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Crippling Health Anxiety

5 replies

RaeCJ82 · 13/11/2020 19:53

I've posted a couple of times about my health over the past months. Basically 3 months ago I started having dizzy spells that turned to almost constant dizziness. It has never been a spinning vertigo, more a sense of imbalance and like I might collapse. I started having palpitations and chest pain. This culminated in me waking one night and calling an ambulance as I though I was dying. All checks were fine and the paramedic wondered if was having a panic attack.
Since then I've had the imbalance, chest pain, chest pounding but not racing, sore trap and neck muscles, chest tightening on the left side and a feeling of a heavy head and being spaced out. I also have night sweats and often wake from dreaming with my heart pounding but not racing. I've had 4 ECGs, an echocardiogram, 4 blood tests, a 24 hour tape and overnight monitoring in hospital and all tests have been fine.
I'm still having the symptoms but have just been diagnose with an inner ear infection and my middle ears have fluid (possibly and infection in them). For some reason I can't shake the feeling that it's all heart related. How do I tell myself that I'm actually ok and not going to die at any moment? It's crippling me!

OP posts:
RaeCJ82 · 13/11/2020 19:56

I also seem to have lost the ability to breathe automatically and am fairly certain I'm breathing incorrectly and I've lost 11 pounds in the 3 months.

OP posts:
buttcrackmcheese · 13/11/2020 20:05

Are you taking anything for your anxiety? I used to have quite bad health anxiety (not quite to your level granted) but since I've been on propranolol for general anxiety the health side of things has tailed off! to the point where I only noticed the other day I hadn't been worried about some irrational pain or other for months :)

Jamhandprints · 13/11/2020 20:09

I have similar symptoms OP. A low dose of propranalol has helped and talking to my local IAPT.
For the breathing you need to breath out,then in for 4 seconds, hold it for 6 seconds and breath out for 8. Keep going until you start to feel calm again.

RaeCJ82 · 13/11/2020 20:17

The cardiologist prescribed 10mg of propranolol twice a day when needed and I have taken one today but I still feel anxious about all my aches and head heaviness and pressure, plus the breathing. I just can't get it out of my head, even after all the test, that I don't have something wrong with my heart.

OP posts:
RaeCJ82 · 13/11/2020 20:22

I've also contacted my local well-being service to organise some CBT.

OP posts:
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