cardiophobia/hypocondria... help please :\

[sweetlover88]

Hi everyone!

I'm a 26 years old male from Canada suffering from Cardiophobia, OCD and Hypocondria since my young age.

- My family have no heart disease history (on both side.)
- I do not smoke but i do drink (1-2 times a week)
- I'm not necessarly the most active person right now (i used to be but since the last 6-10 months, i've been pretty inactive and stressed with work)
- I am 5'11, 85kg. (A bit overweight, specially in the stomach area)

Anyway,

Ever since i was 16, i've had panick attack with the same symptoms (rapid heartbeat, feeling i was gonna die, feeling i was going crazy, etc.) but recently (around 9 months ago) i've had something that really scared the sh*t out of me and it was the first time ever. I was walking outside to go see my friend at bus station and all of a sudden, my heart started to race (around 150-170 i guess) but this wasn't the problem since i was used to that but this time, it came with irregular heartbeat (beating very fast and really really randomly, just like a-fib i guess... but then i went right away to hospital and everything was normal (had bloodtest and cardiogram test). The cardiologist told me that i should try to seek help from psychologist and then i left his room. I then go back inside again because i wanted to know if it was possible for him to prescribe me Ativan for my anxiety panick attack and he then gave it to me along with betablockants (he say it would help if it reappear.)

Then 3 weeks after, i started to have chest pain so i went to hospital again and this time, i had a x-ray done along with a cardiogram test and once again, everything was normal. The nurse still schedule me an appointment with the same cardiologist to make sure (and probably to re-assure me) the next morning (i went to ER at about 2:30 am...)

Then the next morning, i told the cardiologist about the pain and he made me have a cardiogram (i mistakely told him that i didn't had one the night before). Then when the result came he told me that some heartbeat were abnormal (he described them as 'Q') and said that it could lead to something serious so he had to do 2 more tests to make sure (stress test and electrocardiogram).

Then once i've finished the two other tests, not only did he said that everything was normal but he was surprised with some of the numbers... He said that everything is fine and it's caused by anxiety and even told me to not take the medication he gave me (betablockants) and to just do more sports and stress less and it would go away...

But my questions are these:

1) Never at anytime did i feel palpitations during my test (x-ray, blood test, cardiogram, ecg, stress test) could he have had missed something? because what i had when i was walking was REALLY scary and i never had that again but i have a big feeling it's atrial fibrilation (heart was beating very fast and totally irregular with no other symptoms...) Should i ask for an holter?

2) He said that my stress test was good, even above average but on the paper it said that the test stopped after 7 minutes due to 'dyspnea' but i was feeling fine.. what does thhat mean?

3) He didn't take much time reviewing my results with me so i would like to know if anyone here is good or can help me to interpret the results of my reading please? (i've included the pictures of it)

P.S: Below is the numbers of the echocardiographic report:

AOS: 29 cm
LAD: 28 cm
IVS D: 7 - 11 cm
LVID d: 52 - 46 cm
LVPw d: 7 - 11 cm
IVS s: 15 - 16 cm
LVID s: 31 - 27 cm
LVPW s: 12 - 16 cm
FS: 41 % (25-44)
ESV: 41 (27-95)
EF: 71 - 76 % (50-80)

Thanks all!

Mathieu

UPDATE: The forum won't let me post pictures of my results. If you think you can help reading them, please let me know in private or here and i'll send it to you, thanks alot!!

[jjm2894]

Hey Mathieu,

I have no experience with ECGs or other heart tests, but I've absolutely experienced palpitations and chest pain due to anxiety. Sometimes I would experience those things even when I wasn't having anxiety. My hypochondria started four years ago or so, and the palpitations have mostly stopped completely. I am alive and well, with no heart issues to speak of after multiple doctor visits.

Long story short, I think the symptoms you're experiencing are just that—symptoms. They're among the most common symptoms of anxiety, as a matter of fact! So if your doctor believes you're okay, allow yourself to believe him. He wouldn't lie, and it's his job to give the best diagnosis possible. He was thorough in the measures he used to check on you. Allow yourself to accept his diagnosis, and rejoice in the fact that you are healthy!

Best of luck brother.

[sweetlover88]

Thanks alot for the answer!

I guess im just still traumatized by that event... I really thought my heart was gonna stop and it scared me and now everyday i think about that thinking that this episode may have been afib and it may have been missed in my tests. Anyway i have to change my way of thinking.. 8 years of loneliness and depressiong along with that stupid anxiety isnt helping.

Anyway thanks alot man, really appreciated.

Math

[mrseyeore]

I know what you mean. My latest issue is having a panic attack every time my left arm or shoulder or my back hurts. I think I'm having palps too... I feel them in my throat.

Did you ever have your thyroid checked?

[sweetlover88]

Yes that was actually one of the first thing that was checked (they did blood test for thyroid) since it run alot in my family but everything was normal.

To be honest with you, since i've totally stop cofee, i feel like i have less and less palpitations. I actually feel a bit more anxious but with less to none heart symptoms (like irregular heartbeats, etc) but i still worry.

Yesterday i started to be very weak all of a sudden and thought i was gonna pass out while my heartbeat was beating slower and slower. But i guess this is anxiety related and not physical.