ECG - Health Anxiety

[Shivles]

Hi, hoping for anybody out there to share any positive experiences please

i went for an ECG test yesterday referral from my GP and they noticed some changes and suggested I went to a&e which I did do. I had another 2 ECGs as the doc wanted a rerun, he noticed changes however after all blood work being perfectly normal he was happy for me to go home and I have been referred to cardiology letter to follow in the post for some further tests.

i am an extremely anxious person, when the nurse was doing the ecg she had a little chat with me help me try relax. She said relax your shoulders, I didn’t even realise my shoulders were up.

reason for ECG is for about 2 weeks I’ve had a feeling in the centre of my chest, not pain as such just a feeling as I suffer with health anxiety I obsess over any feeling google etc. I made an app with the doc to say I’m struggling again and mentioned it was due to this feeling in chest. So she said let’s meet in the middle go get ECG put your mind at rest.

the doctor suggested the abnormalities on the ECG could be as I’m hyperventilating and extremely anxious it can throw the machine. Which I am holding onto! He said it’s positive your blood work is perfect - yet alls I can seem to focus on is those 3 abnormal ECGs.

I am so worried and I don’t know how I’m going to cope waiting for the referral letter for more tests. I am 33 and have two small babies. My dad has heart disease and brother had a stroke at 30 which always has me worried. After seeing the doctor I relaxed we even ran back to the car so happy got good news but moment everyone asleep I began to worry. My heart has been racing all day I am so anxious and do have the feeling in my chest - but not sure if I’m looking for it at the same time. I’m really struggling mentally

I guess my question is has anybody had abnormal ECG results and perfect bloods and everything has been okay?

thank you x

What exactly is the feeling in your chest like?

Hi, it’s so hard to explain. It’s just a feeling right in the centre not a pain as such just feeling also upper left part of chest but doc said that’s muscular. I am very siff as I’m so anxious. My whole body feel tense. Trying to relax as much as I can but my mind will not allow me too

What were the abnormalities on the ECG?

There are a lot of abnormalities that aren't serious or worrying. I have tachycardia and just take medication to reduce my heart rate. It's not dangerous.

We didn’t get told, I did ask a couple of times but they never told me. Think this is my I’m so worried. The doctor said that he could see some changes in both reports but as the bloods were perfectly fine he thinks it could just be due to how anxious I was and he used the word hyperventilating. He believed that’s what causes the abnormal results but I’m worrying to think what if it wasn’t

he has referred me to cardiology for further testing but he said this is only due to the family history

thanks for replying!

Gosh it's frustrating when doctors gatekeep your own health information!

But it sounds to me like it is anxiety. I have health anxiety too so I know how bad it feels. Try to relax and be reassured that they only referred you due to family history and not because they think anything is wrong now. It will be good to get further advice from the cardiologist but in the meantime try to hold onto the fact that anxiety causes all sorts of very real physical symptoms but isn't dangerous.

Can you afford to get a massage or something like that to relax? Go for a long walk? Do some breathing exercises or yoga? There's also a lot of good anxiety hypnosis/meditation recordings on YouTube.

Try and be reassured by the fact if there was anything really worrying on the ecg , even with great bloods the doctors would have got cardiology to see you there and then or even kept you in for monitoring overnight . Acute changes would show in the blood tests so please be reassured about this too.

Thank you so much for taking the time to message. I really appreciate it.

That’s exactly what I’m trying my best to hold onto. I had a bad spell back in March (not heart related) and it turned out to be anxiety. I’d never felt so low in my life and told myself I would never get to that point again, but here I am.

my daughter had club tonight so I took her and went for a 20 minute walk I thought that’s got to help. I don’t suppose you could recommend any of the YouTube recordings please? Willing to try anything to snap me out of this.

what’s crazy is I have been away this weekend with my two children, lots of walks and swimming felt absolutely fine and now that I’ve had those ecg results I cannot relax constantly thinking does my chest feel okay do my arms feel tingly. Such a horrible circle to be in isn’t it.

thanks again I really appreciate it x

Thank you! That’s what I keep trying to remind myself, but whilst in this anxious state I can’t help but think what if it was missed what if the ecg was trying to tell us something!

i know the best thing to do is put it to back of my mind but i am so worried and scared.

he did say he thinks the abnormalities in the ecg were caused by how anxious i was and used the term hyperventilating.

thank you for replying! And helping me I appreciate it x

You know it’s the bloods they worry about and not the ECG. The bloods can’t be thrown ‘by you’ but the ECG can if you are panicking. They wouldn’t have discharged you home if they thought you were having a heart episode.

Try to keep distracted. Anxiety is a terrible monster but you can label the the thoughts when they come through as ‘ah, anxiety thought’ and let it float away like a passing cloud. This is a widely used technique and does really work. Remember that thoughts are not facts. That’s a problem with health anxiety is that you start to believe your thoughts. They are not real and they can’t hurt you. I am sure everything will work out just fine. Xx

They do not piss about with ECGs in young people.
They just do not.
If there was anything remotely worrying, then you would be undergoing further in depth tests, referrals and treatment options would be presented to you.

They are expert on ECGs. These are their bread and butter, day in day out tests that they can read in their sleep.
If there were the slightest worry, they get immediate second opinions. Another Dr or a senior/consultant.

There was none of this. Therefore, it can safely be said that they have told you what is presented to them, in black and white, 100% evidenced in your ECG.
I would hazard a guess that probably 80% of ECGs might show the odd unusual beat, with 1000 reasons for those u usual transient beats.

Please take what they are telling you and don’t doubt that it is expert opinion.
Good luck, I hope that you are getting the help that you need for your anxiety.

I really like Tansy Forrest hypnotherapy on YouTube and there is a guy called The Anxiety Guy that is quite good too.

Also look up "Cherelle Thinks" she was an extreme health anxiety sufferer who now is fully recovered and offers health anxiety counselling.

There is also a cardiologist who does stuff about cariophobia (health worry about the heart) but I can't remember his name. Perhaps someone else will see this and remember.

I get tachycardia, palpitations and ectopic beats when I'm anxious. I know how scary it can feel. But I've been having them for 5 years and am still here despite thinking I was going to die multiple times!

Cardioph9bia

Can’t thank you enough for your messages! Really appreciate it and thank you for sharing your experiences - it’s comforting knowing I’m not alone as it does become lonely I find. I really can’t wait to snap out of this!

im going to check out all those recommendations! Thank you xx

Thank you! I did have the understanding it was down to the bloods and thankfully they came back fine but I’m holding onto the 3 abnormal ECG I just can’t stop worrrying about them. I need to remember it’s the bloods they’re more concerned about as you said.

thank you so much. You’re totally right! It’s a terrible monster and once you’re in the boat it’s so so hard to get out isn’t it. I really can’t wait to shake this one off and rule it out. Worrying to think it’s going to take me until I get the referral tests done. But I just need to keep a positive mindset and remembering all these things everyone is sharing

thank you x

Thank you for this. Really appreciate It

i think what made me work up so much is having one done then doctor asked me to re do it - but he eventually told me he thinks this is because how anxious I was and used the word hyperventilating which showed abnormalities.

I have been referred for further testing just to rule anything out and given family history. But that’s a letter to wait for - but your right this would have been made as urgent wouldn’t it.

I guess I just want to rule absolutely anything out as it doesn’t help my anxiety

thanks again

Thank you! This is what I need to keep in mind. It’s just the 3 x abnormal ECG got me so worried and anxious - even tho I don’t even know what was showing (I did ask). The doctor told me he believes these shown on the report because of how anxious I was and used the word hyperventilating. Just hope he was right!

thanks again x

Hi OP, I completely understand how you feel. I recently had an ECG and when I saw it online it said ‘borderline’ and had a comment about nonspecific T abnormality. I couldn’t sleep for worrying about it and when I didn’t hear anything from my GP I asked about it and she said it was normal! So 🤷‍♀️ All my blood tests were good so I have to believe that I’m ok but I still have chest pressure, like you, in the middle.
I had Covid in October so I think it’s due to that. it’s just so scary thinking that there’s something wrong with your heart isn’t it?
I hope that things improve for you. Like you, I have to constantly remember to lower my shoulders to relax.

Thank you so much for your message! And that’s just been my reminder to rest my shoulders haha so thank you.

when I was having my ECGs they told me to rest my shoulder and I didn’t even know I had them up that’s how anxious this has made me! You’re right it’s so scary - sorry you’ve gone through similar but thank you for sharing! Xx