Think I am suffering from Health Anxiety

[craigforsyth23]

Hi Everyone,

Been on here a few days but not properly introduced myself yet. Im Craig, 23 from Ayrshire (a wee town outside Glasgow). I am a full time community ventilation support worker working with the NHS and have done for the past 5 years.

So the reason I registered with this website is because a friend had recommended it to me as she had used it a while back for major depression and anxiety. I have to say over the past few days A LOT has made sense to me when reading through some of the posts. It's made me feel not so alone in this any more.

I will try and keep this as brief as possible. Last year in December I experienced my first major panic attack. I had NEVER experienced anything like it. I didn't really know what was going on at the time. All i knew was that my heart was beating crazy beats, hands were sweaty, felt dizzy, short of breath THE LOT. Like I say, I hadn't ever felt anything like this. I lead a relatively healthy lifestyle with minimal stress but this hit me like a tonne of bricks out of nowhere. I managed to calm myself down and call a doctor on call who prescribed me THREE 5mg diazepam tablets just to calm the nerves. Needless to say I used all three of them as I had another two pa's the next day.

Since then I had been trying to manage my attacks on my own but was failing miserably so four weeks ago I visited my GP who signed me off work for a month and prescribed me citalopram 20mg which initially frightened me as I thought that was it... I would be on tablets for the rest of my life. I gave myself a shake and realised that I would be on the tablets for as long as I needed to. They obviously took a while to kick into my system but after about two weeks I felt a dramatic difference and didn't seem to worry as much. Only major problem was that I wasn't getting a good nights sleep AT ALL. Up till 4 and 5am trying to fall over.

I went back to the GP and told him of my problem and he asked me if I wanted to change my medication to Mirtazapine to which I agreed. He lowered my dosage of citalopram to 10mg for three days and I started the new meds on Wednesday night. However I went back to work on Wednesday and managed through till 6pm and suffered another panic attack and was sent home.

Since then all I have done is worry worry worry. I have had chest pains, tingling in my head and face, dull ache in my left arm, headaches etc etc. I get myself so worked up and think that theres something wrong with my health and cant seem to stop thinking about it. It consumes my mind constantly. I went back to the docs today to request an ECG just to check everything over and make sure im all ok. He also gave me another sick line for work and prescribed me beta blockers that I am afraid to take because I have a normal resting heart rate of 63 and am worried that it will slow it right down and make me panic about having a slow heart rate.

Its never ending. :/ Any help and advice from you guys would be greatly appreciated.

[barrym]

Hello Craig,

I'm not that far from you (I live in Bonnybridge, which is between Falkirk/Stirling). Sorry to hear of your struggles of late. Anxiety / panic attacks are a pain in the ass!! I go through spells of this then it leaves for a while before returning at some point, don't know why but I have came to learn to live with it. Seems stress is a big factor in my case but this I will never be able to eliminate unless I give up by business. I can understand the part when it seems to consume every thought when awake, I used to be like this also and occasionally still am depending of the symptom. My symptoms seem similar also, headaches, tingling, etc but also get occasional burning sensation on side of face, buzzing as if mobile phone is going off in my hip area (strange one I know), and many many more. It's a strange and frustrating affliction but it's good that you understand and accept what the problem is. Now you just have to break the vicious circle, tell yourself "these strange feelings are only anxiety, they can't hurt me", try to occupy your mind with other stuff when you feel strange and you won't be long in noticing the symptoms ease off. I like to put the earphones on and listen to music to take my mind off things, just lie and relax. It takes a bit of doing at first but you will get through it and you will beat it. All the best and feel free to ask anything you wish.

BarryM

[roxy90]

Hi Craig
This website is a fab way of getting support from people who actually understand what you're going through .

My story is similar to yours, I'm 22 and had a panic attack out of the blue. I had terrible chest pains, feeling dizzy, sweating just pure panic. I'd lived a fairly ordinary life til then working looking after my little girl I'd never suffered from anxiety so never assumed it was that.

I then convinced myself that I had a heart issue and nothing was going yo change that. By the time I'd seen a doctor I had so many anxiety symptoms that I refused to believe nothing was wrong.

This started a huge chain of panic over my health, usually from self diagnosing over the internet. I've had times when my anxiety has massively improved and times (like bow) where I relapse and panic worse than ever.

i'm starting maternity leave early this week to try and de-stress but my heart anxiety is taking over this time. I'm so tempted to call an ambulance but last time it was a false alarm they tore a strip off me so I wouldn't even dare.

Right now my boyfriend and friends are downstairs having a good time and I've sneaked off upstairs to cry about my heart attack, how sad is that?

I wish you loads of luck in beating this.x

[Hellly]

Hiya.

Omg Craig i am exactly the same. In the past I have suffered from anxiety (been on citalopram, which I had to stop taking bec it turned me into a zombie), but this is the first time I had physical symptoms (palpitations, sore neck, tingly arms, head and earache) and tbh I am terrified. It's just a waiting game in terms of doctors and I just want to know what the Hell is wrong with me.

I have found this site has been a lifeline, knowing I am not alone has helped so much and I hope you find comfort from it.

H

P.s. Another Scot btw, I am from Inverclyde.

[Molly's Mommy]

I to live with constant fear, everyday I think I'm dying of a heart attack, its gotten so bad I won't leave my home, and spend all day every day crying..

[GlassPinata]

I to live with constant fear, everyday I think I'm dying of a heart attack, its gotten so bad I won't leave my home, and spend all day every day crying..

But every day you have NOT had a heart attack, so why do you keep thinking that tomorrow, you will?
I understand to an extent; I suffer from HA as well, but mine tends to focus on cancer.
I do not understand the fear of having a heart attack. You worry about it every day and then it doesn't happen... it seems like eventually, you could just accept that it isn't going to happen.
But I understand that anxiety disorder makes it hard to be rational.
I certainly understand about crying every day, because I do too.
I hope you will eventually accept that you are not having a heart attack, because you deserve better than this.
Best wishes.

[Kmccluskey]

I have the heart attack fear aswell, i get all the symptoms. it's a joke ,

[GlassPinata]

I have the heart attack fear aswell, i get all the symptoms. it's a joke ,

I really hope I don't get it.
I mean, seriously, I probably will someday, and I'm scared of being afraid to move or leave my house.
It seems like heart attack anxiety would be more crippling than the cancer anxiety I've already got.
I sincerely hope you guys find a way to overcome it.

* a teacher at the school where I work had a heart attack in her classroom last year. She says she didn't really have any symptoms before hand. It was just out of the blue.