Health Anxiety - It will create physical symptoms!!!

[Salleeper]

I guess it all started about 10 years ago. At the time I was a fairly new firefighter/paramedic. Saw all kinds of bad stuff, cancer, emphysema, heart attacks you name it.

Without going in to too much detail let me just say that since 2010 I have self diagnosed (thanks to Mr. Google and my anxious mind) and survived many life threatening diseases. Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma, herpes, Oral cancer, MS, ALS, Colon cancer, esophageal cancer, heart attacks, pancreatic cancer, bone cancer, and the list probably goes on, these are the ones I remember.

I have untreated health anxiety to say the least and it affects me usually once a year for a few months. The most recent bout started about 6 weeks ago. Had a little bit of shortness of breath going up stairs and I felt like my heart was pounding. My initial though was wow I’m out of shape I should start running/biking, neither of which I have done for over a year. My iPhone research then led me to pancreas issues that could cause elevated heart rate. So then every symptom went the GI route. Bloating, inconsistent bowel movements, etc.

The shortness of breath and heart rate took a back burner. An ER visit basically dismissed anything GI. Bloodwork, abdominal ultrasound etc were all normal. BUT my EKG was abnormal. I had developed a right bundle branch block. Basically it’s an “electrical block” or short circuit in the lower right chamber of my heart. Some people just develop them for no reason and they may come and go. Usually with no symptoms or treatment needed. Or they can indicate that you have a pulmonary issue such as COPD, or it could mean you just had a heart attach that has damaged your heart.

Well all my tests were normal for heart attack, heart failure, blood clots etc. X-rays, cardiac CT, chest CT, all normal. I did follow up with a cardiac echo a week later. It was normal according to my primary care doctor. BUT that wasn’t good enough. By this time all my symptoms had shifted from GI back to cardiac. Bounding heart I could feel in my chest, shortness of breath, then eventually PVC’s(or so I thought) keeping me awake ALL night. Luckily those diminished and I was able to better sleep the following week. I wore a 24 hr holter monitor a few days ago and waiting to get results.

I have an appointment with a cardiologist in 4 days. My symptoms are still bounding heart, and occasional PVC’s that I can feel. Even though everyone has PVC’s without even knowing it. I’m hoping to get reassurance from my cardiologist that my heart is ok. This is the reassurance that I’ve always needed to get over the hump and back to my normal self.

When I say the your brain has unbelievable power to create physical symptoms you better believe it does. It has happened to me a dozen times. When your entire day consists of you googling and focusing on an ailment then you will feel symptoms in that area. It will COMPLETELY CONSUME YOU. Subconsciously flexing, palpating, and worrying about that area will cause it to become chronic. I don’t care if it’s abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, heart palpitations, or leg weakness…. your mind will create the physical symptoms!!!! I’m pursuing counseling and possible meds. I’ve never had much luck with anxiety meds, probably because I always tried starting them when I was in the middle of one of my health crisis. I will keep you posted on my progress, but for those of you that have similar health anxiety issues I feel your pain.

[Hidden]

All I can advice is stop reading Google Health Pages, you are not doing your health and body any favours .

You need to consider a course of Therapy so you need to approach your Doctor and get assistance. If not the actual problems you describe could lead down a pathway where you will be ill and the treatments for this none illness could cause real health problems. The same applies with you calling Wolf, your Doctor could pass over a real condition and that would really cause you some problems with your health

BOB

[Hidden]

I know where you are coming from, and how it can be the main focus, constantly worrying if you have something wrong. I actually ended up going into hospital for 5 days due to a rapid irregular heartbeat from one too many sherbets and cutting long story short was best thing to happen, as I was given an MOT and nothing seriously wrong apart from fatty liver so that made me get divorced from Dr Google. Funny how the aches and pains started to miraculessly go away when you are told things are ok

[Agora1]

Hi, my fellow Paramedic I've never used Dr. Google because of it's generalization of different physical ailments.

Rather, I use my medical knowledge as an enhancement to any symptoms that may present

as bothersome. When in doubt, I seek the advice of my doctor.

As "borderriever" stated, we can only call "wolf" so many times before Anxiety is always

first call as a diagnosis.

Getting to the root of your symptoms is always important . It doesn't always have to be

something prompted by your career choice. Our life situations can contribute to an already

over stimulated nervous system. Learning to give ourselves room to breathe and regenerate each and every day can help us get control of our anxiety.

Our Mind/Body Connection works intricately together. Popping a pill isn't necessarily

the answer although medication and therapy are recommended when life gets out of control for us. Taking on other methods/tools to reduce our stress and worry can help

just as much if not more. I found for myself that daily Meditation and Breathing 3 x a day

helps keep me focused on the positive.

Anxiety does not have to be a lifetime sentence. We can get back control of our lives

no matter what we do for a living. Stressful or Not.

Use your knowledge of the Power of the Mind for positivity. You are absolutely correct

in that the mind has amazing potential to heal over the body. What you think is what

you get. I noticed you didn't really ask for support but yet I'd be interested in you following

up with us on your progress. I'm glad you are here with us. Welcome to this amazing site. xx

[MFM008]

its happening to me. PACs and tachycardia ( PVCs evil twin) around the clock.

[ShouldaWouldaCoulda]

All mine has been centering on “gut issues” for a year (NOTHING diagnosed). Now I’m convinced it’s my spine. A lifetime of stuffing down real feelings unfortunately.

[Livelydively]

I also have health anxiety and it is a daily struggle. I really like the anxiety guy on youtube. I am hyper aware of my of my bodily sensations. It takes a lot to be indifferent to them.

I hope all your tests come back normal. Best of luck to you.

[Jeff1943]

Do not spend your time trying to cure yourself of an illness you don't have.

You cannot cure yourself of an illness you don't have no matter how hard you try.

Instead, spend your time curing yourself of the illness you do have which is to say health anxiety.

Let your sensitised nerves send you whatever fake symptoms they desire, they cannot harm your body. Accept them, agree to co-exist with them for a while, attach no importance to them.

Find whatever is making you so anxious and deal with it, be ruthless if necessary. Or if you can't eliminate it, try looking at it from another perception or point of view. It may not be as bad as you perceive.