The number of times I've been told all my symptoms are from anxiety you wouldn't believe. Problem is when they take my oxygen levels or do an ECG they always come back normal.
About anxiety: The number of times I've... - British Heart Fou...
About anxiety
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Shadesof
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Anxiety is a common diagnosis which most of us hearties have heard before and I’m sorry to hear you’re in the same boat. You don’t say what your symptoms are which might give other members an insight?
Have you had any other tests a part from the ECG and the monitoring of your oxygen levels?
All the best.
Tos
My symptoms are very bad shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, extreme tiredness, very weak, cannot exercise as I get so out of breath just walking into the kitchen from my front room.Brain fog.
I have had a 24 hour monitor, that's how they found out I had A.FIB.Numerous ECG's echo cardiogram, a MRI on my heart, all showed nothing
Some of your symptoms sound consistent with AFib but I am not a health professional. Has your AFib gotten worse by any chance which might have exasperated your symptoms? It could be that your medicines need to tweaking for this to see if that makes a difference to how you are feeling.
Yes they have got worse, I'm waiting for an appointment with my heart doctor but its been a few months now, its two months since I had my MRI.Trying to get to see a GP is even worse can't get an appointment.
In May I had those symptoms except I didn’t have the weakness or extreme tiredness. I was short of breath which took hours sometimes to reduce and a tightness around my rib cage. Saw my gp whose specialty is cardiac so I was lucky. He checked family history and thought it may be angina, prescribed aspirin and a beta blocker and referred me to rapid assessment clinic. Had ECG, CT scan and echocardiogram and waiting for a CT scan with dye angiogram at end of this month. Oxygen level is always 98%. Consultant doesn’t think it’s angina as tightness doesn’t go when resting and I have to keep taking my bra off as it feels tight but it doesn’t help. Some days my breathing is better, other days I seem to get short of breath more easily. Not sure if humidity has anything to do with it but I get worse when I’m hot. I also suffer from anxiety but I can tell the difference in my breathing when anxious and my shortness of breath is different.
That sounds just like my problems, I know when it is anxiety. This is much worse when I move around, cant walk more than 50 yards without getting out of breath.My oxygen levels also always show 95 or above.
My chest sometimes feels like someone is sitting on it or squeezing it. It's awful, and I'm practically housebound these days.
Sounds much like me; just walking into another room has me breathless. Been waiting now for 8 months for a spirometry test by the G P. It's now been delayed yet another month. I had x rays, an echo scan and holter monitor months ago but can't seem to get this spirometry test. GP assumes it's tight muscles from spinal problems but that's what he said just before I had a heart attack. He was very wrong.
in reply to Shadesof
Hi, why haven't they treated you with an Angiogram? You may have a Artery blocked?
Take care
What is your hematocrit? I have anemia of chronic disease, which is not treatable. Same exact symptoms. I have had it as long as I have had auto-immune disease, which is over 20 years. The auto-immune improves, then the anemia gets better. Sounds to me like the anxiety is being caused by the illness, not the cause of the illness. Doctors latch onto anxiety because it is an easy diagnosis. It took 7 trips to Mayo Clinic in Rochester to diagnose me with Polymyalgia Rheumatica/Giant Cell Arteritis/MGUS, and now possibly MGRS. A systemic vasculitis could be the cause of your symptoms. I do not know if you are male or female, but women have heart issues different than man. If you are female read this book:
amazon.com/Sex-Matters-Male...
Women tend to have more micro-vascular heart issues, harder to detect. Yet doctors are trained for, and most clinical trials are based on, the heart symptoms of men. My issues are micro-vascular, auto-immune based, and I nearly died before being properly diagnosed. I was told I had anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, more anxiety, "You need to see a psychiatrist", etc. etc. One older doctor even wrote 4f on my file; fat, female, fecund, over 40. Thank goodness that old mind set is going away. I am not fat by the way, BMI is 25. He was a horrible doctor. My best friend, who is a nurse practitioner told me that my files were tainted, having been brushed with the anxiety paint brush, so I needed to completely change medical systems. I did that, switching from our one large nearby city to another nearby city. the new doctors immediately sent me to Mayo who properly diagnosed me. That was in 2017. Since then I have continued to slowly spiral down with micro-vascular auto-immune issues. But, at least now we know what we are fighting. It is the not knowing that is anxiety inducing. I can fight any dragon I can see. You have my empathy. I know what it is like to not know. Hang in there. Start writing down your symptoms as they happen to you. Not a book, just a word or two. You will find a doctor who will listen. Remember, half of them graduated in the bottom half of their class.
Thank you for your advice,Sorry to see you have big health problems.
I just want to know what my problem is.
I am female, aged 74.
Overweight and diabetic, on insulin injections twice a day, also a diabetic tablet.
I often have trouble with side effects from the different medications.
I gave in to the nurse I was seeing, and told her ok give me some anti anxiety pills.
Took them for 16 days, had to stop due to the side effects, diarrhoea, nausea, my A Fib got worse, and now I have stomach troubles, excess acid I think.
Will try to get in at the GPs surgery tomorrow, Monday.
Put getting an appointment these days is very hit and miss
do you have high blood pressure? High BP can make you miserable. I was put on Verapimil, which does not help the BP much, nothing does because of kidney failure, but Verapimil has a side-effect of helping depression and anxiety. I have had chronic dyspepsia for 40 years. It ended up being related to the auto-immune disease. Stomach got better when auto-immune was properly treated. I suggest you see a rheumatologist and get tested for auto-immune disease markers.
please what is chronic dyspepsia ,and it's symptoms .
My dyspepsia is upper stomach, just a raw irritated stomach, a constant gnawing burning pain, not an ulcer, just a bad stomach. I was diagnosed at Mayo in Rochester. They told me I would just have to live with it. Can't take PPIs, Prilosec, etc. because they cause kidney damage. Pain is worse after eating, especially acidic foods, or allergic foods. Nausea, gas, bloating. that is chronic dyspepsia.
Functional dyspepsia (dis-PEP-see-uh) is a term for recurring symptoms of an upset stomach that have no obvious cause. Functional dyspepsia also is called nonulcer dyspepsia.
Functional dyspepsia is common. It is a constant condition but symptoms don't happen all the time. Symptoms resemble those of an ulcer. They include pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen, bloating, belching and nausea.
Symptoms
Symptoms of functional dyspepsia may include:
Pain or burning in the stomach, bloating, excessive belching, or nausea after eating
An early feeling of fullness when eating. The feeling of fullness also is called satiety.
Stomach pain that occurs unrelated to meals or goes away when eating.
Risk factors
Some factors can increase the risk of functional dyspepsia. They include:
Being female.
Using certain pain relievers that are available without a prescription. These include aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), which can cause stomach problems.
Smoking.
Anxiety or depression.
History of childhood physical or sexual abuse.
Helicobacter pylori infection.
Female, check. Pain relievers, no. Smoking, no. Anxiety, The all time queen mother of anxiety. Childhood abuse, check, (severe, had mental breakdown age 7, alcoholic schizophrenic father) , Helicobacter Pylori,, no.
Found a book called Dropping Acid. Took highly acidic food from diet and better than it has been in decades. Also, don't let yourself become constipated. Basically, if stuff gets stuck in your stomach because it has nowhere to go, the problem is much worse.
An ECG and an oxygen monitor take literally a few second readings and are unlikely to pick up any problems. You need to push for further tests. It took a full year before a test picked up on my palpitations - they left the electrodes attached after I'd finished a stress test t hat had showed nothing when i suddenly had a run of palpitations. 5 years ago, after seeing my G P about worsening breathlessness which he insisted was caused by my spinal problems, I ended up having a heart attack. His apologies afterwards were profuse but at least he will never "assume" again. He had never once asked about family history of cardiac problems and never looked beyond what he knew I already had. A different GP years before insisted that my agonising pain that left me bedridden, was just anxiety. It turned out to be degenerative disc disease. I had to see a specialist privately before anyone took it seriously. They brush things off far too easily unless you insist.
Oh dear I know how you feel, they put everything down to anxiety.Yes my palpitations come and go they are not there all the time
The pain in my chest and the tightness can last for 3 or 4 hours and then goes away again.
A holter monitor might pick up the palpitations then again I had 3 that missed mine and they were only seen after the stress test but your chest pain does need further investigation. Can you take someone with you who can say it's definitely not anxiety?
I'm afraid they do not listen to me, I have told them numerous times its not anxiety, I know how anxiety feels as I have suffered with it in years past, also panic attacks.Once these things are in your records that's all they see.
I have been like this for nearly four years.
I am 74 years old.
Oh how well I Know that. I too used to have panic attacks so it's on my records too. When my spine slipped I was in sheer agony and bedridden for 9 months and the GP did absolutely nothing except say anxiety. I ended up seeing a neurosurgeon privately and was admitted to hospital within 5 minutes. I spent a month on the neurosurgery ward and changed my GP. My present G P is aware I have health anxiety ( After being told I probably had cancer aged 18) and is really helpful. Often a good explanation of what's wrong is all I need and do get but he knows the difference and he believes that I will admit if or when I know I'm anxious but he doesn't assume that's all it is. Best thing I ever did was changing GP.
Hi your story sounds like mine, I was literally left feeling I was imaging it. I am pasting my story below. But until the Echocadiogram they didn't take me seriously. I turned 49 in September Hi I took ill on 2nd July 2023 with Oxygen levels of 82% so was admitted in hospital for Respiratory investigation and discharged after a few days once normal Oxygen levels. 2 weeks later I noticed my heart dropping to between 29 on raising to 110 so went back to A and E where they arranged the 24hours holter which they suggested very mild VE /STV fast forward to 14th September 2023 I had an Echocadiogram. Then the 15th The heart Failure nurse called me to go to the hospital and see her immediately. Where she broke the devastating news that I have severe Heart Failure Grade 3 Diastolic dysfunction. And dilated left ventricular cavity size and and impaired left ventricular function with global hopokinesia The LVEF was 20% to25%. All though devastating it was also a relief as up until now I was made to feel it was my imagination. I am due to have Angioplasty investigation to find out how my Heart became so damaged, usually this level of damage is due to severe Heart Attack. But blood tests don't show any heart attacks
Hope this information helps
How scary for you and what a shock shame it took so long to be taken seriously . Hope they can sort it out as my husbands heart failure was diagnosed after his stroke four months ago caused by AF. His function was 33% but they said can improve in time with right treatment so all may not be as bad as it seems at the moment . Take care
Thank you
Hello, I am so sorry to hear that. I feel you. Thanks to all the posts including your post, I found that I am not alone. Thank you for being there. I hope that things take easy 🍀 I wish you a swift recovery from the Pacific Ocean.🌏😊
Ah the old "its anxiety" im guessing by now some of it is anxiety and who wouldnt be with your heart flip flopping, im waiting on CT angiogram results however im 99% sure my ectopics are caused by my hitatus hernia and GORD, are you suffering from reflux as it has been known to effect breathing might be silent reflux, worth checking
I think I'm in the same boat as you. I spent years fighting with my GP that I didn't have anxiety when actually it was atrial flutter. I was 18 at the time and didn't have an ablation until I was 21. I am currently suffering from multiple ectopic beats but also have a hiatus hernia which I think are related. Also taking omeperazole. Could you please keep me updated on your CT. My GP is for some reason reluctant for me to get rid of my hiatus hernia although I paid to see a specialist and he said people get great results from key hole surgery.
Will do mate, look into the HH and vagus nerve over stimulation, to be fair to my GP she has actually said its more likely to be gastro related, they have to rule out any heart issues first, its took 2 years mind.
Yeah im not sure where the reluctance comes from re the HH repair they seem to want to keep you on meds that cause numerous other complications rather than fix the root cause?
Yeah I agree. My ectopics are definitely vagus nerve or hiatus hernia related. I have more ectopics when I'm bloated and even constipated. I can have days with only one or two ectopics but can then have a day of over 300. It would be nice if I could find an instant relief for when I get more but I think just getting rid of the hiatus in the first place could be a big help.
Yup bloated/distended stomach and the burping/belching as well!
Have they done any blood tests recently? There can be so many reasons for these symptoms not just cardiac ones , although if you suffer with Tachycardia , Hypertension or Hypotension, as well as aFib it can cause these symptoms.
And even though they shouldn't they always seem to rely on oxygen levels , quick ECGs and blood pressure measurements to prove if things are normal when in fact there are various cardiac issues that do not show results consistently in these tests.
I got so sick of being shown the Anxiety card when I was less knowledgeable about my conditions, it's been used for everything from IBS to my Chronic Dysautonomia, and even as a misdiagnosis when I had a gall bladder problem.
I've got into the habit now , when I know my symptoms have nothing to do with my mental health, of saying ,
" I do not have symptoms because I have Anxiety . I do , however, sometimes feel frustrated or anxious because I have physical symptoms which have not been diagnosed yet. There is a big difference between the two"
They soon realise they need to look again.
Well said, I must try that.One doctor I had when I disputed anxiety got angry with me and said, what do you expect me to do. I walked out and cried at home.
That's awful how your being treated when it's clearly not anxiety!! Why is that all doctors see these days. 💔. Please seek a second opinion x
That's a really good saying I'm definitely saying this at my next appointment x thank you! Sorry to interrupt your reply to the OP just couldn't help but strongly relate.
Buy a blood pressure wrist model off Amazon . I take my blood pressure 3 times a day and put by the side of each reading how I am feeling and I take these with me every time I go to see my cardiologist or GP
I already have a blood pressure monitor x just not a wrist one. My mum has a wrist one though. That's a good idea about showing gp or cardiologist!
Shades
You see to have a lot of medical conditions, some unrelated to each other. I wonder if this is a case of traffic light syndrome?
The authorities erect traffic lights to deal with a virtually non existent problem. That causes a larger problem that then requires more drastic action of more traffic lights and one way signposting. which leads to the need for 2 roundabouts and a filter system . How does this relate to you? Has some original medication then required another medication to get round the effects of the first, then a further one as the second medication causes unexpected problems?
i wonder if you can get a holistic review of all your medicines and go back to basics? Secondly, anxiety plays a huge part in any condition as does weight, general fitness, food, traffic, environmental surroundings etc
As someone else mentioned weather conditions also impact. Heart patients need a goldilocks climate. We are especially susceptible to high humidity.
Thank you for your interesting input.I have always been very susceptible to the side effects of medication. Have just stopped a new one for anxiety, as the nurse convinced me I needed it.
I only took it for 16 days, I felt a thousand times worse, stomach pains, bloating, exhausted, sleepy, you name it.
I am a type two diabetic, have been for the last 15 years, I take insulin injections twice a day, also a tablet. Only been on injections for the last 3 years. I also take a blood pressure tablet, beta blockers for my A FIB, and a blood thinner.
I am also well over weight, the insulin puts weight on you.
I think I have side effects to the beta blocker, it's a constant runny nose.
So I understand what you are saying.
I'm at my wits end as what yo do next.
beta blockers can make breathing problems worse and affect your blood glucose levels as well as causing disturbed sleep - it may be helpful for someone to review your medication regime and adjust it to take into acount your ongoing conditions - i would also suggest that you find out more about Coronery MicroVascular Dysfunction - check out the International Heart Spasm Alliance website for info there - and insist that your GP does a basic lung function test - many breathing issues can be treated easily
Are you on bisoprolol by any chance as my husband hs been really anxious and over worrying since he s been on them and just sleeping most of the day . I phoned the doctor about the dosage he had been out in by the heart function nurse 7.5 morning and night and he agreed was too high . Since it hs been reduced back to 5mg mkrning and night he s been much better and heart rate no different in fact it doesn’t go down to as low as 40 now, usually 55 when he s sleeping . Take care
I am on 7.5 bisoprolol too, I get very tired and just want to go to sleep. Even a couple of hours after I get up in a morning. I only take it once a day.
Yes hubby was on that mkrning and night 15mg a day no wonder he had all those symptoms , he s even managed to go for a walk with me today on the reduced amount we didn’t go far but at least he got some fresh air .
Have you run the totality of the medications past your pharmacist who often like being consulted?
As I understand it losing weight often helps with Diabetes. That might then help a number of the other problems as being overweight often raises blood pressure which can then cause other heart conditions. So perhaps the weight might impact on any related issues as regards problems with exercise levels .
I wish I could lose weight, I have put on 4 st in weight in the last 3 years.I am on insulin for my type two diabetes 50 units twice a day. Insulin makes you put on weight its a known fact
I know nothing about insulin so I looked it up. I note that analogue insulin is much less likely to cause weight gain than the other two types, one of which you are presumably on?
Putting on 4stone is bound to have a huge impact on your health. Any chance of swapping your type of insulin or finding ways to lose this weight?
This new pill that is always in the news might help. I don't want to push the point but to an outside observer this aspect of your health looks key
I love your reference to a Goldilocks climate! I had never thought about it like that before, but it is so true. I live in an area of the US with a great deal of humidity. The higher humidity does affect my breathing and feelings of tiredness.
my outdoor sensors tell me it is 88% RH at present. It is due to rain in a few hours and that will push it to 100%.
Indoors it is currently 65%. After sleeping tonight it will be around 72% in the bedroom. Ideally it should be around 40/50% in winter or at most 60%
I have just bought a dehumidifier and let's see if that makes any difference. The house is well ventilated so we don't have mould issues, but as its wetter outside than in then opening windows will raise indoors humidity.
We live 200 yards from the sea so that obviously makes a huge difference
Currently, our temperature outside is 50 degrees F, and the humidity is 49%. We have no rain and none forecast for today. However, it looks bleak and gray outside.
It must be lovely living so close to the sea.
Best wishes! ❤️
I’d just like to tell you my story.
I was diagnosed with AF after feeling unwell at work. I ended up needing an ablation, which went ahead last august. After the blanking period this seemed to be resolved for the time being, the hospital did not investigate further for any problems I might have with my heart even though there is a strong family history of heart problems. I was getting increasing breathlessness and chest pains which I thought might be anxiety as have a phobia of the medical profession
I decided as I had private healthcare I would just go and have a consultation with a cardiologist ( this took a lot from me because of this phobia). Anyway he said let him decide if it was anxiety or something else. I had a CT angio which showed triple vessel disease. This was followed with an angiogram which showed blockages which were not able to be stented so 3 weeks later I had a triple CABG
The moral of the story is that sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands even if you become a bit of a pest
My cardiologist told me if had not had the bypass I would of had a heart attack or worse be dead
My oxygen levels are usually low on a day to day basis but when I go for any appt, they call you into the consulting room and stick the thing on your finger, I am gasping for breath and my oxygen levels go up as I'm breathing so fast!
HI I suffer the same as you and have been in and out of hospital, had monitors fitted and everything but all come back normal! They tell me it is anxiety and I have no idea how to get rid of it or even to have belief in them that it is only anxiety! The brain runs away with me and then I think I am going to have another HA and die! It then get even more scared which makes the symptoms worse!
I really feel your pain and worry I too am the same I am having counselling privately now which I think helps a bit but I still have really bad days. It is so awful, I just try to keep busy in my head!
Back in 2012, 2 years before I was diagnosed with dialated cardiomyopathy and CHF my GP blamed all of my symptoms on anxiety/pancic attacks. He tried every med possible and nothing helped, said my heart sounded good and strong as well and ended up sending me to a psychiatrist!! She tried to put me on antidepressants and another mental health BS drug, but told her I couldnt keep them down and caused my heart to race, so she stopped seeing me since I refused the meds. 2014 I had my husband take me to a walk in clinic and they took an xray of my heart and saw that it was enlarged among other things and sent me to a hospital immediatly. I had bilateral blood clots in my lungs, one in my heart and in my legs. My echo EF was 10-15% and they told me I was probibly going to die. I was sent by ambulance in a major snow storm to a hospital that specializes in hearts and they ended up giving me a drug they give stroke victims to try to get rid of all of the blood clots and it worked!! It took me almost a year of lots of meds and a CRT-D to get rid of my LBBB which was also caused by the CHF and my EF went to 55%. Although it has gone down to around 45% as of now which I think was due to that flu we all fear, I am hoping to work it back up to 55% by my next echo next year. We all need to be our own health advocates and keep telling the Drs. that they need to listen to us.
You’re not alone! They didn’t find “proof” until I was in the hospital for day surgery and the ECG showed I was in AFIB. Every time I wore the heart holter monitor, nothing showed up. I had the readings on my FitBit watch but my GP felt they weren’t reliable. I decided to get a Kardia Mobile device and was able to show my GP the frequency of the episodes. He sent me to a cardiologist and who prescribed Flecainide which has kept me in sinus rhythm for the past six months. Keep up the pressure!!
Hi, I started getting ectopic beats around March 2017, not long after I had stopped smoking. Went for all the echo, ecg, holter monitor bloods, oxygen , bp, all fine. In fact the cardiac consultant said my heart was in fantastic shape. Gp diagnosed anxiety as the cause but I’ve no idea what I’m anxious about! Still going on. He’s now prescribed me a low dose of antidepressants as I may have a hormone imbalance. I just don’t know where to turn at times. These are very real and quite worrying so I understand your fears and frustration
Sorry if I have missed in your thread but… What is your cholesterol like?
I would believe it, typical response to a lady and an older one, no offence meant.
They wouldn’t dare with me!
Take a chaperone with you, less likely to fob you off. Your chaperone can ask questions on your behalf with your permission. I have been taking my husband on a regular basis since a top consultant and muggered my eyes up.
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