Just when I thought I was over it!

[Gogspurs]

Hi All,

I have developed health anxiety over the past 8 weeks and was prescribed Propranolol (40mg) about 3 weeks ago which has helped with attacks.

My health anxiety stems from feeling some chest aches over the past year or so and getting checked out by A&E only for the nurse to scare the living day lights out of me by saying I could have heart damage as my enzyme levels are high (turns out they were not high at all!).

I have since then quit my stressful job and returned to my previous employment which has been good.

I have had about 4 ECG's and blood tests over the past 8 weeks and even with the all clear I still have fears that something is really wrong. My symptoms have evolved over the time to aches in the chest, twinges, left arm aches, head aches and pressure in the cinus's including temples.

I am trying to accept that I have health anxiety and over the past 2 days I have looked in to receiving some CBT which I start on Thursday. Even the thought of treatment has had a positive effect on me and as a result the last 2 days have been really good, I even thought I was over the worst of the anxiety I have been feeling... but today has not been very good, the chest ache/pain is there constantly and I have a pressure build up in my left arm which I try to shake off but to no avail... I even had a minor panic attack about 10 minutes ago but im over that.. now I just feel tired and have a head ache.

Just thought I would share my experience with you guys as many of you may be going through the same thing?

Best Wishes!

George

[Arnie365]

Hi George

If only it was that simple mate! I've had health anxiety about my heart for 7 months now but have only recently started to tackle it with help.

I've tried propranolol which stopped the pains but gave me bad heartburn which freaked me out. I've now been on fluoxetine for 23 days and I think they are starting to kick in now after making me feel a lot more panicky and worse for the first two weeks.

I've also started cbt and had my second session last night.

Saturday and Sunday were really good days for me and I really felt I was getting on top of it then wham.... today back to chest pains and pressure feeling in the middle which have really been freaking me out.

They are no worse than I normally have, perhaps even slightly milder, but because I've had a few days away from it, you forget what it feels like.

I think this is just the anxiety fighting back. It knows you are starting to get a grip of it. With me, I have developed other text book symptoms over the past few months such as thinking i was losing my mind one night to a tense throat to pins and needles in hands and feet to dizzy spells but none of them have bothered me anywhere near as much as the chest pains and surprise surprise I've not had them more than once or twice. My guess is that the anxiety is sticking to what it knows does the most damage to me!

Keep telling yourself you are starting to win and don't expect too much of yourself too soon. I make this mistake but then you get really down when you have a set back.

I'm afraid it's a long road but it sounds like you are starting to walk it.

Good luck

[XJMatt]

Heya!

Really do know what you mean and its like your riding a roller coaster! :scared15:, I've been able to feel fine for a week or more and then something else will crop up, i go to the doctor, get checked all over, the doc tells me i'm fine and i calm down and...the cycle just repeats. Its draining, a pain in the backside and it can take a while to treat properly, things like CBT and therapy can do a world of good in the long run so i'm told!

Keep you're head high and don't let the panic attacks kick you in the guts, Health anxiety is..so so erratic, you get really good days and then days that are awful :wacko:

Keep going and stay positive!

[Gogspurs]

Thanks for the support guys,

I've been reading a bit about the left arm ache I am experiencing. I wake up in the middle of the night with pins and needles in my pinky and ring finger so I researched a little and it seems that this is a sympton of a trapped or pinched ulnar nerve. I get a numbness just above my elbow also and up in to my shoulder. Aparently this is caused by constant bending of the arm which I am doing a lot since I started getting chest pain because I keep grabbing my chest and feel comfort in holding it.

So another example of a viscous cycle.. I hold my chest as a comfort which causes pain in my arm which I keep thinking is related to my chest pain lol

I hope you have a good xmas!

George