JoeGomez17
11-08-14, 18:01
Hi All,
These forums have helped me immensely over the past 2.5 months, during which I've been suffering from health anxiety. I thought I'd chime in and say hello.
nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/healthanxiety
-This page has helped me more than anything and I read it when I feel anxious.
Excuse the long story, but I want it written down for future reference (mostly my own).
Back Story:
-Went to a friends birthday party in mid-May 2014, ate pretzels and beer, choked very badly on a pretzel, more than I ever have in my life. Didn't think anything of it though.
-Next day started taking a vanpool to my new job. On the FIRST day taking it on the way home, I feel super light headed and like my heart wasn't working, and my hands and feet were tingling. I got zero sleep that night. It happened again the next time I tried to take the vanpool too.
-Over the next month or so, I started to have hyperventilation attacks while driving, not just in the vanpool. As I love driving, this was a major hit to my self esteem and my ability to have fun. I didn't know they were hyperventilation attacks until my Dr. explained them to me weeks later.
-I also started feeling like I was short of breath; started gasping for air as I fall asleep; small feelings of impending doom; being anxious of falling asleep; like there was heavy mucus at the back of my throat; having involuntary deep breaths; and sleep apnea-type feelings. Sometimes just sitting in my chair at work (if I'm slouching) causes me to have an involuntary deep breath and it made me very anxious.
-There was also a lot of dizziness -- not bad, but enough to cause me to be anxious. Usually accompanied by a lot of stomach movement / acid reflux type feelings. I guess dizziness wouldn't be the right description, but nausea and light headedness.
Doctor Visits (Many):
-I visited the ER and Urgent Care many times with shortness of breath, chest pain, general malaise.. my mind made them way worse than they really were. Each time things were explainable, I just wanted to be looked at by a medical professional to keep my mind at ease.
-Four visits to the Urgent Care, EKGs, blood work, all good, various diagnosis from BPPV (benign positional vertigo) to anxiety.
-One visit to the Emergency Room ($$$), EKG, blood work panel, x-ray of chest, all good, slight hypoxia
-Many visits to my allergist, diagnosted asthma based on my description of shortness of breath and very bad dust allergies -- prescribed albuterol, nasonex, allegra. Albuterol did no good, only gave me very bad side effects of insomnia and jitteriness. Nasonex worked, but caused me to be more anxious and the feeling of loose mucus at the back of my throat caused intermittent breathing issues, so I stopped them both and stuck with Allegra.
-Finally, my primary Dr. diagnosed me with GERD, or a hiatal hernia caused by the choking fit I had, and the fact that I used to be a coffee FIEND, drinking 8 or more cups a day of double-strength coffee (I'm down to 1 at most now, based on medical advice from my Dr). From what I can tell, all my symptoms fit. I do often couch up stomach acid, or feel it regurgitating into my chest. My stomach is also always vocal, with movements and gas or noises constantly. The shortness of breath and gasps can be caused by acid refluxing into the esophagus. I'm constantly gassy, burping or ... the other.
I'm going back to him in a week to determine a better course for treatment of the reflux / hernia than a dietary change and sleeping on an incline (both of which have helped, but I'm not back to normal yet). My driving hyperventilation fits have subsided, and the only lingering bouts of anxiety I have anymore come from acid coming up my throat causing me to gasp or the occasional dizziness fit. I also have issues working out when its too humid, as I feel I don't get enough air and it starts the anxiety train again.
Thanks for listening. I wish all that read this the best in their recovery and maintenance of their health anxiety.
Feel free to reach out to me if you want to chat or anything, especially if you have similar symptoms as we can help each other. My profession keeps me on the computer all day, so its likely I will respond to you very quickly.
These forums have helped me immensely over the past 2.5 months, during which I've been suffering from health anxiety. I thought I'd chime in and say hello.
nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/healthanxiety
-This page has helped me more than anything and I read it when I feel anxious.
Excuse the long story, but I want it written down for future reference (mostly my own).
Back Story:
-Went to a friends birthday party in mid-May 2014, ate pretzels and beer, choked very badly on a pretzel, more than I ever have in my life. Didn't think anything of it though.
-Next day started taking a vanpool to my new job. On the FIRST day taking it on the way home, I feel super light headed and like my heart wasn't working, and my hands and feet were tingling. I got zero sleep that night. It happened again the next time I tried to take the vanpool too.
-Over the next month or so, I started to have hyperventilation attacks while driving, not just in the vanpool. As I love driving, this was a major hit to my self esteem and my ability to have fun. I didn't know they were hyperventilation attacks until my Dr. explained them to me weeks later.
-I also started feeling like I was short of breath; started gasping for air as I fall asleep; small feelings of impending doom; being anxious of falling asleep; like there was heavy mucus at the back of my throat; having involuntary deep breaths; and sleep apnea-type feelings. Sometimes just sitting in my chair at work (if I'm slouching) causes me to have an involuntary deep breath and it made me very anxious.
-There was also a lot of dizziness -- not bad, but enough to cause me to be anxious. Usually accompanied by a lot of stomach movement / acid reflux type feelings. I guess dizziness wouldn't be the right description, but nausea and light headedness.
Doctor Visits (Many):
-I visited the ER and Urgent Care many times with shortness of breath, chest pain, general malaise.. my mind made them way worse than they really were. Each time things were explainable, I just wanted to be looked at by a medical professional to keep my mind at ease.
-Four visits to the Urgent Care, EKGs, blood work, all good, various diagnosis from BPPV (benign positional vertigo) to anxiety.
-One visit to the Emergency Room ($$$), EKG, blood work panel, x-ray of chest, all good, slight hypoxia
-Many visits to my allergist, diagnosted asthma based on my description of shortness of breath and very bad dust allergies -- prescribed albuterol, nasonex, allegra. Albuterol did no good, only gave me very bad side effects of insomnia and jitteriness. Nasonex worked, but caused me to be more anxious and the feeling of loose mucus at the back of my throat caused intermittent breathing issues, so I stopped them both and stuck with Allegra.
-Finally, my primary Dr. diagnosed me with GERD, or a hiatal hernia caused by the choking fit I had, and the fact that I used to be a coffee FIEND, drinking 8 or more cups a day of double-strength coffee (I'm down to 1 at most now, based on medical advice from my Dr). From what I can tell, all my symptoms fit. I do often couch up stomach acid, or feel it regurgitating into my chest. My stomach is also always vocal, with movements and gas or noises constantly. The shortness of breath and gasps can be caused by acid refluxing into the esophagus. I'm constantly gassy, burping or ... the other.
I'm going back to him in a week to determine a better course for treatment of the reflux / hernia than a dietary change and sleeping on an incline (both of which have helped, but I'm not back to normal yet). My driving hyperventilation fits have subsided, and the only lingering bouts of anxiety I have anymore come from acid coming up my throat causing me to gasp or the occasional dizziness fit. I also have issues working out when its too humid, as I feel I don't get enough air and it starts the anxiety train again.
Thanks for listening. I wish all that read this the best in their recovery and maintenance of their health anxiety.
Feel free to reach out to me if you want to chat or anything, especially if you have similar symptoms as we can help each other. My profession keeps me on the computer all day, so its likely I will respond to you very quickly.