Can't stop overthinking about my health!

JellJell · ‎18-10-2018

Hi everyone

Lately I haven't been feeling right and I just thought it might help to come on here and talk.

I have anxiety. A lot of the time I overthink my health. I'm constantly thinking something is wrong.

The past few days I have been stressing over my heart. A few years ago I got really bad food poisoning and had to go through a bunch of heart tests because my heart rate was sitting high. I had EKGs and a monitor on for 24hours. My doctor determine I have a naturally high heart rate and occasionally suffer from palpitations.

I honestly have been good for the past 6-8 months. No palpitations like I've had in the past etc.

The start of this week out of nowhere I became really aware of my heart rate. Almost like I could constantly feel it. It wasn't beating fast it just feels like its beating hard. As the week has gone on it feels like it's skipping a beat every 1-2 mins. This has been going on for about 2-3 days now, today being the worst I've been feeling about it. It has me completely anxious and worried something is seriously wrong.

When I'm busy and not focusing on it, it doesn't seem to be there. As soon as my mind isn't busy anymore I go straight back to thinking about it and feeling it.

I have an appointment with my doctor but I can't get in until Monday.

Does anyone think this is something I need to be seeking immediate medical attention over or does it sound like its linked with my anxiety?

Anyones opinion or thoughts would be appreciated, I'm silently driving myself insane over this.

MsPurple · ‎18-10-2018

Hi JellJell and welcome

It sounds like you may have some health anxiety. I had a similar thing. I thought I may have allergies as I felt like my throat was getting tight. It turned out I had anxiety and it caused some throat spasaming.

I think you should discuss your health concerns as well as your anxiety. I didn't think mine was anxiety related but discussing it with my doctor helped

JellJell · ‎18-10-2018

Thanks for replying.

I'm really hoping it's related to my anxiety but it's horrible feeling like something is wrong with something so important like my heart.

I try to explain how I'm feeling to my husband but he tends to think it's only happening because I'm so focused on it. He really doesn't understand how panicked I feel about it.

I'm not sure if I should wait it out until I can get to the doctors on Monday or go to the hospital incase something is actually wrong with my heart skipping a beat.

Doolhof · ‎19-10-2018

Hi Jell Jell,

Having any medical issue can certainly add to feelings of anxiety and make the issue worse at times. I would like to suggest that maybe you telephone the local hospital and see if they can make a suggestion over the telephone.

If you feel like you definitely have a heart condition and you are very concerned, then by all means go to the hospital in person.

I had an issue with my heart recently, the more I thought about it the worse it became. In the end I was put on some high blood pressure medication and that has stopped the palpitations. A chemist can check your blood pressure for you.

Stress and anxiety can cause all kinds of conditions in our bodies.

Does it help you if you try some deep breath in. It helps me to relax if I count for 6 with a breath in and 6 for a breath out. While I am counting my mind can't think negatively!

Hopefully your Dr will be able to reassure you and check you out as well.

Can you consider how your husband may be able to help you when you feel this way? He might be able to help you distract your thinking somehow. My husband offers to make a cup of tea as he doesn't know what else to suggest.

Hope some of this helps and you get some answers!

Cheers from Dools

JellJell · ‎20-10-2018

Thanks for replying.

Yesterday was such a bad day for me. The mix of worrying about my heart and other little things going wrong just made me snap and I ended up have a panic attack in the middle of the day. I managed to get through it though.

I had plans to go out for dinner with some friends so I still did that to try take my mind off everything. While I was out I felt ok, didn't notice my heart at all.

Wake up this morning and it's all back again. I can feel it every time it skips a beat.

My husband is away for the weekend so that doesn't help things.

Part of me wants to go to the hospital another part of me just thinks I should wait it out until I see my GP because he knows my history. I just don't want anything bad to happen in the mean time. I hate feeling so torn about this.

Hydro101 · ‎20-10-2018

Hey JellJell,

It feels so good to know that I'm not the only one who suffers from this. I'm 15 years old and have been worrying about my health, especially my heart health, for the last year or so. I do take medication to help me with my anxiety but for the last 3 weeks ever since my nan passed away I've been worrying about my health 24/7.

My mum says that I'm fine and I keep telling myself that by for some reason I can't shake the anxious thoughts. Do you have any tips for controlling it? Should I go to the doctors to calm Myself?

Thank you so much