Constant thinking/worrying.

[ConnorW]

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.

[mw0929]

My story is somewhat similar. It really sounds like you are suffering from anxiety. Many, many, many of us are constantly worried about our health because we are more aware of changes in our body than people that don't have anxiety. My problems started when I went to the ER because I was shaking, felt weak, and thought I was going to pass out. They told me it was low blood sugar and to eat more regularly. Then I got sick and went back to the ER a few days later. Diagnosed with an upper resp infection, got meds and sent home. I did get better but ever since then, I am constantly aware of my breathing, pulse, pains. I'm convinced there is something wrong with me and that the doctors just haven't found it. So you are not alone. The only thing that helps me is trying to reassure myself it's only anxiety. Sometimes that helps...but not all the time.

[justconfused]

This is almost my story exactly. It's almost scary how similar. As for seeing the pulse in your neck. What do you mean by that? The place in your neck kinda to the top side of your adams apple(sp?) where a doctor would check a pulse. Where you would check your own pulse in your neck as well. That spot is always visible in anyone that I've seen.

[ConnorW]

Thanks for the reply guys.
I feel that it may just be anxiety causing the pulse problem, as of now I'm lying in bed quite relaxed and I can't really feel my pulse as strong as I would when I'm out and about. Same thing occurred yesterday when I was in the shower and relaxed. Couldn't really feel my pulse then as well.
When reading about the numerous problems with a visible pulse last night it felt as if the pulse in my neck was going into overdrive so it may just be anxiety.
I would like to confirm this with my doctor but it feels like every time I go to see her I get the usual "Just exercise more" or "Continue to eat more".
As to where I feel my pulse it's generally around the left and right of the Adams apple, sometimes more aggressive on the right side, sometimes more on the left side.
I would love to get this sorted because I feel once I can't feel my pulse constantly I can stop worrying about my health and move on with my life but as of now I just feel like I'm getting nowhere.

[beachymg]

you are not alone. i too can't sleep 'cause i've been feeling like i'm being choked and i get really sharp stabbing pains in my chest and my mind is going 150 mph thinking about what's wrong with me, am i really going to die because of this stupid anxiety, is my boyfriend going to give up on me, shoot i forgot to feed the cat, i should've read my son a bed time story, and it goes on and on and on. UGH. At least now you know it's anxiety and there are tools that you can use to help your mind get back in good shape. :)

[ConnorW]

I think it's a double edged sword with my mind. I either think "It's just anxiety, your fine" or I think "What if it's not anxiety and I'm really unwell".
I feel like if I could just have a definitive answer, in regards to my health, I can concentrate on correcting my mind and moving on.
It's causing me to become more depressed again. I keep breaking down in tears now wondering if this is what my life has in store, constant worrying combined with pains/tingles.
I'm thinking maybe I should see a psychiatrist because my doctor just seems to push more pills my way rather than actually helping the root of the problem. My mind.
Thanks for reading guys, hope your all doing well.

[randomanxiety]

Hi Connor,
I can relate to everything you are feeling. My recent panic attacks have my heart pounding so hard it feels like a heart attack. I went to the hospital for help and after all the tests they told me everything was fine. I just had a panic attack with symptoms that were worse than my usual ones.
Please feel free to read my post in the Welcome forum (titled Random Anxiety), it explains my whole story. Sorry for the length, lol.

What is happening to you is called a cycle of anxiety:
When you feel your pulse is abnormal it starts a cycle of a anxiety. You notice your pulse rate then you fear something is wrong, fear then triggers your pulse to speed up as a natural body response to fear. You are then caught in a cycle of fearing something is wrong, which contributing to your increased pulse, and your increased pulse which contributes to your fear. You are making your pulse faster simply by fearing your pulse. (I hope that make sense)
Panic can start at any age. When the people around you have never experience panic they simply do not understand what you are going through. There is nothing wrong with you, you simply suffer from panic attacks. This is a real medical condition that can affect your life if you let it. You need to get help either via your doctor or a new doctor. There are lots of medications that can help you work through your anxiety as well as many theraputic approaches.
The general rule of thumb to help yourself get better is to NOT to avoid things but rather to confront them and go through the experience to be able to get over them. Easier said than done, I know. Try it next time you feel your pulse starting to race. Rather than thinking there is something wrong, try to tell yourself "Its just my panic talking" I have nothing to fear, my pulse WILL slow down, and I WILL be ok.
The best advice I have for you is that you are not alone, I go through what you are going through everyday, just like many others on this site.
I wish you all the best,
Gene

[ConnorW]

I believe your right Gene, I'm stuck in a vicious circle of worrying about health and why I feel the way I'm feeling.
Hopefully if I can see a psychiatrist it will kick start a recovery to where I feel as good as I did over a year ago ago.
In the meantime I just need to keep reminding myself that it's just anxiety causing these problems.
Thanks again everyone for their input, it helps tremendously knowing other people who are going through this and it's not just me alone.

[justconfused]

Thanks for the reply guys.
I feel that it may just be anxiety causing the pulse problem, as of now I'm lying in bed quite relaxed and I can't really feel my pulse as strong as I would when I'm out and about. Same thing occurred yesterday when I was in the shower and relaxed. Couldn't really feel my pulse then as well.
When reading about the numerous problems with a visible pulse last night it felt as if the pulse in my neck was going into overdrive so it may just be anxiety.
I would like to confirm this with my doctor but it feels like every time I go to see her I get the usual "Just exercise more" or "Continue to eat more".
As to where I feel my pulse it's generally around the left and right of the Adams apple, sometimes more aggressive on the right side, sometimes more on the left side.
I would love to get this sorted because I feel once I can't feel my pulse constantly I can stop worrying about my health and move on with my life but as of now I just feel like I'm getting nowhere.

Of course when you get anxious your pulse will feel harder and more noticeable. It's perfectly fine, though. I used to think my heart would explode because I could hear it in my head when I work out and stuff, but everyone tells me that happens to them, too. I never believe them, shocker right? I would like to let you know seeing a visible pulse in the area you describe is completely normal unless it is just throbbing hardcore while you're calm. I can see mine for my whole life it's just a slight steady pulse on both sides. The doctor told me it is normal for some people that are thin to see. I have always been rather thin, so I notice things others wouldn't such as veins and what not that I panic over for no reason.

[ConnorW]

I can relate a lot to your post. I am quite thin, enough that my doctor says I'm underweight and I should be actively gaining weight. Which I have (8 pounds in the last 6 month). My pulse in my neck, when I'm calm, is also a slight movement. It just worries me when it starts to throb like mad.
However, since taking magnesium supplements my pulse has calmed down a bit and my chest pains are almost non existent as well. I've seen a thread which mentions overcoming anxiety using supplements. I'll take a look at that and give it a go.