prinzeugen

Anyone else get this?

I suffer from moderate anxiety but I've had a spate of headache last few weeks. Started off as migraines related to straining my eyes during work or when driving at night which then turned into weird short pulsing sensations.

These occurred all over my head from the moment I woke up. One every few minutes varying in severity from a muscle twitch type feeling to moderate pain lasting a second or less. Would generally move from lower neck to temple and back, unilaterally.
No other symptoms.

Had my eyes tested, quite a big difference from my last one 4 years ago (astigmatism). New glasses a week ago still weird twinge type headaches. Eye health was fine, chiropractor said no impingement. High end of normal blood pressure.

Both health professionals didn't know what it was and threw the word "doctor" out a few times which has given me massive anxiety as I thought it was eye related. Tried booking in to GP here in UK, 4 week waiting list as classed as "non-urgent".

I've now worked myself up into an absolute frenzy. I am dreading having the invariable bloods done and having to explain the liver values which must be high by now. I'm also dreading having to explain I'll need to be detoxed should I need to be kept in....the whole thing is a nightmare. I'm struggling to eat even though I know I need to as my diet is appalling. I have a terrible physique and I'm embarrassed by it due to drinking.

Anyone else get this horrible sense of doom of anything medical due to the suspected damage booze has done?

Anna

I had a lot of fear and concern about health issues when I stopped drinking. I know how scary it can be, but ultimately, getting some answers will help to alleviate your worries.

If you can't get an appointment with a dr for 4 weeks, consider going to an ER. Yes, you will have to answer questions about your alcoholism, but that could be a good thing for you.

prinzeugen

Thanks Anna.

I can afford to go to a private one but I don't think they will have the same referral pathways as NHS ones. I've worked with a private GP before and to say he was a bit fly by night is putting it mildly.

Believe it or not I did actually drive twice to the local ER, but I didn't go in. The first time it was early evening and packed with old people, the second time the same day (Monday), I went in the early morning and talked myself out of it as being not serious enough...

It's the thought of the whole chain of events unfolding that freaks me out, almost as if the excessive drinking and the effects on my lifestyle have finally been forced out of the woodwork and left me feeling very exposed.

ScottFromWI

Welcome back prinzuegen. I am a diagnosed GAD and health anxiety sufferer, and your stories of the panic/obsession with medical issues hit very close to home. Drinking alcohol made the anxiety far worse too, even though I thought it was helping me "cope". I used to spend hours self diagnosing myself on google, and ever little twitch or twinge got turned into something horrific in my mind. For me I I can personally attest that your mind can literally manifest physical symptoms of things you do not have. I thought I had brain tumors, every possible neurological disorder out there at some point, heart disease, you name it I literally thought I had it.

Quitting drinking was the first step for me though. You can never treat anxiety if you are still drinking alcohol - period. And I know it's scary but you need to find a way to quit - whether it's on your own or supervised. It won't be fun but it's the only way. You will likely find that you may need help for the anxiety too, I'd strongly recommend a counselor or therapist if you have the ability to do so.

prinzeugen

Thank you Scott.

I definitely need help with my anxiety. It's really got worse over the last 6 months or so. It basically rendered me indoors over the entire Summer.

My drinking level stays around the 5-6 a day mark in the evenings. I know I'm not that advanced but at 35 I know there is only so much longer I can keep this up for.

ScottFromWI

5-6 beers a night ( and is it really 5-6? ) is binge drinking by just about every measure, and if you are doing it every night that's about as "advanced" as you can get. I used to justify the amounts I drank too, it's always easy to find someone who drank more than me, no matter how much I did to make my drinking seem "less bad" in comparison.

As far as being afraid of seeking help, I totally get that too. I also literally drove myself to the parking lot of our local county drug and alcohol resource office more than once, but never went in. I even did their intake interview over the phone - twice ;-).

Bottom line for me was I had to just put my foot down and say that today is the day that I quit drinking. All other excuses of putting it off or moderating/cutting down failed every time.

Dee74

Everyone's scared man - when I did eventually go, things were nowhere near as bad as I feared.

I could have been a lot better if I'd summoned up the courage to go earlier tho.

Do it - ASAP

D

Snowydelrico

Maybe see a physiotherapist.
I had terrible headaches, muscle twitches etc.
Turned out to be my neck.
Could have been iPad neck.
Anyway my other half is a physiotherapist and she sorted it out for me.

The stark reality of things whilst sober can be overwhelming at times.
I found relaxation and mindfulness worked for me

FBL

Funny I should come across this thread today. I was literally terrified of going to the doctor and/or dentist. In fact, I managed to avoid both for well over 20 years! Since getting sober I've had to face my fears and now I see BOTH doctor and dentist for regular check-ups every year. In fact, I'm going to the dentist this morning for a filling. I still get a wee bit of anxiety, but nothing like the first time I saw him. That was about 6 years ago and I had trouble filling out the forms, I was shaking so bad. My anxiety was due to ignorance and once I started getting regular check-ups, those fears have greatly subsided. If I overcame the fear, so can you. Best of luck!