How do you know when it's your anxiety and not something else?

[csmith87]

A week ago, I had a near syncopal episode. I talked to my doctor about it, and he said it could have been a lot of things (the heat, dehydration, dieting) and told me it was nothing to worry about unless it happened again. Ever since then, I just haven't felt 100% better. Let it be known I had stopped taking my anxiety meds a month before this happened. I've been getting nauseated, lightheaded, slightly short of breath, nervous, etc. My doctor told me it was ok to begin working out again but to take it slow. This past Friday I went to the gym to walk a mile on the treadmill. I was only able to walk half a mile because my legs felt weak and I was worried about fainting again. So I left. On the drive home, I became short of breath and had a warm liquidy sensation in the middle of my chest and stomach. Then, Saturday I went to a baby shower that was held outside and I was only able to stay 30 minutes or do before becoming lightheaded and anxious, again worrying that I would have another syncopal episode. My question is this: how do I know it's my anxiety and not something else, like my heart or something?

[raggamuffin]

Have the heart checks doen that we all do. When it comes back that your heart is fine then you start reading avbout anxiety. understanding how it's affecting you and moving onward in the road to recovery. It's the unknown which plays on people's fears. So fget the checks to put your mind at rest.

Ed

[Strawberry]

The warm liquidy sensation is something I get all the time!! I never can explain it well but it is most likely something that has to do with my tummy. I have acid reflux and sometimes I would get cramps that would make me feel so light headed and I would feel like fainting but after I sit down or better, lie down, it gradually goes away and I am back to normal again. I would get SO scared when I first used to get these but that was years ago and now I am not freaking out every time I get it. I took some magnesium citrate once and it really did not work well on my stomach at all so I had this feeling continuously the whole day that's how I knew it was because of my stomach.

You should get a thorough check up by your doctor to rule out any heart problems. Once that is done then you know it's anxiety. It can also be GERD which sometimes mimics anxiety attacks too. I hope you feel better.