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Posted 4/24/2013 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
So today hasn't been a good day for me because I have been feeling a lot of fluttering, palpitations and my heartbeat felt
Hard if you know what I mean? And I've also been dealing with some dizziness occasionally and notice that when I feel like getting a little active I start to feel fatigued and it's kind of scaring me again. These episodes don't happen all the time but today has just been bad. Is this normal for anxiety? And I have been to the doctor in the past got bloodwork, EKG, and chest X-ray done about 3 months ago and 3 weeks ago I got an echo and wore a monitor for 24 hours and everything came out fine. For those who know me know my story and that my anxiety is mostly health anxiety and it's very debilitating. Any help please?
Posted 4/25/2013 12:28 AM (GMT 0)
So sorry you had a bad day. Im sorry, I dont know your full story. When I first got palpitations it scared me to death.I was much younger. I suffered with them for yrs and went to emerg constantly. Mine dissipated yrs ago, until a good friend recently passed from a heart attack. Now I am feeling any twinge my heart makes-or where I think my heart is-lol. Sometimes its just trapped gas. But-it has been scary lately. Our friend was my age. Brought it close to home. I think that a lot of us that suffer anxiety just seem to notice more about our own bodies than others. For me, its breathing. All of a sudden I feel like I cant breathe. I am healthy. But I pay so much attention to that and dont let myself breathe naturally-no wonder I am afraid of feeling that. Breathing is a natural occurrence.Yet I have this desperate need to control it. Does that make sense.
I know how debilitating any symptom can be caused through anxiety. I wish you strength tonight-and peace and comfort.
Posted 4/25/2013 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks you so much it has been debilitating and that's why I don't get out or exercise as much as I used to. I totally agree with you about noticing our bodies more because I pay so close attention to my heart and chest that it has become a part of my life. And sometimes I try to ignore it but it can get to the point where I can't ignore it and it just brings me down altogether.
Posted 4/25/2013 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
Jo, this is Larry, I'm sitting here reading this and I don't know what to say, I woke up this morning and I could feel my heart thru my rib cage, I can hear it in my ears when I turn my head a certain way and right now I can kinda feel/hear it in my throat. Now its not fast because I am not letting it scare me, I wont lie to you when I was a younger man it scared hell out of me but I had no forum to go to, no computer to look for help, this place is to re-assure you that its normal for you. Your more attune to your body and its working parts than some are, your not sick or week and unless a drunk driver gets you your going to live to be an old man like me with kids and Grandkids, while on this journey don't forget to stop and tell some young boy or girl, Do not be afraid! If your not going to believe your Doctors is there really anyone else?
Your Friend
Larry ***
Posted 4/25/2013 12:40 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Larry your very inspirational. But ya know when the symptoms I have flare up I completely lose everything that I know is true which is that my tests came back normal. I mean I don't know why it's so hard to accept anxiety! I can physically say to someone that I have anxiety and there is nothing wrong with my heart but I can't mentally accept it I just don't know why it's just that the scary symptoms that I have convinced otherwise I just don't know how to break that barrier ya know?
Posted 4/25/2013 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
Because ill tell you something Larry I have goals that I want to accomplish during my life. I want to go to college and get a good education, find the career of my dreams, marry the most beautiful woman in the world, have a family, have grand kids and die an old happy and successful man but you know sometimes I feel that I will never be able to complete those goals ya know? I feel still that I can die at any moment and just the thought of it brings me down alot.
Posted 4/25/2013 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
Jocipher,

I am sorry that you are feeling an increase in anxiety today. idea I know all too well what you are going thru. I too suffer from health anxiety. Always thinking every little sensation is something serious and that I will die. When you are feeling really anxious, try telling yourself "its just anxiety making me feel this way, I have felt this way before and I was okay. I will be fine this time too!"

I tell myself that a lot during the day. You recently had the cardiac monitor as you said, recent blood work, chest x-ray.. those are all very reassuring tests. I just went thru the same things as I was convinced I had something terribly wrong with me. Anxiety keeps our central nervous system on full alert with the "fight or flight" response kicking in and making symptoms more apparent.... that alone can cause fatigue.

I was dealing with the flutters and a weird "hard" thump of heart in chest just a couple of weeks ago. I went to see a naturopath about it because I wasn't getting answers from my PCP that I was reassured with and since I have been working on better managing my anxiety (thru CBT therapy, better diet & positive self talk as well as a natural supplement called GABA -gamma aminobutyric acid) I have had less symptoms. I am still suffering from dizziness, but I am working really hard at not going into a panic everytime I feel it and its getting easier to deal with.

Just know that you are not alone, and you will get thru this. Anxiety is something that is really hard to deal with when its really forefront, but it is managable and you will regain your life :) Have faith in God and faith in yourself. :-)

Posted 4/25/2013 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
I hear ya. I absolutlely dont know how some people heal faster than others and break those barriers you are speaking about. Im 15 yrs with agoraphobia now-used to be in an all female rock band-was out there front and center.It was absolutely crushing to me to become the way I am. Heard of so many ways we could begin to heal over those 15 yrs. Just wasnt ready I guess. Do not know how to explain that.Every one is different in their journeys. But-I am on a healing journey now.I am finally ready. So-if I can do it-you will too. Take some baby steps-today I said to myself I will be calm. Simple. Did I react when I had a strange feeling in my chest-yes indeed. lol Thats my go to thoughts. But I brought myself back to what I said to myself this morning-calm. You`re ok-keep telling yourself that.
Posted 4/25/2013 1:05 AM (GMT 0)
I try but sometimes it's not good enough I'm trying to adopt a technique where every hour I stop what I'm doing and do some deep breathing and do a little self talk. But yeah before all of this happened I had a wonderful life I was carefree and was able to work out as much as I wanted without any problem and was in great shape but now I'm just a mess to be honest and so very badly want to escape from this. And I will try to do whatever it takes. Thanks for the support.
Posted 4/25/2013 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
Jocipher, I didn't say I got well in one day, hell I lived on the edge of a razor for more than 20 years.
However I now know that was not necessary and I could have cut that journey short by many years. You
can start to get well now, it might take a while to get to your goal, but every time you defeat this monster
you get stronger and it gets weaker. Son just remember your not alone in this, every person on this forum and every person who has ever been here is either with you pulling you along or behind you giving you a push, all in the love of each other. This is not easy but every time you allow yourself to suffer a little instead of give in you get stronger as Feather1 called it baby steps, keep doing this and one day you will run.

Larry ***
Posted 4/25/2013 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
I have horrible health anxiety, have had it since I was a small child. I worry that every little sensation is something that could potentially kills me. I google til my eyes are blurry trying to solve my problems and eventually that fear passes just so a new once can come along. I just wanted to say I know your pain and it sucks.
Posted 4/25/2013 3:05 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys for your support. I see my therapist In two days and hopefully she can start help putting me in the right path. I've seen her about 4 times but felt like I wasn't making any progress and by that I haven't learned any coping mechanisms or how to controls thoughts because ill tell ya I think alot of negative thoughts and that really doesn't hep my situation either. But since on here are there any suggestions to bring myself into relaxation or to calm myself down if symptoms flare up? And yes I did see some of the ones already mentioned but is there more I can do?
Posted 4/25/2013 12:17 PM (GMT 0)
whenever possible i take a nap!! put everything on "autopilot" that pretty much proves its all in my head.well sooo far anyway..haha
Posted 4/25/2013 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
I can relate to this health anxiety.it's worse when I'm sick, like today. I tell myself it will pass, I will feel better. It's hard. I know what you're feeling, but it goes away. Hang in there, it will pass.
Posted 4/25/2013 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your responses I do tell myself that I'm fine and it's just my anxiety and it does help a bit but I need to keep working at it. Like today in gym we ran two laps and I was really uncomfortable doing that like my symptoms were going crazy but I held in there and told myself that it's my anxiety and I got through it although I didn't feel good I still got through it.
Posted 4/26/2013 5:15 PM (GMT 0)
As long as what you do is a positive thing let yourself take the option to move your body,
it's something you can feel and even being shaky is better than giving in to fear.
Your a strong young man you can be anything you were before and more,
Remember small steps will cover the same journey. One day it will be time for you to run.
You will know when.
Your Friend

Larry ***
Posted 4/27/2013 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
I just did some hard work today moving mulch into our yard. Afterwards I started to have weird sensations in my chest again and felt like a was about to have a panic attack because I was starting to worry about it. This was the first time I've done hard work in awhile.
Posted 4/27/2013 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
Honest work is good for the human Spirit!
Remember Jo, i'm not telling you I did this or that, i'm telling you
in all honesty "I wish I had, my journey would have been shorter".

Larry ***
Posted 4/27/2013 9:12 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah I got the endorphins running through me
Right now and I feel pretty good but I still got those weird sensations every now and then but am trying not to let it bother me:)
Posted 4/27/2013 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
I can also add that your symptoms all sound familiarly like panic and anxiety.

Intense anxiety makes one experience these feelings...one zones in on a flutter or a sensation and it enhances it to monumental degrees.

I have to repeat constantly, 'i am fine, it will pass, this is panic, just let it go' etc etc etc...

The usage of safety behaviours are very common too; sitting down and resting as soon as you feel 'unwell', drinking water, carrying your mobile everywhere etc...most people who suffer like us are attached to safety behaviours.
The best and only way to truly conquer the panic is to give up the safety behaviours as they just hold us back and encase us in a bubble which will hold us there...

I really pray you can let go of the anxiety and panic, as I hope we *all* can as it robs us of precious moments, days, years of our lives...

LP
Posted 4/27/2013 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for that and I agree with you that I need to let go but it's baby steps for me. I'm hypersensitive about my body and notice pretty much EVERYTHING. And if I don't feel right in anyway I tend to slow down so to speak. And even if I don't feel panicky I feel the weird symptoms and sensations and that alone can cause the panic in me too because I'm a hypochondriac.
Posted 4/27/2013 10:50 PM (GMT 0)
And me..and everyone else on here..which is why we're all here..to listen, help, advise.

Of course..small steps. I truly understand everything you're saying and I know how painful mental anguish is.

To be honest, I would choose my RA physical pain over PAD every time.

Stay strong,

LP
Posted 4/27/2013 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks LP you sound just like my dad. Which is a good thing but thanks for your support:)
Posted 4/28/2013 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
I did better today with moving more mulch and felt better than I did yesterday. Yestersay I felt like I was going to have a panic attack but I didn't today so that's progress! But unfortunately we will have to run a mile for fit testing in gym this week and I'm really stressing about that because I haven't ran like that in such a long time and am afraid of what will happen any advice?
Posted 4/28/2013 11:52 PM (GMT 0)
Jocipher

Hi, this is Kitt.  I am glad to read you had a good day today.  Try not to anticipate how you will do when you run.  If you start to feel panicky overwhelming you slow your running down and concentrate on just breathing while you put one foot in front of the other.

I often get caught up in what if? thinking and after the event I realize everything was just fine and I worried needlessly.

I wish you well,

Kitt

 

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