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Posted 12/13/2012 12:31 AM (GMT 0)
Hey guys I'm new here so I'll give you a little back story. (21/M)

It all started over a year ago when I was working in a warehouse. I started feeling dizzy and having chest pains on a random basis. To cut a long story short I ended up leaving my job and began visiting my doctor. At first I came complaining of the dizzy spells and chest pains and constant burping I had developed. I was prescribed omaprazole which did little to nothing so I gave a blood test which was fine and was sent for a scan on my abdomen which again came back fine.
So yet again I went back to my Doctor and was prescribed Lansaprazole (sp?) which yet again proved useless. A few weeks later I went to A&E complaining of bad chest pains and feeling strange in my head. They gave me an ECG and told me I was fine. Upon seeing my doctor and having a lengthy chat with her, she came up with the conclusion I had bad anxiety and mild depression. She prescribed me with some anti depressants which I promptly stopped taking because they made me feel awful. So she sent me for an Echo-Cardiogram to put my mind at ease. It will also around this time that I started beginning to feel my pulse in my stomach and neck which was very discomforting.
Fast forward a few weeks and the test results came back fine. She said it's all in my head and I'm a perfectly healthy person. However since then I feel like I've been living in purgatory.
I feel like there is something physically wrong with me because for 20 years of my life I've been perfectly healthy and now I can't seem to stop thinking about why my pulse is visible in my neck or why I can't stop burping or why does it feel like my throat is really narrow.
Over the past few weeks I've began to take Magnesium supplements and omega supplements. Touch wood, I don't suffer chest pains too much and I feel a bit better but my doctor has prescribed me more anti depressants which don't really do anything.
Now I'm here in the present day typing this as I can't sleep because I've just read on the Internet that a visible pulse in your neck can be life threatening even though I've been suffering with a loud pulse for 6+ months.
I don't know what's wrong with me and I don't have a lot of faith in my doctor and I don't feel like telling my family because I get the usual 'Oh it's just your nerves'.
I'm typing this in the hope someone has had a similar past to me and can help me through this. I don't want to spend the rest of my life like this, it's horrible.
Thanks to anyone for reading this wall of text, I've been typing this on my phone so apologies for any misspellings. I would appreciate any sort of reply and similar stories I can relate to.
Regards,
Connor.

Post Edited (ConnorW) : 12/12/2012 6:03:28 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 12/13/2012 3:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Connor and welcome.

I am sorry that you are experiencing anxiety and its awful symptoms lately.

I understand how frustrating it is to be told that you are fine...but continue to feel unwell.:(

It is common however for those of us with anxiety to go on to believe that our health is failing. Our anxiety then takes on another facet that we refer to as 'health anxiety'

This often causes us to imagine all kinds of worse case senarios about our bodies...and makes us compulsive about looking up symptoms on the internet...or making doctor appointments and scheduling tests.

The relief is short live however, and something else usually develops into a worry sooner or later, unless the anxiety is treated.

I personally have recovered very well through therapy. I used to have terrible physical symptoms that sparked panic attacks and developed into health anxiety. Through CBT sessions and work though, I am now attack free and able to manage the anxiety.:)

If you think that you would like to look into this method of treatment, you can ask your doctor for a referral to a therapist. Many members here have found it effective!

Keep posting with us here as well. It is helpful talking with others who care and understand.

Talk to you soon,

Scaredy Cat
Posted 12/13/2012 1:11 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reply.

I agree that CBT maybe a good solution for me as up until now the anti depressants prescribed by my doctor are pretty much useless and judging by numerous other opinions they aren't much use in treating the core problem of anxiety.

I will have to chat to my Doctor and try to commence some sort of CBT as soon as possible because my life at the moment seems to be non existent.

Thanks again,
Connor.
Posted 12/13/2012 1:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Connor,
I'm brand new here, too. Your story sounds a lot like mine. I had a battery of tests and was convinced that something must be physically wrong with me because I really didn't know anything about anxiety disorders and thought it was something only weak people experienced. Well, I now know it's exactly the opposite-- people who are the strongest and fighting the hardest are those prone to anxiety. It took quite a while for me to accept that what I was experiencing was Generalized Anxiety and Panic Attacks (and it took my doctor quite a while to identify it as well.) For me, I think the medication has been a great help. It took a few different kinds to find one that worked for me-- actually, the best thing I did in this whole experience (and it was REALLY hard for me to do, because I felt there was such a stigma attached) was to see a psychiatrist to get the right medication for me. That really has been amazing, and I only did it after several months of CBT, which has also helped. Obviously, everyone is different, but Lexapro has had very few side effects for me (jaw clenching during the night is the only one I can really point out-- thank goodness for mouth guards!) So, sorry for the rambling reply, but know that anxiety is an illness, just like any other, and that it really sucks-- but that it is absolutely not a sign of weakness, and you won't feel like you do right now forever. Even though it feels that way! When I'm gripped by anxiety, I can't remember what it feels like to be normal, and I am convinced I will feel like this forever. But-- that's not true. I'm still working my way through process, but there is definitely hope!
Posted 12/13/2012 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, your post makes a lot of sense. I just have to convince myself that I won't be like this forever and that there will be light at the end of the tunnel one day.
I've had a conversation with my family and they said they would support me if I choose to go down the psychiatrist route. So I'll arrange to be referred through the my doctor as soon as possible and sort this illness out.
Thanks for the info guys, I feel as if I can start to move forward now instead of dwelling on negative thoughts.
Posted 12/13/2012 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
Good! That is what this place is all about...feeling accepted, validated, supported and eliminating the feelings of isolation that so often go along with anxiety.

Best wishes with your doctor's consult Connor, and let us know how it goes!

Brooksie,

Welcome! Please post with us anytime:) We are glad to have you join us. We are here to listen and care!

S.C.
Posted 12/13/2012 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
It's refreshing to talk to people with similar experiences. Websites like this are a huge help and if anyone I know starts to feel anxious or depressed, I'll recommend websites like this.
I'll be contacting my doctor tomorrow for a referral and also begin a supplement diet as I've read they can help you overcome anxiety naturally rather than really on anti-depressants.
I'll keep posting on my progress and hopefully I'll be on the road to a better state of mind soon. One year of this has been awful and I feel like it's time to turn things around.
Best of luck to anyone who's trying to overcome this as well, it's horrible but their is a way to better health.

Regards,
Connor.
Posted 12/13/2012 6:34 PM (GMT 0)
Oh Connor, I'm so sorry you've had to suffer with this for a year. I only went a few months without getting help, and it was torture. The good news is that you are going to be able to look back at this recognize how strong you actually were during this time (even though right now it feels like exactly the opposite). Actually getting up the courage to ask for help is HUGE. I remember it felt like it might kill me to do so-- and telling my family was so, so hard because I was sure they would think I was weak and a failure. My family has actually been a great support and I have waaaaaaaaay more good days than bad. You have already done the hardest part-- reaching out for help. So give yourself a HUGE pat on the back and some deep belly breaths, and know that you've already done something that took a massive amount of courage and strength!
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