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Doglover
Senior Contributor

Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

Hi all,

I am new to the forum and this is my first post. I am currently experiencing extreme anxiety and so far the medical profession has been unable to help. I have now been off work for 5 months and feel like my life has come crashing down around me. I welcome any advice however also wanted to ask if anyone else experiences the same physical sensations that i do as i am not convinced they are part of anxiety. I get very strange head symptoms, hard to describe, but includes an internal burning sensation, head and face, neck, shoulders, arms, sometimes entire body. It is extremely difficult to handle and quite torturous. I also experience other weird head symptoms - like a tight band around my head, sometimes like a lifting sensation from the top of my head, weird face sensations, not quite prickling, not quite pins and needles, but those would be the closest i can come to describing it. Does anyone else experience these things? I am at my wits end with the severity of my symptoms - all of them, not just the ones mentioned- and wonder if anyone ever actually recovers from extreme anxiety and is able to function and live some semblance of a normal life! At the moment it seems i am going round in circles with the MH profession and getting nowhere. 

Any help greatly appreciated.

And thank you for reading.

61 REPLIES 61

Re: Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

hi @Doglover
it sounds liek those symptoms can be quite intense and distressing. have you spoken to your gp about these sysmptoms? perhaps there is something going on besides anxiety that are causing your physical symptoms.

i do get quite alot of physical symptoms such as headaches./dizziness and skin prickling sensations (which can also be casued by dry skin or other irritations so best to get checked) along with quite a few stomach issues.

if your on medications, coudl it be possible that its a reaction the the medications your on?

Re: Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

Hi @outlander ,

Thanks so much for your reply, my first on this or any other MH forum.

Sorry if this is a bit of a long reply....

Over many years i have had to have numerous iron infusions. After each infusion i experience what can only be described as EXTREME anxiety, insomnia, nausea, and the sensations i described in my original post. This usually lasts for 5-10 days and somehow i just battled through it. But i have long since believed that its the sodium in the infusion that has caused these issues as i also have the same sorts of issues, though in a more minor way, when i eat sodium containing foods. I have spoken to my gp about this on many occasions and she wont have a bar of it, that its impossible. And yet the correlation is so strong and so real. I have also spoken about my concern about this to treating psychiatrists - they all just outright dismiss it. Well i am on a medication that contains sodium and my symptoms are getting worse and worse. I really want to stay off meds with sodium in them because of my concerns but the psychs just think im an idiot/nuts (sorry i hope thats not an inappropriate term to use on this sight - i  apologise if it is. So yes i do believe there is another cause other than anxiety but unfortunately nobody will believe me. Im so scared that im never going to get better if they keep putting me on meds with sodium in it. Very frustrating! And scary to be honest! Anyway, thanks for reading, sorry again it's so long!

Re: Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

Hi @Doglover  because you are sure if these symptoms and the correlation  between them it might  be worth speaking to another  gp. A whole new practice where they  dobt know all your history. Still tyem them about your medications  but i would also  write down pretty  much  your posts here-symptoms and what  youve noticed and take  it with  you. Some fresh  eyes might do some good. Let them  know you feel upset  and brushed  away from your  current gp. 

Re: Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

Sorry about the spelling  my phone is playing up 😒 hopefully  makes  sense though

Re: Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

Thanks @outlander, that is a good suggestion. Complicated by the fact that my gp is currently completing my claim forms for salary continuation with my insurance company so not sure that changing gp's at the moment is feasible. But i appreciate your emcouragement to not let this go. I am seeing a new psych on monday and will go through it with them and stress the importance of any med we try being without sodium. See how we go! 

Can i ask, do u suffer from anxiety? If so, severe? I am intetested to hear if people who suffer from severe anxiety can actually recover and go on to live a normal life, work, relationships etc. At the moment, im scared that this is all their is for me, that im never going to get better! Am hoping that im wrong!

Re: Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

@meomy @Jaz5 this thread here might be good for you guys too


@Doglover
That is ok, perhaps wait until the claim forms are doneand then see about changing gps or bring up these physical sensations again and see what happens...


Psychologists cant prescibe medications however psychiatrists can. is it a psychiatrist that your seeing?


Yes, i suffer from pretty sevre anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder and complex ptsd. I am not fully recovered but i am better than what i was 2 years ago with the major help coming from the forums but i aslo had gp, psychologist, psychiatrist and a very good nurse. I do work and live a normalish life in terms of things but i very much struggle with relationships. it takes time, practice, supports and learning what works for you in terms of coping that helps quite abit. these can be really frustrating and slow but each little step counts.

Re: Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

Thanks @outlander .

Im really glad to hear that you are in a much better position than you were.

Yes im seeing a psychiatrist on monday, am hoping he will be decent and willing to take on board my concerns. I find the whole mental health thing really challenging and am still trying to come to terms with the fact that this is now part of my life, a huge part of it at the moment, hopefully that wont be the case in the future. I so hope that i can go back to work and live some sort of normal existence in the future.

Thanks for your support!

Re: Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

@Doglover  you are definitely not alone with those symptoms I get pretty much identical to what you are saying it’s a weird feeling in the head that you just can’t describe. My anxiety is through the roof at the moment and I don’t know why perhaps stress at work,kids I really don’t know 

I’ve recently asked for another blood test to make sure there is nothing wrong with me 

I have a really hard time believing all these symptoms could be anxiety but I know they must be as they come and go and some days a great. Hope you get better soon xx

Re: Strange physical symptoms - internal burning sensation

@outlander @Doglover People can recover from severe anxiety I know. I had severe anxiety came out of nowhere with no warnings. Associated with head symptoms,dizziness, stomach aching, legs can’t stop moving. They could last up to four ,five hours.

I initially practiced meditation. Then I recorded my symptoms and analyze them. I worked at my self worth and confidence. Eventually I faced my deep emotional pains and fears head on.

 

Before that I was anxious almost all the time, not being able to do anything, even simple house work.

Now I haven’t had any anxiety for over three weeks.

Even though, it was massive work, I think it is worth it.

 

 

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