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Debilitating health anxiety

Sienna18
Community Member
Does anyone else experience debilitating physical symptoms of anxiety? One night I ended up in the hospital due to constant heart palpitations and tachycardia. I had bloods and numerous ECGs done and was told it must just be anxiety since nothing came back. But I can't shake the feeling that something is seriously wrong. I get intense palpitations where it feels like my heart stops and restarts over and over again. This sends me into a panic and my heart races, I feel sick, I tremble and just can't calm down. The fear of getting heart palpitations and the associated panic has meant that I literally can't focus on anything else besides how I'm feeling. I don't even like to go for a 10 minute walk because as soon as I feel my heart rate increasing, I freak out. I can't sleep, I can't study, I can't do anything. At night especially I get this really weird sensation in my stomach, that feels like its full of air/ churning like I'm hungry even though I'm not. It makes it feel like its difficult to breathe and it makes my heart beat more obvious. All I want to do is sleep and I can't even do that. I am seeing a psychologist and I have gone back to the Drs numerous times because I'm not convinced something isn't wrong. I'm getting more blood work, another ECG, and am going to see a cardiologist hopefully for peace of mind. This is controlling my life and I don't know how to go on.
2 Replies 2

uncut_gems
Champion Alumni
Champion Alumni

Hi Sienna18,

Welcome to the forums, and good on you for coming here! I have experienced exactly what you're describing, and I know for a fact you're not alone because I have seen so many posts similar to yours. The health anxiety you're describing isn't uncommon, and it's also common to get worried (understandably) about all these alarming symptoms and seek out medical advice, which is absolutely the right move. Anxiety can have lots of physical symptoms, but I'm glad you got them checked out by a doc just to be sure!

I'm not a medical professional and obviously I can't offer specific health advice, but it sounds like you have been looked at pretty thoroughly by the right people and there doesn't seem to be anything really wrong. Unfortunately what's nasty about health anxiety is that the medical tests and interventions we think will finally bring us peace of mind only add fuel to the fire.

Have you considered talking to your GP about all this, not in terms of a cardiac issue but maybe more as a mental health one? That way they can get you sorted with a proper care plan and get you some help in battling this anxiety, which I know from personal experience can totally consume your life.

It sounds like you're having such a hard time– try to be easy on yourself until you can get the support and tools that you need to get your life back. In the meantime, we're always here for you on the forums 🙂

Warmly,

Gems

Tasguy
Community Member
Hi seinna I get them heaps they are usually normal with anxiety worrying about doesn't help. Look up on YouTube York cardiology about heart palpitations it gave me a peace of mind. Caffeine tiredness can cause them. I also have health anxiety about my heart and hate getting it to high