New to this forum...my story

[jerry26]

Hello everyone, I hope everyone is having a great day. I want to share my story about this terrible anxiety and hopefully this way I can feel I'm not alone in this and also help others in any way I can. It started December 23 2013 I was at my brothers house having dinner and all of a sudden I started feeling as If something with in me was off. I felt like it could of been my blood pressure which I never suffer from. Then 30 min passed by and nothing got better. I excused my self and stepped in the restroom, when I walked out I felt like fire running up my body; then my heart starts to race I felt shaky and I was in such shock that I might off missed some of the symptoms. My brother called the paramedics which I felt took forever, but un reality I was about 6 minutes. By the time paramedics got there I was a little better. They decided to take me to the hospital. When I was inside the ambulance my heart started acting up again. But I felt an aware in my body that something was coming before my heart started beating so fast. It did this about 3 times. I arrived to the hospital and they did blood work, ct scan of my head, gave me stuff for acid reflux and kept me over the night for observation. The next day a cardiologist came by and told me he sees everything ok with me and had no concerns of my health. The neurologist comes by says my brain looks ok, and also releases me with no concern. Since then I've been to the ER 4-5 other times and they don't find anything wrong with me. They tell me I have anxiety, but I doesn't sink In my mind. I took Ativan for a little over a month (.5 mg 1 x daily) but after reading all the withdrawl symptoms I decided to stop it, I went to my doctor and told him that my heart starts beating really fast and placed me on metropolol 25mg 1x daily. I've done ok with this med, but now I question my self if this med can hide symptoms of my heart! I'm a complete nerve wreck and don't know what to do. I was offered a job few weeks ago and never showed up because of this stupid anxiety. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Any help is appreciated and I will also be here to support anyone I any way I can. Thanks

Jerry

[em1]

Hello jerry and welcome to the forum :) oh your symptoms are what everyone gets and I know it's hard to think it's just a panic attack and anxiety but I swear to you it really is
There is so many symptoms the panic and anxiety attacks can bring,I think over the years I've had them I've had everything going

[jerry26]

Thank you so much em1. I have an appointment to see a cardiologist tomorrow. I hope that brings so peace to my life because living with this ilness is not easy.

[em1]

Thank you so much em1. I have an appointment to see a cardiologist tomorrow. I hope that brings so peace to my life because living with this ilness is not easy.

I have had every test going on my heart and mine has always come back fine and I'm 100% sure that yours will be fine :) please feel free to inbox me of you need to chat :)

[jerry26]

I will def. post whatever the doctor says tomorrow. Thank you for all your encouraging support!

[Enduronman]

Welcome Jerry!!!..

Make yourself at home friend..

E-Man.. :)

[jerry26]

Thank you E-man. I've read many of your threads and support to other people! Your the best!

[Enduronman]

I read your posts, and alllll that is very, very common and in line with nothing more than just anxiety/panic/and of course GERD....
How old are you BTW?
Have you ever had your hormones checked?
It would be a different blood test, and not something that they would check, unless you asked them to do so....

Glad to have you bruh!!

Type as you wish, we're all here to help you through this...

E-Man. :D

[jerry26]

Thank your for reading E-man. I just turned 26. No, doctors haven't checked for my hormone levels. Even my doctor which I see when I can because I am unemployed and uninsured hasn't recommended such test. Can hormone levels be a cause of anxiety??

[delboy]

Hi jerry
Welcome mate am new to here to, like yourself over last 20 years I have had exactly every symptom that you explain, mate if you have a real good of other peoples stories it will reassure you, this forum has helped me more than 20 years of drs

Cheers mate del from London

[jerry26]

Thank you so much delboy, it helps me to hear that I'm not alone! It's scary, it's really a process for me to accept the fact is not my heart and it's only anxiety. I only leave the house once a week because our weather is so cold here in Chicago. How is your weather in London? Do you still go out and cope with the weather.? Thanks delboy I'm happy to hear this brings you support and great help.

[delboy]

Not too cold here mate just usual London weather raining everyday, mate once you accept this is anxiety your recovery will begin...I still get it most days, but you almost get an ability to carry on with it, it's really hard but trust me, we I get it I start to get pains everywhere and if you concentrate on the pains they just get worse and worse.
You will learn your own coping mechanism with this illness, but you will get through it, just trust us

I prefer the cold than rain everyday believe me

Del

[Fourteen14]

Hello everyone, I hope everyone is having a great day. I want to share my story about this terrible anxiety and hopefully this way I can feel I'm not alone in this and also help others in any way I can. It started December 23 2013 I was at my brothers house having dinner and all of a sudden I started feeling as If something with in me was off. I felt like it could of been my blood pressure which I never suffer from. Then 30 min passed by and nothing got better. I excused my self and stepped in the restroom, when I walked out I felt like fire running up my body; then my heart starts to race I felt shaky and I was in such shock that I might off missed some of the symptoms. My brother called the paramedics which I felt took forever, but un reality I was about 6 minutes. By the time paramedics got there I was a little better. They decided to take me to the hospital. When I was inside the ambulance my heart started acting up again. But I felt an aware in my body that something was coming before my heart started beating so fast. It did this about 3 times. I arrived to the hospital and they did blood work, ct scan of my head, gave me stuff for acid reflux and kept me over the night for observation. The next day a cardiologist came by and told me he sees everything ok with me and had no concerns of my health. The neurologist comes by says my brain looks ok, and also releases me with no concern. Since then I've been to the ER 4-5 other times and they don't find anything wrong with me. They tell me I have anxiety, but I doesn't sink In my mind. I took Ativan for a little over a month (.5 mg 1 x daily) but after reading all the withdrawl symptoms I decided to stop it, I went to my doctor and told him that my heart starts beating really fast and placed me on metropolol 25mg 1x daily. I've done ok with this med, but now I question my self if this med can hide symptoms of my heart! I'm a complete nerve wreck and don't know what to do. I was offered a job few weeks ago and never showed up because of this stupid anxiety. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Any help is appreciated and I will also be here to support anyone I any way I can. Thanks Jerry

Hi Jerry

Metoprolol is a type of beta blocker, it's used in both instances of controlling blood pressure and heart conditions (generally those with conditions relating to middle age upwards), beta blockers are however, also used to control benign heart palpitations and blood pressure fluctuations caused by anxiety.

So theoretically yes you are right in the sense that it would mask underlying problems with the heart if there was ACTUALLY a problem.

If you have already seen a Cardio and Neuro and ER 6 times in just over 2 months there has to come a point where you trust what is being said. (As in they have all said you are healthy).

To put this into perspective, Aspirin is used to control clotting in heart attack patients, but you wouldn't consider a doctor or nurse recommending taking it for a headache would secretly indicate that they were suspecting you were having a heart attack?

What you need to get a hold of is separating the thought process (fear of something wrong with your heart) and the actual discussions you have had with the hospital specialists (that there is nothing wrong with your heart).

Sudden onset panic attack and anxiety can throw you big time, but obsessing over health conditions will trap you in a vicious cycle.

See the second cardiologist (they will likely run an ECG/possibly cholesterol etc) if anything it will give you peace of mind.

Regards

[jerry26]

Thank you so much Del! Hearing optimistic advise makes such a impact I'm my state of mind. I'm so grateful to know there is people out here to help ! Thanks again!

[jerry26]

Thank. You so much! The way you place logic answers is so helpful. I only wish to start changing this mentality and understand it's just anxiety. It's just so hard, but I know I can do this. It hurts me so much to see my family so worried, which at the same time worries me. I have to give it my all! So thankful to have your advice! I have to get it together because this illness has taken over my life!