bothering me for the last few months now, even before the panic attacks started. Is that "normal"?

[Stezzy]

Hiya, have you had an MRI scan and an ECG? If not I would insist on having them, just to check that there isn't anything wrong with your nervous system or heart to cause that disconnected feeling. Doctors can be all too quick to pin everything down to anxiety or other mental issues when they can't pinpoint a specific tick-in-the-box physical problem. It's important you're firm with your doctor and stress that you want to be checked out physcially before accepting any mental diagnosis.

Mind and body don't have clear boundaries as one will always affect the other, so it's possible that anxiety is manifesting in your legs, but it really is wise to be thorough. I speak from experience as I have ME which can't be found on any medical tests as yet and it is severely delibitating - I tend to get a lot of problems in my legs as well, so something else to think about.

Good luck.

[Aarone]

I had a headscan done last year, and they found nothing unusual. I can't really afford to have another one done at this time. They also tested me for epilepsy, and that came back negative. They ruled out MS and Guillane-Barre(sp?) syndrome.

What is 'ME'?

[Stezzy]

Check out this link:

http://www.meresearch.org.uk/information/whatisme.html#

I was forgetting you live in the US and have to pay for medical care. At least MS has been ruled out - not sure what else to suggest if you're bound by financial restrictions. I wouldnt feel happy with the anxiety diagnosis with the severe symptoms you have though, especially as they worsen after exersise. Can you see a neurologist for an opinion?

[yorkiegal73]

hi again

it is strange that it is worse after exercise. unless perhaps you're overdoing the exercise and its making you feel weak. i was diagnosed as borderline traits. the anxiety is just part of that. we're all different though and you're better off letting the professionals making a diagnosis. Good luck with the cbt.

[Stezzy]

I wasn't trying to make a diagnosis - only very concerned and making suggestions about what might be important to mention to a doctor. I don't have much faith in doctors - really bad experiences. Any physcial symptoms need to be thoroughly checked and it's surprising how few so-called professionals realise this, at least here in the UK.

Anyway I'll get off my soap box and say good luck with it all Aarone. x

[Aarone]

The earliest I can see a neurologist is the middle of November. I am having high hopes about the CBT.