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Avatar universal

Health anxiety (mainly heart worries)

Hi.
I'm 20 years old and have GAD (general anxiety disorder) for two years now.
I've been having troubles accepting anxiety as the cause of my physical symptoms which are: chest pains, arm pains, back pains, increased heart rate even when lying down, getting tired really fast, dizziness and heart palpitations after getting up which lead to anxiety attacks, and many more but these are the ones I worry about the most.
I went to the doctors with chest pains and everything mentioned above which subsides after seeing the doctor and while being in a room with a doctor. But it comes back after I come home and everything my doctor told me (my blood pressure is fine, my ECG fine, my troponin levels are fine - so no heart attack/heart problems) fades from my mind, everything comes back (the pains, the fears, etc.).
I've grown weary of this vicious circle. I keep wanting to go back to the ER as if there is something they haven't noticed, something heart related that can happen to a 20-year-old girl. And even though while writing, I am calm and don't overthink the chest pain I still feel, I know that after posting this, the sweating and the anticipation of a heart attack will come back.

Has anyone here have had the same or similar problems? Does anyone know how can I assure my self that it is in fact anxiety and I am not dying of a heart disease? Or any other advice would be helpful..

Please help, I'm so tired of living like this.
Best Answer
Avatar universal
Your symptoms get better when you see a Dr or go to the hospital so this is most likely anxiety. If there was something wrong with your heart the pain would not let up when you saw a Dr.
I think worrying about the heart is very high on the list of anxiety symptoms.
Are you in any kind of treatment for your anxiety? Therapy can really help.
5 Responses
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Avatar universal
I'm starting yoga tommorow actually i hope that helps :)
Thank you for your advice, you really helped x
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
You've had the tests so your fine, they wouldn't let you go if you wasn't, I was the same but your too young to be worrying about all this chest pains are a sign of anxiety then you get scared then the palpitations start coming on. Try yoga or meditating, or before any ssri try herbal '
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was on all kinds of meds in the last 2 years. I have started going to this free counceling my university offers students and the woman there was really motivated to help me and suggested I try with meds again (something light, just to see how it goes). I'm a bit afraid of meds because I take a lot of them, currently for my IBS and supposedly GERD and I'm afraid of mixing them with anti-depressants. So I am going to keep seeing the counselor there, maybe just the talking helps.
But since I read that anxiety can also be a symptom of a heart attack, I keep thinking that that's why I'm afraid when I have chest pains and so on.
I really don't know what to do because even the tests didn't convince me I was okay -.-
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was the same, obsessing over it
For weeks couldn't breath dizzy all the time
Analysing it searching
The web.. I had been to
The doctors up
A and e GPS everything they
All
Said
Anxiety, I didn't believe this then I went for ECG and
Had blood tests done everything you name is nothing wrong it Defo anxiety, these symptoms are like mine.. Try relax if you can't look in to a mild anti anxiety pill I'm currently taking 5mg esotalopeam and today I haven't been worried (it's been 2 weeks
Now on the drug) chilled can work and relax and finally get
On with my life ! Look for
Options xx
Helpful - 0
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