Health Anxiety Ruining My Life.

Hi Jessica juat wondering how you feel 6 months on?

Hi Jessica

hope you a feeling better

maybe worth trying Buteyko breathing method? It does help with anxiety!

please let us know how you re doing

 

I know this thread is kinda old, but I have been going through the same exact things as you are Jessica. Have you been doing any better and if so what have you done? I feel like I am always dying and that the Drs are missing something. As a matter of fact my Primary Dr thinks I should see a psych because she thinks it is panic disorder. I keep trying to explain to them that I do not get the anxiety until I get the chest and arm pains. I have been to the ER numerous of times because of it and have had numerous heart tests, but still cannot convince myself that it is not my heart.

Hi Jess.

Same boat here. That's why I decided to try my first forum. I went to a doctor just said its anxiety. Don't know what type. How do you test for that?

Anyways this all started with chest pains arm pains and me convinced I was having a heart attack. I been to the ER twice and called 911 once thinking I'm gonna dye from a heart attack. I hate my life right now. It's hard to deal with stuff I'm always easily agitated. Everything sucks you can't enjoy crap. I'm scared of everything and even when I try to tell myself it's anxiety it doesn't help.

I have so much more stories believe me. This really sucks. God help us all lol I don't wish this on anyone.

just walking into the doctors surgery causes me an anxiety attack. i get to the reception and my heart races, my lips tingle i speak fast and try to catch my breath whilst fighting back tears, at the same time the receptionist sits back with her eyes wide asking me to calm down which just makes it ten times harder to calm down! lol  ... Hi jessica, iv been suffering with anxiety for four years, id like to say it doesnt control my life but it does, every day. some days i think iv got away with it but its always effecting me in some way. sometimes the smallest of worries build up and up and up until i feel like my head will explode, i have anxiety attacks quite often. Although i dont have the same anxieties as you... You are definately NOT alone. 

i have been to councillors and CBT but as you said as soon as it ended the anxiety crept back and i struggled again.

But i want to take hold of my life again as do you, i want to be the strong, confident, care free, career seeking woman i once was instead of crumbling at the very thought of every hurdle. 

I wondered if you had tried any alternative therapies and self help away from your GP/MHS ... there are lots of alternative therapy practices that can give you advice,  i am currently trying meditation and learning to control my breathing and clear my mind (even if only for half an hour its nice to have a free mind ).. iv researched quite a lot on my venture to get my life on track and there are lots of therapies out there for you to gain control, self help too, who better to train your mind than you? theres only you inside there ... there are certain vitamins and herbal remedies too that work on anxiety such as chamomile and vitamin B12, valerian, fish oil,  im also reading a book called the chimp paradox, iv not got far into it yet but what iv read so far seems worth carrying on, its a book about mind management, try and keep caffiene and nicotine (if you smoke) and obviously alcohol down to a minimum as all of these things can make the symptoms of anxiety worse and more frequent, try to drink lots of water and a healthy balanced diet with lots of fish, chicken, fruit and vegetables... also meeting or chatting people with similar anxieties to yourself, it can help you understand things more when you see it from another perspective. im not saying all of these things work, im just trying to find ways to get better and wondered if you had heard of or tried these things yourself or maybe would consider trying them? what harm can it do? anythings worth a try to get control of my life and be able to move forward and enjoy what i have left instead of fretting the day away.

Hope you find your path to happines xxxx

Hi everyone,  

After moving to the UK to study I too started experiencing all sorts of crazy health complains. After my first "attack" I saw a GP in the UK who did blood test that came clear. She said I am suffering from Panic attacks and GAD and prescribed me ADs. ADs didn't help, only made me lazy and I continued having crazy symptoms and thinking something is wrong with me. British GPs I was seeing showed me no sympathy and it felt like they were not listening and didn't want to help. This aggrivated my symptoms and fear ever more, I quit ADs and decided to never visit a GP in the UK ever again as it was causing me more stress than actually helping me. 

I went back to my home country and saw a neorologist here. He's done a neurological examination and because I had a tremor during the examination he referred me for MRI, EEG, eye examination and blood test straight away. He didn't find anything abnormal, only that my brain looks a bit worn out for someone of my age.. He told me ADs are unnecessary and prescribed me 3 types of homeopathic supplements "too keep my brain young" : Ginkgo biloba, nattokinase and Vitazyme.

Though honestly I felt pretty much healthy soon after leaving his office for the first time because he showed care and attention and because he was a specialist and not a GP so I felt I can trust him. I think the NHS is unable to provide care for this kind of disorders because it's too costly. I am really lucky to be born in a country where one can see a specialist without any hassle. If a person really thinks he has something wrong with him he will keep experiencing "crazy" until proven otherwise by a bunch of tests and no reasurance from a GP willl help because of underlying trust issues the person experiences. That's only my story but I hope it can ease a mind for somebody. 

Hey Jessica I feel the same as you I always think son thing is wrong with me and it drives me mad I feel lonely as if no one understands and its so hard I alway feel like something bad is going to Happen I hate it

My doctor wants me to get counciling but I'm to embarrsed its just so hard no one understands .

Every pain I get make me think I sick or thats sonething is wrong i dont no how to stop it x

Good to hear I'm not alone. For a few months I've had a sore back and neck, for some reason I keep telling myself "I've got spine cancer". And just yesterday had my first panic attack after being to the gym. I had chest pain, was like someone was pushing down on it, I didn't have any arm pain or anyone other symptoms but I just said to myself "I'm having a heart attack". I'm 22, pretty fit, and I have no idea why I have these thoughts. When I went to bed after it I felt my heart just pounding. Very strange and scary.

Hey this is my first post on one of these sites, been a lurker for a while and just felt I should share. I've not been living the best lifestyle for the past four years, regular but non-heavy smoker, other drug use, lots of general sedentary laziness but you know how it can be .. my doctor says I'm fine, probably Costochondritis and inflammation? but I keep convining myself otherwise in regards to my heart. I reckon OP you'll be okay just look after yourself more now that you're more aware. *Le hugs to all*

I'm so pleased I have found this discussion!

I too have been suffering with anixety, I suffer with chest pains ALL the time, I was rushed to hosital 4 times had various tests run that came back clear, I was referred to a cardiologist who ran further tests and all came back ok. At that point I not suffered with anixety but that was the start of it, the anixety did subside for a long time but has now came back and I am yet again convinced there is something wrong with my heart. I have been back to my gp numerous times and they tell me my heart is fine and it's the anixety that's causing it. I feel I o ly get anxious once I get the pains but maybe I'm more anxious in my subconscious than I realise.

I do hope we all manage to overcome this horrible illness, it really does make you feel alone and scared.

I hope you are now feeling much better and have fou d a treatment that works.

Hi Jessica2510 Iyour not the only one, I have had this for over 5years I have tried everythingnothing will work for me it's so hard

Hey everyone. I notice this is pretty old but thought I would join in on the discussion anyways.

I experience health anxiety almost 24/7 especially with my heart. I have asthma so I get chest pains frequently so I almost always think it's a heart attack. Once I get anxious about it everything gets worse. I feel dizzy, like my throat is closing, weak, muscle pains, cramps in my hands, etc.. Then I automatically assume I'm dying. I went to the hospital about 5 times last year for thinking it was heart attack. They would run every single test they could and do X-rays but everything would be 100% normal and healthy.

I freaking hate it. Earlier today I was hungover and I threw up and thought I was going to die just because of that. When in reality.. It would be rare to die from a hangover. Glad you all can understand the feeling

Hi jessica i know what your going thrue i have had ha for at least 6 years planned my funeral 50 times.I know how bad it is just remember that it is all in our heads.Try to focus on other parts of your life.That job defenatly does not help as your looking and hearing about bad situations all day long. I thought every headache was brain tumors chest pains were heart attacks even thought i had a couple strokes not to mention everytype of cancer imaginable. I found tjat 1mg of xanax would help when thing got really bad but remember as long as dr said ur ok your good. You need to stay off of dr google is it is our worst enemy i know its hard but please resist it. Good luck to you and remember your not alone.

I too had a really bad spell just as you describe a few months ago (also 26 years of age!).

I was in my final months of university, lived alone, and was working in a lab most days. I kept thinking I was being poisoned, I would look up things like HF poisoning. People would say, 'Okay, when were you using HF?' And I would be like, 'Never'. I knew it was rediculous but was so scared all the time.

Anyway, I splashed KOH in my eye one day. Doctors told me 'no damage' but I kept washing it and as a result it went so dry it started hurting really badly. Unconvinced by previous reassurance, I visited an eye doctor, who told me the reason for the pain was thyroid eye disease and I needed an MRI scan straight away.

Well, then I panicked. So I had the MRI scan, and something awful went wrong. I don't know if it was the machine settings or something but I basically ended up burnt all over like a lobster, 5 months later I have burning pain all over my body... I've dropped out of uni... my life crashed down and I am suffering traumatic stress from it all. And you know what? I never had anything wrong with my eyes.

The moral of the story is, if there isn't anything wrong, don't go looking for it. The only thing that finally knocked my health anxiety on the head was getting something really wrong with me.

And from being in your position, I can well imagine my advice, that is, to imagine what if something was really wrong, and take a deep breath and be greatful it isn't, will fall of deaf ears. I mean that in a nice way, because I have been there!

But please try to trust me. Your body has not been assulted yet, so let it do it's natural thing and survive in the world. Love it and be greatful for it. And most of all, take a moment to be calm- it's very very good at it's job!

Something I have been doing a lot recently in my desperate search for cure, is looking at alternative therapies including changing the mind. Look at books like The Brain that Changes Itself (Doidge) and The Biology of Belief to start. If only I'd discovered these things earlier, I could have healed my harmless health anxiety before I got hurt. So there is a more solid suggestion. I hope you can find comfort as you explore the facinating wonders of the mind and body.

Hi Jess I'm sorry you are going through this too and I've just been crying my eyes out because I can't cope with thinking I'm ill any more and I thought I'd have a look on the Internet to see if anyone else is going through the same as me and I'm pleased I'm not on my own,for months now I've been thinking I've got everything wrong with me I'm constantly asking my partner if he thinks something is wrong with me,I'm in and out the doctors,I think there sick of seeing me and I even go as far as thinking what will happen to my kids if I die I want my partner to adopt them so he can keep them in his care if anything was to happen to me I'm so scared of leaving my kids behind! The worry is driving me insane and I don't think my partner can take much more.i just want to be normal again so please if anyone has any ways on how they cope then I'd be very grateful.im 28 my children are 4 and 6 and this started around November time.its always comforting when you know your not on your own and I hope you find away through this Jessica xxx