symptoms

Do any of you ever worry that something could be wrong with your heart? I find myself terrified that sometimes what I am feeling physically isn't anxiety, and that it is my heart. I just wondered if anyone else had these fears?

[mags59]

All the time!  This is one of the most common complaints from anxiety.  Before taking Ativan, I actually had tachycardia (a heart arrythmia).  It started with hyperthyroidism, but after that was taken care of, it never left.  Doc told me it was from anxiety and put me on Ativan.  It's much better now, but anxiety can cause so many strange symptoms.  Hang in there, we're here for you.  There's a lot of us who've gone through the same thing!

[yatta07]

WoW! I wouldn't be surprised if this entire forum replied to this one!!! As mags59 mentioned above, fear of the heart is a major symptom when anxiety is involved. If you under went tests and examinations with your doctor and all is fine....than that's just what this is...a symptom. I had every test done known to man including heart echos, ekg's and blood eczems done, at the end of it all...Anxiety was my diagnosis. I know it's hard to hear that, especially when you're so sure it's deeper than that. I feel the exact same way...all these symptoms cannot just be anxiety, I feel as if one of these feelings will kill me any minute now. Somehow I just try to trust and accept that what my Dr. says is right and you should too. I can certainly confirm one thing for you: The moment I began to accept, my symptoms became less and less important to me...till this day, they still come and go, however, very much unnoticed at times....:) Good Luck Hundin!!!

[9DodgeFan]

They who have spoken have good advice!!  Like they said, I think heart worries are one of the main symptoms most people have with anxiety (I know that was/is the case for me).  If you feel it's necessary, get the checkup(s) from your doctor.  If everything comes back alright, which chances are it will, try not to think of it and focus your attention on other things.  I know it's not always easy, but it does work (at least for me).  Hope this helps!

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

i started with anxiety after i started having papations , so yes yes the heart thing is a big issues, with me and lots others , i waited to have a heart attack for 10 years , wow look at the time i wasted in my life , i was very healthy but with pac/pvs and i let them waste my years away now am 49 and dont get me wrong they still get me but i keep moving ahead and here i am still breathing. so try and not let it take you down, i just went for my yerly and they want to do a stress/ecko well anxiety started because i just knew something wrong with heart because i have trs are 562 thats what clogs veins so i have been anxiety over it , but i made up mind not to worry till after christmas when i have test done, dont want to waste more of my days and nothing be wrong. so yes to your question, try and belive what dr says, thats what we pay them for . Merry Christmas

[iamfaithful]

Yes, yes and YES.  I like heartflutters started having anxiety after having heart papls.  I probably had a form of anxiety for a long time; however, it finally caught up w/me.  I worry every single day, and I do mean every day that I have a heart problem.  I have been examine, re-examined and examined some more.  I still keep asking my cardiologist (yes, I see him now because of this anxiety beast) or I should say I keep teling them there has got to be something wrong w/me.  He finally admitted to me "it's nothing but anxiety.  

I have been on meds for over a year now.  It helps, but I don't like taking them.

I hope you feel better and soon.

[Mel343]

Yes, get your heart checked if you have insurance... that is a big issue too...I have had anxiety most of my life on and off, and found out back 1995 I had a mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation, this also causes anxiety attacks, but most of us have chemical imbalance in our brain that will cause the anxiety attacks, that is what my doc told me anyway.

[scaredjo]

yes yes yes and again yes. heart anxiety or cardiophobia as i call it, is a major factor in anxiety i have had it for years, as everyone has advised so long as you been given the all clear from the doc try to forget about it. i know its so hard i have had test after test and still get all the symptoms but its the brain thats the problem cause its so tuned into every little niggle or pain. get some therapy and enjoy life

[cj29]

I have to agree with the above....my anxiety started with concerns over heart health despite the fact that tests showed otherwise.  Putting your faith in the hands of the doctors' diagnoses can really be unnerving, but if you have been checked out and are all clear, then in my opinion it is time to tackle that anxiety by confronting it with talk therapy.  In my experience, gaining knowledge about this pattern of thinking is extremely valuable in thriving with this...knowledge is definitely power when it comes to this!

Let us know how things are going!

[JaxRiley]

In the mid 90's when I was suffering panic attacks yes...I was afraid it was cardiac issues-once I figured out my triggers and learnt how to recognise the onset of an attack to talk myself down from one they subsided and I've been ok. Now it's the anxiety I suffer that makes me worry I'll heave a heart attack.

[lynn57]

I was not only convinced it was my heart so was my doctor!  I had never had a problem with anxiety or panic attacks until that day, so my doctor was dumbfounded.  I was put in ICU for three days because my pulse rate was so low and my potassium was way down.  The cardiologist thought the potassium was a problem and causing signals to the heart to malfunction.  Got the potassium up and guess what?  I've had panic attacks ever since.  I have tried going off meds and end up back on them within a year.  My pulse rate is still extremely low and now my B-12 is depleted, but I know the feelings I get from anxiety and if anything I would miss a real medical emergency. I tend to blame everything on anxiety or meds.