Severe Health Anxiety- Seemingly Out of the Blue!

Good afternoon everyone! I'm Anthony. Right now, I'm having health anxiety regarding my heart that I can't seem to shake. I've been perusing these boards to hopefully get some relief and have finally decided to make a post of my own. Here's my story. ( sorry if it's lengthy!)

In early august, about two weeks before my 31st birthday, I started having chest pains at work. I've experienced panic attacks in the past but had never taken medicine and it was never a problem so I chalked up the chest pains to that and was fine. Well for the rest of the week, I kept getting these chest pains. I finally decided to see a doctor, thinking it was a puller muscle or a gas issue. At this point, I wasn't even anxious. I rarely get sick and didn't even have a family doctor. I went to a walk in clinic and noticed I was kind of anxious. When they called me back and checked my pulse/BP ( 115 and 130/80) for some reason I freaked out right there in the doctors office. I was convinced I was having a heart attack right there.

They did an EKG but because I would not sit still, they couldn't get an accurate reading and they sent me to the ER. There I had an EKG, chest X-ray and blood work. All was fine. They gave me Xanax and sent me on my way.

To make a long story short, I couldn't get past the fact that they missed something and the chest pains didn't go away. I've had 9 ekgs, an echocardiogram, 3 chest X-rays, and 3 sets of blood work. They have all come back fine. I've been to a cardiologist. A psychiatrist, and two family doctors. I had to use short term disability at work because I couldn't sleep or focus on anything. I started googling the crap out of heart symptoms, aortic dissections, sudden cardiac death as I was convinced my time here was limited.

I tried Zoloft. That made my anxiety way worse. Currently, I'm on 20mg of Prozac and 1 mg/day of kolonopn. Since I'm scared of the side effects of medicine ( I've read ppl go suicidal and homicidal on Prozac and that kolonipin is hard to get off, my docs agreed that I could cut the 1mg to .5 Daily for a month and then stop taking it since I've only been on it for about a month.

As soon as I did that, bam. I was back in the ER with another EKG that was perfect. I've also been dry heaving more too. The docs say to go back to 1 mg of k and that the dry heaving can be from the Prozac since I'm only on day 13.

Sorry this is so lengthy. I just feel like
Never going to get better. My mind is always racing. I'm afraid to be alone or even go out in public. I have up caffeine and alcohol. They only thing now is I smoke. My docs want me to quit but also realize it will be extra hard during this period if intense anxiety.

Hopefully someone has some encouraging words. I'm still convinced I'm going to die from my heart, go crazy, or lose control. I'm working with a therapist for CBT but we just started. I have a hard time believing that anxiety can cause all of this. My chest still hurts everyday, 8 weeks later. It is ruining my life.

Thanks for listening!

Hi Anthony and welcome!

I am sorry to hear of your anxiety and the symptoms that you are suffering through at this time. Please know that you are not alone...many of us are or have gone through this very issue.

I am really happy to hear that you have started CBT! This was a tremedous help to me. I have been able to overcome my panic disorder through this treatment, and am now able to manage my health anxiety and GAD well.

It does take time and effort however, so be patient with yourself and the process.

We have a great Resource section here that you may find beneficial (link below) I found that self-help in addition to the work that I did in therapy to be the key for my recovery.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=9&m=104206

There are coping skill instructions, informative articles and even book recommendation on the subject of health anxiety that you may find useful.

Keep posting with us as well. Support is key, and we understand and care.:)

Looking forward to getting to know you better.

S.C.

If there's one thing I definitely would advise is to quit googling symptoms, the first time I did it with pains in left arm I collapsed literally with an instant panic attack.

The pains we are both getting I think are real, it's just they aren't what our minds think they are. That's my take anyway, hang on in there and speaking with others who have gone through this has sure helped me alot in a very short time :)

Thanks LB! That's why I feel crazy. Out of all of my tests, they haven't found anything. No PVCs. No MVP. Everything is perfect. My BP Is usually 114/69 once I get calmed down!!

That's why I've been looking up aortic dissections ect. You guys are right though. One google search can send me to shear panic. The problem is I get the chest pains even when I don't feel anxious!

I have it write now typing this. The chest pains, ect. I just want my life back!

Jake,

It's so good to hear from people who are going through this same thing. Did yours come out of the blue too? I was literally fine one day and then I wasn't and it spiraled out if control from there.

I haven't had a stress test done because honestly, I was scared if I got my heart rate up that high, it would give out. That and I had convinced myself the dye the inject you with would cause an allergic reaction. My family doctor agreed that after 9 ekgs, the echo, the chest x rays, and the blood work, I would be ok not taking it at least until I got my anxiety under control.

I had to reup the kolonipin because when I cut it in half, I was a mess. Prozac seems to work for me so far but I'm only on day 15 now.

For some reason, mornings are the worst for me. I've literally put my life on hold. Little things like going to the post office or gas station are now huge deals. I just want to go back to how I was 8 weeks ago. 12 doctors have assured me if something serious was wrong, I would have known about it almost 9 weeks later. However, this morning, I woke up to my right leg throbbing so my brain immediately jumps to "it must be a blood clot that's going to dislodge and go to my heart"

I consider myself pretty smart and logical so that side of me tries to reason with the anxious side but those darn physical symptoms always win out!

Hey guys I feel the same as you all. I feel that it's heart related to. Got tested with everything and even having a stress test tomorrow and sometimes still am having a hard time but thanks to this new found knowledge of anxiety and my clean bill of health I am trying to take the offensive on anxiety and trying to conquer my fear of exercise since that is what got me into this in the first place. And the stress test tomorrow will tell me if I can or not and hopefully I can! You both will be okay anxiety can play many tricks on us. I am a 17 year old guy but have been dealing with this for about 8 months so I've pretty much had all anxiety can throw at me.

Hi Anthony. ..you are definitely not alone and I'm sure everyone has assured you of that in their comments. Just wanted to let you know that I am still fighting health anxiety and have been for about 5 years. Its has gotten a whole lot betterbut it still bothers me from time to time. My main concern was my heart also because I have palpitations and chest pains here and there. I also have gotten so many ekgs that I lost count, blood work, two ultrasounds of my heart and I have worn a 24 hr holter and will soon be wearing one for a month (not happy) and everything has come back normal. Just keep reminding yourself that your ok and you have test results to prove it I know its not easy but were here for you. Best wishes.

Nelle

Hi there!

Sorry to hear you're going through such a tough time with anxiety, I, too, am suffering worse than usual right now. The best thing to do I think with this kind of anxiety is trust your doctors!

I know it's really tough, I've been there, but once you put complete faith in testing and your doctors expertise you can live a much more relaxed life. I know it's easy to say but I used to go home after a doctor's appt and tell myself he was wrong... yet it would never be a problem again. It took me a couple of years to trust my doctor (He was always right, after all!) but once I did, I was much better off!

Much luck to you with the therapy!
Best wishes. :)

Hi Anothony. 27 year old female here, no risk factors (very healthy weight, eat well, exercise regularly, non smoker, alcohol only in moderation, good blood pressure) and despite all that I've still had two EKGs and two chest x rays in the last three weeks because I was absolutely convinced that something is wrong with my heart. I just want you to know that you aren't alone. Our minds are so incredibly powerful. I wish I had an answer for you, but I do not. This message simply serves to let you know that you aren't alone. I'll keep you in my thoughts and I sincerely hope you find a way to shake that fear.
We are too young to worry ourselves so much.

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the support. I really am my own worst enemy because I'm stubborn to a fault.

My therapist says believing and accepting that this is all anxiety is the first step and I think I'm still struggling with that. Like I said, logically after all this time, I do feel like it's in my head but when the chest pains hit, it's hard to remember that logic.

SC, thanks for the AM anxiety info. That makes sense but scares me because I know too much cortisol CAN lead to heart problems. Haha. This is such a vicious cycle!

As a side note, and I don't think I mentioned this before: 4 years ago my very good friend lost her husband at age 36 to what they call a widow maker. He didn't have any symptoms besides lightheadedness and went to lay down and died. At the time, I remember being strong for her and her children but I have noticed his sudden abrupt death has been on my mind. All of my doctors have assured me this is rare and he also had a family history of this,which I don't. The point is because he was seemingly symptomless is what really gets me. However, he hadn't been to a doctor in ten years ( although he was in great shape, didn't smoke, didn't drink) so I keep telling myself I HAVE been checked out.

I'm rambling now so I apologize. I figure I've trained my brain to think like this and I can untrain it too. I am just too impatient. Haha

Thanks again everyone!

Hey everyone!

Just wanted it update you; my pcp prescribed Luvox based on a recommendation from my therapist after Paxil, Zoloft, and Prozac didn't work. Anyone have any experience with this?

Also, still taking 1mg of kolonopin daily. Sometimes 1.5 depending on the day. I've been on it for almost 2 months now and I'm starting to stress about addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal. Any encouraging words? It does help.

Thanks again!

Hi everyone!!!!

It's been a while. I've officially been diagnosed with OCD and am taking Luvox 50 mg and 1 mg klonopon a day. It seems to me working. I've returned to work and while I can feel the anxiety at times, I feel much much better

I'm not as focused on my heart as much anymore but my therapist and family doctor want me to go through a nuclear stress test. I was originally scheduled to have one done but was too anxious. They think that obviously after 3 months and countless perfect other tests, that this will help me confront my fear and put it to bed once and for all. I do have to admit that I'm starting to really get anxious about the great which is tomorrow.

Any encouraging words will be greatly appreciated! I've heard horror stories about being allergic to the dye they inject you with or having a heart attack on the treadmill.

Ugh. This test is making the anxiety seemingly all come back. I hope it's just the test making me feel this way and not the whole ordeal resurfacing. That was the scariest time of my entire life and I don't want to go back there ever ever again.

Thanks again.

Anthony,

Our thoughts and prayers are going with you to your appointment and test.

Envisioning a good outcome, with great results and everything going comfortably and smoothly will help it to actually be so.:)

Use your breathing, relaxation and positive mantras to get you through.

I am glad that things have been much better in general...now just get through this next step...and you are that much closer to your goal.

You are doing great...keep up the good work.

Let us know how it goes okay?

Comfort and courage!

S.C.