Waiting For The Next Round/Vertigo

[jma1024]

I am new here. I have had health anxiety for about 8 years now off and on mostly heart related went through so many tests got word I have a normal healthy heart all my blood tests came back normal.

The one thing that drives me crazy is I start feeling like I am over it, but instead of carrying on I can't help but think when is my heart going to race again, when am I going to be conscious of my breathing and so on.

Like for the last couple of weeks I have been having this dizzy feeling, vertigo, and I'll think to myself man I haven't felt any vertigo in a few hours it must be coming soon I just know it and sure enough the longer I think about it and focus on it I get a wave of vertigo and dizziness. If I keep busy it's pretty much nonexistent or if I am talking to someone, but if I am by myself I can't stop thinking about it which makes it happen.

I thought I had my health anxiety under control but about 6 weeks ago I got some heart palpitations and then it started racing. That lasted a week, then I got headaches and I stressed and worried about that. The headaches went pretty much away but I am left with these random moments of vertigo. Today and yesterday have been the best not much at all and I want to believe I am getting over it but I just can't stop waiting for it to happen again (which is making it happen again) because like I am sure many of you know and deal with it's hard to believe anxiety can make physical symptoms feel so damn real.

[BlindPanic]

Hey, don't beat yourself up. In actual fact the symptoms don't feel real, they ARE real. Anxiety is known to have a number of (very real) biological effects on our bodies. It's frustrating because, no matter how much you tell yourself that your palpitations are undoubtedly just anxiety, you always have that panic that it could be something sinister. And of course that just makes the anxiety worse so you get stuck in that catch 22 situation. I hope you're okay!

I know that these symptoms can be really scary but, when they happen, try and keep your breathing slow, deep and steady. Alternate which nostril you breath in and out from (good way of dealing with anxiety and shallow panicked breathing).

Have you ever tried meditation or yoga?

[jma1024]

Thanks so much for replying. When I get a symptom I tell myself it's just anxiety. We've been through this before and got through it. It just scares me so bad sometimes.

I have not tried yoga or mediation. I talked to a psychiatrist before not recently it did help somewhat. I don't know I just get these flare ups from time to time and no matter how many times it happens it scares me and basically wait it out.

[Gary A]

This is anticipated anxiety. You're telling yourself a particular thing is going to happen, your body reacts by bracing itself for danger and then you'll start to feel the symptoms of stress response. Dizziness, heart rate increase, nausea etc. The fact it doesn't happen unless you think about it happening tells you this.

[jma1024]

Thanks for the response and great way to put it anticipated anxiety you're absolutely correct.

I know I am letting myself cause it that's what's frustrating. Yesterday was even better than the previous 2 days. I had a very small feeling of vertigo a couple of times but not as intense as it was a few days ago. It happened and I told myself I am fine ignored it for the most part kept doing what I was doing. It's the weekend no work for 2 days so just going to try and enjoy myself and try not to think too much, and if it should happen I am going to do my best to ignore it and keep on moving.