my health anxiety is destroying me…

[Dshadzz07]

Background, been suffering about 18 months with severe health anxiety with on and off bad episodes. I fear my heart failing, heart attack, conorary artery disease and a lot more.

21 man, I’m overweight ( I have hypothyroidism), never smoked, perfect cholesterol and not diabetic.

Had so many tests, I mean dozens of ECGs, holter monitor, stress test, bloods, heart echos and X-rays. Not one thing wrong ever. Yet all the symptoms come at me.

Arm pain (left and/or right)

Chest pain (pressure,tight,burn)

Neck pain

Back pain

Nausea

Lightheadedness

Palpitations

Like when does it stop like I’ve tried to say to myself these tests prove I’m ok but the symptoms persist day after day with no answer from the doctors other than I’m too young for heart issues. I’m just frightened most days I break down wondering if I’ll be dead soon and all this is building to a heart attack.

Just want some help, support something from someone here to help. Thank you.

[b1b1b1]

I don't think you will be dead soon at all, and I don't think you will have a heart attack either. My husband (much older than you) had very serious heart problems. I won't scare you by telling you about his tests, surgeries and other treatments. The point I want to make is that cardiology is a very sophisticated branch of medicine and a lot is known and can be tested for. This is not true of most other medical specialties. Cardiology (according t o my husband's cardiologist) is basically a plumbing system and as I said, can really be checked, tested and figured out. Because of this I think you can rely on your doctor and trust him.

Therapy and antidepressants may be of great help to you. I do understand the fear and anxiety though. The thing is, though, you want to try to gradually move beyond it. x

[b1b1b1]

One additional thought is to try to lose the extra weight and control the hypothyroid with medications. I take thyroid medicine and it does not have any side effects.

[SayNOtoPanic]

hang in there. You’re not alone. Health anxiety is a demon, but you know what you can rise from it. Totally get what you’re saying and going through. Try doing meditation or deep breathing exercises: inhale slow hold it threee seconds exhale slow. Think of a strong statement; I am strong, u am healthy, this shall pass. Practice it throughout the day so when u feel these things come on u can use ther breathing tool. Lifting you in prayer.

[Weatherwoman in reply to SayNOtoPanic]

Good suggestions.

[SayNOtoPanic in reply to Weatherwoman]

thx you!!

[lookbeyond]

I understand your feelings and situation. Even though physicians say okay, if you think and feel sick and dread sickness and death, it is leading to that course.

However, you don't need to go in a negative direction. What you need is to see positive direction—health, healing, joy, happiness, etc.What you see, visibly or invisibly, will lead you in that direction.

Kierkegaard said, "Our lives always express the result of our dominant thoughts."

Our lives follow what we think, and our thoughts follow what we see.

Therefore, don't deal with negative things such as symptoms of sickness, being overweight, fearing the future, etc.

Instead, think about and enjoy what you have, such as no problem with test results, a young age, much potential in the future, etc., and imagine a healthier and successful future.

Also, say positive things to others and yourself.

Learning about Aaron Antonovsky and his theory, Salutogenesis, will be helpful for you.See the link below.

mental-health-matters.org/2...

I myself have suffered much since my teen years and learned a lot about humans' suffering and healing, which led me to study health education for master's and doctoral degrees and work as a health educator.

I hope you will be free from negative stuff.It's your choice and your future.

Blessings

[punkster]

Wow! I'm so sorry you have been feeling this way. I experienced that kind of anxiety several years ago when there was a question that I might have a mass on my ovary. I developed many symptoms that go along with ovarian cancer after researching on the internet (don't do this!) I had to wait a month in order to have a definitive test done, and it turned out it wasn't ovarian cancer. It took me a few weeks after the test to stop my thought process. I also experienced health anxiety during the worst time of Covid. I was always thinking I was coming down with Covid. The mind is very powerful and we must learn to control it. Therapy has helped me with this. I pray you can accept the test results and have peace.

[GeraldB1948]

I go through the same things. Been to E.R. over and over. All tests show heart, lungs, brain, blood, etc. all good...yet I keep getting symptoms. Hang in there.

[HealthAnxed]

Freedom comes when you stop fearing the worst and accept the unknown. Yes, the bad thing might happen BUT the bad thing might NOT happen. Practice balancing your thoughts. That's more accurate than conjuring the worst and assuming it's fact.

[Pingula]

Hi Dshadzz07, I hope you feel better. I typed ‘chest pain’ and your post popped up. I have been experiencing similar psychosomatic symptoms with increased intensity over a period of a few months: pain in either chests, frozen shoulders when I get up, and basically pain anywhere on the upper body. It’s terrifying and I fear having a heart attack atleast 5 times a day. I’m literally experiencing a mild but consistent chest pain as I write this down. I have realised that whenever I have shortness of breath, I force my lungs to overwork which causes a lot of physical stress to my body, esp my lungs, ribs, and the muscles surrounding it. So the first thing I do is focus on mindful breathing- making sure I donot overwork my body. Second, When chest tightness feels physically but also emotionally straining, like thoughts which make you question if it’s worth going through the pain every single day, remember that it is one day at a time to get where we want to be. You focus on the moment and know that you have come a long way. It helps to try to reframe our relationship with anxiety: knowing that this too is a journey- one of gaining knowledge about your mind and body. I also make notes once the emotional or psychosomatic aspect gets slightly better. Notes on what worked at the moment or what may have triggered it. What I write above is party from my notes… it helps me keep afloat, knowing that there is a plan at hand. I hope we feel better soon! Take care.