Nutrition Health Chat: Tuesday, Dec. 8th, 5-6 PM Eastern. Learn how vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients affect your health. Free live Q&A. Join us!
Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Fear after diagnosis
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Fear after diagnosis
by Marlene Deason, Oct 26, 1999 12:00AM
I recently had a bout of Atrial Fibrillation and was put on medication - which is not helping by the way. All the tests for my heart turned out good. However, this has thrown me into anxiety about the whole thing, particularly because I am still having the episodes - they wake me up at night. In addition, I have had several unpleasant situations regarding work this year, which really bothered me, so the AF just sort of added to everything. To complicate things, I haven't felt good enough to work a whole day since the beginning of September. I've become very aware of my mortality and think quite often about bad things happening to me. What do you suggest to help my mental outlook?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS.MD-AJ, Oct 31, 1999 12:00AM
Kaye,
It seems like you have developed some form of anxiety, which may or may not be related to your recent medical problems. I cannot provide a specific diagnosis without evaluating you, and obtaining further history. Atrial fibrillation and anxiety may have some similar symptoms, such as rapid or pounding heart beat. Both conditions may also co-exist. I urge you to discuss your concerns further with your treating physician, and to seek evaluation by a mental health professional, who will hopefully also be able to help resolve other stresses that you are going through. Anxiety disorders have been discussed on many occasions in our forum, and you may wish to search through our archives for more information.
It seems like you have developed some form of anxiety, which may or may not be related to your recent medical problems. I cannot provide a specific diagnosis without evaluating you, and obtaining further history. Atrial fibrillation and anxiety may have some similar symptoms, such as rapid or pounding heart beat. Both conditions may also co-exist. I urge you to discuss your concerns further with your treating physician, and to seek evaluation by a mental health professional, who will hopefully also be able to help resolve other stresses that you are going through. Anxiety disorders have been discussed on many occasions in our forum, and you may wish to search through our archives for more information.
