Anxiety Forum

[ginamd71]

hi, im new here, hoping this forum can help ease my mind eventually. I am 37 and have had severe anxiety since i was 17. I am not on any full-time medication although i have tried quite a few (zoloft, effexor, prozac) . for now i try to rely on xanax for the unbearable panic attacks. I have anxiety about even being on meds ALL the time. I have to be in real pain to take even an aspirin. Anxiety is my way of life, i am ALWAYS anxious, the panic attacks are a totally different monster. my first question is: How long to i try to deal with chest pain, arm pain, dizziness, before i go to the hospital. I am so embarassed that i will get to the ER and it will be just another anxiety attack, but, on the other hand, i am always reading about heart disease in women, and dont wait and blah blah blah. So i need someones opinion, is it better to be embarassed any go to the hospital, or wait it out and risk the heart attack? I have been to the ER about once a year for the past 4 years. All with the same syptoms. But as i get older i worry about my heart more and more, i think of it as one of my anxiety triggers. I have 2 , my heart and my lungs, if i get the slightest twinge near either i go into full blown panic mode. does anyone out there have any calming excercises that they do if something like this occurs?? I'd love to hear any of them if u do

[joel8270]

Hi. I'm new here too...Maybe you should just go to a Doctor, express your heart concerns, and make sure to get annual check-ups. The Doctor will probably listen to your heart/lungs, check your blood pressure, order an EKG (and/or other heart tests), get you a chest xray, and have you get some bloodwork done. If everything comes back normal, you'll know that you will have nothing to worry about. When you get chest pains or heart attack symptoms between your exams, you will have less to worry about. You can deal with the Anxiety without the added heart and lung concerns...If you're anything like me, the advice I gave isn't so simple. I'm only 26. I have some of the same concerns, but hate going to the Doctor and have a ridiculous fear of needles.
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-Joel

[Cindy]

I also joined hoping to ease my mind (those racing thoughts!) I think I have had anxiety for quiet sometime but... it reared it ugly head in the form of body symptoms and panic attack a couple of years ago. Like you I always thought there could be something wrong with my heart (I did have palpations and of course it would race with some of my thoughts. My father passed away of a heart attack 5 years ago and so I just knew I was going to have one also... my arm tingled and I had chest pain. The point of my story is I mustered up the courage to go to the heart doctor and face my fear. I was just so sick of worrying all the time and having these symptoms. Long story short... I had some tests and even wore a monitor for about a month... nothing wrong with my heart! The symptoms are gone. I am terrified of going to the doctor because of course I think there will be terrible news but I want to let you know what a relief this has been for me. Hopefully everything will come back normal and this could be one less anxiey issue you have to deal with.

[shane25_73]

i dont know how to use this.,...lol..not sure whether u got my message