Anxiety/GP worries - advice please!

[chrissy87]

I've been a member for a few months and found NMP an amazing help when I was suffering from severe panic attacks. I may sound terrible for admitting this but I kind of forgot about the site for a while (I'm sorry!) but now I'm back.

Full blown panic attacks have now gone away - I'm still quite anxious most of the time and suffer from mild panic attacks - none as bad as before. The last really bad one I had was at the end of February (woo!). Fact is, I still get them and they still debilitate me. I'm unable to sleep properly because I'm insanely worried about arm pain, tingling, slight chest pains...everything really. Usually I find it hard to sleep because just as I am drifting off or sometimes even when I've just closed my eyes because I WANT to drift off - my breathing changes and I feel like I'm breathing far too slowly. As soon as I open my eyes, it's fine but I am still left with random pains/aches/tingles which I of course think is something more. I usually sleep with either 999 or NHS Direct's number typed in on my phone so if I need to I can just press the call button. It doesn't help that I do not get on with any of my flatmates - to the extent that I would rather call 999 than wake them up in the middle of the night to ask for help.

Although I have not had a full blown panic attack in a few months, I am still getting the odd pains and aches that definitely don't feel right. My anxiety symptoms often change. Does this happen with anyone else? Sometimes it'll be a pain in my inner left arm and the middle or left side of my chest (we all know what I think I'm having at the time) sometimes it'll be tingling and a dull ache on the left side of my entire body...again...we all know. Sometimes it's just a really odd tingling sensation in my upper back.

I went to see my GP who was quick to put all my symptoms down to anxiety as soon as I mentioned panic attacks. Which, fair enough, it probably is. But he never mentioned doing any tests to be absolutely sure. He said - "you're 20 years old, you don't have angina and you're not going to have a heart attack."

I still smoke heavily (I know, I know) and am overweight. I've also started the contraceptive injection which you shouldn't be on if you're prone to blood clots etc. I don't know if I am, but I'm paranoid that I am! The only substantial changes I have made to my lifestyle is taking up a bit more exercise (only because I now have a job that involves brisk walking...everywhere...for the entire shift) and cutting down on alcohol (I very very rarely drink now) and massively cutting down on/some days cutting out completely - my usual 300 cups of tea a day. I am going to focus more on changing my lifestyle as I know this will not only help my anxiety but my general health! But for now, I'd like to know if anything is wrong with me. I know for most people it's as simple as ringing up your doc for an appointment and saying you want to be sure, but every time I have been to see mine he passes my symptoms off as anxiety straight away. Any advice? What kind of tests should I be asking for?

Sorry for the long waffling post! Hopefully someone will read it!

Good to be back.

[xBettyBoopx]

Hi Chrissy

I know you don't wanna hear this, but at your young age, it's got to be anxiety and panic, which is why the dr is not sending you for any tests. You are so young and if he thought there was anything sinister, he would send you for tests.

It's good to see that you are thinking positively and going to change your lifestyle, that should help tremendously.

I also gets aches and pains in my arms and legs, well everywhere in my body really:mad: :mad: Pains in the arms can be frightening, especially if you're over-anxious anyway, bet you think that you're having a stroke, heart attack or you've got angina? I always think that, and if I had a penny for every thought I'd be a millionaire!

Please try not to worry, you are still so young.

Sorry I couldn't be more help:mad:

Take care

Elspeth

[Trixie]

The more we focus on these aches and pains the worse they get but it is easier said than done.

Fortunately I don't think about my health in this way (I get severe bouts of diverticulitis which sometimes require me to go into hospital. I had a operation on my back and I have a brain tumour) but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

But thank goodness we are all different. I do think giving up the fags and loosing weight would help (and I speak there as a fat person who has had to struggle to loose 3 stone and has a lot more to go).

We all get niggly pains which are really nothing at all, try not to get worried about them which I said before is easier said than done.

My anxiety is focused on my oldest cats health.:scared15:

[sheba2]

Hi there.

Like others have said it is highly unlikely that you have anything wrong with you at all. If you really want some reassurance and can afford it why not have one of those BUPA health checks or similar. I think the biggest thing you could do is give up smoking get more exercise and definately knock the 300 cups of tea on the head. I know how difficult it is to make these changes and of course they aren't going to happen overnight. When I gave up smoking I was given a list of how your body improves from the time of your last ciggarette. eg after so many minutes your bp returns to normal. After an hour certain levels of poison have gone. After a few days your lungs begin to get rid of the tar and so on. I really found this was a huge incentive to keep going as it was a definite progress. I've now been stopped for 8 years and am working towards that last goal of 10 years smoke free means I'm classed as a non smoker. I hope this helps a little good luck.

[chrissy87]

Can't really afford anything at the moment! I WAS a student and now I'm working and living pay day to pay day.
Nice one on quitting smoking though, that's incredible.
Thanks for everyones reassurance. It's good to hear.
I'd still like to get checked out so I'll look into the BUPA thing.
Cheers!