View Full Version : CAN IT REALLY BE??
Hi all
Im really seriously beginning to doubt whether i actually have anxiety at all.No,i'll rephrase that,i really dont think that my health issues are caused by anxiety.
I dont get panic attacks,i used to,but we are talking a couple of years ago.I remember the feelings i had/the fear etc and its just not like that at all now.I just feel really ill all of the time,i dont know whats going on and am in despair.
I dont know why i am posting this but i wanted to say it.
Sorry to all who read this drivel
Hunny x
nomorepanic
03-11-05, 22:48
Hunny
Try to tell me what and how you feel.
I don't get panic attacks but still get anxiety.
Have you had an "MOT" at the docs - all the blood tests etc - usually reassuring. If not then get them done.
Nicola
Hiya
Ok here goes
Constant tiredness,have very little energy
Chest pain(can be very intense,it scares me)
Dizziness
Breathlessness(also really scares me)
Generally feel worn out and unable to concentrate
Palpitations
I had heart tests in June(i didnt really have much chest pain at this point),last time my blood pressure was taken it was slightly raised but not very high.I had bloods taken in May(have no idea what)
I have had no blood tests for thyroid etc,but my GP seems to think im fine.
I have been back and forward to the Dr with this chest pain recently but as i said he is not concerned
I am at my wits end,i am really finding it hard to function
I do get very anxious about my health but onl because noone seems to be listening or doing anything to help me
Thanks for reading
Hunny x
Hi Hunny,
sorry you feel so horrible..I was exactly the same, i used to 'just' get panic attack, which in the end i learnt to deal with, then after that came the general anxiety constantly feeling ill. Heart pains, so terribly dizzy, palpitations tiredness the list is endless,it is only when i realised (and my goodness, it took long enough) that it is anxiety, and that it is possible for anxiety alone to cause these symptoms, that they started to ease off a little. Still now at times i cannot believe that being anxious (and most of the time i don't know why i'm nervous) can cause these symptoms without making me collapse and die or be damaged long term, still i live to tell the tale. Please be re-assured by your doctors, they rarely miss problems with the heart, so they will be feeling confident that you are ok (health wise) take care and keep in touch. xxxxxjean
Hi Hunny,
I had everything you describe except for the breathlessness.
It appears it was anxiety.
You can overcome it. :D
Cheers,
Trev
Thanks so much for your replies
Its this intense pain ive been having recently and the breathlessness thats worrying me most.The pain is on the left,under my breast and and side along where the bra line is(ish)
I do get anxious about my health,my mum was misdiagnosed and died young and it is such a waste of a life
Im so so sorry for going on
Hunny xx
Sorry to hear about your mum.
Don't apologise for "going on". I know how you feel and it's horrible. I had pains in left chest, shoulder, neck, down left arm. Pains varied from tight ones to sharp ones. Lasted several months and I worked myself into a right frenzy about it.
It's totally understandable for you to feel like you do. If you have been checked over fully by the docs there does come a time when you have to try and accept it. This is the first step really. I know it's not easy.
Hang in there and try to start distracting yourself in some way. You may find the pains go slightly if you can get absorbed in something else. This would be a good sign of anxiety related problems.
Cheers,
Trev :D
Hiya
Thanks for your support
My Dr says that pain doesnt automatically mean theres something to worry about,but im finding that difficult to believe.
I have had actual chest pain before,but this feels different,my husband thinks its muscular but because of the feeling i gat and the location i really dont think it is
How are you?Are you well?
Hunny xx
Hi Hunny,
Forgive me for my comment about doctors earlier, i didn't mean to sound flippant, and am so sorry about your dear mum. I lost my mum many years back (and gave birth to our 3rd baby three hours later) so never grieved etc..and when the symptoms started i just assumed i was going to die like mum, had never even heard of panic/anxiety then. I always say, if i knew then what i know now, i am sure i would never have let it escalate to this! This was many years ago, and i'm not saying you will suffer for years, you will get better, things will ease up, i found that by accepting that, maybe, just maybe this is anxiety, that it got a very LITTLE bit easier, sorry if i offended you, keep in touch love jean xxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Hunny,
I'm fine thanks.
If you've been given the all clear then the pains are most likely caused by muscular tension. I found this impossible to believe at first but try tensing a leg muscle for 5 mins and if you manage it for that long you'll be doing better than me! :D
Point is, feel how much that leg muscle now aches afterwards. I believe that this is what we do when we are anxious about a problem, our health etc. We tense our body and breath poorly without realising it. Have you ever tried yoga?
I went to hatha yoga where they teach you to relax. Sounds easy doesn't it? But just try laying on the floor and TOTALLY relaxing your muscles. I bet you'll think you've done it but just lay there and really try to feel like you are melting into the floor. As if your limbs are extremely heavy. I bet you'll find another layer of relaxation / letting go that you never knew was there. Persevere with this one if you don't get it at first and I think you'll know what I mean.
It took me about 3 months to be able to lie on the floor for 10 mins without tensing some part of my shoulders and neck. I was constantly twitching about and worrying about the pains. And guess what, the more I thought and worried about them, the more they came and the worse they got!!
Are you getting regular exercise as well? This really helped me. Just started with short walks and built up to gym stuff.
Cheers,
Trev
Hi
Jean..You did not offend me at all,you have always been very supportive and i am grateful for that.
Trev..I did used to go to the gym,but pushed it so far that i collapsed one day and now scared to go back.I really would like to try yoga though,will look into it.
On the pain front,it has got worse,this is def not anxiety based,i have an appt with Dr later this morning,i am terrified as usual!!
Hunny xx
Hi Hunny,
How did you get on at the doctors, ok i hope? It's always best to get checked out to put your mind at rest, or to be treated for something rather than suffer, look forward to hearing from you. xxxxxjean
Hi
Dr says he doesnt know what it is.I think he reckons im at it.He didnt listen to me properly.He said"youve had chest pain for a while and youve had all the tests".I tried to tell him that the feeling and location of the pain were completely different from before but he was too busy typing.He put in my notes that it was this same recurrent chest pain and that i was anxious.
I could scream!!I dont know what to do,i know my chest is clear but im frightened.I think as soon as he saw anxiety in my notes he wasnt prepared to listen at all.
Hunny x:(
Hi Hunny,
I know how you feeland it really is hard to realise and understand just ow much an effect anxiety can have on us an dour bodies...but then its a vivcious circle - we feel ill/pains..we worry...we feel worse etc etc.
I too have ALL the syptoms you have, I have constant dizzyness for the past 3 years - anxiety?? I wasnt so sure - some days its worse than others but if it was anything worse, i dont think i would stil be here.
Ive had the ecg/chest scans etc and since then, my chest pains are mainly gone - i only get them if somting shocks me or im extra worried about a situation.
I hope things get a bit easier for you...pm me if you want a chat. xx
Tatty B xx
Hi Tatty B
I know most of the symptoms i have listed are anxiety,except this chest/side pain.Its driving me mad and is really painful.Noone seems to have had this before and it feels very differnt to my"normal" anxiety induced discomfort.
Cheers for your reply,much appreciated
Hunny xx
Hi Hunny,
you are entitled to a second opinion.
My pains did move about a bit and sometimes varied in type. For example mainly tight constant pains but sometimes they were sharp stabbing ones that mainly affected my left side.
Cheers,
Trev
Sheik N Shimmy
08-11-05, 12:47
Hi Hunny,
All of what you describe is what I am experiencing for the last few weeks.
E
Keep On Keepin On
Hi hunny,
Im new to the site but wanted to say that i have all the same symptoms as you, especially the pain and the breathlessness. Ive had this for a long time now and really makes life miserable, if you want to chat further you can pm me anytime, we can try and puzzle it out together, all the best,
Tammy
TammyT
Hi hunny,
You sound alot like me, but I don't go in to dr. that often for fear of being labeled. But the pain you are describing in your rib has been happening to me for many years. Sometimes sharp, sometimes dull ache. It is (in my opinion... I'm not a dr.) like a side splint. I find mine are caused when I'm not breathing properly. Like when running! My mother died when I was 8 and I had a terrible upbringing (long story) and now that I have 2 girls of my own, I fear I will die and leave them too.
Not sure where I was going with that! LOL Just wanted you to know that I know how you feel and that I am sure you are fine. Try to think about what you were doing when you felt the pain... and if you were breathing ok. Sometimes I get it when I talk bc I talk really fast and don't always breath... then sometimes yawn... lack of oxygen....
Hope you feel better soon!
Hi Hunny,
I know exactly how you feel. I have had chest pains for about 6 weeks now.... its making me feel so ill coupled with ectopics and panic and anxiety attacks.
Ive had my heart checked out and all appears ok apart from the damn ectopics, but the pain has actually got worse. It was like yours under my breasts, stabbing, now it is behind the chest bone and stabbing in the back and basically all over. I really cant take much more of it. I have seen my GP who has given me proton inhibitors - she thinks it could be acid reflux - Im not convinced, as the tablets arent working! She has also prescribed me with Cipralex to see if it is all my anxiety regarding my heart, but that hasnt kicked in yet. I do also take Clonazepam (like a valium) to calm me down coz when the pain gets too bad, I get such terrible anxiety, but today that didnt even work! Im now off to see the doc first thing tomorrow and she wants me to have a chest ultra sound and possibly camera down throat as she thinks it could be an ulcer/gallstones/gall bladder .... you name it, they are baffled! I just cant stop thinking its my heart and the specialist has missed something!! Painkillers dont work, I am downing Gaviscon like its going out of fashion and yet nothing is aleviating this.
Go see your doc Hunny, I know how you feel, it is so scarey and you just think all the time you are gonna peg out!
Let me know how you get on and I will keep you informed of my progress ..... hopefully there will be some!!
Take good care of yourself.
April xxx
Ignorance must be bliss!
Thanks for all your repliies
April..Im sorry your feeling grotty too,its so frightening isnt it?!
My Dr thinks i have a coxsickie virus.I am now terrified it will go to my heart and i will have heart failure(i read up on it and apparantly it can quite easily spread to the heart especially as its in the chest wall already)
I dont think this is what you have by the way,before you start worrying about it!!LOL
I have chest pains for ages,but this feels very specific if you know what i mean?
Have you been to see Dr yet?How did you get on?
Pm me if you wana chat off forum
Hope you ok
Hugs
Hunny xx
Hi hunny,
I too have had the symptoms you describe even without the panicky feelings being present.
I agree with Trev about the yoga - I started this 2 years ago and its been really good for releasing tensed muscles.
Love Piglet
"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.
Hey Hunny,
It's quite funny actually, you're going through exactly what I'm going through. I've reached the point where I don't believe its anxiety. I feel sick always...So much confusion in my head, pains, tingling, dizziness, tired but can't sleep, weak, pains in body...etc...etc....Read some of my past posts, perhaps maybe I threw in more symptoms and situations...I don't know what the deal is, but I've had so many tests done. I fear stroke and seizures mainly...these days anyway...I deep down feel that its still anxiety....I just find it hard to belive anxiety could be this messed up
~Shannon~
Hunny
Firstly ensure your bra fits well. Underwired ones that don't fit properly really can cause left sided pain.
Try exercise and relaxation.
It can be chicken and egg stuff - have a symptom and worry about it and get anxiety symptoms..
Push yourself a bit and assess how you are afterwards. When I was convinced I was having cardiac chest pains, I took myself off to the nearest hospital and ran up 5 floors on the basis that if it was my heart, it would get significantly worse and I would be in the right place when I collapsed in a heap.
It didn't get much worse so I just sat for some mins and caught my breath and decided that it couldn't be obstructive heart issues so it was business as usual thereafter. I did get other heart worry sessions but each time I pushed it to see what would happen and it eased after a few tries or I learnt not to associate it with danger
Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com
Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?
Hi Meg
It doesnt seem to get much worse when running etc,well i dont think it does,i think about it 24/7 so maybe it does.
I feel like i cant get a proper breath,but not actually gasping to breathe if you know what i mean?
My throat feel inflamed and i worry that i will choke and stop breathing,thats partially why i thought it may be my heart,the pain can be intense.I put deep heat on it and it helped a little,dont know if it was just a distraction though!The Dr touched one of my ribs and i yelped.Dont know what it is but i wish it would go away its really debilitating
Thank You
Hunny xx
Hey Hunny, had exactly everything you describe and high BP, also had the same worries and concerns and at the time did not believe it was anxiety. GP was also unsupportive and not very good at informing me on why he thought I was "nervous".
Looking back, after changing doctors and seeing a therapist about some CBT, I can truly say that even though I didnt feel anxious at the time, I clearly was VERY anxious.
So if youve been given the clear, healthwise, do some upper body stretches, and try to relax, thatll take care of the pain. And try to get some kind of help with your anxiety.
All the best.
-Martin
------------------------------
I'm not insane.. really
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.