Health anxiety
Posted , 4 users are following.
So, my story is a longish one. I've had anxiety before. Took Citalopram for a couple of years before I winged myself off. I had a viral infection and went to Urgent care. Hoping for meds to speedy my recovery. Once there they checked my vitals. My pulse showed 250 three times, so they called an ambulance, who arrived in five minutes with a EKG. The EKG showed a pulse of 124. They basically laughed and asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. I drove myself. They did another EKG there and blood work. Everything was fine. I went to a cardiologist, he basically never minded it, and said the machines where likly incorrect. My anxiety then returned with vengeance. I made an appointment with my GP who prescribed propranolol 80mg capsule and my old Citalopram back to me. I've since went back to the ER twice. Once for Technacardia, that subsided within an hour of being there, all tests where positive, the second most recent time. I was checking my BP and it seemed high. This scared me, I checked it two more times in 10 minutes and watched my BP and pulse climb each time. So I went to the hospital. Upon arriving my BP was 187/106 and my pulse 120. This all regulated to normal after 10-20 minutes. All tests where positive, and they said my anxiety likely got me. This as all hit me pretty hard. Disrupting work, and making my spouse feel very alone. I'm a 27 yo male. This just sucks for me.
0 likes, 10 replies
borderriever Lilladnerboi
Posted
You say your tests, were positive, did they show a condition or were they clear of problems ?.
Sometimes when patients suffer Anxiety tests taken are affected by White Coat Anxiety where they get false readings, they wait a period of time, retake the test and the results are near normal. You seem to be a sufferer of a fear of White coats hypothetically.
If you take your own blood pressure and pulse to often and keep repeating the test over and over again the same as above happens, you begin to get false results, as you become more and more scared.
You are back taking AD medications, they will take time to work and again you may get false fears that you may get something life threatening. All this is Anxiety and you need to understand the more tests you have the worse you will eventually feel. You need to break the circle of illness and Hospital visits.
All I can suggest is try and understand your condition Anxiety plays games with Your mind, you need to control your fears and move on. Hopefully as you get older the Anxiety may become less of a problem. Understand your Partner must feel you are over the top with imaginary conditions. Eventually She may not believe you when you are really ill The saying : You will believe me when I am dead: comes to mind.
Give your Partner a break, She needs to trst you not to say you are ill, when she feels it is just you and starts to take no notice
BOB
Lilladnerboi borderriever
Posted
Bob,
Thanks for a speedy reply. When I say normal my heart rate went from 125 to 80 within 20 minutes and my BP from 187/106 to 140-88 in 10 minutes. I admitted to them I had anxiety ever since leaving the Urgent care with a "supposed pulse of 250" I've been anxious about the whole month of March. Even the cardiologist said if my pulse was really that high I would have for sure known. That eases my mind. I'm a rational and logical person, I have a great fear of having heart problems, a stroke, or fainting in public, and all the doctors have done along with myselfs make it worse. Also all of my blood work was normal, EKG, and the ran blood panels on heart enzymes that where also normal. So no cause other than myself. A month ago I was eating what I wanted and drinking 2, 20oz Red Bull's a day with no care of my health. I've since quite those bad habits out of fear, which may be for the best. But I should know if anything I was worse off then. Just haven't been able to shake it off yet.
Scott
borderriever Lilladnerboi
Posted
A reading 125/80 is a good range and is quite normal
A reading 180/106 generally you would be having problems and it would give me and my GP the hebejeebis
140/88 is high and would make the Doctor a little bit mor anxious
If you have had urgent care to reduce readings upwards 187/106 I would imagine they would want you back in.
Your Cardiologist mentioning the high reading, you would have known and would not wish to go there again
They say they have shown a great deal of concern
Red Bull are a form of stimulant so they and eating what you like could cause false readings
Try and stop worrying, the more you worry the more any test take will be inaccurate
Good luck, relax and keep a hold.
My blood pressure rose 140/96 and my doctor showed me concern.
My blood pressure now is 125/80 and they are happy as little clam boys. I give above to show some sort of range. The younger you are the more subtle your viens and arteries. The older we get, that is why they give Statins etc
BOB
Lilladnerboi borderriever
Posted
Bob,
The 187/106 corrected itself after about 10 minutes, and the hospital didn't administer meds. They told me it was likley anxiety. My BP usually is 140-90. That's why they put me on propranolol a beta blocker, in hopes of lowering my anxiety and BP. I was lightheaded, and sick to my stomach when it shot up that high.
borderriever Lilladnerboi
Posted
When we retire we get Statins and Beta Blockers ? and they do work.
Be happy and confident
BOB
Lilladnerboi borderriever
Posted
borderriever Lilladnerboi
Posted
Keep a hold
BOB
Jay84 Lilladnerboi
Posted
Hi there
It sounds like you may be suffering from health anxiety. My advice would be that if you have had the relevant health checks through your Dr that you should try to get some CBT. I have been struggling with this condition for about two years now, and I say this in hindsight having had numerous checks and tests to convince me that actually this is anxiety.
You should of course follow up health concerns with your GP and they should do the relevant checks that in their professional opinion are required. However, anxiety can actually cause lots of physical symptoms and when you struggle with health anxiety this can feed into a vicious circle of feeling physical signs and then going for health checks and then different physical signs cropping up and then having more checks. CBT can really help to address some of the negative or anxious thoughts that you have around your health and help you to challenge them and hopefully cut down anxiety.
With regards to to your partner, I think it can be very hard for a person who hasn't struggled with anxiety to understand the thought processes of someone who experiences anxiety. Maybe she could do some reading around it so that she understands where you are coming from a little better. It might also help her in terms of supporting you until you are feeling more yourself again.
Lots of luck with your journey!
Lilladnerboi Jay84
Posted
Thank you so much for your response. I'm trying to get a handle on it. I think I'm subconsciously worrying.
Jay84 Lilladnerboi
Posted
These things become habits and you can be worrying without even realising sometimes. I think nipping it in the bud early is key before the anxious way of thinking becomes the 'go to' thought process. I need the outside help/perspective to challenge the thinking but there's loads of CBT based books out there too that might help if you don't fancy therapy. Good luck!