Really worried I might have a heart attack or stroke...

[LukeSkywalker]

Even though I realise I have anxienty and that makes me always worry, I do not think my fear of having a heart attack/stroke is misplaced. Brief history of
my health: smoking more than 30 cigarettes a day for at least the last 5 years (Before that, I smoked about 20 a day for 11 years).
Eating junk food EVERY day (Fried food, pizza etc). Drinking coca cola everyday (Though I stopped drinking it a few years ago.) and NO excersize. I have recently started going for walks. But yeah...because of anxiety I dont like going outside. Which sucks because I love being outside when it's sunny.

So for a few years now I also get a slight pressure on the side of my temple and
my left arm feels lame sometimes as well, though not necessarly the same time as I feel the pressure on my temple. And I also get sometimes sharp brief pinching sensations on some parts of my left arm. Actually I think thats only happened once or twice. Most of the time I get a dull lame feeling on the top part of my left arm. Im assuming its my blood pressure because usually when I have to go to the shop to buy food, the minute I step ourside for a few seconds I get the lame feeling in my arm. Which of course scares me becuase I think to myself "oh man this sucks! LOL IT IS MY BLOOD PRESSURE" because of course I've been trying to convince myself "nope, it isn't blood pressure problems, its just anxiety" but when I have the lame feeling in my arm when my anxiety increases it tells me that, no, its my blood pressure.

Another issue I have is, for the past week, I have been feeling quite dizzy most of the time. Im again assuming its my blood pressure..

I went to have my bloodpressure taken today and they said it's 130. They said its normal, but I wanted to read online what is considered a normal blood pressure reading. Apparently 120 is normal and anything above is classified as PRE HYPERTENSION. And apparently doctors agree that you're more likely to have a heart attack when you're blood pressure is at PRE HYPERTENSION than when you actually have developed HYPERTENSION.

So to say right now Im sitting here feeling a bit nervous that Im gonna die tonight, is a UNDERSTATEMENT LOL

I also read that the morning and the evening is when a person's blood pressure is highest. That explains why in the morning my arm has lame sensations and slight pins and needles in my thumb. I have been trying to rationalize my symptoms as just being stressed out because of anxiety but I can't help but be very scared that I actually am about to have a stroke or heart attack. I mean, my point of view is, having anxiety does not mean this is all in my head. My symptoms are real. Im planning to go to the hospital tomorrow to hopefully talk to a heart specialist about my symptoms. I'm hoping he will just say it's sore back muscles causing the lame feeling in arm. And the dizzyness is caused by not enough excersize. But in my heart I know he is probably going to want to take a chest x-ray to make sure I dont have block arteries. Im really scared.

[Serenity1990]

You have slightly high blood pressure, so does virtually everyone in the western world. You aren't about to have a heart attack or stroke, but your current lifestyle won't do you any favours in the long run. Why not give up the fags and adopt a healthier diet? I've been three and done that, it's not as difficult as you might think, especially if you've got anxiety about your health.

[backonceagain]

stress willl raise your BP and give you all the symptoms you are worrying about.

[AlexandriaUK]

130 is your systolic BP and there is nothing wrong with that at all especially as you were obviously anxious at the time, did you tell the Dr your thoughts on what was happening to you, if you did I'm sure he would have done more tests or sent you to the Hospital if he thought you where having a stroke or heart attack,who told you that being pre hypertensive was more dangerous than having high BP

[LukeSkywalker]

Oh I forgot to mention, I did quite smoking 10 days ago Im super proud of myself. Though I still have crazy cravings the whole day, I just keep reminding myself why I quite smoking.

I also have stoppped drinking coffee. Stopped drinking or eating anything with sugar. Anything with glutan. And today decided to stop eating meat, because
its always got so much salt on it. Basically the only food I eat now is vegetables. Though I think I waited to long to start eating healthy...

---------- Post added at 19:56 ---------- Previous post was at 19:49 ----------

who told you that being pre hypertensive was more dangerous than having high BP

I read it online.
Jokes aside I must state that while I didn't read the entire article (the opening lines were enough to make me nearly start hyper ventilating) I do remember reading the beginning of the article where it stated something to the effect of "Universally doctors agree" or something like that, "that a person is more likely to suffer a heart attack if they have pre hypertension.

I think basically that living with anxiety my entire life has basically brought my poor heart to the point of "Dude...ENOUGH!"

[Phuzella]

You need more than just vegetables though, I'd Google healthy eating if I were you

[AlexandriaUK]

Well done and no matter when you quit smoking or eating healthy its never to late, and that's a fact.
Does also give a reason why you feel the way you do, withdrawal is made up of lots of the symptoms you describe.
Check this site out nosmokingday

[LukeSkywalker]

THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE REPLIES Really helps me to not feel so scared.

I don't think the dizziness is related to quiting smoking because it started I think 2 days before I quite.

In regards to healthy eating, I forgot to mention that I eat brown bread instead of white, everyday. I also do not eat normal potato anymore. Apparently its not healthy because of what it does to a person's glycemic index (I think it's spelt like that). apparently Purple Potato is MUCH better, because it's digested more slowly. Also I eat cucumber, brockley (Uncooked! Just warmed up slightly in the oven for 2 minutes! Tastes really awful, but hey apparently it REALLY healthy. I tried eating whole pasta, but would feel dizzy soon after starting to eat that, just like when I eat pop corn. So I decided I would never eat pasta again.

I think I have turned in to a health nut.

[Phuzella]

Bless Don't try to do it all at once though or you'll get bored and crave sugar etc.

[LukeSkywalker]

I forgot to mention that, most times when I eat anything like pasta or popcorn I start to get dizzy, so yeah.. I guess that isn't a good sign hey

---------- Post added at 20:17 ---------- Previous post was at 20:15 ----------

Bless Don't try to do it all at once though or you'll get bored and crave sugar etc.

LOL I crave sugar everyday!! I actually think its harder to give up processed foods with all its sugar, than smoking.

Apparently most fruits are not that great either because of their sugar content. But obviously they are not as bad as sugar or glucose syrup.

I'm trying to remember the name of a natural sweetner that has like a super low glycemic index in camparrison even to fruits. If I remember correctly, thats what this guy on the radio said. Or maybe he said in comparrison to white sugar..I don't know..