health anxiety.

[Rilo7268]

struggling with health anxiety lately. i thought it was getting better but after increasing zoloft its come back. i think im going to go back to the original dosage or try to ease up to a higher dose.

im just looking for reassurance. my fear is that there is something wrong with my heart. ive had a stress test that was normal and when i followed up with gp she dismissed the other symptoms i was having and said we stressed your heart with the stress test, this isnt your heart.

so then why do all my symptoms feel heart related? ive had arm pain and tingling the last few nights and i wake up and can't get back to sleep. every ache and pain makes me think something bad is going to happen. i had arm pain a few months ago that went away with the zoloft.

it feels like it could be carpal tunnel because my forearm hurts, and sometimes my wrists. i get it in both arms. the sides of my upper arms hurt too. i get jaw pain too but i was told i have tmj.

lucky me that these symptoms can also be signs of a heart attack. i feel like an idiot obsessing but i don't have anyone i can really talk to. just need some reassurance. ive tried using acceptance but its just not working right now. im tired of feeling this way.

[Hidden]

Hi, usually if there is a heart problem you won’t feel it in both arms, it will be in the left arm. Also, you will have chest pain and usually nausea. pain in both arms indicates a repetition motion stress. I have jaw pain a lot, this is because I clench my jaw from anxiety.

[Rilo7268 in reply to Hidden]

thanks for responding. i feel like i know logically nothing is wrong but the moment i worry about it it invites all the other physical symptoms to the party.

[EleanorRose]

I absolutely think this could all be anxiety related, although if you think further medical reassurance will help, then absolutely go and see a different doctor for another opinion. I sense the reassurance might not help at the moment though.

Think about this way; if these are all symptoms of a heart attack and you have had them multiple times, why have you not had a heart attack? The next time it happens try and tell yourself, “This has happened before and it wasn’t a heart attack so this isn’t a heart attack”

Anxiety can cause all sorts of physical symptoms, as I am sure you know, and can emphasise feelings we are most afraid of.

I also suffer with health anxiety and I know how terrifying and difficult it can be but you will get through this and you will be ok.

[saturn2k]

Hi, I was on Zoloft for about four years. My anxiety would flair up and I would still get the occasional Panic attack. I was not happy with it at all and after seeing another doctor she prescribed Aropax. I was so scared about taking another medication. We had slowly weaned me off Zoloft, which took about five months believe it or not, and I must say that Aropax has been wonderful. Zero side effects when starting, not like Zoloft. I've been on Aropax for four years and I have not had a panic attack. Anxiety I still get, but they are just like most people would get so it's totally manageable and I do my breathing exercises.

You've been told it isn't your heart... what part of 'it isn't your heart' don't you believe?

Good for you for getting tests done. That takes courage.

Anxiety and Panic can cause loads of symptoms... feelings like you are dying, having a heart attack, aches and pains....yet they all pass.

Calming Breath : Take a long, slow breath in through your nose, first filling your lower lungs,
then your upper lungs.
Hold your breath to the count of "three."
Exhale slowly through pursed lips, while you relax the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and stomach.

Do this until you feel relief. Can take up to ten minutes ... just give it a try. I can get relief within a few minutes. I often have a nice warm shower which helps me.


[Rilo7268 in reply to saturn2k]

i guess the part of it isnt my heart i dont believe is we've always been told certain symptoms are indicative of a heart attack. when i experience those symptoms i panic. then it makes me wonder what if it happens for real and i dont know the difference between that and anxiety. what if it wasnt my heart then but it is now? i guess thats what i worry about. the strange sensations scare me. and of course the more nervous i get the harder to relax and im high on anxiety all day.

[saturn2k]

Yeah I totally get what you are saying. I became anorexic after suffering a breakdown in my 20's. After therapy, and anti-depressants, I could finally look back at what happened and realise that when I began to feel like a panic attack was starting it actually at times was only hunger that was triggering my panic. The feelings were very similar, panic attack and hunger. My brain would juggle between the two and I would always think it was panic. It's almost as if we say... what if it's this or what if it's that...and so I believe its BOTH !... the mental gymnastics are exhausting. I had to get out of my head. I had to start believing people who are trained in helping us to stop the mental cycle of thoughts in our heads. Put it this way, the episodes DO pass. So it obviously wasn't your heart, and then they pass again, so it obviously wasn't your heart, and then they would pass, so it obviously wasn't your heart. Do you get what I mean ? How many times do the symptoms have to pass before you can say... 'oh, it isn't my heart' and believe it ?. I have come through the other side, and occasionally I let my guard down and it gets me, but I can stop it, and breathe and relax, and it passes. Gees we hold on so strongly to what we believe is happening, so it only proves that we can be so strong about being able to let go.

[Rilo7268 in reply to saturn2k]

thank you for your kind and insightful words.