r/FND•
spider_bunny

What FEELS like anxiety but isn't actually anxiety? (Symptoms discussed)

SpoilerNeed support

I apologize if this violates any rules, I'm not asking for a diagnosis or a second opinion cause I know I have FND already, but I can't pin point what this symptom actually is or how to help it... No providers have been able to figure it out either

Okay ... this might be a little complicated, and in addition to FND I have a strange medical background, but I cannot for the life of me get relief from this ONE thing. It's like this deep seeded anxiety feeling, but it doesn't matter what medication I take in the moment, nothing helps it. No coping mechanisms help- I usually default to listening to music or distractions like funny Instagram reels but they genuinely don't get rid of the feeling, and it comes and goes in waves sometimes and other times lasts for hours... I haven't tried a big number of anxiety medicines but buspirone hasn't helped and neither has gabapentin or duloxetine (SNRI) no matter how high the dosage. My phsyciatrist is beginning to think it is not anxiety at all.

I have all the typical symptoms of FND, seizures, weakness/paralysis, general body dysfunction and slowness, especially among flares. But, I also have Ehlers Danlos syndrome, (hypermobile type) which is a connective tissue disorder that's contributed to other medical problems I currently live with. (Neurogenic bladder with Foley catheter use, POTS, gastroparieses managed with soft foods and liquid diet, hiatal hernia and vaginal wall prolapse, and some pretty severe autonomic fluctuations with my heart rate and blood pressure that sometimes require emergency intervention.)

I also very often have inflammatory responses that cause other things to come and go like minor pleural effusions/pleurisy (fluid/inflammation around the lungs), esophagitis (rash in the esophagus), among other random things like eczema.

But this "anxiety feeling" is very strange. It doesn't feel like any 'normal' anxiety I've ever had or felt, and nothing helps it. Sometimes talking/ using my voice will help (vagus nerve related maybe????) but BARLEY, and it comes back just as strong shortly after I stop. I was just on the phone with my fiance who's normally helps any kind of anxiety I would have but this specific "anxiety" feeling doesn't go away. It often makes my ears ring in a really quiet high pitched noise and makes my head feel fuzzy even if all my vitals are normal.

Is this anxiety? Or is it some strange FND manifestation? Something else maybe? I've read that certain electrolyte electrolyte inbalances, nutriant deficiencies, or hormones can cause anxiety-like symptoms but I genuinely am at a loss. Some providers think it's still anxiety and others don't think it's anxiety but have no clue what it could be since all my blood tests have returned normal, however I am due for more testing soon.

I usually only get this specific feeling after a big medical event or after a seizure, so I think it could be nerve related inflammation perhaps, but I am genuinely at such a loss of what to do to help it. It usually just has to go away on its own which means suffering with it on and off in waves for a couple days.

For example, today I had an autonomic episode that made my blood pressure suddenly drop to 113/45 and then to 97/57.. i fainted twice but it eventually came up after a few hours or so (around 3pm) but now it's 1 am and this feeling is now keeping me from sleeping. Has anybody else experienced this or something similar?

I don't see my new neurologist for another month and am at a total loss of what to do to help it

Posted Feb 23, 2026, 6:09 AM UTC

119
Loading comments…