I have been worrying about my health now since May 2019

[Fireman2244]

I feel weak all over, i cant stop thinking im having a heart attack. I have pains on the left side of my chest every day now, pain in my back as well, i feel weak and dizzy everyday....i have had blood tests EKGs echocardiogram x rays and all come back normal. I feel like I'm losing my mind. I can't sleep well anymore. I feel that I'm going to end up losing my job as a firefighter because of how i feel. I have 2 sons and I'm afraid I'm going to die and not get to see them grow up... Sometimes i feel like it would be easier to just end it all...

[KateS10]

I can absolutely relate to this !! Been thinking i am having a heart attack or stroke every single day it’s so debilitating to have these feelings day in and day out . Have you tried any antidepressants yet ??? ... things will get better ! I promise. I keep telling myself that too !! It’s a daily struggle but we are still here fighting !!!!

[Fireman2244 in reply to KateS10]

I have an appointment on the 29th with a psychiatrist. I'm hoping that maybe meds will help...i hate this feeling...it's all i can think about....i don't know how i function every day...today while cutting grass i felt like i was going to pass out...i hate this...thank you for your kind words

[Yasyass in reply to KateS10]

The fear tries to overtake all of us but in different ways sometimes we handle it sometimes we don’t know how and when that happens we panic I try to think about positive things and happy events it’s very hard but still try

[Fireman2244 in reply to Yasyass]

Thank you. Right now as we speak, I feel like I'm going to die...like my heart is going to give out....feeling this way makes it very hard to want to be alive anymore...i can't even enjoy time with my family...all i do is come home and lie in bed waiting to die

[Yasyass in reply to Fireman2244]

Please stop thinking that way u have the control I had a heart attack three years ago unexpected only 49 was healthy but from stress please enjoy your family and think positive I know it’s hard take deep breathes and thank god you are healthy and you have lovely sons who need you at least live for them u too are worth something

[Yasyass]

If u keep worrying u will have a heart attack when those feelings come to you try to think of the positive things u have done in your life and how you save lives and how your sons will alwaz be proud of you I was alwaz stressed and had a ha but you have a chance to enjoy yourself make the most of it I really hope the best for you

[Hidden]

Wow, I'm new here as well, I have suffered from health(heart) anxiety for years now. Been through countless therapists, it's been really intense the last few years. I think I didn't notice it as much before because I was medicating with alcohol essentially. You are not alone. But we are not helpless. Past trauma set this up and itll take some work to get through, but I believe we can. With me I feel strong one moment and then completely defeated the next. Strange thing. Hang in there, blessings on all of us!

[Timmypliskin]

I can totally relate , im going thru it too, all I can think about, I'm slowly trying to pull out of it, but it's hard. Anything to distract, or keep you mind on anything else

Good luck

[Fireman2244]

Thank you all for your kind words...this has really helped today.

[AnxiousSince1998]

Hey mate I have played that tune on and off so many times over the years. Do you snore are night? Sleep apnea might be something worth ruling out as it can really mess with you. Just a thaught. Never give up my friend, there are ALWAYS better days ahead.

[alphaind]

I felt exactly the same last year...like you..I used to feel dizzy.. Cold sweats...some times while driving... I went to all sorts of tests..ECG, ECHO, Stress test, Vitamins... and so on..everything came out normal. So when ever I feel dizzy or feeling of chest pain..I used to do counting numbers or read out the numbers or letter what ever I see around to distract myself.. It helped me somewhat..

Finally I met a GP who diagnosed me for anxiety. She kept me on a very very mild dose of escitalopram 5mg. I am doing good now..though sometime I feel bad..But its manageable..

So Don't loose hope..Everything will be fine..My prayers are with you..

[RyL83]

You'll be fine buddy. It's a good thing that you've went through those tests to check your heart. If it all came back normal then hold onto that. I have similar symptoms and I've gone through the panic phase, I still get anxious from time to time but I contribute to that to my body or my mind becoming hyper aware. All aches and pains will automatically translate to something serious when it's not. It is hard to overcome it at first since you think of all the people that depend on you. It'll take time but you'll eventually get it out of your subconscious little by little as long as you do the necessary steps to help your mind cope with what's happening to your body. For me, I still have slight-pain-slight numbness-slight tingling on my left arm, shoulders and chest. Same situation with my lower legs. Soreness on my thoracic spine area (not sure if it's bone, nerve or muscle). I'm still in the process of getting my spine checked before I consider a chiro. I'll be ordering tests for Kidney and Diabetes to make sure they're good since at times, I get indigestion like issues and I generally don't feel well.

You have to keep fighting buddy, ending it all is not a solution. Your loves ones will miss you, your 2 sons will miss you. Keep at it, overcoming adversities is part of life, you can do it.

[FrankinHealth19 in reply to RyL83]

Firefighter2244 I agree totally with RyL83. You will be Fine.

TL;DR: I think you're dealing with a muscular issue affecting your vagus nerve. This is why the doctors can't find anything. For years I didn't train my back and neck muscles properly. Now, I have a muscular imbalance. My spine feels weakened. My neck, upper chest and back muscles are so small that they become over-loaded with simple daily activities and tighten up affecting the vagus nerve which leads to heart palpitations and stomach issues like gas and indigestion. SOLUTION: Trigger point therapy, light exercise, Heavy accurately targeted strength training, REST, and a proper diet.

Long Story HERE (PM me if you want more details):

I was the same. Try your best not to let your thoughts get the best of you..especially as a father and a firefighter. I think you're actually in a good position to turn this thing around. My situation was almost exactly like yours, but I've turned it around, and I did it without without meds. It's a long story, but from what you've written it's almost the same as yours, so buckle up!

First, I'm going to make a few assumptions, and you can correct me if I'm wrong. Since your a firefighter you probably thought of yourself as physically fit, am I right? You've rarely/never had a personal trainer? You tried an Intermittent Fasting diet or just don't consume enough calories? You tend to workout your chest muscles more than your back?

In one way or another I did all of the questions above, which after many doctors visits tests, stayed in ICU, EKGs, ECGs, MRIs, Xrays, Carotid Doppler Tests, and EVERY one coming back Clear of any devastating findings!! I had many many self reflections on wondering how I got the point of not being able to drive because I knew I would have a panic attack. (To explain driving: I wasn't anxious about driving, but the POSITION I sat in inside of the car caused a lot of tightness and pain which caused me to tense up more and more, until I had an actual panic attack.) After many months of reflection and some success I more so realized that my neck, back, shoulder pain, heart palpitations, and bout with anxiety/panic/general stress related issues was actually caused by years and years of improper training techniques, lack of nutrition (not enough calories), and to much PRIDE.

In high school and college I was very athletic and loved sports. Like most kids I wanted to go to the NFL. I always researched on google new exercises and diets I could do to better my chances of playing sports in college and make it to the NFL. I trained and trained, on my own, for years! I also wanted a beach bod to impress the "ladies" so, I spent a lot of time working my chest, Biceps, and Triceps. I had "success" I could run faster, jump higher, and was a "MACHINE" ...that couldn't be stopped. So fast forward 10 years, I played football for 1 year in college, but no NFL. That's fine I can still be successful right? Maybe.

This is December 2018, I'm now 30 years old. Im a teacher working overseas and life is going "good!" Haven't worked out consistently in 5 months prior to this period. If I did anything I was 500 pushups (or something ridiculous) I also unintentionally Intermittently fasted around my work schedule and consumed less than 2000 calories a day for 6 months prior. Also, during these months I notice that I am having a growing neck and shoulder. Late Dec 2018 I get sick with a stomach virus and lose 10 pounds, and I'm not really eating. I'm driving, and I experience my first anxiety, panic episode, where my vision closed, like some putting on blinders on me. I got Flushed and couldn't drive. Luckily someone was with me to take me to the ER.

ER said we think you're having a panic attack. I of course disagreed, because I was "Healthy!" They did check on my stomach issue and gave me some medicine. I continued to have panic attacks for 2 weeks straight, once or twice a day. It was the first time I felt my heart's rhythm change, the regularity was gone. So daily I was waiting to die of a massive heart attack. Mentally, it was rough!

Long story short, I wore out my welcome at many ERs. Even got laughed out of and shamed into never returning to one ER. My body looks healthy, the tests are perfect, I'm responsive, the doctors are doing the best but they can see that for years and years I haven't trained my back muscles properly (for years!). They couldn't see that I was living 30lbs underweight, that I'm not eating right, they couldn't see that my body was trying to change, but I'm still living my high school/college lifestyle.

So I had to embrace the test results that I do have. I had to accept that, this is a stress related issue. I had to embark on my own journey back to something that was near normal and not feeling as if I'm going to have a heart attack while teaching in front of my classroom.

I happy to say I haven't had a full on panic attack since March of 2019 and that I've made it back to relative close to my life before December 2018, and I did it without medication.

Still, some days are better than others, I still have a lot of work to do, but now I know where to start.

[Cat33]

I'm so sorry to hear how you feel and your fear of losing your job

Please please believe the results if they have told you they are all fine

You must have to have fitness assessments being a firefighter ?

Please talk this over with someone professional as you can be helped and get an end to this misery you are feeling at the moment and enjoy life again If you did end it all you would be leaving 2 sons to live with that terrible memory You are a strong person to be a firefighter and please don't think of going anywhere you have a wonderful life ahead of you seeing those boys grow up

I definitely can recommend you read the DARE response by Barry McDonnagh to put your mind at rest about heart fears

Please please seek help talk to your bosses too

Wishing you all the very very best and congratulations on doing such an amazing job

[Funkyfaerie]

Hi,

Lived with this a lot.

The feeling that you are going to pass out when doing mundane things is so frightening, it's happened to me so many times, but I have never passed out or fallen over. You get that feeling start and then an intense fear overtakes you, what can you do apart from carry on and try to calm down, it's horrible, I sympathise, but mine has got less now. Thinks its got fed up trying as I have finally out witted it, not by any means, just time and learning it can't harm me.

I wish you all the best x

[Aliciar]

I feel like i wrote this except I’m a mom with 2 kids. I just today had the thought i was going to die while putting my kids to bed. I hugged them told them good bye / good night. My daughter asked me why i was crying just told her i was sad she hugged me and said it’ll be ok mama. If only i believed her.

This fear of dieing and healthy anxiety might very well do me in. I’ve tried tons of meds but nothing helps I’m seeing a counselor and he helps but sometimes the stupid thoughts just pop up out of the blue or i get a weird pain and that sets my thinking off

[Yasyass in reply to Aliciar]

The mind is a very powerful thing either beats you or you control it if I start to think about my health problem all kinds of fear starts so as soon as I feel this I do breathing in out exercise and keep thinking of the positive things in life we can’t change how god has written for how we die but we r in control of how to live and enjoy the life so everyday is a blessing enjoy it with your daughters