TaylorC
04-07-16, 12:11
For the past few weeks, I’ve really been trying to recover from my anxiety.
I’ve had a pretty difficult couple of months. It all started with chest pain – pain in the left side of the chest specifically.
This was something I hadn’t experienced since I was 16 – I’m 28 now. Nothing in my life at the time was particular stressful, so I was pretty confused by the chest pains.
Anyway, rather than brushing it off I focused on it – and it made me really anxious. I felt short of breath, tired, my left arm hurt, my hands tingled etc.
I thought something was wrong with my heart.
For some reason I didn’t visit the doctors right away, which only worsened my anxiety.
After a couple of weeks I finally visited the doctor. They gave me an ECG, which looked normal.
I thought that would be it and that I’d accept everything would be fine, but it wasn’t. I still felt that something was wrong with my heart.
I felt tired all the time and breathless. My chest felt really heavy too and my heartbeat seemed to be either really weak or strong for no apparent reason.
I even posted on this forum for the first time, seeking reassurance. I searched around this forum too.
But that didn’t work either – especially when I came across this thread
"Turns out I had severe Aortic Valve Regurgitation and a water hammer pulse with bouts of Afib.
I'm post-op now OHS 5 days and I have a new mechanical valve.
I had the bentall procedure to replace the valve and root.
A lot of my symptoms have subsided and I've had very consistent vitals!
Chest hurts like hell, though. Lol."
The person in the thread was the same age as me and was getting similar symptoms to me and it turns out they did have a heart issue that was missed on the ECG, and my worst fears seemed to be confirmed.
So, I went back to the doctor and they sent me for blood tests, and I found out I’m B12 deficient – hence the tiredness. The doctor also referred me for a 24 hour heart monitor – which I’m not getting until August – although he listened to my chest and said it sounded fine.
The past few days, however, have been a real struggle. The pain and heaviness is now more in the middle of my chest, which freaks me out because I know that’s where the pain is when you have a heart issue.
Anyway, what I’ve realized over the past couple of months is that no matter how much you seek reassurance from others, if you can’t accept yourself that there’s nothing wrong with you, then you will continue to be miserable.
For example, when this new bout of anxiety started up in May, I felt really short of breath all the time, like someone was choking me from the inside and crushing my chest at the same time. So, I visited the doctors and they said my oxygen levels were fine and that it was just anxiety.
Anyway, I still felt short of breath despite the doctor’s reassurance.
But, then I said to myself I’m not going to let this scare me anymore. It’s nothing but a symptom of anxiety and when I accept it and no longer fear it, then I’ll feel better, and I did. The breathlessness symptom went away.
At the moment, I feel a bit stuck with the chest symptoms. One part of me feels like I’ve only had one ECG, which might not have picked up a defect or something with my heart and that if my body feels a certain way I should listen to it.
But, another part of me feels like, okay you’re a 28 year old who has never smoked, who isn’t overweight, and who has had an ECG which came back fine – you’re fine.
For one day, I’d just like to accept that the feelings in my chest are anxiety and then see what happens. But, right now it’s such a struggle for me to do that.
I don’t want to go down the path of getting a ton of tests done, if they are unnecessary and if in fact the symptoms are caused by anxiety.
But, then I think what if the symptoms aren’t anxiety and the tests do show something?
I guess I’m struggling right now. But I know that seeking reassurance and worrying about my symptoms won’t help me to recover.
Accepting symptoms and no longer fearing them can be really tough, but it’s the best way to deal with things I feel.
Do you guys feel like accepting symptoms as harmless is the best way to deal with them?
I’ve had a pretty difficult couple of months. It all started with chest pain – pain in the left side of the chest specifically.
This was something I hadn’t experienced since I was 16 – I’m 28 now. Nothing in my life at the time was particular stressful, so I was pretty confused by the chest pains.
Anyway, rather than brushing it off I focused on it – and it made me really anxious. I felt short of breath, tired, my left arm hurt, my hands tingled etc.
I thought something was wrong with my heart.
For some reason I didn’t visit the doctors right away, which only worsened my anxiety.
After a couple of weeks I finally visited the doctor. They gave me an ECG, which looked normal.
I thought that would be it and that I’d accept everything would be fine, but it wasn’t. I still felt that something was wrong with my heart.
I felt tired all the time and breathless. My chest felt really heavy too and my heartbeat seemed to be either really weak or strong for no apparent reason.
I even posted on this forum for the first time, seeking reassurance. I searched around this forum too.
But that didn’t work either – especially when I came across this thread
"Turns out I had severe Aortic Valve Regurgitation and a water hammer pulse with bouts of Afib.
I'm post-op now OHS 5 days and I have a new mechanical valve.
I had the bentall procedure to replace the valve and root.
A lot of my symptoms have subsided and I've had very consistent vitals!
Chest hurts like hell, though. Lol."
The person in the thread was the same age as me and was getting similar symptoms to me and it turns out they did have a heart issue that was missed on the ECG, and my worst fears seemed to be confirmed.
So, I went back to the doctor and they sent me for blood tests, and I found out I’m B12 deficient – hence the tiredness. The doctor also referred me for a 24 hour heart monitor – which I’m not getting until August – although he listened to my chest and said it sounded fine.
The past few days, however, have been a real struggle. The pain and heaviness is now more in the middle of my chest, which freaks me out because I know that’s where the pain is when you have a heart issue.
Anyway, what I’ve realized over the past couple of months is that no matter how much you seek reassurance from others, if you can’t accept yourself that there’s nothing wrong with you, then you will continue to be miserable.
For example, when this new bout of anxiety started up in May, I felt really short of breath all the time, like someone was choking me from the inside and crushing my chest at the same time. So, I visited the doctors and they said my oxygen levels were fine and that it was just anxiety.
Anyway, I still felt short of breath despite the doctor’s reassurance.
But, then I said to myself I’m not going to let this scare me anymore. It’s nothing but a symptom of anxiety and when I accept it and no longer fear it, then I’ll feel better, and I did. The breathlessness symptom went away.
At the moment, I feel a bit stuck with the chest symptoms. One part of me feels like I’ve only had one ECG, which might not have picked up a defect or something with my heart and that if my body feels a certain way I should listen to it.
But, another part of me feels like, okay you’re a 28 year old who has never smoked, who isn’t overweight, and who has had an ECG which came back fine – you’re fine.
For one day, I’d just like to accept that the feelings in my chest are anxiety and then see what happens. But, right now it’s such a struggle for me to do that.
I don’t want to go down the path of getting a ton of tests done, if they are unnecessary and if in fact the symptoms are caused by anxiety.
But, then I think what if the symptoms aren’t anxiety and the tests do show something?
I guess I’m struggling right now. But I know that seeking reassurance and worrying about my symptoms won’t help me to recover.
Accepting symptoms and no longer fearing them can be really tough, but it’s the best way to deal with things I feel.
Do you guys feel like accepting symptoms as harmless is the best way to deal with them?