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View Full Version : I know my heart is fine.



Chrysoprase
25-02-17, 06:09
First off: I'm posting this here not for medical advice, but just mostly so I have a way to lay out my thoughts as I haven't got anyone around to talk to about this at 1am.

My problem: my left arm is sore and I have a pain in my back. Being incredibly health anxious I immediately leapt to "heart attack" without Google even helping. I'm now getting a pain under my left rib and that's making it much worse in terms of panic.

I've taken a long bubble bath and had some aromatherapy candles on, tried distracting myself with crafts and TV, even checked my pulse and blood pressure to be sure all is well. The pain is still there so I'm still in panic mode.

At one point tonight I thought about going to the hospital over the panic. But I managed to not let myself do that.

How I'm trying to reassure myself:
-I'm only 30, so chances aren't too high that I'd be having heart trouble. It's possible but unlikely especially since I have no bad health history.
-I spent all day sitting at a desk working, which could've caused the pain.
-yesterday I was awake for 24 hours straight and at the emergency vet with my dog who was very sick. The pain could be coming from tension leftover from all that.
-when I sit down at the desk again the pain worsens. Probably related to that.
-I have diagnosed IBS so the rib pain is probably from that, as it always had been before.
-hubby is a nurse and he's not worried.

Logically I know all of the above is true, but it sure is hard to believe it when in in the middle of a huge panic. My poor husband often wonders why I don't believe his experienced medical advice. I wish I could!

I'm not asking for a diagnosis or anything--just wanted to talk it out to people who get it. Thank you

beatroon
25-02-17, 16:56
Hey there, what a logical, rational and great post! I'm so full of admiration for the ways in which you have talked yourself down from a ledge. I'm betting that by now you're feeling a lot better and calmer and are proud of having dealt with this blip in a non-anxious way. Sounds like your stress over your dog's illness was coming out in a physical way - nothing to be alarmed about. I did have to lol about not believing your hubby - my sister is a GP and even her support and advice doesn't help me believe it's not the worst possible outcome! I think that's just the way we're wired!

Chrysoprase
25-02-17, 19:51
Thank you so much for your reply! At the time of writing the post I was deeply in the midst of a panic attack, but one of the only things that really helps me is to lay out all the facts like that. At first my panicked mind doesn't believe them but after a while the logic starts to work.

And yes, I'm fine today, if a little exhausted from all that panic yesterday. And my dog is doing better too. :)