worries/symptoms won't leave

[SillyJilly]

Hi. I've been suffering from unknown physical symptoms since I was 14 and I am now 32 years old. I have had heart palpatations, dizziness, shortness of breath, weakness in arms, numbness in arms, feet, face, nausea, etc, etc....I have an excessive fear of illness and dying along with other emotional problems. Usually, by the time I force myself to go to the doctor, I am so upset about the symptoms that are occuring, I end up crying in the room, telling the doctor I fear I have some sort of terminal illness. My most recent "episodes" consist of a strange clicking when I swallowed, my throat felt very clunky, and I immediately convinced myself I had throat cancer. The doctor did an xray and throat culture, finding nothing wrong. I ended up walking out of there with a prescription to help with anxiety, and a referral to a pshyc... What I am dealing with now, for the past month started with shortness of breath, and bloating sensation. This progressed into a tightness under my left breast, almost like my lung/heart were collapsing, and extreme tightness/discomfort in my upper back. Next I awoke with uncontrolable shaking, and hot rushes down my arms, palpations, etc. My boyfriend finally confronted me and said I wasn't myself...I usually become very quiet, and hold my fears inside, not wanting to bother others with my obsessive thoughts. The next day, he forwarded me the link to this site. After reading through, some of my symptoms subsited within a few days. I thought I'd post a thread and see what type of feedback I get. I have had a couple of EKG's in my life, and and ultrasound when I was 15, which showed everything was normal. I have never been able to convince myself there is nothing wrong. Every pain, or unusual feeling within my body results in my fear that I have a heart condition, or cancer. I'd also like to hear feedback from individuals who have or are using alcohol to drown out the feelings. I have just recently admitted I have a problem with alcohol abuse (1-3 drinks almost every day, for the past couple years, and believe this is causing my anxiety symptoms to triple. I apologize for the long message, the next ones will be much shorter! Thought I'd just give everyone my history, and see where it leads to.

Jill

[countrygirl]

Welcome you will find lots of people on here who are experiencing exact same symptoms as you and have been for a long time.

It usually helps lots to know you are not the only person to feel these nasty symptoms and to be able to stand back and see our problem for what it is.

I find it very difficult if not impossible to believe that every one of my symptoms are not the sign of a terminal illness - I had bad experience as a young child with illness and death so I have battled health anxiety for past 40 years!!

Post whenever you feel the need and there is always a response

Take care

[kellie]

Hiya Jilly welcome hun to NMP its lovely to have you here.
You will get lots of advice/support/reasurance and make some great friends along the way,
All the symptoms you are discribeing are related to anxiety/stress/panic
i have just replyed to a lady about the chest pains
here is the link just click on it

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=34300

my reply may help you as well and reasure you some.

keep posting with your worrys and we will help you as much as we can

take care

kellie.xxxxxxxxx

[iworryallthetime]

hi there sillyjilly ,this all sounds so familiar , im totally the same , im convinced i have a terminal illness and the doctors {all of them } are just missing it ? i can totally relate to how you feel , your not alone , iv suffered now for almost 2 years with a wide range from BC ,that turns out to be IBS due to my anxiety ,to skin C , Breast C to name a few ...... its as though once one things settled another thing turns up ,recently im thinking i have lung or throat C as have had little bood in morning mucus , so googled it and now thinking the worst .......i dont smoke and have had recent bloods done that came back normal so i hope if something was really up would show in this
so just so you know your not alone and feel free to chat back , i am quite often in he chat room to .
hope this helps as is good to know im not alone to ..from worryalot