1. Alan has completed the new Pain Recovery Program. To read or share it, use this updated link: https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/painrecovery/
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
Our TMS drop-in chat is tomorrow (Saturday) from 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Eastern (***NOTE*** now on US Daylight Time). It's a great way to get quick and interactive peer support, with Steve2 as your host. Look for the red Chat flag on top of the menu bar!

Anxiety or pots

Discussion in 'General Discussion Subforum' started by kimaya, Jul 6, 2019.

  1. kimaya

    kimaya Peer Supporter

    Update guys my pelvic pain has almost vanished to the point I don’t even think about it but the symptoms are replaced by more intense symptoms.
    I had my semester exams two months back and i started having some anxiety breathlessness and palpitations i brushed it off as exam stress and then it started increasing ,even after my exams the sensations statyed and intensified
    Last week it was so intense I wasn’t even able to walk without my heart racing and feeling faint ,i rushed to hospital they did tests and nothing is wrong but i still feel my heart racing ,dizzy and breathless
    And the worst thing i did was i googles into a health anxiety forum and someone mentioned pots another rare to diagnose disease with no cure not again iam super scared of it and in that rut hole again and these symptoms are very intense, I don’t know why i keep going into cycles i want to push myself and fight it but i feel dizzy faint and scared , I literally feel hopeless.
     
  2. Miriam G. Bongiovanni

    Miriam G. Bongiovanni Peer Supporter

    Hey Kimaya,

    It seems like you've kept the anxiety alive and you keep feeding it, but don't worry, we all do that with all sorts of TMS symptoms. You did well to go to hospital for tests, and should keep in mind that the fact that they didn't find anything wrong probably means that nothing is seriously wrong. And, the fact that you've had pelvic pain before indicates that this is another TMS manifestation, your body trying to distract you with something that will work better than the pelvic pain - looks like it's working for now!

    Now, for the plan of action. I noticed you said 'I want to push myself and fight it' - this is NOT what you should be doing, because it will keep the fight or flight response alive. Instead, when your heart starts to race, can you take a few minutes to just notice how it feels? Just observe your heart beating, and all the other sensations, try to be curious about them and see them for what they are. Mindfulness can help you cultivate this feeling. It's like looking the monster in the eye, instead of trying to run away or fight it aggressively, just stare at it in the face. Just notice it, no matter how bad it feels. If you do this enough times, you might notice that the feeling may start to dissipate. I don't know what pots is (sounds terrible), but from the sound of your post, it is very likely just anxiety.

    Hope you feel better soon X
     
  3. kimaya

    kimaya Peer Supporter

    i kn
    i know about my anxiety problem but this time it's super hard as my heart keeps on racing non stop due to whic i can't lie down and relax and i can't stand or sit without feeling breathless and faint , these symptoms are so intense pelvic pain was thousand times better
     
  4. Miriam G. Bongiovanni

    Miriam G. Bongiovanni Peer Supporter

    I would get a second opinion from a specialist and maybe if it's so severe, something to calm your heart down might be necessary in your case. Try and think of what worked for you when you were dealing with pelvic pain... did you accept it? maybe you stopped fearing it? Think a little bit about what you're afraid of. Most of the times, we are not that much afraid of how we are feeling physically, but more of the threat that the symptom represents for us (i.e. that it's a serious health condition, that it will ruin our lives, etc). These catastrophic thoughts will keep feeding the cycle and make us feel more helpless.

    Once you exclude serious medical conditions, try and pile up the proof that this is only TMS.

    i) You had pelvic pain and this might be a substitute
    ii) You have been anxious or gone through a stressful event.

    Keep building on the list!
     
    birdsetfree likes this.

Share This Page