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Health anxiety

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marc91925
marc91925

Hi, my name is marc. I have been dealing with health anxiety for sometime now. About a year and a half ago my grandmother passed away and two months later had a major panic anxiety attack. I ended up in the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack but of course I wasn't. I was on medication for six months but got off of it because it made me feel just as bad as being off the meds. I've been able to deal with it and cope with it and do have my bad days. It's funny how it works anytime I get any odd pain I automatically think the worst even though I know it's probably a pulled muscle or just a headache. My mind goes to the worst possible scenario. Like last night for instance I had been asleep about an hour and all of a sudden woke up and felt like I couldn't breathe my shoulders got tight started to get lightheaded and knew I was having an anxiety attack but your mind goes to well you're probably dying. I know it's all a mind game but it's very tough to win over your mind. I found that exercise helps but I wonder sometimes if I will ever be able to feel completely normal again. I'm only 31 years old and don't have any family history of serious heart problems or stroke. This is been the toughest thing I've ever dealt with I'm never had any major surgeries or any kind of serious illness. Is there anybody else out there that feels this way.

1 like, 25 replies

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  • Aidan4224
    Aidan4224 marc91925

    Posted

    Hello Mark. I have suffered for 8 years now. I am 27. I have had so many different chest pains, from crushing, tightness, stinging under left pec, and pains as if some one is flicking my heart with an elastic band. I also suffer Ectopic beats (palps) . I have had 8 ECGs, 4 blood tests to check for on coming heart attack when gone to A+E, 3 chest Xray, Echocardiograph of the heart, and b/p and over the years all have come back fine. Along with this I have had dizzy spells, migraines, shortness of breath and tingling fingers. All doctors diagnose symptoms down to anxiety. I do believe it's anxiety, but like you every timebi get a twinge or summat all hell breakes loose. Mine only fear is my health. I am having my first Son any time now, along with my parents divorcing and to top it off my last grandmother passing.....Just trying to point out that those three major things happening in my life I don't feel are affecting my anxiety symptoms. I feel it's still me worrying about my health who is the root cause to my ongoing battle. It the mind, it so powerful..... also I do exercise which helps a lot. When exerciseing I feel free symtom free......Good luck and stay strong
  • marc91925
    marc91925

    Posted

    Thank you again everyone for the encouragement. Today I'm having some problems. I did some heavy lifting today's ago and I've had a sore chest muscle of course it's right over where my heart is and then I've had some probably indigestion as well. So it's been coming and going for two days and all I can think about is that I have a heart problem. Even though I don't have an increased heart rate or any other real signs of a heart problem. I've done EKGs my blood pressure is perfect and my blood work A year ago came back perfect the doctors tell me I'm healthy. Why can't I just get that through my head and move on with life.
    • marc91925
      marc91925

      Posted

      I just don't want to go to the hospital because i'm 99% sure all they are going to tell me is that it is anxiety and then I will have a nice large bill
    • archemedes
      archemedes marc91925

      Posted

      Ah that explains it. Thank God we in the UK have the National Health Service.

      As to your problem Marc, the human brain is the most amazing computer that this world is ever likely to see. It controls all our bodily functions and at the same time analyses what has happened to us, what is happening to us, and what will happen to us.

      Unfortunately it also has the capacity to try and answer some questions with guesswork - we call it our imagination.

      Where would we be without our imagination and our ability to create?

      In some people imagination can be an asset, whereas in other people it can be a curse.

      In your case as all your health checks have come back fine, it is probable that you brain is working overtime, by trying to create scenarios that do not exist.

      This is not abnormal and does not in any way suggest that you are suffering from any form of psychological abnormality. Quite the opposite, it indicates that you have an alert creative mind which may require you to be more discerning  when listening to its feedback.

      A good example of this can be demonstrated when we are reading a book. How often when we are half way through the book do we imagine that we already know the outcome? Baically our brains have already decided who did what to whom. Such is the brain. It can imagine all sorts of things that in reality are  a long way from the truth.

      Only actual experience and above all facts can help us to train our brains to be more accurate.

      In your case the medical professionals have given you a clean bill of health, so maybe based upon that fact you should maybe try to condition your thinking process to take account of this and actually believe that you are a perfectly healthy person.

      Once you have got to grips with this way of thinking you should be able to get on with enjoying your life, as it was intended to be lived.

      My very best wishes for your future.

       

    • kristina1982
      kristina1982 archemedes

      Posted

      I am awake with sharp pains under my left breast. Almost on my way to the emergency room . Until I read your words. The sweating, left arm tingling....i hate it. But thank you because you bought me back to reality.
  • Aidan4224
    Aidan4224 marc91925

    Posted

    Mark.  I advise you and any others to read this book. 'You are the Placebo' by Dr Joe Dispenza.  Read up on the book it's before purchase. I wish I had read this book years ago and iam only a 3rd through it, all the best....
  • trapdoor
    trapdoor marc91925

    Posted

    jesus I'm 31, and in the exact same boat as you. My constant worry is, how do I know my body isn't trying to tell me something? The last few days I've been feeling really sick in my cheeks, and I am going to go to the hospital in a bit as I cant have anymore time off work. I want medical tests to make sure i'm okay. 
  • latesha1512
    latesha1512 marc91925

    Posted

    I feel exactly the same! Anytime I feel an ache or pain I convince myself that I'm going to die! It gets me down so much and anything medical sets me off! I hate hospitals, taking medicine and the thought of anything surgical makes me feel sick. I also often wake up in the middle of the night if I feel anything because I worry so much that I'm going to have a stroke or heart attack. it's horrible when you feel like this and I feel so alone because people always think I'm overreacting and I really can't help it! Has anyone ever tried cbt for health anxiety before? 
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