Can anxiety over years and years cause......

[dave316]

I would just like to know, with years of panicky moments, usually on a daily basis, can this cause heart dysfunctions such as:

Enlarged hear due to aggressive pumping when in panicky situations
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiac Arrest (fast heart beating or slow beating causing this)
Respiratory Arrest (Stopping breathing due to being short of breath and being a shallow breather)
Skipped beats, ectopics, flutters in chest, long pauses between heartbeats causing serious issues
Arrythmias (in one breathe, heartbeat could be fast then after the next breathe could be slow (alternating pace of heartbeat)
Aneurysms? (get a violent heartbeat thump in my tummy)

Can all this negativity and bad panicky stuff cause head problems such as:

Strokes (feel weak on one side of my face quite regularly)
Haemmorages
Fainting probs

Or can the negativity cause, over many years...

Any kind of cancer??

Sorry for being so morbid but words of reality, whether i like or dislike that reality are needed guys )

God Bless you all, i am soooo scared

Dave
xx

[neptuno]

Hello Dave,
No, no and no. I'm assuming you've had a thorough medical examinaton and ruled out any heart / lung problems and cancer. Anxiety and panic can single-handedly cause all manner of symptoms (don't we know it !) but it cannot physically harm you. Our biggest worry is the fear of the fear of these symptoms - and we can do something about that. There's loads of really good info on this site about these symptoms which helps to get a realistic view of what is happening to our bodies. Go back and read some of it - I bet you won't feel so scared.
Be kind to yourself

[honeybee3939]

Hi Dave

There is no evidence that anxiety can cause all the symptoms you discribe, so try not to worry.

I try and look at it in a positive way, the heart is a muscle and when my heart beats fast i tell myself its doing it good, just like when you exercise your muscles in your legs and arms I must have the fittest heart in the land !

Love

Andrea
xxxxxxx

[sheba2]

sorry to be less optimistic. I really want to believe that all this anxiety etc isn't causing long term problems but why do we keep hearing about stress being a killer. I thought the long term damage from all the bad chemicals released into the system during times of stress can lead to serious illness. Why do people in high stress jobs tend to have heart/health problems.

I don't think I really want to know otherwise I will worry more and then I will be even more at risk. AARRGHHH

[SueBee]

I worry if stress and panic will have an effect on my heart too. I remember reading that a human heart only does a certain amount of beats over a lifetime before it fails ....... surely palpatations will make a difference??

I'm not stating a fact, its just a concern of mine I guess

[Liverbird67]

Hiya

First of all Suebbb that is an old wives tale about the heart only having so many beats in a life time, sorry to be so blunt hun, but when anxious all these little titbits seem to make sense, as for stress being a killer I think this happens when people are not aware of the stress for example some people will increase smoking, drinking or recreational drugs, drive too fast, indulge in risky behaviours etc, all anxious people are more than aware of stress and the effects of it, I think everyone here is trying to address their stress levels and trying all kinds of methods to calm themselves down,

dave I think if you are really worried go see the G.P ask for your blood pressure to be taken and ask for a blood test ( a full blood count) any risky things should show up, tell the Dr your fears and have a good look on this website, also try to read some books re stress and anxiety.

I am pretty sure that there will be old people whom have suffered from anxiety (or nerves as the older ones tend to call it ) for years without any serious physical effects.

Try not to worry read a lot of the threads on this site, people worry about all sorts of strokes, heart failures, cancers etc. go into the chatrooms, most people here are brilliant and are great at reassuring each other, honestly its better than any medication talking to people whom know exactly where we are coming from. I know you are very worried at this moment in time, but dare I say it once you get to know people on here, you may even laugh along with some of us at some things that we have thought at variuous times, it is important to try and maintain a sense of humour and put everything into perspective I know it is hard for you at this time but take care, give everything a chance to settle down.

There is an excellent thread on here about a girl whom went and paid privately for a brain scan and and her thoughts and feelings leading up to this and the results and outcomes after it.

Lots of love

Debbie

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[Rachey poos]

I always think of it like this..... look at people who train for 4 hrs a day...athletes who run half thier lives etc.... thier heart is on high pumping zone more than ours hun .... x

[popsy]

Just incase this helps, my Grandma was the biggest worrier, panic atttacker, valium user (addicted for 40years) person i have ever met and that includes me, and im pretty bad!!!! She lived into her 80's, if she lived that long, honestly anyone can!!!!!

[Lexa]

Hello,Dave! I'am new here.I used to work as a Nurse,but am retired.However,I suffer from various medical issues as well as Anxiety/Panic bad.I recently saw a new cardiologist who told me if I don't get my anxiety under control that it will cause heart problems for me down the road.He stated to me that he only dealt with facts.I didn't like hearing this.I know I have read in other books and heard from other people otherwise.Just adding what I recently heard from this cardio doctor for what it is worth.Take Care! Lexa