Paradise24
13-03-14, 16:30
Hello. I am new to the board. I've been on here a few times as I feel I have some kind of health anxiety. However, there are a few things that have been freaking me out a lot lately that has tempted me to to post and see what you guys think.
A bit about myself, I'm 24, 5'7 and 227 lbs, former smoker. I have a physical job that requires lifting, etc.
Now onto the symptoms..I had two dizzy spells about a month and a half ago. (havent had any since) These caused me to make an appointment with my doctor for a general physical. I was feeling fine with no anxiety whatsoever at this time. I was also a little heavier at this time (243). Now during the appointment, he didn't find anything wrong except that he noted I had slightly blood pressure 148/78 and issued an ekg and blood tests to see if my dizzy spells were heart related. The blood tests came back perfect. The ekg came back with minor changes what he really didn't make an issue of. He wanted to see me lose weight and make lifestyle changes. Well after this, I started to freak out with thoughts and have (minor) chest pains once in a while followed by rapid heartbeat. Started having trouble falling and staying asleep. My thoughts usually led me to believe I was going to need a heart transplant, etc. Scary stuff! I called and he prescribed me Zoloft. I took it for three days and hated it, discontinued use.
Well I made the lifestyle changes with diet. I cut out the energy drinks, sugars, fast food, everything basically. I returned to him about a week ago. They noted I lost 15 lbs in a month. It seems easy! Right away I was happy with that and attributed it to my diet. I have been able to sleep using melatonin, just not stay asleep. My blood pressure lowered (132/72) because of it, my pulse was lower, and I was feeling pretty good. He said he wanted to just check with me in 6 months.
Now this is where it gets worse. Even though I got good news, I still can't sleep well and now I have this pain that comes and goes in my left forearm for about a week now. Also have this pain in the left side of my chest when I turn a certain way or twist. (Did a bit of research and I now know that heart pain isn't from movement and this is most likely exoskeletal). My mind is constantly thinking of this stuff and making myself more and more aware. Now my thoughts are going to bad places. I keep thinking maybe it's cancer or a blood clot. I attribute the cancer theory to the fact that I lost 15 lbs in a month just by changing diet with minimal exercise and maybe instead of the diet, it could be some kind of cancer. My fiance, though being very supportive, I feel is getting tired of hearing of it. It's driving me nuts and I feel like I keep bugging my doctor. He prescribed me ambian today that I'll go pick up. I have yet to talk to him about the chest and arm pain because I wanted to see if it would go away on it's own if it was just something strained.
My question to you, does this sound like a guy with actual life threatening health problems or is this a case of health anxiety? It's just weird how all these symptoms and thoughts popped up out of nowhere at me. And what would you suggest? How did you make it through? I'm trying to stop the whole "Dr Google" syndrome, as it makes it way worse. Thanks in advance. It actually felt good to just type all that and let it all out.
A bit about myself, I'm 24, 5'7 and 227 lbs, former smoker. I have a physical job that requires lifting, etc.
Now onto the symptoms..I had two dizzy spells about a month and a half ago. (havent had any since) These caused me to make an appointment with my doctor for a general physical. I was feeling fine with no anxiety whatsoever at this time. I was also a little heavier at this time (243). Now during the appointment, he didn't find anything wrong except that he noted I had slightly blood pressure 148/78 and issued an ekg and blood tests to see if my dizzy spells were heart related. The blood tests came back perfect. The ekg came back with minor changes what he really didn't make an issue of. He wanted to see me lose weight and make lifestyle changes. Well after this, I started to freak out with thoughts and have (minor) chest pains once in a while followed by rapid heartbeat. Started having trouble falling and staying asleep. My thoughts usually led me to believe I was going to need a heart transplant, etc. Scary stuff! I called and he prescribed me Zoloft. I took it for three days and hated it, discontinued use.
Well I made the lifestyle changes with diet. I cut out the energy drinks, sugars, fast food, everything basically. I returned to him about a week ago. They noted I lost 15 lbs in a month. It seems easy! Right away I was happy with that and attributed it to my diet. I have been able to sleep using melatonin, just not stay asleep. My blood pressure lowered (132/72) because of it, my pulse was lower, and I was feeling pretty good. He said he wanted to just check with me in 6 months.
Now this is where it gets worse. Even though I got good news, I still can't sleep well and now I have this pain that comes and goes in my left forearm for about a week now. Also have this pain in the left side of my chest when I turn a certain way or twist. (Did a bit of research and I now know that heart pain isn't from movement and this is most likely exoskeletal). My mind is constantly thinking of this stuff and making myself more and more aware. Now my thoughts are going to bad places. I keep thinking maybe it's cancer or a blood clot. I attribute the cancer theory to the fact that I lost 15 lbs in a month just by changing diet with minimal exercise and maybe instead of the diet, it could be some kind of cancer. My fiance, though being very supportive, I feel is getting tired of hearing of it. It's driving me nuts and I feel like I keep bugging my doctor. He prescribed me ambian today that I'll go pick up. I have yet to talk to him about the chest and arm pain because I wanted to see if it would go away on it's own if it was just something strained.
My question to you, does this sound like a guy with actual life threatening health problems or is this a case of health anxiety? It's just weird how all these symptoms and thoughts popped up out of nowhere at me. And what would you suggest? How did you make it through? I'm trying to stop the whole "Dr Google" syndrome, as it makes it way worse. Thanks in advance. It actually felt good to just type all that and let it all out.