Dealing with a bunch of symptoms: anxiety, tingling, burning hands, and muscle stiffness...

To cut a long story short, I’ve dealt with plenty of issues that have since cleared up, but that’s beside the point. What matters is this: I was on PPI—pantoprazole—for about three months. Around that time, I started developing this tingling sensation in my hands. Over time, it evolved into muscle stiffness and a burning sensation in my forearms, even though I haven't touched the medication in months. My blood work comes back normal, though I haven't actually checked my vitamin levels—I'm not even sure if they bother testing for those specific things here in Indianapolis... I had my thyroid checked, and they say it's fine, even if the reference intervals look a little funky, but again, that's irrelevant... As for a gastroscopy, it showed some gastritis caused by pain relievers, but almost everything has healed up, so that's okay... I went to see a psychiatrist, who prescribed half a 100mg tablet of Fever in the evening and one Normabel 2mg as needed because I struggle with anxiety. They also suspect panic disorder because I find myself constantly Googling symptoms, sometimes for hours at a time... We still have to confirm all that... So far, I've been diagnosed with OCD, somatic affective disorder, and depression. Here is what’s actually eating at me: I feel better mentally; I don't Google symptoms nearly as much, I've rarely felt that paralyzing fear of death, but my arms just won't stop burning. It’s been going on for months now. Then my neck will seize up like it's on fire, or I'll get these sharp pains... or the last two fingers on my left hand will cramp up and ache deep inside... And most of the time, it all just triggers a massive wave of panic. Sometimes it feels like my nerves have simply stopped obeying me, like a nerve is hurting so badly that I can't even move. 🙂 It's constant pins and needles; I don't have the energy for anything. My whole body stiffens up and I think, "This is it, it's over." I don't lose my cool or fly off the handle—I'm 100% composed—but my body just refuses to cooperate. Then, suddenly, the tension breaks (and my nerves start hurting insanely, everywhere), but my hands won't stop burning. 😕 So, folks, what am I supposed to do? I just can't wrap my head around the idea that this is "just anxiety"—that I can have these physical "attacks" that feel totally different from my usual panic attacks, or that my hands can burn continuously for months. And when I squeeze my right arm, it feels like my bicep is crumbling?? Then my vision gets blurry, my head burns, I start shaking, and I get these electric shock sensations in my elbows... It’s driving me crazy, and I’ve even had thoughts of ending it all. I won't, obviously—I'm too much of a badass for that—but I honestly don't know who else to turn to, and I feel embarrassed 🤦 My mind jumps to things like herpes (I've had this kind of wart near my anus for a few months, I don't know...), chlamydia, or maybe a vitamin deficiency (I've been taking B12 from the drugstore for two weeks, and I've taken magnesium)... everything seems fine until my muscles start seizing and those electric shocks hit. Honestly, I could just die right then and there. Is it truly possible that my brain is playing this many tricks on me? Because this hurts; it physically hurts every single damn day. Everything is perfect when I'm sleeping and during those first ten minutes after I wake up before my brain fully kicks in. Then the show starts... Help, I'm begging you, please say something 🙂 Should I push that woman, my doctor, to refer me to a neurologist or something? I am begging you guys not to ignore this; surely someone out there can offer at least a little insight. Even if you just tell me to go jump in a lake.

Just chill out and live your life. Stop obsessing over the physical pain—it can't actually hurt you, and eventually, it'll all just fade away.🙂Everything's gonna be fine.

Chris Gonzalez3 said:Just chill out and live your life. Stop obsessing over the physical pain—it can't actually hurt you, and eventually, it'll all just fade away.🙂Everything's gonna be fine.

I appreciate the kind words, truly, I do 🙂 but I just can't wrap my head around the idea that this pain could potentially last FOREVER, especially when it's being triggered by something as absurd as ANXIETY. I haven't come across anyone on this forum who suffers from this CONSTANTLY. Besides, it doesn't exactly feel like everyone here is particularly eager to actually swap stories or dive deep into what we're going through.🤷

You can get vitamin tests done at the hospital here in Indianapolis; I actually just had my B vitamins checked out. As for sodium, potassium, calcium, and all that other stuff, you can just go through your primary care doctor.

Anyway, have you noticed if things settle down once you take something for anxiety? Does the panic attack start after you begin feeling the symptoms, or does it hit you right when the panic kicks in?

melloworca6 said:You can get vitamin tests done at the hospital here in Indianapolis; I actually just had my B vitamins checked out. As for sodium, potassium, calcium, and all that other stuff, you can just go through your primary care doctor.

Anyway, have you noticed if things settle down once you take something for anxiety? Does the panic attack start after you begin feeling the symptoms, or does it hit you right when the panic kicks in?

So, I went to see my doctor yesterday and asked about getting my vitamin levels checked, and she just told me they don't offer that here. WHAT AN ABSOLUTE CLOWN! 😵 Can you believe I'm so incredibly frazzled that I honestly can't tell if the panic starts before the symptoms or vice versa?

I've reached a point where I just don't know anymore because this whole ordeal has been dragging on for way too long. I even asked her about getting an X-ray for my cervical spine, and she had the nerve to tell me I'm too young to be showing any changes. Well, I did have a bike accident two years ago (I didn't go to the doctor out of pure fear, idiot), and I dealt with joint inflammation earlier this year as a reaction to a bad tooth... Needless to say, I've never even had a basic bacterial analysis done. 🤦 Does it calm down? Oh... sure, it calms down, everything stops, but that burning sensation in my hands stays regardless. And it's not like popping Normabel is a real solution either. She suggested I go swimming and take some multivitamins alongside the B12 I'm already on. I'd really love to see that work... My muscles feel like I just ran a marathon; that tension, the burning, the buzzing... it just won't quit.

Just a quick bit of logistics: I'm a student and I only switched over to this primary care doctor this year. Am I allowed to switch doctors now, or am I stuck with her for a full year?

Look, I get that you're pissed at the doctor, but please, spare us the "she's an idiot" comments. We don't really do that kind of talk on this forum. 😉

I'm not telling you to go fighting with the Normabel crowd; I was just wondering if things settle down after you take a sedative. I figured mine out myself—that throat tightness I get when my body temperature swings wildly (like stepping out from AC into the summer heat) is actually my thyroid acting up. A sedative would help that. So, I'm asking: does the feeling stop? If it stops, you're looking at panic attacks or anxiety. If it doesn't, it might be worth asking for a referral to a neurologist.

Listen, getting your vitamin and mineral levels checked is expensive, and it won't necessarily get you sent off to see specialists. My immunologist recently had me test for B6 and B12, but otherwise, why would a general practitioner order those tests out of nowhere? Same goes for potassium or sodium; I only got those checked because I felt absolutely terrible. It’s tough to get a referral for those specific tests, but it's not impossible. 🙂 Besides, once you start taking multivitamins, those issues often taper off. For instance, my eyelid and cheek used to twitch constantly, but after two or three weeks on vitamins, everything calmed right down.

melloworca6 said:Look, I get that you're pissed at the doctor, but please, spare us the "she's an idiot" comments. We don't really do that kind of talk on this forum. 😉

I'm not telling you to go fighting with the Normabel crowd; I was just wondering if things settle down after you take a sedative. I figured mine out myself—that throat tightness I get when my body temperature swings wildly (like stepping out from AC into the summer heat) is actually my thyroid acting up. A sedative would help that. So, I'm asking: does the feeling stop? If it stops, you're looking at panic attacks or anxiety. If it doesn't, it might be worth asking for a referral to a neurologist.

Listen, getting your vitamin and mineral levels checked is expensive, and it won't necessarily get you sent off to see specialists. My immunologist recently had me test for B6 and B12, but otherwise, why would a general practitioner order those tests out of nowhere? Same goes for potassium or sodium; I only got those checked because I felt absolutely terrible. It’s tough to get a referral for those specific tests, but it's not impossible. 🙂 Besides, once you start taking multivitamins, those issues often taper off. For instance, my eyelid and cheek used to twitch constantly, but after two or three weeks on vitamins, everything calmed right down.

My bad, sorry, I'm just worked up, bear with me. 🙂 Anyway, I'll try actually taking those multivitamins. I've only been on B12 for two weeks, and I realize all of this won't just vanish overnight since it didn't appear overnight... I did manage to get a referral for a psychiatrist, and I'm going to try to work that out so they'll send me to a neurologist instead. Better to check now than to end up banging my head against a wall later (lord help me). As for my thyroid, I paid for that testing privately, so I don't know what to tell you... At the clinic in Indianapolis, their FT4 hormone range is 7.5 to 21.1, and mine was 9.2... Coincidentally, my sister had her thyroid levels checked in Akron, and I told her to bring my results along. They use a range of 12 to 22 for our age group there, and they said that based on those numbers, anyone would be sent for further testing, even though my TSH is 1.19... Yet, my GP in Indianapolis thinks it's perfectly fine... Just thought I'd share. It's maddening! One place says this, another says that! I honestly feel like just jumping into the Mississippi and calling it a day. Oh, wait... I can't even do that. 😵

Patrick Lopez33 said:So, I went to see my doctor yesterday and asked about getting my vitamin levels checked, and she just told me they don't offer that here. WHAT AN ABSOLUTE CLOWN! 😵 Can you believe I'm so incredibly frazzled that I honestly can't tell if the panic starts before the symptoms or vice versa?

I've reached a point where I just don't know anymore because this whole ordeal has been dragging on for way too long. I even asked her about getting an X-ray for my cervical spine, and she had the nerve to tell me I'm too young to be showing any changes. Well, I did have a bike accident two years ago (I didn't go to the doctor out of pure fear, idiot), and I dealt with joint inflammation earlier this year as a reaction to a bad tooth... Needless to say, I've never even had a basic bacterial analysis done. 🤦 Does it calm down? Oh... sure, it calms down, everything stops, but that burning sensation in my hands stays regardless. And it's not like popping Normabel is a real solution either. She suggested I go swimming and take some multivitamins alongside the B12 I'm already on. I'd really love to see that work... My muscles feel like I just ran a marathon; that tension, the burning, the buzzing... it just won't quit.

Just a quick bit of logistics: I'm a student and I only switched over to this primary care doctor this year. Am I allowed to switch doctors now, or am I stuck with her for a full year?

Sir,

Even from your tone, it’s clear you're dealing with quite a bit of health stress. That likely explains the friction with your family doctor. Let's be realistic: with how strict medical oversight has become lately, it's difficult to justify endless rounds of tests when every single result comes back perfectly normal, yet the patient keeps returning with new symptoms.

Before jumping to conclusions about vitamin or mineral deficiencies, you really ought to have a neurological exam. Only then can you decide which specific tests are actually necessary. These symptoms could potentially point toward something like polyneuropathy.

Testing for certain vitamins is expensive. Most hospital systems won't run those panels without a specialist's referral, so your doctor is technically correct on that front.

Patrick Lopez33 said:To cut a long story short, I’ve dealt with plenty of issues that have since cleared up, but that’s beside the point. What matters is this: I was on PPI—pantoprazole—for about three months. Around that time, I started developing this tingling sensation in my hands. Over time, it evolved into muscle stiffness and a burning sensation in my forearms, even though I haven't touched the medication in months. My blood work comes back normal, though I haven't actually checked my vitamin levels—I'm not even sure if they bother testing for those specific things here in Indianapolis... I had my thyroid checked, and they say it's fine, even if the reference intervals look a little funky, but again, that's irrelevant... As for a gastroscopy, it showed some gastritis caused by pain relievers, but almost everything has healed up, so that's okay... I went to see a psychiatrist, who prescribed half a 100mg tablet of Fever in the evening and one Normabel 2mg as needed because I struggle with anxiety. They also suspect panic disorder because I find myself constantly Googling symptoms, sometimes for hours at a time... We still have to confirm all that... So far, I've been diagnosed with OCD, somatic affective disorder, and depression. Here is what’s actually eating at me: I feel better mentally; I don't Google symptoms nearly as much, I've rarely felt that paralyzing fear of death, but my arms just won't stop burning. It’s been going on for months now. Then my neck will seize up like it's on fire, or I'll get these sharp pains... or the last two fingers on my left hand will cramp up and ache deep inside... And most of the time, it all just triggers a massive wave of panic. Sometimes it feels like my nerves have simply stopped obeying me, like a nerve is hurting so badly that I can't even move. 🙂 It's constant pins and needles; I don't have the energy for anything. My whole body stiffens up and I think, "This is it, it's over." I don't lose my cool or fly off the handle—I'm 100% composed—but my body just refuses to cooperate. Then, suddenly, the tension breaks (and my nerves start hurting insanely, everywhere), but my hands won't stop burning. 😕 So, folks, what am I supposed to do? I just can't wrap my head around the idea that this is "just anxiety"—that I can have these physical "attacks" that feel totally different from my usual panic attacks, or that my hands can burn continuously for months. And when I squeeze my right arm, it feels like my bicep is crumbling?? Then my vision gets blurry, my head burns, I start shaking, and I get these electric shock sensations in my elbows... It’s driving me crazy, and I’ve even had thoughts of ending it all. I won't, obviously—I'm too much of a badass for that—but I honestly don't know who else to turn to, and I feel embarrassed 🤦 My mind jumps to things like herpes (I've had this kind of wart near my anus for a few months, I don't know...), chlamydia, or maybe a vitamin deficiency (I've been taking B12 from the drugstore for two weeks, and I've taken magnesium)... everything seems fine until my muscles start seizing and those electric shocks hit. Honestly, I could just die right then and there. Is it truly possible that my brain is playing this many tricks on me? Because this hurts; it physically hurts every single damn day. Everything is perfect when I'm sleeping and during those first ten minutes after I wake up before my brain fully kicks in. Then the show starts... Help, I'm begging you, please say something 🙂 Should I push that woman, my doctor, to refer me to a neurologist or something? I am begging you guys not to ignore this; surely someone out there can offer at least a little insight. Even if you just tell me to go jump in a lake.

I had a gentleman come in to see me about a month ago who was in a very similar situation to yours. He was complaining about the exact same stuff—stiffness, pain, burning arms, panic attacks... basically the whole package. He had headaches, anxiety, thought he might have cancer or something, was sweating excessively, lived in fear... He tried everything with doctors and medications, but nothing seemed to touch it.
So, after getting regular medical massage sessions for about a month now, things have actually turned around big time! He’s telling me his symptoms have dropped by like, 70% or so. He’s finally smiling again, his mood is super upbeat, and honestly, he says he hasn't felt this good in years.
Since you had that accident on your bike, there's a chance you might've messed up your cervical vertebrae, which can cause nerve blockages. I mean, when you don't know what's going on, it's totally normal to panic and react this way. This is all just me guessing, of course, but I've seen these exact symptoms quite a bit, so I can make an educated guess. It would be best if I could actually check you out in person and chat with you to give you a more solid answer.
If I were you, I'd really try to find a top-tier, professional medical sports massage therapist in Indianapolis. Seriously, stay away from those random beauty salons or those "limited time offer" deals you see everywhere—they won't be able to help you much. You really need someone who is a true expert and experienced in medical sports massage to get results.
You've already tried the doctor route, so maybe it's time to try something a little more natural.

Nicholas Myers said:Sir,

Even from your tone, it’s clear you're dealing with quite a bit of health stress. That likely explains the friction with your family doctor. Let's be realistic: with how strict medical oversight has become lately, it's difficult to justify endless rounds of tests when every single result comes back perfectly normal, yet the patient keeps returning with new symptoms.

Before jumping to conclusions about vitamin or mineral deficiencies, you really ought to have a neurological exam. Only then can you decide which specific tests are actually necessary. These symptoms could potentially point toward something like polyneuropathy.

Testing for certain vitamins is expensive. Most hospital systems won't run those panels without a specialist's referral, so your doctor is technically correct on that front.

Oh man, don't go scaring the poor guy with talk about polyneuropathy! There are literally thousands of other things that are way more likely (and totally harmless) than that. Plus, that usually pops up with diabetics, and he didn't mention anything about that.

And seriously, stay away from Google. You'll always find something there that scares the life out of you and makes you feel like you need to rush to a clinic. A lot of those articles are written by doctors who just want you to show up at their office and (usually) spend money you don't need to spend.

Douglas Fowler19 said:Oh man, don't go scaring the poor guy with talk about polyneuropathy! There are literally thousands of other things that are way more likely (and totally harmless) than that. Plus, that usually pops up with diabetics, and he didn't mention anything about that.

And seriously, stay away from Google. You'll always find something there that scares the life out of you and makes you feel like you need to rush to a clinic. A lot of those articles are written by doctors who just want you to show up at their office and (usually) spend money you don't need to spend.

I don't waste my time Googling; I focus on medicine.

Please read the Health PDF guidelines carefully before jumping into discussions. Making broad generalizations about the medical profession like this violates our rules regarding trolling and will result in a formal warning.

I don't know what to think anymore... Back when I was three months along, I dealt with some serious food poisoning. Nobody ever thought to send me in for blood work to check for bacteria, and then just a couple of weeks later, I ended up with reactive arthritis. Not a single thing was actually investigated... I guess it’s up to God to decide my fate, and honestly, I’m just waiting for things to take a turn for the worse. But hey, maybe it really is all just in my head 🙂 Though, I’m pretty convinced some kind of bacteria snuck its way in, because it feels too strange to develop reactive arthritis just a month after food poisoning, especially since a tooth started acting up at the exact same time—it’s like everything decided to go wrong all at once! 😵

I’m switching doctors as soon as I possibly can... Look, I’m no medical professional, but in my book, it’s just irresponsible to have someone vomiting for a week straight and not send them to test for Salmonella, Shigella, or something else... Or even with a dental infection; a bacterium could have crawled in there looking for a way in. That isn't hypochondria, it's just common sense. If it hurts, it hurts. That’s actually why I went to see a psychiatrist. Maybe it is psychological. Regardless, you should run the tests first before telling someone, "Just get over it, you're young"

Nicholas Myers? I see you edited my post, but I’m honestly a bit lost on why. What exactly crossed the line? I looked it over and couldn't tell if anything had actually been changed. Just trying to wrap my head around it so I know how to play it next time 🙂 ps, you mentioned you have a medical background—what’s your take on all this? Sorry if I'm being a nuisance, I guess I'm just looking to get a little more informed 🙂

Patrick Lopez33 said:Nicholas Myers? I see you edited my post, but I’m honestly a bit lost on why. What exactly crossed the line? I looked it over and couldn't tell if anything had actually been changed. Just trying to wrap my head around it so I know how to play it next time 🙂 ps, you mentioned you have a medical background—what’s your take on all this? Sorry if I'm being a nuisance, I guess I'm just looking to get a little more informed 🙂

I used the shorthand "-Q" to indicate the quote was removed. You included a moderator warning in red text, and per the rules, warnings aren't to be quoted. Your actual text remains untouched, as altering content isn't permitted. The quote itself was redundant since you weren't even referencing it.

P.S. You mentioned you're in the medical field—what’s your take on all this? Sorry if I'm being a nuisance; just looking to gather some information. 🙂

Regarding intestinal infections: in most instances, we don't throw antibiotics at them. We wait for the body to clear it naturally. Antibiotics are reserved for very specific, exceptional cases. Blood cultures—drawing blood to check for bacteria—aren't routine either; they are strictly situational. Using antibiotics for enterobacteriaceae infections linked to ReA hasn't shown any impact on the ReA itself. Essentially, you likely would have been prescribed antibiotics regardless of whether a microbiology report was run.

Since this introduces a new variable into your situation, it makes even more sense to contact a doctor about these symptoms. If you can't establish clear communication with your current primary care physician, it might be time to find a new one.

My apologies for the messy quoting; honestly, I’m a bit of a tech dinosaur, which is pretty embarrassing considering I was born back in '92. 👎 So, here's the situation: how can I actually go about switching? Back in April, I transferred my care from a doctor in Milwaukee over to one in Indianapolis. Am I allowed to make another change right now, or am I stuck waiting until the new year kicks in? The thing is, she just isn't listening to me at all... she's completely tuning me out.

God,

Maybe I’m jumping into this conversation a little late.

I’ve been through everything you just mentioned. For two years, I bounced from one doctor to another, all of them insisting I was just dealing with anxiety and depression. Finally, I ran into a psychiatrist who actually took my symptoms seriously. He didn't just dismiss me; he immediately referred me to a neurologist, claiming she was "the only one he trusted" (can you imagine a doctor with 30 years of experience saying that?). This specialist actually listened to me and ordered a battery of tests. It turned out to be tetany caused by electrolyte imbalances—specifically a sodium deficiency—alongside an autoimmune thyroid condition. Then, after an EEG, they flagged epilepsy. I took all those results straight back to my primary care physician and gave her a serious piece of my mind. She was totally embarrassed; her excuse was basically, "Well, I just thought you were sick."

My advice? Go find a neurologist and a rheumatologist who will actually listen to what you're saying and send you for the right diagnostic tests.

P.S. I personally had to fight my way through a rheumatological nightmare too.