Am I having a hearth attack/or just "imagining" the symptoms??

[dfairweather]

Suppose really I'm looking for some reassurance....I just want to know if aches and pains, almost not a pain but a sense of "something in the chest area, and a tightness in the chest are signs of anxiety?

My story is that a few weeks ago now I convinced myself that I had something really serious because I had a "lump" in my breast, I then had pins and needles in my hands and feet and a real sense of unwellness.. The lump turned out to be nothing and the pins and needles etc disappeared...

I then went to the dr's because I was convinced I had MS because of the pins and needles, my lovely dr sent me for full blood tests etc, got the results back early adn called me himself that day to say - nothing wrong with you whatsoever... and I felt fine since then.

On Saturday, I did the worse thing every for someone that suffers with acid reflux/indegestion and ate hot bacon rolls in the morning, having not taking my table that I am supposed to take daily for over a week... Then during the morning got a really bad pain across my chest, which I "think" was the indegestion kicking in, but was really bad - this then seemed to panic me, and neded up with back ache, arms and neck aching etc etc and I ptu down to having indegestion, coupled with anxiety because of the pain, then spent the whole day miserable and worried every time I even felt a twinge as thought I was going to have a heart attack!

I really dont know what to do with myself because its like even if I have an "ache" becuaes pulled a muscle or something I literally feel myself go "what was that" what does it mean, etc etc and I know its rediculous, but its becoming exhausting...

I'm sitting here now writing this and thinking I have back ache, a bit of a sore throat, the top of my arm aches and my chest feels a bit tight... Why cant I think back ache - bad chair, sore throat, air conditioning, arm ache, lifting buckets of water yesterday and chest tight because stressed.... I think - all joined up to gether and means something really serious....>!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated



:weep:

[judipat]

Hi

I'm sorry you are going through a bad time. The trouble with health anxiety, it can mimic all different kinds of health conditions etc and tricks us with the "very real" symptoms.
I've suffered for many years and during that time, I've had everything from brain tumors to MS - you name it, I've imagined it.
I think the key to overcoming or "accepting" health anxiety is to understand it. I think I've read every book thats been written on the subject and I also rely on this site and the people on it - because they are the ones that really know what your going through.
One good trick is, when you have a new symptom, ache, pain, whatever, try not to tense up and become afraid of it. Its not easy, but try and rationalise it - is it really acute pain???? is it unbearable???? is it constant???? If its not, try and relax and do some breathing excercises and say to yourself, right, if its still as bad tomorrow, i will go to the dr's. More often than not, it wont be as bad. Its the fear that makes things ten times worse because we tense all our muscles and it is usually muscle pain that we feel.
I hope this makes sense and that you feel better soon

Take care x

[sedalia]

Hello

I can't actually offer any advice but just wanted to tell you how much I can identify with you. I've always been a worrier but last year my health anxiety got really bad and I was convinced I had heart trouble too. It started a few months peviously when every couple of days for about 2 weeks, my heart seemed to miss a beat. I didn't have any more episodes but that was enough to make me aware of every single heart beat from then on, which of course made my anxiety worse, resulting in a rapid heartbeat which made me think I had heart trouble and it became a downward spiral I couldn't get out of.Things got so bad I got to the stage when I could hardly breathe as my chest felt so tight. It was at this stage I had my first panic attack. I normally avoid doctors but made myself an appointment and he said everything seemed normal but offered me an ecg to calm my fears. As soon as the results came back normal, my breathing and heartbeart "miraculously" returned to normal. Then, like you, I convinced myself I had MS. I can't even remember what brought that on now. But my second panic attack made me think I was having a stroke. I could go on endlessly, but I just wanted to tell you you are not alone. It really is frightning just what the power of the mind can do, and how it can manifest physical symptoms which are harmless but terrifying to people like us. I know what it's like to be in a blind panic about your health and nothing anyone says can put your mind at rest, but I hope somebody here can give you some support.