Scared doctors are incorrect.

[DyingSinceBirth]

I have suffered from health anxiety for years. Since I was a child(hence my username). A lot of this has to do with growing up with my father being chronically ill whilst being a single father and being neglected as a child as a result. Over the last 4 years I have managed my health anxiety with medication(clonazepam) and been able to have a job and relationships with women and a somewhat regular social life. This all changed a little over 2 months ago. I was diagnosed with covid and had a mild course with minimal symptoms. However my first day being released from quarantine I had an episode in line at a thrift store where I became dizzy, weak, shaky and suddenly couldn’t breathe. This continued usually only in stores for a couple of weeks. Then the dizziness shakiness and weakness became continuous. I went to the emergency room and had ekg, bloods, and a chest x ray. They determined I was in good health with a good oxygen level and blood levels all normal suggesting my symptoms were anxiety related. My doctor upon follow up believes no further testing is necessary and has referred me to a psychiatrist and is trying a new medication to help. I still feel as though they may be missing something and fear my health is at risk. Anybody with similar experiences? :/ I’m so scared and have stopped going to work for almost 2 weeks now and I am almost completely bedridden although I can walk.

[nomorepanic]

It does sound like anxiety to me and because you joined this site I would say that you believe that as well.

So why not try and treat that first and foremost.

You do need to get things sorted though before they get worse.

[DyingSinceBirth]

I do think it’s anxiety. Especially since I was googling while I was ill and reading horror stories of long covid. Also I seem to have associated situations with anxiety. This furthering my anxiety with anticipated panic. For instance my bouts of dizziness began at work around the same time everyday. My logical mind tells me that is a sign that is exclusive to anxiety and not other health conditions. But I still have that underlying fear and cannot stop over monitoring and ruminating on the possibility of an underlying condition. Waiting to hear back from psychiatrist for an appointment and trying the new medication that the doctor suggested. At the moment I am scared to leave the house and driving makes my symptoms worse(another indication that it is anxiety).

[NoraB]

I have suffered from health anxiety for years. Since I was a child(hence my username).

Ah! I thought you were stating the obvious? We've all been dying since birth! It's the only cert there is in life, well that and taxes..


They determined I was in good health with a good oxygen level and blood levels all normal suggesting my symptoms were anxiety related. My doctor upon follow up believes no further testing is necessary and has referred me to a psychiatrist and is trying a new medication to help. I still feel as though they may be missing something and fear my health is at risk. Anybody with similar experiences? :/ I’m so scared and have stopped going to work for almost 2 weeks now and I am almost completely bedridden although I can walk.

You had a panic attack in a store, and the next time your brain remembered that you'd felt poorly in a store, so the fight or flight response kicked in - hence panic attacks predominantly in stores.

Get out of bed cocker. It'll do you no good to lie in there scaring yourself silly. Get up, move about and discharge some of that adrenalin.

[Carys]

You had a panic attack in a store, and the next time your brain remembered that you'd felt poorly in a store, so the fight or flight response kicked in - hence panic attacks predominantly in stores.

Spot on, you've saved my typing it. :)