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Need some encouragement

Posted , 4 users are following.

GYDA
GYDA

Hello! 

I don't post here often only when I'm very low and need some encourage, I don't really have anyone in my life who i can talk to. Well I have, i've got a very supportive girlfriend, mum and dad but I don't like to talk it with them because I don't want them to worry about me. I'm struggling considering seeing someone to talk to so I can let it all out.

Right basically I've had anxiety all my life, but it's only been the last 3 years where it's been rammed up to 100%, with anxiety symptoms like chest pain, palpitations etc. But mine differs a bit, I have an added side bit to my anxiety called Da Costa syndrome, otherwise known as neurocirculatory asthenia. Which means I get my chest pain, left arm pain, fatigue etc when I'm excercising, even though my hearts normal.

I know my hearts normal because I've had around 12 ECG's, a 72 hour ecg, 2 stress test ecg's, an echocardiogram and a stress perfusion cardic MRI. The MRI scan is about indepth as you can get on your heart apperently, and mine came back completely normal, blood flow to all my heart all up to scratch. So finally after all that, I have to accept that my symptoms are down to anxiety, there can't be any other reason for them. I'm only 23 years old and my lifes been turned upside down by worrying sick that somethings wrong with my heart. 

Treatment for Da Costa syndrome is split, you either take it head on, excercise through the chest pains and left arm pain which is slowly can improve your symptoms. Or you just avoid anything that brings on symptoms, which I don't like the sound of because I don't want to live my life restricted. 

But it's hard to fight through it, I know loads and loads of people have chest pain and left arm pain on this forum, usually at rest though. I get mine at rest too, but not as much as excercising. I knew the first few weeks would be the hardest because its a shock to my body, I used to worry about walking down to the street because of my heart now im jumping on the treadmill, I've just got to carry on. The chest pain at rest can get really bad though, I woke up yesterday day morning with terrible chest pains in the center of my chest, but again, i've had all the tests so i have to ignore it.. I knew i was going to have the chest pains because the previous day my anxiety was sucking me up, felt stupidly tired with a massive headache it was anxietyall over. 

You can research Da costa syndrome (neurocirculatory asthenia) if you like, it's completely harmless its just meant to be very very hard to fully recover from. It's completely harmless but you feel like your going to have a heart attack all the time!! crazy haha 

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • jacqueline01135
    jacqueline01135 GYDA

    Posted

    what will it take to make you realise that your body is O. K and your problems

    are all in your head.  

    • GYDA
      GYDA jacqueline01135

      Posted

      I literally don't know, I've had every test possible on my heart. Any slim chance of there been a problem has been eliminated through these big tests. I even read that on stress perfusion cardiac MRI, they followed up X amount of people who got an all clear result  for 3 years and 99.65% of them were still alive and fine. So that should just show me, look, the test is prettty accurate, if you get the all clear with nothing wrong then its almost 100% certain that there actually isnt anything wrong.

      But it's easy to type all this but then I'll wait 5 minutes and ill be back to 'there must be something wrong, these symptoms can't be anxiety' pftt sad 

    • michaelall35712
      michaelall35712 jacqueline01135

      Posted

      I agree. My counselor wrote a letter for a companion animal.  My apartment usually charges extra for pets, but I was able to bypass since I have a companion animal.  The fact that you pet and are intimate with your dog speaks volumes.  Also allows up to show our compassion to our animals which is a good feeling.  It is great to have another beating heart around when your alone as well.  Great advice!
    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 michaelall35712

      Posted

      Bit concerned that you call your PAL a companion animal. What's it's name. do you go for long walks, ?  And what's a few bob ,if  he/she makes youhappy lol
  • Expert
    Expert GYDA

    Posted

    I feel for you. Being locked in the grip of anxiety is awful. It does not let you enjoy your life, the present moment, and leave you feeling hopeless because you cannot imagine it ever going away. Anxiety is hard to beat but many people have, through CBT for example. You need to practise relaxation, distraction and logical reasoning - to get the problem under control. With time, things will get easier - be sure of that. You will get sick and tired of your own faulty thought and behavious patterns. Also, as years by, you will realize that no, you have not died, your tests still come back normal, your fears have not proved justified ... and that it's really a waste of time to worry! You need to practise it though. Unfortunately, it is not second nature to you - it is not to me either. Your wired to worry, but those wires can be rewired! Read about Neuroplasticity ... get into meditation, mindfulness, anything that makes you feel good and take you away from your worries. And when worries come, take them as a challenge - it\s your lion to tame. Good luck!
    • michaelall35712
      michaelall35712 Expert

      Posted

      Great advice.  A good distraction for me is app games that I really like, and get away from my own thoughts.  If they pop up, I refocus on what I am doing.  Good terminology "wired to worry" but like you said we can rewire, because neuroplasticity.  GYDA neuroplasticity is playing games and doing activities to help rewire our brains to think differently and creating good memories, etc. 
  • michaelall35712
    michaelall35712 GYDA

    Posted

    I know how you feel.  You have people you can talk to, but just don't want to burden them with you problems.  Find a good friend you can talk with? Good thing you are reaching out to other sufferers.  I have used anxiety chats to talk with people, but sometimes we need to stop thinking about what we are suffering from, and focus on the good things going on in our lives.  Have you ever tried guided meditations?  The are great mini vacations which are good for us sufferers.  I recommend guided meditation because I need some one to guide me into doing it.  My mind is so flooded at times, I need the guiding voice to bring my attention back.  It works trust me.  Will take dedication on your part.  We with anxiety/depression need to get out of heads, by doing things we enjoy.  I also have found volunteering for others is great too.  It is a win/win situation, because you are forgetting you problems for a while, and focus on helping others.  Wish you peace of mind!
  • whitney3780
    whitney3780 GYDA

    Posted

    I don't worry about any thing else except having a heart attack. When I logged in to this forum tonight I was starting to panic because I was feeling pressure on the left side of my chest and arm. Last year I had an echo, wore a holter monitor. All came back fine. My dad had a heart attack about 8 years ago and ever since I've worried that I will to. Praying helps me. It's a horrible feeling to fear that you could have a heart attack at any time.
    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 whitney3780

      Posted

      Logically whitney, the pressure is probably caused by using the

      computer ,and you have cramped up a bit 

      Stressing over  everything does not help,and in fact ,causes pain

      Your brain is tuned into your imaginary heart attack, so joins in by

      telling you  your arm hurts   

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