anyone have any info on heart? new panic and im FREAKING

[tiredofthis14]

OK i am freaking out of my mind

im suddenly out of nowhere terrified there is something structually wrong with my heart
iv had ecgs 24 hour ecg and chest xrays stress ecg do these pick up cogential defects?
iv got an echo but it isnt for 2 weeks and im terrified

if anyone knows anything about thid id be so grateful i dont want to google

[Fishmanpa]

Those tests would detect abnormalities in the function of the heart. Sounds like they're doing the echo as a "CYA" procedure. I'm quite sure your echo will confirm previous test results.

Pusitive thoughts

[Gary A]

OK i am freaking out of my mind

im suddenly out of nowhere terrified there is something structually wrong with my heart
iv had ecgs 24 hour ecg and chest xrays stress ecg do these pick up cogential defects?
iv got an echo but it isnt for 2 weeks and im terrified

if anyone knows anything about thid id be so grateful i dont want to google

I don't know why you would just "suddenly out of nowhere" think that there's a structural abnormality with your heart.

I can see how this is going to go. You'll ignore the previous tests you've had and focus on getting your echo. When you get the echo and the inevitable all clear is given, you'll think that they've missed something.

There is absolutely no reason to even begin to think you have a problem with your heart, all tests so far say so.

[tiredofthis14]

thank you for your replies

im not ignoring previous tests im just not sure wether they can detect abnormalities with the structure of the heart
and i think iv suddenly started worrying about it because iv recieved the appointment for the echo what i meant is it isnt something iv freaked out about before but it is really frightening me as i have a massive fear of sudden death and it dawned on me i dont know if the tests i have had done pick up structual abnormalities

[Nicholebear]

I may be wrong but it's my understanding that most heart abnormalities are detected in babies and very small childeren. So if you had one you would be well aware of it by now.

I know a lot of people disagree and get offended, but I'm going to tell you that you are being silly with these fears.

Maybe if more people weren't babied for every irrational thought they had, and told that what they are thinking is stupid, there would be less people on here seeking constant reassurance.

I haven't been on here long enough to know if you do that, but there are others on here that do that.

I really don't understand the people here that go to the doctor and have tests done, that come back normal, then post here. How are we supposed to be more assuring than a doctor? I think posting here feeds into some sort of vallidation cycle.

I think a lot of people are using this forum for the wrong reasons.

[gordie1]

Nicholebear do you yourself struggle with anxiety or health anxiety, if so I would be surprised quite frankly because of your rude uncaring unsympathetic bang out of order attitude

[ServerError]

I think the reason we tend not to be too harsh is that we recognise that people's irrational fears and worries are symptoms of a condition. That said, a little tough love has its place, and a positive attitude and a willingness to take advice on board goes a long way.

[Nicholebear]

Nicholebear do you yourself struggle with anxiety or health anxiety, if so I would be surprised quite frankly because of your rude uncaring unsympathetic bang out of order attitude

The statement directed at you was that you were being silly to suddenly have this fear

My statements beyond that point were in general.

Yes I have suffered health anxiety I know how bad it is but I also recognized when I was being irrational, or what I would call myself "stupid" for being in a panic about something that was non-existent.

Tough love is a good description of it. Kind words and "you'll be ok's" apparently don't work because the same people always come back. Maybe it takes someone saying "hey, you're being ridiculous, and this vallidation cycle is not a healthy thing to do" would get someone to think twice before they panic about something that's does not warrant it.

If your rational side has absolutely no voice, then the talents of a professional should be sought out. This is supposed to be for support, not to enable a person from seeking proper treatment when it's needed.

[Mugs]

An ECG only records the electrical activity of the heart.:)

[MyNameIsTerry]

Nicole, when you said:

I really don't understand the people here that go to the doctor and have tests done, that come back normal, then post here. How are we supposed to be more assuring than a doctor? I think posting here feeds into some sort of vallidation cycle.

But if you look at the anxiety disorders that fall under this non medical HA term, you will see that there is a group of disorders where this is actually a criteria for some. So, we have to expect that some will just come back on here otherwise we need to look at ourselves in terms of our knowledge of the disorders covered by HA.

Another issue with this is that these disorders are "learnt behaviour" so you can't just opt to consciously turn them off because someone in a white coat says you are fine. Whilst you can choose to consciously acknowledge this, it won't undo all the Cognitive Distortions currently employed daily in your negative thinking or the core beliefs that you have built in your subconscious. These take time & effort to change to healthy core beliefs and healthy thinking styles.

I didn't understand some of the HA on here when I joined and eventually I went and read up on the different disorders that fit under the false HA name that is used commonly for them. You won't get to the bottom of that from reading articles, you need to see what the psychologists say as in reading about the actual diagnostic process. If you don't, you end up with someone's viewpoint on HA or data they have sourced which can contain omissions.

When my OCD started I didn't have a clue about it all. I thought OCD was washing hands repeatidly, hoarding and checking locks, the sterrotypical view we are fed by the media. I was very surprised how diverse it all was and it helped me to understand that my strange irrational thinking was documented and nothing unusual to the point og a more serious mental illness. Education is so important with OCD as some of the themes are more commonly associated with more serious problems. And OCD is another disorder that fits under this fictional HA bracket, yet I've never had HA concerns like many other OCD sufferer's haven't either.

What I know of OCD is that no matter how many doctors you see, it won't make any difference. In fact, it will actually reinforce your obsessive-compulsive cycle. This is why I'm often baffled by people encouraging others to seel a medical opinion on something that is so obviously an anxiety one. I understand that for some things a doctor is needed but with some it's just irrational or misguided to even suggest it. For instance, the many concussion threads where the vast majority show things that happened to us as children all the time and our parents weren't taking us to doctors and neither were our schools.

I think you should be careful labelling others as enables if they disagree with tough love. I'm not into tough love, I disagree with it for various reasons, especially when we are all strangers and not family/friends. Tough over is sometimes used to hide behind on forums by those wishing to vent their frustrations so I'm wary when I see it. However, some do say they prefer it. But remember some see it as a further failure and it hits their self esteem and some also get annoyed by it as it can be perceived as judgemental or lacking in compassion. Use of language is so important here because there is a line where tough love becomes rudeness & arrogance, in my opinion.

I don't think we "baby" people on here. I prefer to try to get the person to challenge their thinking, if I can. If that's enabling then all those posts saying to see a doctor about something totally unlikely are worse in the reassurance stakes and how can CBT be conducted with challenging our thinking?

In the case of the OP, she had worries over her Mirtazapine causing QT prolongation and had been told by her doctors that it does? Show me where though? None of the professional databases used by such people even mention it. The OP showed me a link to a PubMed case where someone died on Mirt but there is not one recorded case of a Mirt death recorded pre/post licencing. They have to record these things. The case showed the deceased used Sertraline as well and Sert does have recorded death rates and QT prolongation issues recorded by these professional sources.

So, it's confusing for someone trying to trust their doctors when they are contradicting a drugs database that your FDA have an input to. Are localised services not reporting things? Or is it possible the doctor is incorrect? I vote the latter and I have seen 2 recent threads where psychiatrists have said "that is a recorded side effect" to look it up and see it listed by the manufacter in the leaflet they put in the box. :doh:

Things like that are bound to cause some issues in someone who needs to work hard to remove reassurance-seeking behaviour as well as not believing doctors, if the latter is part of their anxiety.

Professionals are needed by us all on here, but accessing them isn't easy. We have to wait over here and once you've had it, you may not be able to access more for a time. These people are bound to end up in charity support groups or forums. I used to attend a support group and they managed the sessions so what you see on this board just didn't happen. However, this is not possible here so it's up to us members really to do what we can for each other.

No one is recommending against seeking professional help, although I take exception in cases like my example above as it's a waste of public money, and we all want each other to get better and have the lives we should have. If by posting we are stopping someone accessing treatment, then everyone on here will be guilty of that at some point. As long as we are working towards getting the person to challenge their thinking and seeking help, if they need it or even can in some cases, then what's wrong with that? Otherwise, we might as well just say "see your doctor" on every post.

I don't believe in using negative words to describe behaviour. I learnt that to be counterproductive. If it works for some, that's up to you, but it's not what we are told we need to do to recover where we are advised against labelling ourselves in negatives or in use of negative wording such as "should" instead of "could" because we need to work towards positive/neutral and ditch the old negatives that so often are involved in things like our Cognitive Distortions.

I remember another technique that can be employed with reassurance-seeking behaviour in OCD whereby you don't allow yourself to engage in discussion with the person about the context of their obsession, or at least in a negative way. So, if someone approaches you to seek it, you change the subject or change it to get them to look at it from another angle other than the typical anxious one e.g. moving towards what you can do as opposed to talking about symptoms. It's impossible on here though but they used to do this in the support groups I went to if someone was getting stuck on a subject to often.

There will be some that agree with you completely, some will agree partially, some will be unsure and some (like me) that disagree with you. The issue has come up various times before, often after arguments on the forum about how certain prolific posters have been treated, and it also comes out mixed from what I've seen.

[Nicholebear]

Nicole, when you said:

I really don't understand the people here that go to the doctor and have tests done, that come back normal, then post here. How are we supposed to be more assuring than a doctor? I think posting here feeds into some sort of vallidation cycle.

But if you look at the anxiety disorders that fall under this non medical HA term, you will see that there is a group of disorders where this is actually a criteria for some. So, we have to expect that some will just come back on here otherwise we need to look at ourselves in terms of our knowledge of the disorders covered by HA.

Another issue with this is that these disorders are "learnt behaviour" so you can't just opt to consciously turn them off because someone in a white coat says you are fine. Whilst you can choose to consciously acknowledge this, it won't undo all the Cognitive Distortions currently employed daily in your negative thinking or the core beliefs that you have built in your subconscious. These take time & effort to change to healthy core beliefs and healthy thinking styles.

I didn't understand some of the HA on here when I joined and eventually I went and read up on the different disorders that fit under the false HA name that is used commonly for them. You won't get to the bottom of that from reading articles, you need to see what the psychologists say as in reading about the actual diagnostic process. If you don't, you end up with someone's viewpoint on HA or data they have sourced which can contain omissions.

When my OCD started I didn't have a clue about it all. I thought OCD was washing hands repeatidly, hoarding and checking locks, the sterrotypical view we are fed by the media. I was very surprised how diverse it all was and it helped me to understand that my strange irrational thinking was documented and nothing unusual to the point og a more serious mental illness. Education is so important with OCD as some of the themes are more commonly associated with more serious problems. And OCD is another disorder that fits under this fictional HA bracket, yet I've never had HA concerns like many other OCD sufferer's haven't either.

What I know of OCD is that no matter how many doctors you see, it won't make any difference. In fact, it will actually reinforce your obsessive-compulsive cycle. This is why I'm often baffled by people encouraging others to seel a medical opinion on something that is so obviously an anxiety one. I understand that for some things a doctor is needed but with some it's just irrational or misguided to even suggest it. For instance, the many concussion threads where the vast majority show things that happened to us as children all the time and our parents weren't taking us to doctors and neither were our schools.

I think you should be careful labelling others as enables if they disagree with tough love. I'm not into tough love, I disagree with it for various reasons, especially when we are all strangers and not family/friends. Tough over is sometimes used to hide behind on forums by those wishing to vent their frustrations so I'm wary when I see it. However, some do say they prefer it. But remember some see it as a further failure and it hits their self esteem and some also get annoyed by it as it can be perceived as judgemental or lacking in compassion. Use of language is so important here because there is a line where tough love becomes rudeness & arrogance, in my opinion.

I don't think we "baby" people on here. I prefer to try to get the person to challenge their thinking, if I can. If that's enabling then all those posts saying to see a doctor about something totally unlikely are worse in the reassurance stakes and how can CBT be conducted with challenging our thinking?

In the case of the OP, she had worries over her Mirtazapine causing QT prolongation and had been told by her doctors that it does? Show me where though? None of the professional databases used by such people even mention it. The OP showed me a link to a PubMed case where someone died on Mirt but there is not one recorded case of a Mirt death recorded pre/post licencing. They have to record these things. The case showed the deceased used Sertraline as well and Sert does have recorded death rates and QT prolongation issues recorded by these professional sources.

So, it's confusing for someone trying to trust their doctors when they are contradicting a drugs database that your FDA have an input to. Are localised services not reporting things? Or is it possible the doctor is incorrect? I vote the latter and I have seen 2 recent threads where psychiatrists have said "that is a recorded side effect" to look it up and see it listed by the manufacter in the leaflet they put in the box. :doh:

Things like that are bound to cause some issues in someone who needs to work hard to remove reassurance-seeking behaviour as well as not believing doctors, if the latter is part of their anxiety.

Professionals are needed by us all on here, but accessing them isn't easy. We have to wait over here and once you've had it, you may not be able to access more for a time. These people are bound to end up in charity support groups or forums. I used to attend a support group and they managed the sessions so what you see on this board just didn't happen. However, this is not possible here so it's up to us members really to do what we can for each other.

No one is recommending against seeking professional help, although I take exception in cases like my example above as it's a waste of public money, and we all want each other to get better and have the lives we should have. If by posting we are stopping someone accessing treatment, then everyone on here will be guilty of that at some point. As long as we are working towards getting the person to challenge their thinking and seeking help, if they need it or even can in some cases, then what's wrong with that? Otherwise, we might as well just say "see your doctor" on every post.

I don't believe in using negative words to describe behaviour. I learnt that to be counterproductive. If it works for some, that's up to you, but it's not what we are told we need to do to recover where we are advised against labelling ourselves in negatives or in use of negative wording such as "should" instead of "could" because we need to work towards positive/neutral and ditch the old negatives that so often are involved in things like our Cognitive Distortions.

I remember another technique that can be employed with reassurance-seeking behaviour in OCD whereby you don't allow yourself to engage in discussion with the person about the context of their obsession, or at least in a negative way. So, if someone approaches you to seek it, you change the subject or change it to get them to look at it from another angle other than the typical anxious one e.g. moving towards what you can do as opposed to talking about symptoms. It's impossible on here though but they used to do this in the support groups I went to if someone was getting stuck on a subject to often.

There will be some that agree with you completely, some will agree partially, some will be unsure and some (like me) that disagree with you. The issue has come up various times before, often after arguments on the forum about how certain prolific posters have been treated, and it also comes out mixed from what I've seen.
I understand your view point completely. However if one can't even begin to rationalize away their fears, how will anything short of a professional intervention help them?

[tiredofthis14]

thank you for your replies
i do get i have tests done and dont always believe the outcome
but i do want to point out the point to my post was to ask others opinions from there experiences regarding 'the structual heart defects' i know im not a professional and neither are people on here but other people have had similiar fears
i have no idea if the tests i have had would pick up a structal problem with my heart i come here so i dont google i didnt want to start an argument im just terrified of sudden death and going threw a really bad time with anxiety im on waiting lists for therapy but im just trying to get threw each day

[MyNameIsTerry]

I understand your view point completely. However if one can't even begin to rationalize away their fears, how will anything short of a professional intervention help them?

What sort of intervention are you expecting though? Over here, unless you are a danger to yourself or others, intervention is you going to your GP and getting 10 minutes of their time. You may get referred for CBT, or told to self refer and/or you may get handed a prescription for a drug that the prescriber probably doesn't even understand much about. Some get less than that or long waits of up to 18 months for CBT.

That's not my definition of professional intervention and a GP will be next to no use in challenging your thinking, they most likely will only know what CBT is, not how you do it.

What do people do with all that waiting time? Probably join places like this or turn to the charities that are filling the enormous gaps in our mental health services?

I had professional intervention and learned more later by joining a charity about the very CBT I was supposed to be having. I did the rest on my own. Whilst I wouldn't advocate that as being the right way, it is sadly not always a choice we have over here.

I learnt to overcome the irrational. Before that I was a wreck shaking on the sofa afraid of even brushing my teeth. Sadly, the meds did that to me and my doctor was little use in getting me out of that.

I respect your view but I don't agree. Maybe it's a difference in health systems?

---------- Post added at 06:49 ---------- Previous post was at 06:30 ----------


i didnt want to start an argument im just terrified of sudden death and going threw a really bad time with anxiety im on waiting lists for therapy but im just trying to get threw each day

Don't worry about that, people just want to help but we are obviously all going to have our own opinions. The one thing everyone will always agree on is how it is upsetting to see someone struggling, we remember what we went or are still going through and how we all want to support each other.

[tiredofthis14]

thank you i have to agree you have to wait up to 10 days for app with gp all they give me is sedatives iv fought for therapy for 4 yrs i wasnt this bad to begin with id pay privately but i cant afford it

id give my left arm or right lol to not have irrational fears but with this for example i am so terrified i can not function i originally went for a stress ecg as i have svt they told me at the appointment i didnt need echo as it was normal then i recieved an app for an echo so my mind is running wild and i am terrified maybe iv been worrying about the electrical part of my heart but not the structual i know it sounds ridiculous but im terrified il drop dead in next 2 weeks from an undetected heart abnormality

[Nicholebear]

What sort of intervention are you expecting though? Over here, unless you are a danger to yourself or others, intervention is you going to your GP and getting 10 minutes of their time. You may get referred for CBT, or told to self refer and/or you may get handed a prescription for a drug that the prescriber probably doesn't even understand much about. Some get less than that or long waits of up to 18 months for CBT.

That's not my definition of professional intervention and a GP will be next to no use in challenging your thinking, they most likely will only know what CBT is, not how you do it.

What do people do with all that waiting time? Probably join places like this or turn to the charities that are filling the enormous gaps in our mental health services?

I had professional intervention and learned more later by joining a charity about the very CBT I was supposed to be having. I did the rest on my own. Whilst I wouldn't advocate that as being the right way, it is sadly not always a choice we have over here.

I learnt to overcome the irrational. Before that I was a wreck shaking on the sofa afraid of even brushing my teeth. Sadly, the meds did that to me and my doctor was little use in getting me out of that.

I respect your view but I don't agree. Maybe it's a difference in health systems?

---------- Post added at 06:49 ---------- Previous post was at 06:30 ----------



Don't worry about that, people just want to help but we are obviously all going to have our own opinions. The one thing everyone will always agree on is how it is upsetting to see someone struggling, we remember what we went or are still going through and how we all want to support each other.

Here you can get an appointment like its nothing.
When I went in to get my birth control changed they wrote me referral to a therapist, but I never followed through with it.

They also prescribe anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications for everything.

My boyfriend went to the doctor because he'd had a persistent abdominal pain and was concerned he had gallstones. He never even actually saw the doctor, only a nurse that asked him a few questions, didn't run any tests, then told him he was depressed and prescribed him Zoloft. He took one, just for kicks, and it gave him nightmares. Never took it again.

I guess I'm so used to it being so easily accessible here, I really didn't know it was a challenge in your country.

[tiredofthis14]

its a nightmare im so bad at the moment i presented to emergency department as i wanted to kill myself they didnt want to help me at all :(

[Nicholebear]

its a nightmare im so bad at the moment i presented to emergency department as i wanted to kill myself they didnt want to help me at all :(

It's completely unfair they're doing this to you there, I feel like an ass now, I assumed that people that didn't seek help were doing it on purpose, I didn't know it was a huge struggle to get the help you need. Here it's virtually shoved down your throat, and there are many people on medication that don't even need it.

Are there any suicide hotlines in England??? There has to be something. Call a friend or family member please don't contemplate taking your life!

[tiredofthis14]

its okay people dont realise how bad mental health care is here
iv been desperate for help since this started it started after a doctor misdiagnosed me telling me i had a clot on my lung and i was going to die! i didnt have a blood clot but it scared the living hell out of me

iv begged for help on my knees before in the past im told to take sedatives and get over it
im currently on a waiting list for cbt but this could take up to a year other then sedatives iv not been given any other help

i know the fears seem irrational to everyone but to me at the moment i literally believe with my whole heart that im going to die suddenly and leave my two beautiful children without a mum

[Gary A]

its okay people dont realise how bad mental health care is here
iv been desperate for help since this started it started after a doctor misdiagnosed me telling me i had a clot on my lung and i was going to die! i didnt have a blood clot but it scared the living hell out of me

iv begged for help on my knees before in the past im told to take sedatives and get over it
im currently on a waiting list for cbt but this could take up to a year other then sedatives iv not been given any other help

i know the fears seem irrational to everyone but to me at the moment i literally believe with my whole heart that im going to die suddenly and leave my two beautiful children without a mum

A doctor told you that you had a blood clot in your lung and you were going to die? I have to say that's a pretty remarkable claim. What was the doctors reason for telling you this? What tests were ran and what were the findings that led them to such a conclusion?


If you've been given no treatment other than sedatives then I strongly suggest you seek another doctor. In the UK, you can simply join another practice or request to see another doctor in your own surgery. There are many many forms of treatment for mental health, sedatives are designed to deliver momentary relief of symptoms, but there are various other treatments designed to manage the symptoms on a longer term basis.

Any doctor, of course, should know that.

[MyNameIsTerry]

The OP is just withdrawing cold turkey from Mirt...after advice from doctors and the hospital that I regard as dubious given there is no mention of what they claim on the medical databases these people use.

[Fishmanpa]

An ECG only records the electrical activity of the heart.:)

And can detect previous damage as well as send up red flags that would warrant further testing as it did in both my heart issues and further testing confirmed it. Since the OP's fear came up "suddenly, out of nowhere", it would indicate an irrational fear due to a very high state of anxiety.

Positive thoughts

[tiredofthis14]

i have no idea what possessed the doctor to make the statement he did id had a missed miscarriage at 3 months the day before i attended hospital thinking i was having an astma attack ..after everything that happend it turned out to be my first anxiety attack

iv since discussed with mental health doctor and im starting back on the mirtazapine to be honest im in such a bad place i dont give two hoots about risks

im literally a mess my worries are switching ridiculously had to see gp this morn as i have a chest infection that wont clear. he commented on how fast my pulse was ...i came absolotly convinced i have myocarditis i know this probly all sounds ridiculous to you all but iv never been in the place im in now and all knowlesgdge iv previously had on coping is not working .
they think there maybe something else going on and are now wanting to test my thyroid im just exausted im in a massive state of anxiety from the minute i wake to minute i sleep
i attennded a relaxation therapy today which unfortuently ended prematurely as i was violently sick due to cough

thank you for your responses i know how stupid i must sound to you all

[Fishmanpa]

its okay people dont realise how bad mental health care is here.... i literally believe with my whole heart that im going to die suddenly and leave my two beautiful children without a mum

Yes, the systems are different and it's difficult to get help unless you can afford to go private.

I also understand you're dealing with coming off a med and that only adds to your anxiety with the symptoms that causes.
Many like yourself express the fear of leaving their family but by being in such a state, you're essentially doing that already.

In the mean time, while you're waiting for CBT, you do have the option of self help in the form of books, downloadable CBT workbooks and sheets or a course you can follow. There are meditation CDs and videos that can help you relax and enable you to focus. You can do things to reduce stress like walking, listening to music or watching a funny show or movie to help you laugh a little :) Even with therapy, it's up to the patient to do the necessary work to achieve positive results.

Start with just one of those things... perhaps instead of being on-line posting, Googling and feeding your anxiety, take a walk today. Breath in some fresh air. Take notice of the flowers, the sky, the sounds of children laughing and all the other things that are currently being blocked out by your anxiety and be thankful you're alive and physically healthy :)

Positive thoughts

[tiredofthis14]

thank you very much for your reply as always your always lovely
i do have the relaxation therapy discs i use daily
i use online cbt and have worksheets
im actually starting back on the mirtazapine i cant cope off of the medication and the physch doctor assured me the reasons the doc at hospital told me to stop was over the top

mornings are my hardest my problem is when im this bad i wake in a panic im convinced i have something at the moment that being myocarditis due to a chest infection that wont clear currently on second cause of antibiotics
well in my head i justify its better to be safe then sorry and usually go and get checked out however i know this is just feeding the anxiety and i one never believe the doctor or quickly find something else to worry bout
but im terrified of ignoring the fact my chest so bad and im so breathless it feels like im risking my life it awful :(
its the constant but what if ... i know myocarditis isnt a common illness but i feel like im at risk one as i have had a chest infection for weeks ...two im so breathless and my pulse is continously fast....but low and behold breathlessness and tachacardia are also symptoms of anxiety its hell pure torture

[jessicalittler79]

Some ppl who dont have heart anxitey can and will never understand

[ServerError]

Some ppl who dont have heart anxitey can and will never understand

It doesn't really matter what form of anxiety you have. I went through a really bad fear of serious mental illness. It might have been a different concern, but I know what it is to have a crippling health fear. Don't write people off because their fear is different to yours.

[Fishmanpa]

Some ppl who dont have heart anxitey can and will never understand

I've had two heart attacks, triple bypass and stents. I know about heart fears. It was the reason for my first bout of depression. I also have angina and I'll be the first to admit I break out in a sweat when I start getting chest pains. BUT... I know for a fact my heart is Ok due to tests and my cardiologist. Tests don't lie... 1 + 1 will always = 2 and there are no "what ifs". I have nitro I can take when I get angina pain. I also know full well when it's beyond angina (if the pill doesn't alleviate or lessen the symptoms) and can act logically and accordingly. I sought professional help and took meds for 6 months for the depression after my first heart attack and surgery and have successfully overcome it. I also sought help for my "scanxiety" and have meds I can take if needed and have successfully overcome it. Those techniques have served me well in my everyday life and the stressful situations that arise.

So, when I read of someone with heart fears, I do get it. I also understand the tests don't lie. Unfortunately anxiety lies it's ass off and tries to convince an otherwise physically healthy person that their gravely ill when in fact that's not the case.

Tired, your reply shows me some clarity and that you're aware of what's happening and are doing what you need to do. This is a blip. Keep on working at it. You'll get there.

Positive thoughts

[MyNameIsTerry]

It doesn't really matter what form of anxiety you have. I went through a really bad fear of serious mental illness. It might have been a different concern, but I know what it is to have a crippling health fear. Don't write people off because their fear is different to yours.

Absolutely. It doesn't matter whether a fear is about a balloon or your heart, the anxiety we feel can be the same. Otherwise we get into how some people are worse than others based purely on content instead of severity.

---------- Post added at 23:01 ---------- Previous post was at 22:59 ----------

OP - I'm glad you have spoken to a better doctor. You need help through this and just taking someone off a med with no follow up plan is just poor.