damianjmcgrath
26-05-15, 11:30
Hello all,
Firstly, I'd like to say I've got a lot of use out of this forum, and have been reading many posts and they have helped me.
I'm not sure if this is the right place, but I wanted to give a brief description of how I'm feeling, and see if people can offer any sort of advice to minimize things, or next things to try. It'd be reassuring hearing people suffer the same things, especially if they've done a few things to improve symptoms.
I'm a 30 year old male, non smoker, non drinker, in reasonably poor fitness. I can cycle around 5 miles and run maybe 1-2 before getting absolutely exhausted.
Recently, around 9 months ago, I suddenly got very light headed and my heart was beating fast and my blood pressure was up to around 145/100, and my pulse was at 110. There was no reason for it, I was lying on my sofa at the time. It came out of nowhere. I started getting anxious about a heart problem.
I have been for ECG's, which generally came back normal, although some did show an inverted T wave in lead 3, whatever that is. The doctors said it's not a concern. I had a stress ECG which was fine, except for that lead 3 thing. I had a echocardiogram which came back fine, except for a 1% change of something called a phaenochromocytoma, which I've been tested for and awaiting results. I think that's an adrenal tumour of some kind.
Blood pressure generally is around 122/80 and pulse is around 65-80 most of the time, even though it physically feels like my heart is pounding much quicker.
However, my main concern is that I'm in a constant state of anxiety or nervousness, all day long. I'm slightly shaky in my legs and chest, my chest feels like it's trembling a little. My throat feels like it's closed up, there's a bit of an ache in the bottom of my throat, near the two breast bone bits. My breathing feels shallow, like I'm not completely breathing normally. Every now and then, it feels like it catches a little, and I get a choky feeling like you do when you're about to be sick. It passes after 1-2 seconds though. Often, my heart will start beating quickly for absolutely no reason. There's a general feeling of apprehension, like I'm waiting in the dentist waiting room. Whenever I exert myself a little, like walking up 2 flights of stairs, my breathing is a little difficult, my heart beats faster, and when I sit down, I have to take deep breaths to get back to normal. I don't know if this is normal because my fitness is poor, and I'm being too hypervigilant, or whether it's a sign of a proper problem.
It's a very weird sensation, the pain is never enough to need a painkiller. It's just a constant "feeling" or sensation, and I can't quite put my finger on it. Again, it's like that dentist feeling. It's very annoying and worrying, but doesn't need painkillers.
It's worse in situations I can't get away from, such as social situations, looking after my daughter on my own, watching football games in stadiums, etc. I even went on holiday to relax, and because it was a remote location, I felt nervous about help getting to me. However, it can often just come on for no apparent reason at all.
I have noticed I feel worse when my baby daughter cries in the middle of the night, or my partner is angry about something. Maybe that's stress making things worse?
I'm worried about things getting worse, i.e., throat closing up for a longer period and me not being able to breath, or for my heart to beat a lot quicker and for me to develop sweats which will make me think heart attack.
Does this sound like health anxiety to people?
I have tried CBT - I'm currently 5 weeks into a 6 week group session, and they can offer one-to-one sessions afterwards. I've been prescribed propanonol but haven't taken it - I'm worried about side effects. I've tried breathing techniques but can't seem to get them to work. Meditation seems to just make me more aware of my breathing and I worry it's in a weird pattern, or suddenly I find it difficult to breathe.
Because it's every day, and mostly all day, it's really difficult to ignore.
Do people have any advice or techniques for me to try? I'd really appreciate any input.
Thank you.
Firstly, I'd like to say I've got a lot of use out of this forum, and have been reading many posts and they have helped me.
I'm not sure if this is the right place, but I wanted to give a brief description of how I'm feeling, and see if people can offer any sort of advice to minimize things, or next things to try. It'd be reassuring hearing people suffer the same things, especially if they've done a few things to improve symptoms.
I'm a 30 year old male, non smoker, non drinker, in reasonably poor fitness. I can cycle around 5 miles and run maybe 1-2 before getting absolutely exhausted.
Recently, around 9 months ago, I suddenly got very light headed and my heart was beating fast and my blood pressure was up to around 145/100, and my pulse was at 110. There was no reason for it, I was lying on my sofa at the time. It came out of nowhere. I started getting anxious about a heart problem.
I have been for ECG's, which generally came back normal, although some did show an inverted T wave in lead 3, whatever that is. The doctors said it's not a concern. I had a stress ECG which was fine, except for that lead 3 thing. I had a echocardiogram which came back fine, except for a 1% change of something called a phaenochromocytoma, which I've been tested for and awaiting results. I think that's an adrenal tumour of some kind.
Blood pressure generally is around 122/80 and pulse is around 65-80 most of the time, even though it physically feels like my heart is pounding much quicker.
However, my main concern is that I'm in a constant state of anxiety or nervousness, all day long. I'm slightly shaky in my legs and chest, my chest feels like it's trembling a little. My throat feels like it's closed up, there's a bit of an ache in the bottom of my throat, near the two breast bone bits. My breathing feels shallow, like I'm not completely breathing normally. Every now and then, it feels like it catches a little, and I get a choky feeling like you do when you're about to be sick. It passes after 1-2 seconds though. Often, my heart will start beating quickly for absolutely no reason. There's a general feeling of apprehension, like I'm waiting in the dentist waiting room. Whenever I exert myself a little, like walking up 2 flights of stairs, my breathing is a little difficult, my heart beats faster, and when I sit down, I have to take deep breaths to get back to normal. I don't know if this is normal because my fitness is poor, and I'm being too hypervigilant, or whether it's a sign of a proper problem.
It's a very weird sensation, the pain is never enough to need a painkiller. It's just a constant "feeling" or sensation, and I can't quite put my finger on it. Again, it's like that dentist feeling. It's very annoying and worrying, but doesn't need painkillers.
It's worse in situations I can't get away from, such as social situations, looking after my daughter on my own, watching football games in stadiums, etc. I even went on holiday to relax, and because it was a remote location, I felt nervous about help getting to me. However, it can often just come on for no apparent reason at all.
I have noticed I feel worse when my baby daughter cries in the middle of the night, or my partner is angry about something. Maybe that's stress making things worse?
I'm worried about things getting worse, i.e., throat closing up for a longer period and me not being able to breath, or for my heart to beat a lot quicker and for me to develop sweats which will make me think heart attack.
Does this sound like health anxiety to people?
I have tried CBT - I'm currently 5 weeks into a 6 week group session, and they can offer one-to-one sessions afterwards. I've been prescribed propanonol but haven't taken it - I'm worried about side effects. I've tried breathing techniques but can't seem to get them to work. Meditation seems to just make me more aware of my breathing and I worry it's in a weird pattern, or suddenly I find it difficult to breathe.
Because it's every day, and mostly all day, it's really difficult to ignore.
Do people have any advice or techniques for me to try? I'd really appreciate any input.
Thank you.