Sarah46
17-04-15, 19:48
Hi,
New to this site and just after some advice and support:)
I've always been a worrier and my anxiety first started during my early teens (I'm 22 now).
About 2 months ago I started getting pain in the lower left side of my chest, this was mainly when I breathed in and then if I pressed on the area the pain worsened. I wouldn't even say the pain was severe or anything but this sent my anxiety levels through the roof due to the pain being in my chest I automatically thought it was something serious relating to my heart. I had multiple doctors appointments all of which told me it was muscular, I had doctors listen to my heart and blood tests to rule out serious problems and docs told me I was fine.
I was satisfied with this outcome for about a week but the pains never got any better and so I wasn't convinced anymore, and stupidly turned to Google. This had to be the worst decision I've ever made! I found out about something called SADS (sudden adult death syndrome) and since this point thoughts about dying in my sleep suddenly, have consumed my thoughts. The first few weeks were horrendous, I was constantly terrified, I couldn't focus at work and even called in sick a few days, I would avoid going to sleep and when I eventually did go to bed I would be in tears and shaking. My boyfriend would keep reassuring me but it didn't really help in the long term.
Then to make matters worse, someone from my hometown ended up in intensive care because she suffered a cardiac arrest in her sleep from an undiagnosed heart condition, she's ok now thankfully, and then about month later someone who I know, his friend died in his sleep from an undiagnosed heart condition which fuelled my anxiety further. I also found my self reading news articles about people who it happened too, I shouldn't have done this because it just scared me even more.
Then the palpitations and a different kind of chest pain started and I still get them now, probably anxiety related but again I'm still not convinced. I again went to get checked out, I've had 2 ECG scans both of which we're normal, docs listen to my heart, one noticed a very soft murmur, he said its nothing to worry about but naturally I'm worried about it.
I'm receiving help for my health anxiety and I feel because of this and as time passes I have felt a bit better . The original chest pain that started all this anxiety has gone now but these thoughts about dying suddenly are still there in my mind constantly and at times the thoughts still fill me with fear. I'm still worried when I go to sleep and think, will I wake up tomorrow? I also worry about this happening to my boyfriend. Every pain I get in my chest I think it is related to something serious. I sometimes get a pain that feels like it's under my shoulder blade that feels like a trapped nerve which I have had occasionally for a few years and I now think that's related, I also on the odd occasion suffer from painful headaches on one side of my head which wake me up, again had them for a few years but now I think it's something serious.
I'm just convinced I'm going to die young, weirdly I don't really worry about getting things like cancer I'm just consumed by thoughts that I'm going to die suddenly in my sleep. I know SADS is rare but I think, what makes me exempt from something like it happening to me? I understand if it happens it happens and there would be nothing I can do about it and I wouldn't even know, but I still fear it. I feel like I can't look forward to the future, I go on holiday to Florida in 2 weeks and I'm worried 'm not going to be around and if I am then the worry will take over and I won't enjoy myself as much.
I want to get better and lead a normal life like I used too but I can't ever seeing me being that way ever again! I'm sorry if this is long and thankyou for reading. Any comfort and advice would be appreciated.
Thanks :) xx
New to this site and just after some advice and support:)
I've always been a worrier and my anxiety first started during my early teens (I'm 22 now).
About 2 months ago I started getting pain in the lower left side of my chest, this was mainly when I breathed in and then if I pressed on the area the pain worsened. I wouldn't even say the pain was severe or anything but this sent my anxiety levels through the roof due to the pain being in my chest I automatically thought it was something serious relating to my heart. I had multiple doctors appointments all of which told me it was muscular, I had doctors listen to my heart and blood tests to rule out serious problems and docs told me I was fine.
I was satisfied with this outcome for about a week but the pains never got any better and so I wasn't convinced anymore, and stupidly turned to Google. This had to be the worst decision I've ever made! I found out about something called SADS (sudden adult death syndrome) and since this point thoughts about dying in my sleep suddenly, have consumed my thoughts. The first few weeks were horrendous, I was constantly terrified, I couldn't focus at work and even called in sick a few days, I would avoid going to sleep and when I eventually did go to bed I would be in tears and shaking. My boyfriend would keep reassuring me but it didn't really help in the long term.
Then to make matters worse, someone from my hometown ended up in intensive care because she suffered a cardiac arrest in her sleep from an undiagnosed heart condition, she's ok now thankfully, and then about month later someone who I know, his friend died in his sleep from an undiagnosed heart condition which fuelled my anxiety further. I also found my self reading news articles about people who it happened too, I shouldn't have done this because it just scared me even more.
Then the palpitations and a different kind of chest pain started and I still get them now, probably anxiety related but again I'm still not convinced. I again went to get checked out, I've had 2 ECG scans both of which we're normal, docs listen to my heart, one noticed a very soft murmur, he said its nothing to worry about but naturally I'm worried about it.
I'm receiving help for my health anxiety and I feel because of this and as time passes I have felt a bit better . The original chest pain that started all this anxiety has gone now but these thoughts about dying suddenly are still there in my mind constantly and at times the thoughts still fill me with fear. I'm still worried when I go to sleep and think, will I wake up tomorrow? I also worry about this happening to my boyfriend. Every pain I get in my chest I think it is related to something serious. I sometimes get a pain that feels like it's under my shoulder blade that feels like a trapped nerve which I have had occasionally for a few years and I now think that's related, I also on the odd occasion suffer from painful headaches on one side of my head which wake me up, again had them for a few years but now I think it's something serious.
I'm just convinced I'm going to die young, weirdly I don't really worry about getting things like cancer I'm just consumed by thoughts that I'm going to die suddenly in my sleep. I know SADS is rare but I think, what makes me exempt from something like it happening to me? I understand if it happens it happens and there would be nothing I can do about it and I wouldn't even know, but I still fear it. I feel like I can't look forward to the future, I go on holiday to Florida in 2 weeks and I'm worried 'm not going to be around and if I am then the worry will take over and I won't enjoy myself as much.
I want to get better and lead a normal life like I used too but I can't ever seeing me being that way ever again! I'm sorry if this is long and thankyou for reading. Any comfort and advice would be appreciated.
Thanks :) xx