Does anxiety gets worse when you are ill?

[Dazo]

Hi, i have been having the flu for about one week, now its seems to be better:)

Before that i had two quit good weeks with only some short periods of anxiety. Now i have noticed that the anxiety has grown bad again, i feel bad and my anxiety starts beacuse of the flu i think.
I get naussea, dizzy and having brain fog most of the time.

THe symtoms scares me (i cant understand why, i have the flu).

What i wonder is if you feel worse, or does your anxiety gets worse when you are ill or being really tired?

/ Daniel

[Crystaltips]

I have a chest virus and I've actaully noticed my anxiety to be better! I have been a bit shaky at home (thinking why is my chest tight?) and I have been literally in bed zonked out since Friday - today is the first day out, and I felt panicky about going out, but it passed quickly.
I thought that maybe feeling poorly was a greater feeling than anxiety (coughing every minute getting on my nerves, and throat pain) and it had over ridden it?

[Burnsey]

hi there

i always notice my anxiety gets worse when i have been ill not when i am ill but after i am better - i think its coz u worr more when u are ill and the adrenaline increases and for some reason when u get better the anxiety comes out more - thats what i have noticed anyway

hope u r ok

[Crystaltips]

Great - so i have that now to look forward to when i get better!

[reallyfedup]

I had flu and sickness and diarrhoea before Xmas and my anxiety and panic shot right up. I was uncontrollable Had to have tranquillisers. So I would say for me its worse when I am ill. I do not cope with illness and it frightens me.:scared15:

[Dazo]

It seems like there are some more than me that has this problem.
I have also health anxiety so maybe it is not so strange that i feel worse when i get the flu.

Some years ago i had no problems at all having the flu but now it is a nightmare.

[Dazo]

hi there

i always notice my anxiety gets worse when i have been ill not when i am ill but after i am better - i think its coz u worr more when u are ill and the adrenaline increases and for some reason when u get better the anxiety comes out more - thats what i have noticed anyway

hope u r ok

Thanks!

It can be something about the adrenaline, i havnt thought about that. I just panic :scared15:

[valleybear]

Hi Dazo
About you original post......I had exactly these symptoms after a mild illness just before Christmas. Lightheadedness, nausea, feeling spaced out and not quite 'with it' I am not sure whether it was the after effects of the virus, or an increase in my anxiety, but it took a good 4-5 weeks to disappear. Much better now and I'm sure you will be soon.

[jojo74]

Hi Dazo

I have had this flu like virus now for nearly 2 weeks and had a bad chest infection with it. I've just finished antibiotics, but noticed my anxiety went through the roof on certain days. Now i am feeling slighly better, but still have a foggy head, i think this is still the head cold i still have as my ears keep popping but the last 2 days my panic attacks have returned with a vengeance & my head remains foggy and I feel dtached at times, today especially. I thought i was going to pass out sunday afternoon in the local Spa. My anxiety lasted all evening, it was terrible. I was so scared and keep thinking i have something more severe than a chest infection. I felt ok yesterday and this morning and got up this afo and have endured panic and anxiety most of the afternoon. Losing my breath, going disorientated and then having waves of panic, crushing chest and pain and it comes and goes. The hardest thing is getting out of the cycle and trying to recognise it's merely panic. It's all so easy to preach, i've even been on CBT and it helped short term, but i forget how bad these attacks are and when they happen i get very frightened. I am 20 weeks pregnant, also nearly lost my mum to a chest infection 2 weeks ago as she has lung disease as well, which made her infecton deadly, i have a health anxiety too, so typically i think i have got the same thing as my mum. All these events could be having a reaction on me. I think of all the trauma i have endured, but noticed my panic and anxiety has come back ten fold since my flu. I keep comparing pre flu and post flu and trying to reason with myself that my panic has not been this bad for years so it has to be linked with the virus and definatley other stressful factors. I'm on 8mg of diazepam a day. I daren't increase as i am pregnant and trying to wean off. But my anxiety has been that high even my diazepam hasn't worked. I would definatley agree that this nasty flu bug/virus doing its rounds makes anxiety and panic symptoms worse in people with anxiety disorders especially those with health anxiety like us. I'm writing this in a state of anxiety trying to distract myself. It's very difficult. Waiting for my partner to come home, he's late home from work tonight again and hate coping on my own when these attacks arise. Worst thing is they come with no warning and that is the upsetting part. Sorry to have rambled on here but have needed an outlet to distract my thought patterns. I hope you feel better soon. Just be assured anxiety symptoms are worsened by illness.

:bighug1: xxx Jo

[Dazo]

Hi Dazo

I have had this flu like virus now for nearly 2 weeks and had a bad chest infection with it. I've just finished antibiotics, but noticed my anxiety went through the roof on certain days. Now i am feeling slighly better, but still have a foggy head, i think this is still the head cold i still have as my ears keep popping but the last 2 days my panic attacks have returned with a vengeance & my head remains foggy and I feel dtached at times, today especially. I thought i was going to pass out sunday afternoon in the local Spa. My anxiety lasted all evening, it was terrible. I was so scared and keep thinking i have something more severe than a chest infection. I felt ok yesterday and this morning and got up this afo and have endured panic and anxiety most of the afternoon. Losing my breath, going disorientated and then having waves of panic, crushing chest and pain and it comes and goes. The hardest thing is getting out of the cycle and trying to recognise it's merely panic. It's all so easy to preach, i've even been on CBT and it helped short term, but i forget how bad these attacks are and when they happen i get very frightened. I am 20 weeks pregnant, also nearly lost my mum to a chest infection 2 weeks ago as she has lung disease as well, which made her infecton deadly, i have a health anxiety too, so typically i think i have got the same thing as my mum. All these events could be having a reaction on me. I think of all the trauma i have endured, but noticed my panic and anxiety has come back ten fold since my flu. I keep comparing pre flu and post flu and trying to reason with myself that my panic has not been this bad for years so it has to be linked with the virus and definatley other stressful factors. I'm on 8mg of diazepam a day. I daren't increase as i am pregnant and trying to wean off. But my anxiety has been that high even my diazepam hasn't worked. I would definatley agree that this nasty flu bug/virus doing its rounds makes anxiety and panic symptoms worse in people with anxiety disorders especially those with health anxiety like us. I'm writing this in a state of anxiety trying to distract myself. It's very difficult. Waiting for my partner to come home, he's late home from work tonight again and hate coping on my own when these attacks arise. Worst thing is they come with no warning and that is the upsetting part. Sorry to have rambled on here but have needed an outlet to distract my thought patterns. I hope you feel better soon. Just be assured anxiety symptoms are worsened by illness.

:bighug1: xxx Jo

Thanks alot Jo!

My doctor told me this too yesterday, that the flu makes things worse and the anxiety the flu worse also:wacko: , stange but since they have done all tests and they are good i need to belive that.

I have had bad panic attacks now for some days, and i am very sad aboput that. Things were about to ease up a little and then suddenly it strikes back extremely.

/ Daniel

[MissiD]

Hi Dazo

I too can relate to what you say. There are times I've been ill and generally washed out that it makes me feel a bit down & frustrated and that makes me feel more anxious. I think everyone feels like this when they are ill but for us 'more sensitive' people we dwell on it more and it plays on our mind but actually it's quite 'normal'.

I hope you're feeling better now.

Mel x

[Getting by..]

Hi Daniel

As everyone else here I can relate to this, I always find that any kind of illness (even the smallest of colds) sets me back weeks, however I know from my own perspective why this happens and it maybe the same for you.

When you have been ill your immune system takes a total battering and although you can feel better in a few days it can take much longer to return to full health, think about migraine suffers, they always say that although they are over the migraine it takes several days for them to feel "normal" again, during this period you may have no physical symptons other than being a bit tired etc however if you are anything like me keeping my anxiety in check takes all my strength so if I feel even the slightest bit of colour I really struggle to manage my problems as effectively my body (and mind) are weaker than normal which then causes me to be far more anxious than normal.

Also if you have health aniexty, something like the flu is serioulsy going to effect that, especially as afterwards you will feel tired, run down etc while your body fully recovers.

Try not to worry though and don't think this has set you back as it hasn't it is merely a blip and you will get over it just remember that just becuase you feel better (i.e. over the flu) it will take your body a while to fully recover. Take care of yourself, get plenty of rest, make sure you give your body everything it needs, good diet, moderate excersise etc and make it very clear to your self that this is not a relapse, you ahve simply been unwell and it is taking a little while to get better.

[jojo74]

HI Daniel

Yeh it is awful enduring these panic attacks. I am right on the tail end on this virus, but believe it or not the anxiety and panic has got worse since my flu symptoms have calmed. I have had a better day today, but unable to go out as i still have the fuzzy head and having to try and distract myself all the time to stop my anxiety taking control. Whilst i had full blown flu, I had one or 2 panic free days, tried to go out when i thought i was better only to return with extreme anxiety and panic. But like you it is unpredictable. I do know my thoughts add to my anxiety and my breathing is terrible at the moment, as much as I try relaxed breathing i am finding it difficult to maintain. I've suffered Panic and anxiety four years now, the panic attacks subsided, but since getting pregnant they have returned, and with this recent flu they have debilatated me. I don't know if you are aware of having an over sensitive nervous system, i have learnt that i have to be sympathetic to myself in times of illness and stress as my nervous system seem to react and stimulation really doesn't help me. Many will disagree i am doing right, but i actually stay in whilst i am having extreme panic and anxiety. I allow myself time to desensistize, after a while the symptoms subside and i then grade my exposure until i can cope with the outside world. I think this is necessary only if you have severe anxiety. I've read certain foods, situations, tv, illness all have an effect on the CNS and when stimulated anxiety can be triggered. This seems to be true in my situation. I don't hide away i just give myself time to rest & my body/mind to re-adjust.
I am sure given time and once you are better, the attacks will subside. But It is weird how the panic can last even after your better. This is just your body trying to get back to normal and this is where i am at now.

Keep your chin up :yesyes: xxx jo xxx

[Dazo]

Thnaks everyone!
Your posts calms med down, beacuse i suffer from HA too i guess it is not so strange that the anxiety gets worse too during the flu.

The tension in my neck and shoulders are extreme, i will try to get a massage to ease things up a bit.

/ Daniel

[meggyjo]

Hi I think I must be a bit odd, I find that I'm worse when I'm not ill, ( I just have" imaginary" illnessess) when I've got a cold, flu etc, I deal with it better and seem to take it in my stride.

[Gregor]

Hi,

I've been suffering with stomach problems the past few days and that set my anxiety off again, quite badly yesterday. Now, today, my illness seems better but my anxiety is not settling. Prior to all this i had been doing really well and feeling pretty good.

It's the same thing every time i have a slight illness, though. Sometimes i can't distinguish between my anxiety and an actual illness. For instance, sometimes i'm not sure if i have the 'flu or my anxiety is causing it!

In short, anxiety causes havoc to your internal and external body!

Gregor

[sandy35]

My anxiety tends to get worse when im ill and im scared to go out the house when im recovering but once I do get out the house I feel much better for it. I had flu in late December/early January and it took me two weeks to fully recover from the flu and for my anxiety to decrease. It was awful as it really ruined my Christmas/New Year.