Heart worriers/Cardiophobic Roll Call

[nj]

Long time HA sufferer but new cardiophobe.

Ever since I saw this news story a week or so ago about how having creases in your earlobes means you have heart disease, every day I've been getting mentally progressively worse. Now I'm Googling heart studies and symptoms, constantly checking my pulse and freaking out over every burp and discomfort. I find myself looking at everyone's earlobes as well, checking to compare. Obviously, I'm not sleeping too well over this either, waking up in the middle of the night just thinking about my impending doom or laying in bed and feeling my chest to feel my heart beat.

I'm mid 40s, carrying a few extra pounds but have been hard at work getting them off and really no other symptoms.

No insurance, but going to make a doctor appt. in the new year to get a check up. I'm a year overdue. Going into Christmas I hate that I won't be able to enjoy the holiday like I should.

[KD]

Hello I am new to anxiety zone and this is the first page I have posted on besides the intro page. I am having panic attacks now after a few years of being virtually anxiety free.  When I have anxiety however, the focus always goes straight to health concerns. The main concern I have now is my hearts ability to keep beating, and I constantly think I'm having a heart attack. I even went to the ER on 12/11/2012 and I was so convinced that I would die of one if I didn't get help (I had gone so long without an panic attack that I forgot what they were like I guess).  In fact, I am still wearing the bracelet to remind me that I have been thoroughly checked out and my heart is normal (which is working well BTW).
I am at my mother’s house for the holidays and my anxiety is something she can’t really relate to. She started to scorn me this morning for not doing enough to feel better and was suggesting that I would be more comfortable going back to my new place, so I’m trying my hardest to wear a smile around her even though it hurts badly. So thank you for letting me get all of this out here.

[BeeDot]

NJ, I know how you feel.  As soon as I read about the earlobe creases, I checked mine and everyone elses.  When I saw my parents had them, I quietly freaked out because I'm so afraid of losing them.  I hope your Christmas wasn't too bad.  I was actually able to forget my anxiety for a bit and enjoy myself and I hope you did too.

KD, My mom is the same way and it is so hard for people without anxiety to understand because they are able to dismiss their worries or reason them away in a way that we work so hard to to, but are often not successful.  Have you tried to really talk to her about how it feels?  There are a lot of resources out there to help people like us talk to people like our moms about anxiety.

[nj]

I hope people don't notice me checking out their earlobes but it's a compulsion now.

One thing I've noticed is about 40-50% of the people I examine have those creases, both in person or on TV (both Kevin Bacon and John Travolta have them!). The amount of people with heart disease can't be that high, can it?

[ck511tk]

Hello. I am a long time lurker here and finally joined.  I am so glad to see that others are feeling the way that I feel, although I wish all of us wouldnt have to go through this. I have suffered with anxiety/panic/ depression (mainly anxiety/ panic disorder) for about 10 years now. Unfortunately it is in my blood. Both of my parents as well as my brother have some form of anxiety. I feel as though my anxiety continues to get worse, not better. My main thing is health anxiety. I have wasted so much money (particularly in the last year) on ER and doctor visits because I constantly think there is something wrong with me. Luckily for me, it has always been nothing and my health is fine. I just wish I were able to accept the diagnosis. And when i do finally accept it, I find something else wrong. Currently my latest obsession is my heart. I am so afraid that there is something wrong with my heart. I constantly have light pain in my chest and arm and have been told countless times it is all anxiety related. I have had more EKG's this year that I can count, as well as an echocardiogram. They have all come back fine. I also had a stress-echo this past Friday and I am still waiting on the results of that, but the nurses said that if anything serious were to come up they would call me that same day. I just cannot shake this feeling and I wish I could. It really hit its ultimate worse about 2 weeks ago when I was having a really really bad day and was already super worked-up. I had a headache from crying and had taken some Excedrin Migraine (which I have taken a million times before) and that sent me into the absolute worst panic attack of my life. I couldnt stop shaking, my heart was beating so fast, and I couldnt stop crying and was having a hard time breathing. in my mind I knew it was a panic attack but still went to the ER, and sure enough I was fine. But pretty much since that incident, i have not been the same. I suffer horrible anxiety every single day. I get chest pains throughout the day and have pain in my left shoulder (which in the back of my mind I know is from how i sleep).  Anything that brings my heart rate up sends me into full on panic. I just cannot do this anymore. It has taken over my whole life, and I feel horrible for what it is doing to everyone close to me. I am afraid of losing my boyfriend, and I feel awful for the constant worry I put my parents through. I just want to be normal again and happy. A few years back I had seen a counselor and did not find it very helpful but I think I am going to try going back to a counselor to see if they can help me. I just want my life back. I feel like life is just passing me by and I cannot even enjoy myself anymore. I am afraid of being alone, but yet it takes everything out of me just to leave the house. Normally I am a fun person who loves my family, friends, boyfriend, and all those close to me and I love to be out and social. I just want to be normal again.

[nj]

Unfortunately it is in my blood. Both of my parents as well as my brother have some form of anxiety.

Interesting. My grandfather, father and son all have signs of OCD and anxiety. Definitely something to a genetic connection.

[constantworries]

I just recently developed cardiophobia about 2 weeks ago. I'm trying to get over it quickly but it's really hard. I even went to the hospital and had an ECG, a chest x ray, and blood tests done. All came back negative but I still can't shake this fear that my heart is gonna fail. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one.

[Vasallus]

This is RIGHT up my alley. Ever since my panic attack a few months ago, I have had a constant obsession about my heart's health. I've been to the doctor a few times, had an EKG done, but my doctor said if I feel like I need to see a Cardiologist for peace of mind, go ahead, but she said she was almost absolutely sure my heart was fine (they can't ever know 100% yah know?) and advised I just try to live a healthier life and pay attention to the benefits of living that life.

It has gotten a lot better, but I still get nervous when my heart rate gets high. This makes jogging/brisk walking a challenge, and even when I burp and my chest hurts from it I'll get on edge. I check my pulse and BP a good bit, and I have a habit of feeling of my chest a lot for any abnormalities. I joined this place to get more knowledge and information on how to stop OBSESSING SO MUCH. Lol.

[BorealisImperator]

My anxiety is definitely centred around having a heart attack or other heart diseases.

[Dream of the Endless]

I feel chest pain and dizziness and get short of breath every day. Nothing is wrong with me so I'm told.  I frankly am sick of existing...

[TP92]

Count me in. I've been obsessing over having serious heart diseases for months now. I'm trying to get over it, but once I get over one thing there's always something else...

[rdtect]

...Sounds like we are all having the SAME issue of worrying about the heart!! I have had this soreness/tenderness around my left breast now for just about a year! It comes and goes at times. I have had an EKG and a walking treadmill stress test and I passed with flying colors!! Shouldn't that be all I need to rule out anything with my heart?? Apparently my mind thinks differently! My workload has increased a lot since I have gone back to work in October. and I am lifting a lot of heavy stuff (i'm a forklift mechanic!) so nothing is "light"!! So my heart has been good for about a month or so, but this past wekend is when It came back tenfold...I was thinking for sure that I have some sort of "tumor" or something growing in my left breast area....I am wondering why Its seems to affect my left arm too. Somebody had mentioned that it could be a muscle pull in that area, that I just keep re-injuring...who knows!

[lizzylee]

Wow... the more I read through this forum, I realise that so many people suffer the same anxiety, I thought I was going crazy.
Everyone here understands what were all going through and its such a relief for me. Doctors visits, blood tests and everything else so goes along with heart checks. I even went to the pharmacy and while waiting for a script to be filled, I checked my blood pressure... normal, as usual.
Depending on how may back feels, which is what sends pain through to my chest and down my arm, I feel fine in the mornings, I can carry on through the day without any anxiety, I can get through the pain, knowing it is only back pain. Its the evenings, when Im sitting watch TV or reading or just playing on puter and it all seems to come to a head, I try so hard to take deep breaths, relax, but the harder I try the worse it gets. And I get so close to telling my husband to take me to hospital, but I know within myself, it is not my heart, its my head, but I cant rationalise with myself. Yet when Im home alone in the evening, with no one to help get through the attack, Im also fine.
The only time through the day I feel anxious is when I have to drive to places that Ive never been to before, thinking something might happen and no one in the area knows me. Does anyone else go through the same??
I know this is post seems to be all over the place, but I dont want to make it too long. I know Im not alone here and it feels great to be able to discuss it

[dawn09]

I have a lot of heart anxiety, partly because it runs in my family. My dad had a heart attack in his early 50's, my aunt (his sister) died from a massive heart attack when she was only 44, and my dad's mom also died of a heart attack. Ever since I had my first panic attack when I was 19, my heart is my main worry. I have had EKG's done before, and everything was fine. I also wore a holter monitor for 24 hours a few years back to show when I had palpitations, also normal. My dr determined that anxiety was really my main problem. I am on blood pressure medication for borderline high blood pressure, but my blood pressure is excellent most of the time unless I am really anxious. I just really feel like I need therapy to learn how to control my anxiety and quit letting it control my life. I have been really trying to fight it on my own, but not having much luck.

[GratefullyDead]

I would definitely say that I tend to worry about my heart. This wasn't always the case and it only began a few months ago. I have, however, suffered from panic and anxiety attacks since I was a kid, so I'm no stranger to heart palpitations. It all began when I (stupidly) tried methamphetamine for the first (and only) time. During that time, I was awake for way too long and I had a very elevated heartbeat the entire time. To say that I felt like I was dying was an understatement. First off, I had been up for 3 days straight. My mind was not functioning well and I was pretty delusional. Now, the thing about meth is, when there is no more, your body reacts in a scary way. Withdrawal includes rapid heart rate, a raise in body temperature, sweating, etc. Since I've had a good deal of experience with panic attacks, my body started to go into flight mode. Not only that, but I felt a huge and intense jolt of energy that shot from the top of my head down out my feet. That triggered one of the worst panic attacks I've ever had in my life. Not only that, my palps were unbelievably intense and my hr was at around 170. This lasted for nearly 12 hours, slowly dropping in intensity. But the entire time I kept staring at my left arm, checking my pulse to make sure I still had one, clenching and un-clenching my fist, and shuddering at any tingling or numbness in my left arm. I kept staring at the bottle of nitroglycerine (my roommate was a CNA so she had lots of medical stuff lying around) thinking when I should take it as I thought I was having a heart attack.

Ever since this episode, my awareness of my heart has never completely gone away. Nothing ever as intense as this initial freak out, but I have heart episodes every week or so it seems. Not to mention, these thoughts have also begun to trigger my panic attacks which I had not had to deal with for maybe a year or so (outside of maybe 2 attacks months before). I take solace in the fact that i can keep telling myself that palps are harmless and that there is no history of heart disease or heart attacks on either side of my family. But still, it freaks me the hell out and usually is the catalyst for an anxiety attack that can lead to the dreaded Google-Fest which only leads to loss of sleep and new reasons to slowly drive myself insane.

Regardless, it's good to get these things off my chest. I don't talk about my anxiety very much...but getting it out (even just on the internet) has calmed me down significantly for the time being. I tend to get stuck in my own head and my thoughts lead to other thoughts that lead to other thoughts and they just gradually get crazier and crazier. Glad I'm not the only one!

[bcjmama3]

Hi all I'm a 29 yr old female mother 3 boys. I am exactly in the same boat. I'm to the point now where I wouldn't know if something is serously wrong or ot ecause I'm Gogling 24/7 (it's so bad that I even Google in the middle of the night when I use the restroom or my baby gets up to eat). Symptoms have been going on for months but have been extremely worse the past 2 weeks. It's so bad I'm scared to get off the couch bc I feel like I can't breathe or can't muster the pain without feeling like I'm going to keel overall.  My mother and grandma both passed away at the age of 47 and my mother's death was just in may 2 weeks before giving birth to my 3rd son. I've had 3 djga done since October, a chest xray and catscan with contrast and bloid enzyme testing in December and 3 weeks ago a cardiolite stress test that has came back normal but I also can't stop thinking that I'm one of the cases that something was missed.my symptoms recently have been continuous sharp pain in my left breast and all around it..pressure in center of chest but closer to collerbone...shortness of breath and feeling like I can't breathe right bc my throat feels like its closing....I'm lightheaded have pains in both ears...back ...shoulders...left arm left elbow and wrist...head pressure...can't stand up for long without feeling like I'm going to pass out...don't have energy or interest in taking care of my household duties ...it's pretty bad nothing helps not visiting people. Shopping ...Nothing! !!!!!! I'm trying to chalk it up to stress and /or anxiety bc life has hit me with some dingers these past few weeks but the fact that I keep getting sob all the time really scares me and the fact that nothing eases it for me...not even my children and that's the hardest part

[Illennui]

bcjmama3  I know it is difficult when you hope to find reassurance, but the internet is evil.  I know how it is, believe me, but the more we are inundated with news reports, bad websites, limitless possibilities, the more ill even people without this anxiety become.

I am sorry that your mother died just before you gave birth to your 3rd son.  That's a great deal of stress, loss, and unanticipated change.

Are you in a position, financially, to see a massage therapist, as a lot of these symptoms could be muscular, and/or myofascial pain.  (I'll be asking my doctor for a referral to physical therapy - read as "massage therapy, so it should be covered by insurance).

I'm going to recommend a book - it's not a self-help book, but it helped me:  Women Who Marry Houses, Panic and Protest in Agoraphobia.  It is out of print, but available.  It's a socio-cultural-psychological book that is easy to read and understand; and it is, as far as I know, the only book of its kind.  The approach allows for the suggestion that, for example, maybe you just don't want to clean the blasted house.  You see?

I'm trying to find a therapist again.  My symptoms were gone for 25 years.  Now, more fully health-anxiety - partly reasonable, largely not.  Let's make a pact to stay away from internet searches as much as possible?

[kmann1969]

Does anybody get painful heart palpatations ? I get heart palps everyday but once in awhile I'll get a nasty painful one... The regular ones don't bother that much but when they hurt they get me a little worried or sometimes a lot worried!! Plz share your heart palps experiences or remedies. I've had them for as long as I had anxiety they started shortly after my anxiety started. I have had anxiety panic disorder for 25 years and haven't kicked the bucket yet from heart palps so I don't think I'm going to but it still bugs me.

Thanks
Kevin

[hollyweird02]

Does anyone have a fast heart rate all day? Mines been doing it a few days

[Mir]

I've been stuck on my heart for about six months now. I get faint feeling at times, my heart races, and I get palps. Part of me knows it's just the anxiety, but the rest of my mind is dead set on it being some deadly heart rhythm.

Does anyone have a fast heart rate all day? Mines been doing it a few days

The depends dear, how high are we talking? Mine will Hover around 102 sometimes, especially if I'm really stressed.

Does anybody get painful heart palpatations ? I get heart palps everyday but once in awhile I'll get a nasty painful one... The regular ones don't bother that much but when they hurt they get me a little worried or sometimes a lot worried!! Plz share your heart palps experiences or remedies. I've had them for as long as I had anxiety they started shortly after my anxiety started. I have had anxiety panic disorder for 25 years and haven't kicked the bucket yet from heart palps so I don't think I'm going to but it still bugs me.

Thanks
Kevin

I've never had painful palps before, but sometimes mine are strong enough to scare me. What I do, when I have them, is hold my breathe. And let me tell you a good deal of the time it helps. I'm not sure why it does, but it calms mine right up.

[hollyweird02]

It was about 86 at resting last I checked

[Mir]

It was about 86 at resting last I checked

Mine is about there when resting most of the time (as I said it can be higher), and it's never bothered me. Unless it's over 100, it's not even considered high as far as I know.

[monnie]

I have heart palpations quite often, its just hard to relax, and my mind races

[Brigantia]

I worry about my heart so much, which was exacerbated by pains down my left side and chest pain. I'm trying to learn to deal with it and to tell myself that it's anxiety, but every so often I'll think that the doctor missed something or that there's something developing etc. These forums have really been the greatest source of comfort to me and have really helped me, but I still worry about heart attacks/Peripheral Arterial Disease/blood clots. Nonetheless, there have been improvements (mostly thanks to forums like these, as well as my very supportive fiancé), so I am at least hopeful...Most of the time.

[Calamy]

I feel chest pain and dizziness and get short of breath every day. Nothing is wrong with me so I'm told.  I frankly am sick of existing...

Dream, I got tears in my eyes reading your small but significant post. It really hit me hard because I totally identify with you. I get all kinds of pains every day and I am so depressed. Docs keep saying nothing's wrong, just watch your GERD and walk a lot, exercise. They don't seem to understand that I have an exercise phobia.

*I like the Endless as well -- Death has always been my favorite. Go figure.*