Mitral valve prolapse and air hunger worries

For the last four weeks or so I've been experiencing a lot more palpitations than usual, though in the last week things have improved a bit. I've been experiencing palps for about 15 years so they're not new to me, but they have become a lot more frequent.

I've also been experiencing "air hunger" where I often feel I want to take a deep, satisfying breath but can't, or I feel like I need to yawn and often can't. I've also had a mild cough which has come and gone over about 8-10 weeks. I've also had probably the most stressful 18 months of my life as one of my children became critically ill (he is much better now but has been left with disabilities), plus the Covid pandemic.

I'm an anxious person anyway, and this year has been an incredible strain. I suspect I have some degree of PTSD. I have been to the doctor regarding anxiety a couple of times in the last two weeks.

My worry is, what if my anxiety is masking a real problem? I am concerned about mitral valve prolapse as the increased palpitations and air hunger could be caused by that. Sometimes I get air hunger even when I'm not thinking anxious thoughts, although it is a lot worse when I'm feeling anxious. I don't have any lightheadedness, dizziness or fainting. My air hunger doesn't increase with exercise. My blood pressure wasn't low at the doctor's office (130/80). I haven't lost weight.

I have just been reading about the actor and author Robert Webb, who is about the same age as me, and his mitral valve prolapse. I know that reading about someone else's condition makes me symptom-check and worry that I have the same.

Could anxiety really cause an increase in palpitations and air hunger like this, and maybe even the coughing? I'm wondering if I should go back to the doctor to ask them to check my heart sounds? I don't want to dismiss this as "just anxiety" if there is something physically wrong.

Anxiety isn’t like a light switch. We can’t flip it on and off at will. Just because you don’t think you are having anxious thoughts doesn’t mean that your body isn’t in an anxious state.

Palpitations and air hunger can both be caused solely by anxiety. The more you focus on the symptoms, the more they will stay around.

A mind open to suggestibility (reading about the author with mitral valve prolapse for example) will only feed your anxiety dragon.

When I have to look up what an ailment is means someone's been Googling :whistles:

Positive thoughts