Physical symptoms

[Before you can make things better, you have to stop making them worse...]

Has anyone developed physical symptoms from being exposed to BPD pathology? e.g. I started developing back pains after 1-2 months of intense abuse probably due to anxiety. When I broke up with her and went no contact for a month my back pain was gone.

I 'd be interested to hear about your experiences.

[freedom33]

Has anyone developed physical symptoms from being exposed to BPD pathology? e.g. I started developing back pains after 1-2 months of intense abuse probably due to anxiety. When I broke up with her and went no contact for a month my back pain was gone.

I 'd be interested to hear about your experiences.

[NeedHelpPls]

I had inexplicable back pains, muscle aches, sciatic pains... almost like fibromyalgia for months.

Symptoms and pains were reduced to almost nothing within weeks of ending the relationship when hundreds of dollars in physio, chiropractics, for months didnt make any difference.

that was a very telling experience for me for sure.

[Recooperating]

Yep... .

Terrible headaches

Anxiety attacks

Heart problems/ chest pains

Back pain

Fatique

Muscle pains

Hyperventilation

Stomach issues/ IBS

Acne

Shaking/trembling

Couldnt eat

NC for 13 days... .Most of them are gone!

[BuildingFromScratch]

I had a 13 year long anxiety attack that escalated into psychosomatic disorders, which I still have. The entire right side of my body and face get a terrible tightness, especially when stressed. And my mind hyper focuses on it, creating more stress and more of itself, it's circular and freaking sucks! Oh yeah and random choking sensations with a lump in the throat.

[enlighten me]

With my ex wife it was constant indigestion. I was popping antacids like they where sweets.

[pieceofme]

i'm with recooperating - fatigue, anxiety, migraines... .

the past few days, my ex has been repeatedly contacting me and i get this terrible pain in my brain, almost like lightening striking, when i hear his text alert.

[freedom33]

Symptoms and pains were reduced to almost nothing within weeks of ending the relationship when hundreds of dollars in physio, chiropractics, for months didnt make any difference. that was a very telling experience for me for sure.

Same here - I had physio for almost 3-4 months and did nothing. 3-4 weeks of no contact and everything was gone.  Also I started getting gray hair (I didnt have any before).

It is astounding the effect that our mental and emotional well being can have on our bodies.

She 's mid 30s now and looks as if she is 40s and already most of her hair are grey. What a tormented life she must have had. I pity her now.

[NeedHelpPls]

i'm with recooperating - fatigue, anxiety, migraines... .

the past few days, my ex has been repeatedly contacting me and i get this terrible pain in my brain, almost like lightening striking, when i hear his text alert.

I was so paranoid and anxious about getting texts sometimes, because I never knew what mood she would be in, or how cold and distant she'd respond. I frequently changed my text tones because I became anxious just by having the same text tone go off.

[pieceofme]

i'm with recooperating - fatigue, anxiety, migraines... .

the past few days, my ex has been repeatedly contacting me and i get this terrible pain in my brain, almost like lightening striking, when i hear his text alert.

I was so paranoid and anxious about getting texts sometimes, because I never knew what mood she would be in, or how cold and distant she'd respond. I frequently changed my text tones because I became anxious just by having the same text tone go off.

i have a particular tone just for my ex, so when i hear it i can prepare myself to look at my phone. it scares me every time.

[Pingo]

I was so paranoid and anxious about getting texts sometimes, because I never knew what mood she would be in, or how cold and distant she'd respond. I frequently changed my text tones because I became anxious just by having the same text tone go off.

I did this as well!  Still get anxious looking at the text though and I even have him blocked now (with an app)!

I surely had physical symptoms from this r/s although I was in complete denial that it was causing my symptoms (is this disassociation?)!

In the first year together (when everything was pretty amazing yet many red flags that I was trying to ignore) I developed chronic fatigue, lost 10 lbs., became anemic, a chronic stomach ache, many other symptoms... .I had also been through a major stressful time with my dd and my parents right before I met him so just chalked it up to too much stress finally wearing me down.  I did heal from this with a lot of supplements, eating healthy, yoga, seeing a naturopath.  But then I developed a nervous tic about 2 years into the r/s.  It was also in my stomach.  And it would not go away, no matter what I did.  For two years this went on.  It was soo frustrating!  Since being out of the r/s for about 2 1/2 mths my nervous tic has almost disappeared! 

[Popcorn71]

I don't know if it's coincidence or not, but during the 9 years I was with my ex I had surgery twice requiring general anaesethic.  I had headaches, back ache, came down with colds regularly, got cold sores often, and generally felt and looked awful most of the time.  I believe I was also suffering from depression and anxiety.  I remember having mini panic attacks if I had to go to the supermarket alone and I lost all interest in going out.

Since splitting up with him, I've lost 28 lbs, feel great, look great and have no aches or pains at all.  My job now involves going into supermarkets several times a week and I enjoy it!

[Junknown]

I was sick a lot of times during this year, since i went to live nearby her.

I never tought it had anything to do with all the stress and confusions. But my psychologist tried to convince me otherwise although i was kinda sceptical on the relationship.

Now i guess she might have been right.

[Loveofhislife]

I've been writing on another post where many of us documented all kinds of symptoms related to too much cortisol: everything from weight gain to high blood pressure to sleep deprivation. I now have developed a very rare, stress induced eye disorder which has made me legally blind in my left eye. I had A LOT OF very extreme female issues crop up this year--even a kidney stone pop up out of the blue. And if there were ever anything that helped me see exbfBPD for who and what he is, it was during those times of illness. I was not allowed to have needs--it literally angered him! In a hotel room and in bed with him, I was literally writhing in the bed from a kidney stone--he got up; said he was going downstairs to the casino because I had rejected his sexual advances! Unfreekinbelievable!

[workinprogress]

Let's see... .over the summer I had high blood pressure and my kidneys started acting up.  I went away on a business trip for 2 days down south, and in the motel that I stayed at everyone was so nice to me.  When I came back my blood pressure had dropped and somehow my kidneys cleared up.  My doctor was scratching her head over that one.

I think the thing that causes me the most physical/psychological discomfort is the last of human touch in my marriage.  My wife never touches me and gets mad if I even try to touch her.

The thing is, she acts like we had a great love life and that we did all kinds of different intimate acts.  Yet, I would overhear her telling her friends that she did xyz sexually to shut me up.

[Cocoon]

Yes on the physical pain thing.

I have high blood pressure (as do most in my family), and am on medication for it (lost 30 lbs 5 years ago, and halved the med dose because of it! Go exercise and diet! hehe).

This week I've had strong heart pain and chest/arm tightness, accompanied by extended blood pressure spikes, when I have interacted with my ex with BPD symptoms. It is kind of scary and consistent.

The stress is bad for my health. My body is sending a 'fight, flight, freeze' response somewhere, and knows my ex scares me sometimes. And I think bodies just respond to harsh words, yelling, abandonment in anger... .he may be begging at my door to take him back, yet my body remembers him... .

I find exercise actually helps when this happens, and I take a few supplements. Sometimes an aspirin, just to be safe. I do sometimes take a hot shower, to interrupt whatever spin my heart/mind is going on. I find moving my body, showering, hot bath, cold air... .sometimes these help me switch gears when my mind/heart is stuck in a rut and can't let go. Kind of like right now.   (back away from the keyboard grrl... .)

[workinprogress]

Yes on the physical pain thing.

I have high blood pressure (as do most in my family), and am on medication for it (lost 30 lbs 5 years ago, and halved the med dose because of it! Go exercise and diet! hehe).

This week I've had strong heart pain and chest/arm tightness, accompanied by extended blood pressure spikes, when I have interacted with my ex with BPD symptoms. It is kind of scary and consistent.

The stress is bad for my health. My body is sending a 'fight, flight, freeze' response somewhere, and knows my ex scares me sometimes. And I think bodies just respond to harsh words, yelling, abandonment in anger... .he may be begging at my door to take him back, yet my body remembers him... .

I find exercise actually helps when this happens, and I take a few supplements. Sometimes an aspirin, just to be safe. I do sometimes take a hot shower, to interrupt whatever spin my heart/mind is going on. I find moving my body, showering, hot bath, cold air... .sometimes these help me switch gears when my mind/heart is stuck in a rut and can't let go. Kind of like right now.   (back away from the keyboard grrl... .)

Cocoon, have you ever tried a cold shower after working out?  It is really invigorating.

[Pingo]

According to the World Health Organisation: Prolonged stress from abuse can result in structural changes to prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus. It also compromises the immune, neural and neuroendocrine systems. These changes can result in chronic illness, medical conditions, mental disorders and somatoform disorders. (Found on the wikipedia page for Power & control in abusive relationships)