In a massive health anxiety spiral. Seeking therapy. Anemia?

[scared88]

Hello everyone, I'm in the throes of bad HA spiral! I'm so worried that my heart is failing, especially cause of heart valves. But I've had many doctors listen to my heart and heard nothing bad. My toes were cold today and that started me worrying about my circulation and anemia, last year I had a pharmacy measure my hemoglobin and it was 137 g/L just within the normal range. I'm now worried though that maybe it has dropped and that I'm now anemic which is causing my symptoms of cold toes and visible pulses!

[Fishmanpa]

Glad to hear you're seeking therapy! :yesyes: Keep us updated! Sad to hear you're falling into the rabbit hole :weep:

FMP

[scared88]

Glad to hear you're seeking therapy! :yesyes: Keep us updated! Sad to hear you're falling into the rabbit hole :weep:

FMP

Thank you. I need to find out a way to shift this from my mind. These pulsations are freaking me out, seeing them appear in my elbow after having Covid really freaked me out and tonight when my toes started to feel cold I remembered being a bit worried about my borderline numbers from last year

[Scared-to-human]

Did something start your anxiety to cause you to worry specifically about your heart? I have freezing cold toes all the time and honestly I can see my heart pulsing in loads of different places if that helps ease your anxiety at all ❤️

[Elise]

My toes are absolutely freezing all the time. Do you find you sit down a lot? As I believe that’s the cause of mine. It could just be the way we are built - I’ve had cold hands and feet since I can remember and nothings happened to me!

Anemia is very common, do you take iron supplements? They can help. Being anaemic is nothing to worry too much about. I know numerous people with it including myself, keep up to date with your checks and look into iron supplements, ask your GP about this first, you may not even have it.

Hearing your heart pulsate in places like your neck elbow etc is completely normal as far as I’m aware. You are hyper focusing on it because you have anxiety, you are having therapy for the anxiety. A brilliant and brave step. To reiterate what FMP said, do let us know how you get on. I have no doubt it will help you tremendously. Ps listen to your doctor, they said your heart sounds fine, it’s what they’re experts at after all.

[scared88]

Did something start your anxiety to cause you to worry specifically about your heart? I have freezing cold toes all the time and honestly I can see my heart pulsing in loads of different places if that helps ease your anxiety at all ❤️

I started seeing pulsations in my neck and chest, then my ankles and then most recently in my elbow crease. I had read about heart valve issues causing this and I spiraled out of control.
That does help though, thank you. Is it very visible?

[scared88]

My toes are absolutely freezing all the time. Do you find you sit down a lot? As I believe that’s the cause of mine. It could just be the way we are built - I’ve had cold hands and feet since I can remember and nothings happened to me!

Anemia is very common, do you take iron supplements? They can help. Being anaemic is nothing to worry too much about. I know numerous people with it including myself, keep up to date with your checks and look into iron supplements, ask your GP about this first, you may not even have it.

Hearing your heart pulsate in places like your neck elbow etc is completely normal as far as I’m aware. You are hyper focusing on it because you have anxiety, you are having therapy for the anxiety. A brilliant and brave step. To reiterate what FMP said, do let us know how you get on. I have no doubt it will help you tremendously. Ps listen to your doctor, they said your heart sounds fine, it’s what they’re experts at after all.

Thanks, I do have some iron supplements somewhere and yes I do sit down a lot.
I don't hear my pulse though, I can see it! Like I see the skin in my elbow crease wobble with each beat.

[Scared-to-human]

I started seeing pulsations in my neck and chest, then my ankles and then most recently in my elbow crease. I had read about heart valve issues causing this and I spiraled out of control.
That does help though, thank you. Is it very visible?
Yes very visible! It’s really weird but I just try to ignore it. I swear I’m so so aware of my pulse in diff places if I focus on it. I totally understand because I spiral about things too. I don’t think you have heart issues!! Just bad anxiety xxx

[scared88]

Yes very visible! It’s really weird but I just try to ignore it. I swear I’m so so aware of my pulse in diff places if I focus on it. I totally understand because I spiral about things too. I don’t think you have heart issues!! Just bad anxiety xxx

Thanks, where can you see your pulse?

[Fishmanpa]

Thanks, where can you see your pulse?

It. Doesn't. Matter! This is pure and simple reassurance seeking behavior. If you could see blood squirting out your body, yeah, I would be concerned. But to see your pulse by hyper-focusing on a body part? C'mon :lac:

FMP