Clear tests, still worrying symptoms..!

[Daxter]

Hello. I suffer from health anxiety relating to my heart and have been experiencing worrying symptoms for 2 months including sleep paraylsis, dizziness (especially when lying on sides), arm/shoulder pains , migraines and palpitations. I have had a good few tests, all of which are clear but I'm still worried. Are there heart conditions echocardiograms, ECGs, 24hr monitors AND X-Rays can't detect.?

I am male, age 21, fairly active and with a lifetime history of anxiety. My mother has a leaky valve, my grandfather (father's side) had heart attacks after age 40 and I have infrequent ectopics.

[daisyd]

Hi

I think all though not a doctor anxiety can cause some of these symptoms, but their is a condition called Hughes syndrome (Antiphospholipid syndrome, sticky blood ) all the same condition.

Symptoms

Migraines, dizziness, memory fog, etc

It's best that you look on the Hughes foundation web site, where you can learn more about this condition

There is a blood test to detect it and treatment.

Good luck. Hope you start feeling better soon, please let us know how you get on.

karen

[patch14]

The main symptom you have for all the conditions you describe is one you already know ANXIETY!!! As you have had all the tests that the Drs can give you ,( and after reading above a good set of advice there as well ) have you thought about some sort of relaxation techniques to get your mental equilibrium back on track? Have you thought about yoga? This not only helps your body but I have several friends who have found it very beneficial for their mental health. Some have even been able to come off life long medication!! Worth a try. I know it is worrying when you have a family history of health problems, but every year there is an increase in the knowledge of heart conditions, and what would have proved fatal only a few years ago now are no longer life threatening. Good wishes to you and let us know how you get on.

[deepblue]

HI there,

Sorry to hear you are suffering from anxiety.

I too have this condition and have had it from teenage years. Anxiety can cause all sorts of symptoms that mimic heart conditions. I have had palpitations since my late 20's (am 53 now), so try not to worry about these too much. Your symptoms sound very much like the ones I used to get when I was under severe stress - chest pains, dizziness, pains running down arm and numbness in limbs upon awakening at night.

As people above have suggested, relaxation techniques and a good multivitamin with magnesium,b vitamins and vitamin D can help, together with eating a good balanced diet and of course exercise can help greatly with anxiety. As Patch says, Yoga is great for this, it teaches control (through movements and breathing techniques) which can help with you controlling your anxiety rather than letting it control you. You could also ask your doctor to put you on SSRI's (Selective Seratonin Uptake Inhibitors) such as Citalopram, fluoxetine etc for a short while which help too.

Best wishes, I hope you get over this pretty quickly, anxiety is a horrible thing.

[DOLLYJASPER]

Hello Daxter after reading about your condition it reminds me of myself when I was about your age , palpitations/stressed out/thinking I was going to drop dead any moment/wondering what was wrong. I had all the health checks and many years later I am now 73 I realise that it was properbly caused by nothing more than a vivid imagination/tension etc. If I can offer some advice it is to buy yourself some running shoes and get out there, it is a wonderful way of making you relax, also if you not that way inclined try Transcendental Meditation. Either way I hope you will get over this difficult period and wish you well for the future.

[eastridingbigden]

I agree with all that has been said above particulaly dolly jasper keep on running as the song goes be happy