Can anxiety really cause all of this?
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hello, this isn't the first time i'm here to find reassurance or someone elses view on this. So for the past 4 years I've been really anxious about my health, when I say "really" i mean it. It started of a chest ache and of course I googled the symptoms and started to worry that something is wrong with my heart. So I've went to my GP and he was really chill about, he's was like "Someone as young as you is very unlikely to have something wrong with your heart" I'm 18 but at the time I was around 14-15.
So I felt better after the visit for a short amount of time, symptoms came back and they were worse and worse. I've had a bunch of panic attacks through out the years where I thought I was definitely going to die, my heart would pound all over the place, my whole chest would ache, I would shake and be REALLY scared.
Through out the years I've had multiple ECG's, blood tests where it came back that I had low iron levels (This worried me a lot as when I googled about it, it said it could be due to a heart problem) I've also had 2 Echocardiograms with 2 different doctors and both said that my heart muscle is strong, however there is a slight aortic valve regurgitation which should not cause any problems. Currently I get left sided chest pains, left arm pain (very rarely right arm pain) When I'm anxious my stomach and chest would be almost burning (I can't describe the pain, it's really weird) I also get muscle twitches all over me (Face, arms, legs, chest, abdomen) and of course I experience palpitations on daily basis. More recently I've started getting pain in my left side of the chest that kind of seems to be effected by breathing, but it was sharp and weird.
When I exercise I don't feel like it gets worse, well maybe sometimes but I don't know if it's my mind or if it's actually there because I'm always looking for pain in my body.
Yesterday I went to a job interview and well when I sat down and waited for the manager of the place my chest was REALLY sore it felt like a squeezing type of pain that was all over my chest and shoulders and my heart was racing, when I started talking it faded away and I forgot about it.
I've got an appointment with a psychologist the upcoming Monday, but I'm really not convinced that it's just anxiety, I mean how can it be? The symptoms are almost crippling, I don't want to go anywhere, and I'm constantly experiencing scary symptoms.
What are your thoughts are the tests I've had are enough to say that my heart is fine? Is it just health anxiety?
0 likes, 10 replies
Skreech170 Karis561
Posted
sometimes i think to myself (someone with anxiety which revolves around health) if youve got to ask yourself is it my anxiety? chances are it probably is, im currently having the same symptoms had a ecg and came back healthy too. i also have a weird feeling in my arm and leg but apparently thats due to muscles always being tense whilst anxious. the more we worry the more we create symptoms that arent real. i always think if it was something serious the pain would get worse not go away so it must be me overthinking, this is my first time commenting. hope ive kind of helped
Karis561 Skreech170
Posted
It's just weird, I was sitting and my left side of the jaw started hurting, or sharp pain hits u, or a palpitation happens... Honestly i don't know how to cope anymore.
Karis561 Skreech170
Posted
Thank you for your reply though, hope you get better as well 😃
Karis561 Skreech170
Posted
I've also thought if I had an undiagnosed heart problem for 4 years that I'd be dead by now.
Skreech170 Karis561
Posted
yes exactly! 4 years without treatment would of resulted in a bad way by now haha. just stay focused and try and tell yourself, this has happened before it will pass. the more we deal with it the weaker the anxiety will get
Skye017 Karis561
Posted
Hi there. I'm going through the same situation. When I have a pain somewhere, I always think the worse. In the last year alone I've been for blood tests 4 times, a physical ECG, twice for ultrasounds, once for xrays, once for a mammogram and a few other things. My GP has told me many times anxiety can cause a lot of symptoms. The chances that it is anxiety and not something serious is almost 100%.
Karis561 Skye017
Posted
Yeah, but I always think I haven't had enough tests, for example I didn't get an xray, also my blood pressure is a bit elevated all the time, or most of the time, maybe because of anxiety im not sure.
kimberly96221 Karis561
Posted
Same here. I had a dr appointment just today AGAIN for my PVCS. I too have had every test imaginable and was told its all due to my anxiety and menopause. I need to stop obsessing about every twitch or scratch on my body. I know I've developed health anxiety. It's been so bad my appetite has vanished.
I have to take my drs advice and know that I'm ok and will be OK. Bless you all!!
Karis561 kimberly96221
Posted
I'm sorry you're going through this, hope you get through it. I can relate to the obsession, I can't enjoy things like coffee because my symptoms get worse, I don't know if it's because of caffeine that i become more anxious or what. My appetite sometimes goes off as well, but for the most part eating actually helps to distract myself from the symptoms if that makes sense.
Akens86 Karis561
Posted
health anxiety is awful it makes you have psycho somatic symptoms like you are actually feeling unwell. always best to check but it can cause an array of symptoms. good luck with your appointment