Newbie.. My first post :)

[janerbelle]

Hi everyone,
I have never posted before but have been reading the forums for sometime now and that has helped so much...
Ok a bit of back ground I am 41 full time job, happy family life... But suffering from health anxiety for approx 2 years..
Mine is heart and I have ectopics beats and convince myself my heart is going to stop. I constantly check my pulse and have been known to rush to the doctors in tears convinced my heart is racing... I did this a few weeks ago and was convinced myself i was tachycardic with a rate of 168... Got to doctors and pulse is 88... After being calmed down by the doctor I went back to work and realised i had timed my heart for 30 seconds and times it by 4! Doh.. Doctor requested a 24 hr tape which was done on Monday, also have an appointment with a cardio consultant at the beginning of November..the ironic thing is I am a qualified cardiographer and spent 18 months doing ECG s etc and have seen pretty much everything. But to be honest it doesn't help...
I was wondering about anxiety attacks and are they different to panic attacks? And also ladies are you worse before period and around ovulation.. Mine are . Or I have convinced myself they are..
Thanks for reading :D

[mummyanxious]

Mine are worse most definitely at ovulation! Thought it was just me! Welcome :)

[Sadkel]

Mine defo is... From just before my period until about a week after!!!!

[janerbelle]

Thanks for the replies.. Good to know at least one thing might not be in my head lol

[Female healthanxiety]

Hello Jane,

I put a very similiar post up in the Women Section on here.

I made a note in my diary of how i felt everyday for the last 6 months - and low and behold - I always had high health anxiety 10 days before I was due on.........

[janerbelle]

I will try and find it, thanks for that :)

[Chili9]

Oh my goodness, same here! Although ive had high anxiety for a few weeks now (think it was due to coming off the contraceptive pill a month and a half ago) I started getting really bad anxiety a week to two weeks before I was due on. I had severely sore breasts and arm pits, which although still sore have calmed down now that I'm on and my anxiety has calmed down a little and touch wood so has my skipped heart beats. Hate saying all this though because hate jinxing things but yes worse before due on.
Anyway, good luck and I'm sure you will be absolutely fine :hugs:

[Round in circles]

Hi janerbelle. I just wanted to say hi. I also have really bad anxiety with palpitations. In the past I've had both a 24 hour, and more recently a 72 hour holter monitor. I know how scary it can be when you feel like you're waiting for the worst. I'm glad you're getting a test in November. Hopefully it'll come back fine like mine did. There was a few events found but apparently nothing that was a cause for concern.

I wonder if the fact that you've seen all sorts while doing ECGs at work could have raised your anxiety over your own health? I know if I read about things that freak me out, it always makes my fear worse. I don't think I could cope with your job.

I definitely get crazy anxiety spikes in the week or so leading up to my period, and all during too.

For me personally, anxiety attacks and panic attacks are separate. When I get an anxiety attack, I get horrible overwhelming anxiety that just won't go, with all the usual fears jamming up my brain, feel like I want to cry etc. When I get what I term a panic attack, I tend to lose all composure. I hyperventilate, cry, shake. The anxiety gives way to full blown fear and I feel desperate for someone, anyone to help me.

Not sure if that helps answer your question or just show how crazy I am :D Hope you're doing a bit better today.

[janerbelle]

Hi thanks for the reply round in circles and chilli 9...
I always wanted to work in a hospital and always been fascinated by anything medical..so being a cardiographer was a good option.. Learnt so much but had to leave due to 2 slipped discs in my back.. Ouch .. The anxiety started about a year after that and then my friends dad suddenly of a heart attack ( although he had had several heart attacks before this ) then a friend died of breast cancer.. We weren't in contact any more but our girls are the same age and that really affected me..
Today I am fine and dont know why i get anxious But I know it will be back probably tomorrow.. :scared15: and then I will just be a wreck again...
I love the job I do now but a few months ago I had to face my worst fear at work... But in the moment I dealt with it.. Was a wreck after and it still haunts me but I try to be positive and tell myself I have dealt with it once .. I could ramble on for hours lol I think the 24 hour tape was only done as my heart was racing but it wasn't in the end I timed it wrong..
Thanks for reading :hugs: