1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Mental Health

Living a life with health anxiety

Posted , 6 users are following.

rose98416
rose98416

So where do i start? I diagnose myself with around 2 serious illnesses every week. It bounces off sepsis, meningitis, or heart failure. I've always had health anxiety. As a child i would check sell by dates over and over again, wouldn't eat the bit of food i was holding, wouldny put my knife and fork on the table etc. But recently I've been petrified and almost obsessed with my heart. Everyday i think I'm going to have a heart attack, i dont like driving alone incase i have a heart atyack, die and someone takes my son from the car.. I also suffer with costochondritis which doesnt help because i regularly get chest pain. I refuse to take meds. I've been on them for 7 years and they haven't helped much. Plus im obsessed eith getting side effects.

Anyone else panic about their heart??

2 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • AlexandriaGizmo
    AlexandriaGizmo rose98416

    Posted

    Hi 🌹 I think that heart phobia is the commonest health anxiety their is, it seems to start from the youngest age, I started with it at 13, strangely I think it's because the heart is the one organ in the body we can sense ie feel it beating and if we are of a disposition where we are going to have anxiety and panic disorders this is going to be the most focused on health wise.

    Others seem to come and go but the heart stays relentlessly making us conscious of it daily, the missed beats the ectopic beats as their called the palpitations and the strange pains that health anxiety can mimic and like you have also mentioned costochondritis also helps to reinforce the fear because of the chest pains, have you visited your GP to talk about your concerns? have you had any tests regarding your health

    • rose98416
      rose98416 AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      Hi 😀

      Aw its ruining my life honestly. Yeah my doctors know me very well now lol. I've had roughly 12 ECGS ... 1 Cat scan and 6 lotsof blood work. ALL completely fine. So you think id be reassured. Nope i just dont beleive my doctors 😑🙈

  • cindy80253
    cindy80253 rose98416

    Posted

    Well one good thing if you have a heart attack and drop dead in the car you won't know anything about it. I'm sure your son would be in good hands. Just ask your Doctor for blood screening which takes only two minutes to do and rules out most organs and diseases and illnesses and check your heart. End of worry and you can start living life again with your little boy.

    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo cindy80253

      Posted

      I think her worry is not just a sudden heart attack it's that she would probably kill her son as well, she suffers with health anxiety so it's not what she wants to hear really

    • cindy80253
      cindy80253 AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      Sorry my mistake, I've never heard of that before. But if she's totally checked out and given a perfect bill of health then why wouldn't that make her feel better ?..i'd like to understand if you don't mind explaining to me. If she knows she's healthy why worry about what doesn't excist if she knows otherwise. Sorry I don't get it. 

    • hypercat
      hypercat cindy80253

      Posted

      Hi I know I am not Alex but I will try and explain anxiety like this. The root cause is anxiety which can include many worries but common obsessions are OCD, health anxiety ans social anxiety.  This is where the anxiety finds it's outlet. It is irrational and all anxiety sufferers know this but it doesn't really help. 

      Usually meds will help and so will counselling. CBT is very good for this.  Ultimately though it is up to the suffer to learn coping strategies as well.  Anxiety can come and go depending on what is happening in the sufferers life.  Some people are just naturally anxious people.

      Sometimes there is more than 1 illness at work ie depression,  bi-polar etc. too

      I hope this explains it a bit better.  x

       

  • cindy80253
    cindy80253 rose98416

    Posted

    Rose,

    Sorry for my last reply I don't understand your diagnosis, I've never heard of it before only a hypercondract which your not. I've asked one of our regular clients on here to enlighten me on your condition. I'm not an insensitive person by any means.I hope you can somehow get test done for starters to infact know you are OK and for the rest of it I will learn. One thing I can tell you is that it's normal to worry at times about such issue's I have and I often worry about lossing my father because I lost my mother to cancer when she was only 54 yrs old. I've been told many times you cannot change what happens in life so live out your life to the fullest always and try not to fight with poeple and don't dwell on things you cannot control cause it will ruin your life. I don't know if this will help you or not, but it did help me out somewhat. I try to enjoy life and look at the positive now and spend more time with family and gratefull for the time we have together instead of wasting it on the negative of what could go wrong like I used to. When I was a older child and my mom worked nights I cryed everynight from worry. Thats not living and very unhealthy. Maybe I have what you have and don't even know it. Never told anyone this before I felt very stupid for doing that for years. Cindy

    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo cindy80253

      Posted

      Hi Cindy I will try and give another explanation, imagine your sitting quietly at home and all of a sudden your hear starts to race for no apparent reason, at first you may just except it and eventually it calms down, your not scared just a little worried as to why it did it, then the next day your driving home and in a traffic jam and it does it again, you also get a slight pain in your chest, how do you think you would react, when you answer I will tell you something.
    • cindy80253
      cindy80253 AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      To be honest with you my heart races sometimes when I'm trying to sleep and has caused a little concern and for months I also had chest pain. My Doctor said It was stress and that stress was the number one killer so I better deal with it so I bought a treadmill to try and burn it off. I have PTSD really bad and AHHD and cannot meditate or calm down and the brain damage has made it impossible for me to focus or concentrate. I also have serious insomnia. I have learned to accept whatever health issue's come my way and not panic or run to the Doctor anymore. You just can't live like that. I've had major chest pain and now ignore it. Many times I thought I had serious health issue's the computer said so. Honestly my back was so bad I could hardly walk and when I moved to a nice place with a good landlord I was cured in 24hours. Thats how powerfull stress can hurt you.

  • rose98416
    rose98416

    Posted

    Hey cindy! Its fine. Anxiety is hard for me to understand and i suffer with it. Let alone someonelike yourself who doesnt suffer with it. Problem with anxiety is its a constant voice in your head telling you "what if" ... Like me .. I've had the all clear for my heart but i tell myself "what if" the doctor has missed something and they are leaving it to late. That is what Health anxiety is. Sometimes i can laugh it off sometimes i cant . It can ruin peoples lifes.

    What i would suggest is just be mindful with what you comment back. Im easy going but someone could have got upset with your comment. If your not sure on someones condition just try to refrain from commentating. Making someone feel like they should just be getting on with life when they mentally cant can have a detrimental impact on someone's anxiety.

  • cindy80253
    cindy80253 rose98416

    Posted

    Hi Rose,

    I hear you but in some cases not yours, that's exactly what people need to hear.

    It certainly helped my depression and got me more positive and moving on with

    my life. Otherwise I would still be in that dark place scared of everything and not

    living and taking tons of medications that were hurting me, not helping me. It took me

    X16 years to understand all this and lots of study. We all have different issue's and illness

    in life, I've had many...not even the best of Doctors know everything or treatment.( YOU DO)

    In time you will know whats best for you. I only hope for your sake it doesn't ruin your life like

    it has mine...Best wishes to you Rose 

  • Frinsey
    Frinsey rose98416

    Posted

    Hi Rose, 

    Well I could have been the one writing this post because I too suffer from health anxiety and like you at the moment I am convinced there’s something wrong with my heart. 

    I live I’ve with the constant “ what ifs “ and have to fight anxiety so hard every day otherwise I’m scared I’ll completely lose the plot and end up rocking ina corner. 

    There is is so little understanding of health anxiety and hearing “ you’re fine “ usually only helps for a short time. I’ve been convinced that doctors have been lying to me, that everyone around knows the truth and that I am really dying. Like you I think I’ve self diagnosed myself with every terminal illness out there. 

    I really hope hope that one day I won’t feel like this but until then I’ll keep fighting. 

    Just wanted you you to know you’re not alone xxx 

    • rose98416
      rose98416 Frinsey

      Posted

      Hi frinsey!

      Aw its awful. Takes every bit of strength in me not to run off to the causalty screaming im having a heart attack every time i feel a twinge or tightness in my chest. I suffer from costochondritis so i have chest pain everyday so until this settles i think ill always be bad with my anxiety and think i have heart failure.

      Have you had tests done on your heart?

      Xx

  • absjo
    absjo rose98416

    Posted

    Oh goodness! The heart attack fear! I convinced myself I was going to have a heart attack probably for a solid year and a half. Multiple trips to the emergency room, multiple EKGs and CT scans. Nothing would convince me. Finally, my primary care doctor sent me to do a stress test at 26 years old. Test came back absolutely perfect. Thought it would put my anxiety to rest, but no, I just moved on to blood clots. Such a vicious cycle. I hope you’re feeling okay and doing the best you can. I know it’s rough. ❤️
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.