Aa
fear of heart problems!
Hy everyone, i am a 21 year old male. I had an episode 2 years ago, where i was smoking weed with some friends (it wasnt something i do often), then all of a sudden my heart rate rose full on and i thought i was dying. i went to the ER.. from then onwards i always keep thinking that i am about to have a heart problem/heart attack/ stroke.. i used to take paxil for 6 motnhs but never worked, and now i take half a milligram of ativan when it gets bad. but even when its 'not bad', its still kind of bad, considering other people live without these worrying. What also worries me is that by worrying, i am harming my heart.. i feel like im going crazy at times. can anyone relate please?
Also, what cmac21 said. YOGA man. Yoga is the bomb for treating anxiety. Also, if you're a religious type of guy, that helped me and many others (find something, anything). Basically Raja-Yoga, but doesn't have to be yoga religion, but yoga is good regardless. I now consider myself somewhat of a yogi.
Exactly what Rubywitch said. Seriously.
I come on here once in a while to help others going through what I went through. You're going through pretty much the same thing as me. Rubywitch suggested CBT with a therapist. In my opinion, I too believe it's necessary. You want to kick this anxiety crap, right? Get it done with some help from the pros who know. There are some books out there and I suggest reading When Panic Attacks and some other ones specifically for health anxiety. Your brain is basically getting used to the way of thinking that something is wrong, but it's wrong and misinterpreting the signals and you need to overcome it by changing the way you think about it. Antidepressants can work in my opinion. Also there is a podcast called Anxiety Coaches. There's an episode or two specifically about fear of having a heart attack. You are NOT alone in thinking that you have heart troubles.
Again, Rubywitch is right, it's not causing you any heart problems from panic attacks, even though it feels like it. For 8 months I felt like I was going to keel over from a heart related issue. Now, I'm pretty much back to normal and I look back and think, golly that su*ked!!!! You're only destroying your time right now by worrying about it.
One more thing. Get exercising (if your doctor okays it that is). If your doc says you should go exercise, then by all mean, GET TO IT! What helped me was every single time I felt like I was about to check out for good, I'd start running. I'd be sitting in my cubicle at work and I'd immediately go out to a hallway or the stairs in our building and just force my heart rate up. It helped. If I was going to have a heart attack of some sort, dangit, it wasn't going to be without lack of trying to get over anxiety.
So here I am, today, drinking an extra large mocha from starbucks, followed by some coca cola, eating a big mac and going to go run outside this evening or go for a swim. You know why? Now I know I don't have anxiety. My cholesteral is fantastic, my echo showed no problems one bit, my holter was great, my ekg's were pretty normal and this ticker has been checked to keep on going. SO.... just do it.
I come on here once in a while to help others going through what I went through. You're going through pretty much the same thing as me. Rubywitch suggested CBT with a therapist. In my opinion, I too believe it's necessary. You want to kick this anxiety crap, right? Get it done with some help from the pros who know. There are some books out there and I suggest reading When Panic Attacks and some other ones specifically for health anxiety. Your brain is basically getting used to the way of thinking that something is wrong, but it's wrong and misinterpreting the signals and you need to overcome it by changing the way you think about it. Antidepressants can work in my opinion. Also there is a podcast called Anxiety Coaches. There's an episode or two specifically about fear of having a heart attack. You are NOT alone in thinking that you have heart troubles.
Again, Rubywitch is right, it's not causing you any heart problems from panic attacks, even though it feels like it. For 8 months I felt like I was going to keel over from a heart related issue. Now, I'm pretty much back to normal and I look back and think, golly that su*ked!!!! You're only destroying your time right now by worrying about it.
One more thing. Get exercising (if your doctor okays it that is). If your doc says you should go exercise, then by all mean, GET TO IT! What helped me was every single time I felt like I was about to check out for good, I'd start running. I'd be sitting in my cubicle at work and I'd immediately go out to a hallway or the stairs in our building and just force my heart rate up. It helped. If I was going to have a heart attack of some sort, dangit, it wasn't going to be without lack of trying to get over anxiety.
So here I am, today, drinking an extra large mocha from starbucks, followed by some coca cola, eating a big mac and going to go run outside this evening or go for a swim. You know why? Now I know I don't have anxiety. My cholesteral is fantastic, my echo showed no problems one bit, my holter was great, my ekg's were pretty normal and this ticker has been checked to keep on going. SO.... just do it.
That is pretty much what happened to me. Use to smoke weed most nights after work as a stress reliever. A few weeks before my big panic attack, everytime I smoked I would get worried because it felt like my heart was beating faster than it should have been. Once I had the big panic attack, I stopped smoking. Have not touched it in almost 5 years. I honestly blame part of the whole anxiety stuff on smoking weed instead of actually dealing with my stress. Afterwards I had and still have the same fears about my heart. I have been for a stress test, which my doctor said is extremely accutate in seeing if there are any kind of blockages or abnormality.
When I started taking meds, I started on Paxil but had too many side effects. I would say that if you are wanting to be on medication, then you should try some different ones. I switched to effexor and was fine. I personally was too scared to take Ativan (another crazy anxiety thought lol). I would also suggest you get into some sort of therapy. Try meditation, yoga, regular exercise, massage therapy, acupuncture ect. Sometimes we have to try many different things before we can find something that works for us.
Have you been for any tests?
When I started taking meds, I started on Paxil but had too many side effects. I would say that if you are wanting to be on medication, then you should try some different ones. I switched to effexor and was fine. I personally was too scared to take Ativan (another crazy anxiety thought lol). I would also suggest you get into some sort of therapy. Try meditation, yoga, regular exercise, massage therapy, acupuncture ect. Sometimes we have to try many different things before we can find something that works for us.
Have you been for any tests?
thank you for your reply! i feel such a different person after these 2 years, cant even compare myself to how i was before.. the thing i now its not just panic attacks but rather a continuous feeling of something is about to happen.. i cant breathe properly all the time, i cant sleep and wake up properly, and i feel overtired all the time.its like i cant get my mind to stop worrying or thinking and everything i think about feels like being catastrophic. guess i will have to try therapy.. even though i tried it twice with different professionals and never worked.
The weed that is available these days is incredibly strong compared to the junk we smoked back in the '60's. Some weed out there today has a THC level that verges on the hallucinogenic!
I am NOT a doctor, but I'm virtually positive what you had was a pretty intense panic attack since you ended up in the ER. You didn't say what happened at the ER, but if you were truthful and told them you'd been smoking weed and weren't a regular user, I'm pretty sure you were diagnosed with an anxiety/panic attack. I KNOW they checked your heart for ANY signs of an MI or stroke. (Both extremely unlikely in a 19 year old)
Worrying and stress CAN damage the heart, but you are a VERY, VERY long way from that happening! The anxiety you are feeling now is not causing any damage to your heart. It is, however, causing "damage" to the quality of your life.
So, yes, I CAN relate and what is going to end this cycle of worry and anxiety for you is to get into therapy. I highly recommend CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) because it deals with the here and now. Your anxiety attack(s). in MY humble opinion, were triggered by smoking weed............and I CAN tell you that MANY people have their FIRST panic attack the FIRST time they smoke weed.
I don't know who prescribed the Paxil for you, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it was your PCP. Also in my humble opinion, your doctor was too hasty to put you on a powerful antidepressant for a couple of anxiety attacks. He/she should have tried something far less drastic before making THAT call. Having a few Ativan on hand is OK if you feel the anxiety really getting out of control, but you have to be careful with the benzo's as well.
You are NOT going crazy. Anxiety and panic attacks are terrifying. You just need some help in understanding what happens when we experience one, and why we have them. Our minds are incredibly powerful..............a therapist trained in anxiety/panic and depression issues will give you the knowledge......because knowledge is power........... AND the tools to overcome these attacks.
Please seriously consider some therapy to end this nasty unpaved road you're on. Take your life back!
RubyWitch
I am NOT a doctor, but I'm virtually positive what you had was a pretty intense panic attack since you ended up in the ER. You didn't say what happened at the ER, but if you were truthful and told them you'd been smoking weed and weren't a regular user, I'm pretty sure you were diagnosed with an anxiety/panic attack. I KNOW they checked your heart for ANY signs of an MI or stroke. (Both extremely unlikely in a 19 year old)
Worrying and stress CAN damage the heart, but you are a VERY, VERY long way from that happening! The anxiety you are feeling now is not causing any damage to your heart. It is, however, causing "damage" to the quality of your life.
So, yes, I CAN relate and what is going to end this cycle of worry and anxiety for you is to get into therapy. I highly recommend CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) because it deals with the here and now. Your anxiety attack(s). in MY humble opinion, were triggered by smoking weed............and I CAN tell you that MANY people have their FIRST panic attack the FIRST time they smoke weed.
I don't know who prescribed the Paxil for you, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it was your PCP. Also in my humble opinion, your doctor was too hasty to put you on a powerful antidepressant for a couple of anxiety attacks. He/she should have tried something far less drastic before making THAT call. Having a few Ativan on hand is OK if you feel the anxiety really getting out of control, but you have to be careful with the benzo's as well.
You are NOT going crazy. Anxiety and panic attacks are terrifying. You just need some help in understanding what happens when we experience one, and why we have them. Our minds are incredibly powerful..............a therapist trained in anxiety/panic and depression issues will give you the knowledge......because knowledge is power........... AND the tools to overcome these attacks.
Please seriously consider some therapy to end this nasty unpaved road you're on. Take your life back!
RubyWitch
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