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Health anxiety pain

Posted , 3 users are following.

Ech1
Ech1

Hi guys I'm Mark I've recently turned 28 and I suffer with health anxiety. It started about 3 years ago when my dad all of a sudden died of a massive heart attack. He was 53

Since that time I've been able to develop any illness symptom.

My first was HIV. On a night out I had a one night stand with a woman I met at the bus stop, my friend said the next day you'll catch aids one day.

Couple days later I had flu symptoms aches and muscle pains then what alarmed me was a rash suddenly appeared on my chest and I went really pale. After being calmed Down by the doctor I was able to have a blood test.

The test came back negative and still I didn't believe the results so I went for another a few weeks later and got the same results.

Now I'm checking my pulse every 10-15 mins (even when out in public) getting left arm pain,wrist,elbow,chest pain, irregular heart beats,sweating and pure panic!

I'm at the AnE nearly every week thinking I'm having a heart attack and it's now getting so bad I don't want to leave my bedroom. I take propranolol 20mg religiously now after reading if you stop suddenly you can have a heart attack. I take mirtazipine at night to sleep aswell.

I've had all the ecgs done, blood tests etc and I feel like there must be a reason behind this pain I'm experiencing? Does anyone else have this feeling or am I just going mad? My first scary panic attack started on a busy bus and I jumped off and broke down in the street thinking I was dying.

Does anyone have any suggestions on getting over this feeling? It's causing me so many problems

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • dasani95
    dasani95 Ech1

    Posted

    I absolutely recommend therapy. It really is supposed to help. I am new to therapy and have only had 2 sessions and they're already helping. I recommend it. Please pursue it, I think you'll find it life changing.

    • Ech1
      Ech1 dasani95

      Posted

      Thank you for replying. I will look into it for definitely.I'm open to all suggestions at the moment 😊

  • Psyched_Out_Kim
    Psyched_Out_Kim Ech1

    Posted

    Mark,

    There is a reason behind all of the pain you're feeling, and it's called anxiety. Anxiety and panic attacks can cause a vast variety of physical symptoms which mimic symptoms of actual diseases, conditions, etc. Worrying and googling every symptom will make you feel worse, despite being cleared by doctors.

    With the unexpected death of your father, you didn't have a good amount of time to say goodbye, or to make peace with any situation. He was quite young, so that will be a shock to your body, and mind as well. Once you mix in the that it was unexpected, and all of the emotions that surround the loss of a parent, it can get pretty bad. It's your emotions expressing themselves in a physical form.

    I've had anxiety for many years, but when my mom passed away in 2015, the anxiety definitely got worse and the physical symptoms intensified, and added new symptoms. To say that I've been quite sick since her passing would be an understatement. Anyhow, there's a good chance that your bereavement is expresing itself in a physical form.

    As for help with anxiety and panic, some people prefer therapy, medication, or both. Everyone is different, so their treatment plan will be different as well.

    My condolences to you on the loss of your father. It's definitely a hard road to travel.

    💜 Kim 💜

    • Ech1
      Ech1 Psyched_Out_Kim

      Posted

      Thank you for replying. What you've said actually makes so much sense and again thank you, I was up all night last night checking my pulse and have just woken up and already have left shoulder pain. I've just signed upto a new doctors aswell and hopefully they have all the right details and I can book an appointment. Thank you 💛💛

    • Psyched_Out_Kim
      Psyched_Out_Kim Ech1

      Posted

      Do yourself a huge favor, and stop taking your vitals. That messes with your head as much as googling your symptoms does. Vitals change throughout the day and night, even when you're sleeping. It simply means you're alive, and not an inanimate object. That's a good thing. lol

      Now that you have a new doctor, let him/her give you the proper diagnosis, and treatment options, but for now it's out of your hands. In the meantime, maybe some mental imagery will help chill things out. Consider every symptom a rock and toss it in a box. When you meet the doctor, hand over the box of rocks (It makes a great gift), and let them deal with it. The way I see it, doctors signed up to deal with the problems of others, so let them have it. Eventually you'll have to help with your treatment, but in the beginning it's all up to the doctor.

      Another thing, no more hook-ups with random people from a bus stop, and always wear a raincoat if you plan to get wet. lol My best friend died due to AIDS related complications, and it was a terrible death. He already had asthma to begin with, so when PCP (pneumocystis pneumonia) got its grip on him, it didn't let go. No two minute dip is worth all of that, and if need be, I'll show you all of the emails that pretty much documented the last few days of his life. Consider it tough love.

      I'm no doctor by any means, but take a look at what you listed as your symptoms "getting left arm pain,wrist,elbow,chest pain, irregular heart beats,sweating and pure panic!" Not only are they anxiety/panic symptoms, they're also symptoms of a heart attack. That's why so many people go to the hospital only to find out it was a panic attack. In your case, I would guess that your father's heart attack is causing anxiety to mimic what he may have gone through. I ended up doing the same thing when my mom passed. I'd wake up gasping for air at first, then excessive amounts of saliva, then the globus sensation, which is where you feel like you have something stuck in your throat. My mom had cancer, and the tumor was on her epiglottis, which is in the throat. She had excessive amounts of saliva, the lump in her throat, trouble eating which lead to her getting a feeding tube. From diagnosis to death was only 6 months, and completely unexpected, even from her doctors. She was request Queen to listen to during radiation, and was always joking around with the staff. After her last radiation treatment they gave her a certificate that everyone signed, and had cute little notes on. On the way home she started singing "Drop It Like It's Hot" and was car dancing. lol The tumor in her throat was gone, but nobody knew that the cancer had spread to her heart, which is why her death was unexpected. I still get the lump in my throat feeling, especially on the left side. One doctor is trying to say it's from GERD or even silent reflux, another is saying it's because of an issue I have with my sinuses. Either way, I've had stomach and allergy related sinus problems for years, and I never felt like there was a lump in my throat. In fact, I had my gallbladder removed in May, so many of the stomach problems are gone. Soon I will also have surgery for a deviated septum, and a cyst in the maxillary sinus cavity. The physical issues can't be discounted, but I think the emotional issues play a bigger role. Anyhow, I'm sure you see the correlation between your father's death and your symptoms. It's just like the correlation between what my mom dealt with, and how my anxiety added new symptoms. When you have empathy for others, s**t happens because you care. It's better than being an emotionless block of wood though.

      💜 Kim 💜

    • Ech1
      Ech1 Psyched_Out_Kim

      Posted

      Thank you and I'm so sorry you had that experience, losing a loved one has to be the worst thing ever, I haven't been counciling yet,I tried to book a appointment at my new doctors today and they said the 12th of November I think I really can't wait that long

      I haven't had my mirtazipine in about 4-5 days and I know I won't be sleeping and that'll be more panic attacks.

      My head right Now is a complete mess and I don't know what to do. I think if it gets any bad I will go AnE

    • Psyched_Out_Kim
      Psyched_Out_Kim Ech1

      Posted

      Definitely go in if things get bad, because that's one of the meds that shouldn't be stopped abruptly. Hopefully, you'll be able to find someone to give you a prescription for it to hold you over until you see the new doctor.

  • lisalisa67
    lisalisa67 Ech1

    Posted

    Dbt therapy is very useful. Anyone who has had trauma related in to all this should try dbt. Theres also emdr and or both. Emdr im mixed on its strange but hey you never know for some.
    • lisalisa67
      lisalisa67

      Posted

      I do not mean cbt i mean dbt. Dbt works with emotions cbt is more situational.its a spin off off cbt but geared more for someone with trauma related anxiety induced stuff.
    • Ech1
      Ech1 lisalisa67

      Posted

      Thank you 😊 will be giving that a look now

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