Maybe not anxiety?!

[cankat]

Having been told by various doctors that my symptoms (heart related) are 'just' anxiety, I decided to try CBT.

I was recommended a counsellor and phoned her just now to make an appointment. We had quite a long talk on the phone and when I described exactly what had happened (heart set racing when lignocaine was sprayed in my throat 2 months ago and not been right since then) and after asking me lots of questions about my symptoms and progress, she said, 'Well, I think it's something physiological.' She said she wasn't at all sure it was anxiety and didn't want to take my money without getting more information from some medical friends of hers.

Now I don't know what to think! I have been trying to convince myself it's anxiety because that's all that the medical profession has been able to come up with so far, and now the one person who I would have expected to say, 'Yes, it's anxiety,' has said that she doesn't think it is! I don't know whether that's good or bad! :shrug:

Anyway, I have a contingency appointment for Thursday but she's going to phone me on Wednesday to talk about what she's managed to find out and decide whether I really need therapy. In the meantime I'm to keep a detailed diary of symptoms etc.

Feeling all confused now, so just wanted to share.
Cx

[Emira7]

Hey

I would be very confused if I was you, sometimes I think health professionals can be unprofessional at times with comments made that may seem flippent to them and throw away remarks, but for HA sufferers its a nightmare.

Who do you trust? Thats the question.

I hope you get answers hunny, and I so don't envy the position you have been put in

xx

[Bunty]

Hello

I've had real problems with Doctors always putting everything down to stress and anxiety. It's really annoying.
I think it's a good thing that she's told you. If she says its definately physiological then your doctor will have to do tests. I would be positive about this. It seems to me that sometimes it's easier to treat physical problems.
It also shows that the counsellor is very good. She could have just booked to see you anyway to make the money.
I would see this as a positive step.

Good luck!
Bunty

[cankat]

I don't really know who to trust, but at the moment I have more faith in the counsellor who seems to have my best interests at heart and a real concern to find out what's wrong, rather than the doctors who just seem to want to get rid of me. The counsellor was very surprised when I told her that one doctor had actually said that it's impossible for lignocaine to affect the heart because it's not absorbed. She said, 'Anything sprayed in the throat is absorbed,' which is what I thought but didn't have the nerve to say to the doctor! Even though I've had various tests done I still feel as though the docs aren't actually listening to what I'm saying.

I'll let you know what she says on Wednesday. I also now have an appointment with a cardiologist on 17 April (which is a looooong way away!) so I might be able to go armed with a professional opinion other than anxiety...

Cx

[aliciajane]

I think both the doctor and your counsellor may be right here!
Anxiety, panics and HA can be due to pshycological reasons, which your counsellor can go over and help you with.
My therapist realised how my HA was due to pshycological reasons (fears about the future, changes in my life etc), so it's definitely possible.
Take care,

xax

[EarthMother]

Good for you in checking on all of the bases. In my own case I do have organic causes for many of my symptoms (including thyroid disease and dysautonomia etc.)

For years I went round and round trying to "figure" it all out -- like which came first the chicken or the egg? Now I just try to relax into whatever the diagnosis of the day seems to be and realize that while my symptoms may be caused by perimenapause, a chronic virus or the like ... they are still anxiety symptoms and I have to deal with them on their own merrit.
And whether the "doctors" figure this one out or they don't ... I can trust my body and mind to heal, in their own time.

Good luck on your healing journey.
~EM

[AtmoLav]

Isn't lignocaine a local anasthetic?

I'm no doctor, but I'd be very surprised if it would affect your heart. I would also hazard a guess that a doctor is better placed to advise you on medical issues than a councillor. My golden rule of thumb is that if your symptoms come and go, or go away when you stop thinking about them, you can be fairly sure it's anxiety....

Good luck, let us know how it goes.