PDA

View Full Version : 7 years of health anxiety or real problems?



jnuz
08-04-10, 19:59
Hello,

I'm a male, soon to be 31 years old.
This is the first time i write here.

Here's my story and my problems/questions (i'll try to brake it appart so its easier to read ).

START:
My panic story started approximately 7 years ago, when one day at work i got these shivers/thumps in my chest and i felt like i couldn't breathe. It almost felt like i would blacout, but that didn't happen. It was so surreal and i thought i will die. I also got this weird kind of inner-shakiness in my hands. My coworkers called paramedics and they gave me some shot and i was basically fine within an hour.

BETWEEN:
Now after that i started cheking my pulse all the time. Tryed Xanax but didn't want to get overmedicated Tryed cognitive therapy. Went through different doctors who all said i must have anxiety-panic disorder. So the years went on with a constant battle between fear and overcoming. I developed a fear to exercise caus it would rise my pulse. I was constantly thinking that there must be something wrong with me. I've literally had all the symptoms on anxiety disorder list. Last year i was the whole year on a Cipralex. It really helped a lot. On the other hand it kinda made me really ignorant and numb. And also coming off the drug wasn't so nice either... weird electrical headaches and head spins etc. Fortunately it disappeared in a month or so.

NOW:
3 months after Cipralex. As a grown up i sould think that if last year i was almost feeling fine, exept few times per month, then i should be totally fine and in good health. But i just can't get my mind off some things. I have grown a lot with understanding what anxiety is and learnt to deal with it. So i don't get these panic attacks anymore. I don't have cold sweats and etc.

The problem is, that in most various situations i get sudden thump/palpitation in my chest, that instantly makes me cough. After that i go to anxiety mode and start to think that there still must be something wrong with me. I've also noticed this pressure feeling in my abdom (just below the ribs).... i feel like i want to push there with my finger. I don't know why. It might make me caugh even more. And since there has been few times when after caughin i get really very high heart beat in an instant i'm really afraid of it. This high heart beat has happened also when crouching and then standing up or just in regular activity. Also i feel i can't breath through my nose as good as i would like to. Could this palpitation be related to the fact that i might not get enough air in? One Dr prescribed me Nasonex, and unfortunately i googeled it, and now i can't take it because i found out that it might cause anxiety and palpitation :S I also get dizzy when exercising (exept swimming, wich is almost ok, most of the time). I also developed little reflux few months ago, and read that there might be also a link to anxiety - although i take some medicine against that right now, and it has gone away. But i do get this full stomach feeling all the time, even in the morning when i haven't eaten yet. And if i eat even a little bit, then doing something physical is almost impossible cause i can almost feel the palpitations coming (even though it might not be the case). Sometimes i have this really tight feeling in my chest and neck. And it gets really strong, and then all of the sudden i feel the urge to burp and then i feel much better after. Why?! What is that?

Last week i went to cardiologist and did ECCO, EKG (running test), blood test. Everything seems fine. I also have this high pitch sound that i hear very often and now i've started to get also this really low humming sound, so low it just causes a feeling of vibration in my ears. I went and let the dr check out my ears, and she said i might have Tinnitus. And there's no cure, just learn to live with it. Also when i go to a boat trip for example, then right after coming to land i will feel really dizzy, usualy the whole day after (dr told me it's part of it).

But i'm still trying to find something that connects the different feelings, sensations i have. I'm still afraid over the palpitations. It just drives me crazy, caus i want to believe it's just anxiety but something inside my head keeps telling me that there has to be something else that triggers anxiety and that it's not the root cause.

Ok, i'll finish here, because i already took too much of your time.
Anyways, i would really appreciate any feedback and comments.
I just don't want to waste my life on worring about things that i really don't have (IF I REALLY DON'T HAVE THEM.... BUT WHAT IF!?).
What test's i could do or what else i should do to be sure, because i think only there is the way out.

The main thing is that i want to start regural exercising.
Oh god, how i want to be my old self again

Utility
08-04-10, 21:03
Hi

Welcome.

The main thing is that you have been tested medically to rule out any physical problems. That aside, please be assured that everything you have described so far can be related to classic anxiety symptoms. You sound as though you are in cycle of fear feeding anxiety.

The first thing you must try and accept is that this is anxiety and nothing else. Then have a good read of this website - it will help put your mind at ease. Don't shy away from exercise if that is what you enjoy but at the same time don't push youself or test yourself with it because you will only feed your fear. If you feel fine doing the swimming then just do swimming - after all it is one of the best all round non impact exercises.

At some point you will be directed towards Dr Claire Weekes books and if you can get a hold of one of them it will help you.

smpomeroy
08-04-10, 23:37
jnuz

your story sounds so familar to me and all the symptoms and thought processes you get are just like mine - I know Im relatively healthy (except for needing to lose weight and give up smoking - yes I knwo Im bad and nto helping myself)) and yet there is always a what if and your self talk drives you mad. I have to tell my mind to shut up several times a day. There are two things that have heped me hugely on this site tho - thats all the info under symptoms and the section that explains about palpitations and how and whyt hey happen.

good luck and read the posts on here and you will realise that you are by far not alone in this...

take care
suz

Catalyst
09-04-10, 11:09
Hi

I hear where you're coming from. It all sounds so familiar! "Yes, I accept I have anxiety about my health, but what if it's more than that..." I'm always asking myself that.

I think a big part of my problem is that I have a heightened awareness of my body & it's daily functions! Consequently, I notice EVERY little deviation. I can't get a twitch, tingle, palpitation, buzz, swollen gland etc without being VERY aware of it. I describe myself as hyper sensitive - I get dizzy in supermarkets because of the lighting they have & if one of the lights is flickering, I might as well leave! I get very dizzy from any type of 'unnatural' floor movement - getting out of lifts/elevators, getting off boats, and this one may sound a little crazy - I even notice the tiny movement from some of those wooden 'floating' floors!!! Anyway, my point is that it sounds like you are very aware of everything & maybe you're focusing on your body too much & need some distractions? (I don't notice my tinnitus when I'm busy). Also, I get chest pains, but my ecg was fine & so I enjoy regular exercise, knowing that exercise is meant to be good for your heart. I've rambled a lot, so sorry if this seems off point & unhelpful!

MightyPC
09-04-10, 11:41
Very interesting post and replies. Alot of the symptons that have been described are what I have been getting and I have been convinced that I have some terminal illness. The pressure in the chest feeling, the over beating heart rate, not all the time, pain in my joints, again not all the time, being unable to breathe clearly through my nose at times, especially at night, pain in my backside, back, shoulders which I am told can be tension even though I am not knowingly tense. Finding it hard to swollow at times. I have been suprised to read that glands can swell due to anxiety. I have experienced alot of uncomfort both in my groin and armpits.

I have also experienced a feeling of wind being blown at my eyes, again not all the time, have get a nasty tast of catarrah quite often in my throat, along with the dripping down back of throat which is clear.

Last night I was feeling muscle spasms which I can only describe as someone continiuosly poking at my muscle. I have also experienced the dizziness in supermarkets at times and experienced it when I went for a walk the other week and thought I was going to collapse. It was strange as I was not showing any signs of panic though I must have been in a state of anxiety inside me, not really knowing, if that makes sense.

jnuz
09-04-10, 12:39
Well, for example, the last so called anxiety episode (though i get those really mild compared what i used to have) was a week ago, when i went for a walk in the park, at first i felt fine... then this street went a little uphill and i'm not sure if i already thought about going up hill and that's why it happend, but anyways i got this sudden pulsation in my chest again, then instant deep caugh and after that i felt my stress level rise. I kept on walking but i was feeling really uncomfortable the whole time. Lightheaded, out of breath and pressure feeling in my upper stomach/chest. It took about 30-40 minutes after walk to feel normal again. Two days later i already had sceduled this EKG running test and i did't caugh or nothing.

MightyPC
09-04-10, 12:54
The uphill feeling is what I experienced or the ground is moving. I have also been having bladder issues, fullness feeling and the need to keep urinating.