Is this just anxiety?

[jw927458]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Jeremy, I am 23 years old and was recently told that I had anxiety. It all started when I was having chest pains a couple weeks ago, it wasn't sever pain but I was extremely startled and i became very emotional about it. I went through all the tests at the hospital including blood work, heart rate monitor, EKG, chest X-ray. The doctor said I have under 0 chance for it being heart related. The doctor gave me Xanax and told me to go see my primary. My primary prescribed me lexapro which I just started taking two days ago. I am posting all of this because once in a while I get chest pain still, and I get it in my head that the doctors could be wrong. I try to tell myself that I am fine but I get worked up about it. Does anyone else have these doubts and feelings? What is your way of coping with it?

Sincerely,
Jeremy

[anxiousmess]

hiya. yes, alot of us on this website go through what you are currently going through.
you just need to accept that it is anxiety and that it isn't heart related.
i don't know how many times i've been angry at the doctors or hospitals, thinking that they are wrong. but, in the end, it turns out they are right!
still to this day, even though i know it's anxiety i am dealing with, i still doubt it and worry. if i didn't, then i wouldn't be suffering from anxiety. x

[Sunny Days]

Jeremy you are not alone. I have been there too, except mine was not pain but more of a strange feeling in my chest. I had the EKGs, heart monitor, etc. It turns out I have acid reflux (which is common with anxiety). Could you possibly be having a reflux problem?

[jw927458]

I have been taking Prilosec for acid reflux. The pain isn't severe, it feels like the day after you do chest exercises at the gym. I just got of the phone with my doctor and he told me to stop taking the lexapro.....I have been having a lot of related side effects.

[jeremyfresno]

Jeremy I am also 23 with your same name and also started suffering from anxiety recently! I am a pre-med student and have the tendency to always doubt my diagnosis! If I experience different symptoms I immediately start self diagnosing myself because the symptoms I'm have could be related to another illness. Truth of the matter is, it's just anxiety! Anxiety brings along sooo many set of symptoms that sometimes it's very debilitating. You have to remember its all due to anxiety nothing else. What has helped me to not try to things of different illnesses, simply just try to carry on with my normal day and keep my mind busy. Keeping your mind busy and unfocused on your symptoms will help you to not have time to have any second doubts! Feel free to reply

~Jeremy

[jw927458]

Hey Jeremy,

Thanks for replying. It is very helpful to me to know that people go through what I'm dealing with. I'm trying to work on my habit of self diagnosing on google, it tends to drive you nuts. I have been reading articles on livestrong.com about vitamin b12 being very helpful for anxiety, and I would much rather take a natural vitamin then a pill. I'll let you know how it works. Thanks for the reply.

[jeremyfresno]

Going the natural route is always best! But you NEED to stop reading because in this case it's not healthy because you're freaking yourself out and causing your anxiety to start up again....I would read all the time cause I wanted answers and now that I have answers and know its anxiety and what the symptoms are I stopped reading other related stuff. Now I jut read strictly on anxiety stuff and different methods of recovery. But no more self diagnosing myself cause that wasn't healthy

[jw927458]

Yeah self diagnosing is something I really need to get out of the habit of. It's just that, every time I feel a little pain in my chest I automatically grab my phone and search it. I have been trying to tell myself that the doctor said I was fine....sometimes it works....sometimes it doesn't. Most of the time I'm at work when I start to freak out lately.

[jeremyfresno]

Jw,

I feel you 100%!! If anything you sound like me a lot! I'm studying family medicine so I either diagnose myself or start doing research! It's normal to want to know answer and to doubt it sometimes since the symptoms can be quite strenuous, however we're fine. Anxiety just comes along with soo many symptoms it's debilitating and frustrating. Just try to keep your mind busy and try not to focus on your symptoms just enjoy whatever you're doing at the moment. If you focus on every little symptom you will freak out that may lead to an attack...keep the mind busy and relax as much as you can to be stress free! That's what I've been doing and it's helped me come a long way for the most part