BAD Health anxiety, Have afew questions

[amnmaddox]

Hello All,

I have few questions from you all as I am new to this. I'll give you a little background first and see what you have to offer in the way of advice.

I am a 'healthy' 30 year old male from the US. About 7 weeks ago I was driving to work as normal (I work for a medical company, so work is in hospitals) and out of the blue I felt like I was having a heart attack. After a few minutes while driving I felt 'OK' just short of breathe and a little uncomfortable. So I tried to play it off and continue working. Long story short, after about 20 mins I had checked myself into the ER with my symptoms back to full blown. After all the checks, blood work, ECG etc., the DR said I have a V-Tach that was normal but caught on the ECG. I was released with a diagnosis of Non-Specific SVT and "Holiday Heart" ( the dr asked if I drank alcohol and I told him the night before I had consumed a few beers). I do smoke cigarettes and have a few drinks from time to time but nothing out of hand so I felt this diagnosis was a little off. So I spent the next few days worrying about what wrong with me or what did they miss? So naturally, the following Monday I was back in the ER by ambulance. Same story, same symptoms but by the time I arrive I was non-emergent so there were no tests run. My vitals were normal, just jittery and nervous. The DR at this ER told me I had classic signs of a Panic Attack. I was a little relieved but still puzzled because I have never, EVER been a nervous person. I've never had anxiety or panic attacks but told myself, maybe its stress or work or whatever.

Later that week I visited my GP who looked over everything, said all looked normal but wanted some tests done to check my heart...and here's where it went from bad to worse. I was giving an event monitor for the month and a EKG ultrasound. The EKG turned out normal however, I've been to the ER 2 times since the first visit with my GP, both times everything is clear. I've had X-Rays, ECG's blood tests, etc. You name it I've had it other than a full body scan. Yesterday I received the Holter Monitor results for the month. Everything was "boringly normal" with my heart and EKG. MY GP DR says its general Anxiety and Health Anxiety revolving around the original event which he thinks was a Panic Attack or some sort of normal arrhythmia that scared me. He also said I'm overly hyper-vigilant about my body now. He prescribed my Lexapro 10MG to try it out but I haven't started it yet. Ive been going to therapy for 3 weeks now and I have been trying to meditate.

Now that my story is out there I have a few questions for you all.

#1- How is it that I have physical symptoms all the time, even if I'm not nervous. I mean right now typing this I feel fine but I still feel 'foggy' and jittery. I haven't really had a 'panic attack' today but I feel like I have.

#2- Has anyone else just had all this start out of the blue? I mean really out of the blue. I have never been a worrier or nervous. Now I can hardly go a day without thinking I'm going to die. Its crazy! and its making me crazy! LOL

#3- How have some of you helped your family help you. My wife is supportive but she has no idea what I'm going thru, so she get frustrated easily. Plus, because I haven't slept good in a while, she hasn't so we are both stressed to the gills. Any tips on this?


Well, I'm off my soap box. Thank you all in advance!

[Nowuccas]

Hey amnmaddox,

A member with symptoms similar to yours posted a question at:

http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?33579-Female-18-years-old-chest-pain!!-Heart-problem-!-! so you may want to view my response, and those of others here.

A post about health anxiety follows:

Ask yourself exactly what evidence there is to support the idea that you may have such a disease, or is it just a baseless fear? What if you did have it. How would you cope? What then? Work it all out on paper. It's important to regularly monitor, and deal with a negative internal monologue (self talk), or mental process, such as disturbing thoughts, images, impulses, or emotions, by the process of (a): recognising it, and (b): challenging it immediately. Technique For Re-Programming Negative Thoughts: When you notice something negative, such as: "I can't do this/ am never going to get over this!" or: "Why am I always so useless/such a loser?" or even an image, emotion, or a memory; recognise that it is being generated from the negative part of your mind. After identifying, and labelling it, visualise a large, red, flashing, "STOP!" sign, and/or possibly a stern faced person wagging an index finger at you in a negative manner, then say to yourself as forcefully as you can, even aloud in a big voice, if alone: "I know this tactic: GO AWAY FOR A WHILE !!!" You may want to use either: "ruse", "ploy", "game", or "trick". In the case of an image, visualise a large "STOP" sign, or your preferred version. Some people go so far as to keep a wide rubber band in their pocket, then put it around their wrist, when they catch themselves backsliding, stretch and release it, as a method of reprogramming their mind sooner, but I don't regard it as being strictly necessary. Remember to remove it, afterwards, if you use this method.

Try replacing a negative thought with a positive affirmation of your choice, such as repeating: "I'll be just fine". Realise that by the act of viewing material about various diseases, you are implanting a suggestion in your subconscious mind that you may have it, It recognises a potential threat, and initiates the (formerly, in times long past) appropriate response; a "fight, or flight" reaction. Stop viewing such material. Practice a relaxation method, daily, and when needed, such as http://www.drcoxconsulting.com/managing-stress.html or http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/mindbody/a/Meditation.htm
or www.wikihow.com/Meditate or Yoga Nidra, (no flexibility required) on page L at your-mental-health.weebly.com below, and see page Z for much more about hypochondria (panic attacks, and anxiety; see pages 1, h, & i). Qi Gong, Tai Chi, or regular yoga suits others better.

Give acupressure tapping / EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. It is free via the searchbar at http://www.mercola.com "EFT" & "EFT therapists", or www.tapping.com (13 free videos) or www.emofree.com or YouTube EFT. Professionally instructed is probably best. - There is a version for use in public places at http://eft.mercola.com (you could claim to have a headache, as you employ the acupressure massage/tapping your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind: "Even though I have hypochondria, I deeply and completely accept myself."). These will enable you to emotionally centre yourself, when practiced regularly, and can also help you become a calmer, more self controlled person, who is less susceptible to such beliefs.

Read: Treating Health Anxiety: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach by Steven Taylor Phd and Gordon J. G. Asmundson PhD, & The Hypochondriac's Guide to Life. And Death. by Gene Weingarten, & It's Not All in Your Head: How Worrying about Your Health Could Be Making You Sick--and What You Can Do about It by Gordon J. G. Asmundson Ph.D and Steven Taylor Ph.d, from your bookstore, or Amazon.com and there are other media, such as CD's & Kindle material, via their searchbar: "hypochondria".

Hypnosis is merely a heightened state of suggestibility, in which you are better able to communicate with your subconscious mind; view http://myfavoriteinterests.com/hypnosis/ about what it is, and isn't. 85% of people are suggestible to some degree; 15% - 20% highly so, and 15% - 20% aren't much at all, so you could either preferably seek professional hypnotherapy, or, if not an option, hypnosisdownloads.com has: Overcome Hypochondria.

More about hypochondriasis may be found at http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/z.html where the above came from.


At http://anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?33197-Do-I-have-anxiety-disorder-or-something-worse&p=220006#post220006 there is some info about insomnia.

Many people suffering from anxiety find it difficult to meditate, so I suggest that you also learn, and give Progressive Muscle Relaxation, and EFT good tryouts.

Can you remember what you were thinking about immediately prior to first experiencing those symptoms? Most of us have fears, phobias or anxiety at some level, and such thoughts may well activate the limbic system of the brain, resulting in panic or anxiety attacks.


I'm not in a position to know, but around 59% of people have vitamin D levels that are deficient, or depleted, and poor sleep may well result; check out:

http://www.vitamindwiki.com/Poor+sleep+and+lack+of+vitamin+D+-+Nov+2011 &

http://www.vitamindwiki.com/Handout+on+Vitamin+D+%28Hormone+D%29+and+sleep+-+Gominak+2012

VITAMIN D

The govt. RDI of 400 IU daily is long outdated, and based on misinformation, according to Dr. John Cannell, at the VitaminDcouncil. Dr. Weil, Dr. Ben Kim, Dr. Axe, Dr. Gominak, a neurologist, and Dr. Mercola* all agree that an RDI of 5000 IU daily is not excessive, although higher levels may be required as people age, and / or put on weight. My doctor, on the basis of several peer reviewed studies, also agrees that an RDI of 5000 IU daily is not excessive, and it is virtually impossible to get the required amount from dietary sources, without the risk of toxicity.

VITAMIN D DOSE RECOMMENDATIONS (Mercola.com)
AGE DOSAGE
"Below 5: 35 units per pound per day
Age 5 - 10: 2500 units
Adults: 5000 units
Pregnant Women: 5000 units
WARNING:
There is no way to know if the above recommendations are correct. The ONLY way to know is to test your blood. You might need 4-5 times the amount recommended above. Ideally your blood level of 25 OH D should be 60ng/ml".

The NOAEL (No observed adverse effect level) specified by the Institute of Medicine is 10,000 IU/day. Around 1 person in 300 is allergic to it, so start out with only 1,000 IU on the first day, if supplementing.

Dr. Gominak now recommends optimising vitamin D levels in the range 60 ng/ml to 80 ng/ml, and Dr. Mercola recommended 60 ng/ml or 150 nmol/litre, which is now my target level.

Vitamin D is not a true vitamin, but a hormonal substrate that is vitally important for the activation of almost 3,000 genes in the body. Its main cofactors are: zinc, magnesium, vitamin K2, and boron.

Google: "How To Make Sure That You Are Getting Enough Vitamin D; Dr. Ben Kim", then: "My 1 hr free lecture on vitamin D; Dr. Mercola".

Note that most doctors would regard as acceptable lower levels of vitamin D than those recommended by Dr. John Cannell of the vitamin D council, or Professor Michael Holick, a former member, and an expert in vitamin D.

Read: "Why are doctors reluctant to accept vitamin D", at:
http://www.vitamindwiki.com/Why+are+doctors+reluctant+to+accept+vitamin+D and in particular:
"Would you be opposed to my getting more vitamin D", at:
http://www.vitamindwiki.com/tiki-index.php?page_id=3162

Also view http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/how-do-i-get-the-vitamin-d-my-body-needs/ & www.sawyer.com/understanding-uva-uvb/ & http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/19/cholesterol-sulfate.aspx Consider the UV meter shown in vitaminDcouncil.org at Sunfriend.com

I'm taking a high quality vitamin + mineral supplement to ensure sufficient of the cofactors for vitamin D. Mine is from http://xtend-life.com although any good one, such as Suisse would do.

Hoping something in the above helps.

[Overcomer_84]

The annoying part of anxiety is even if you aren't consciously anxious, your mind and subconscious still can be. I've been sitting at work before and I felt fine, no issues however my body was trembling and my heart rate was a bit fast (in the 80s where my resting is in the 60s). I had no idea what I was anxious about but obviously something.. Our minds are very tricky.

My family on the otherhand, I sat down and explained what's going on. Most of them don't understated out but all have asked what they can do to help. That part is different for each person.. I just said be a bit more patient with me as I'm working through this.