Worried doctors might have missed something :(

[EmilyK83]

I'm not having a good time of things at the moment :( I've been off work since mid-December with "anxiety and stress" (so say the doctors), and I've just come back part time this week.

Problem is, nothing's really changed. I was on beta blockers in December, but had a bad reaction to them so was told to stop taking them. I'm now on low dosage (2mg) Diazepam as and when I need it, which seems to help a little bit but not completely.

My "symptoms" are quite wide-ranging and I don't have all of them all of the time. I feel like I'm struggling to catch my breath, like something's stuck in my throat, have a racing heart (it's been up to 120bpm when I've been to A&E before), my ribs and sternum feel bruised, feel generally unwell most of the time and my digestive system's a bit of a mess. I'm constantly checking my pulse and Googling every little thing that I notice that's wrong...which I've tried to stop doing but it's difficult :(

I've been in and out of A&E a few times over the last year or so, but every ECG I've had has been fine, blood pressure is normal and oxygen levels in my blood are 98%. Should be reassuring but I can't help wondering if they've missed something important and that it shouldn't all just be chalked up to anxiety - it's horrible :(

I'm on the waiting list for CBT and have been since December, was supposed to be February that I was seen but I phoned the other day and they reckon I'll be on the waiting list for another 2 months before my treatment starts. Can't cope with this anymore and I feel like the doctor's probably getting sick of me going in all the time but I don't know what else to do :(

[Rach29]

Hi Emily it all does sound like anxiety you have to trust your doctor if there was anything wrong your doctor would be more concerned and send for tests and stuff just try to stay calm and strong though i know how hard that can be its all anxiety nothing else x

[mc2000]

This sounds very similar to what I have been experiencing since early January.

It started with rapid pulse ~120bpm that caused a spiral into panic symptoms (which I misinterpreted as serious illness). Doctors couldn't find any heart or other serious problem that could cause it. Vaguely implied it was anxiety, but they haven't even explicitly said that.

This has then alternated/coincided with a random series of bowel issues and chest/abdominal pains and discomfort, which is possibly IBS.

Worse, I'm inclined to suspect the worst case scenario, so google and a wide selection of vague but potentially serious symptoms have left me worrying about having every disease under the sun. I make fun of it but the feeling that I am seriously ill is very real and quite terrifying.

I don't really know what to think. It has disrupted my university work significantly and I am not sure how I will hold down a full time job with this if it is still here when I graduate in October.

[EmilyK83]

Thanks for the replies both. mc2000 - I know what you mean about work. I'm currently working part time (well, I'm full time employed but can't cope with full time at the moment!) and worried about going back to 5 days a week.

Roll on my CBT...hoping the waiting list shortens quickly!!