Am I poorly or all in my head

Mental health
1

I have been suffering chest pains, palpitations, burning chest and throat, pains in top of my back after eating, dizziness and lightheadedness for many months now. The palpitations where terrible like my heart would burst out of my chest.I was getting really paranoid that I was having an heart attack. I am also petrified of going to the GP incase he tells me I am seriously poorly. Eventually I was pursuaded to go and visit the GP by my wife. THe GP had a good listen to my heart and told me there was nothing wrong with my heart, he said my blood pressure was slighly high however. He then asked me if I was suffering with stress anxiety because he believes I am suffering with "subconscious anxiety disorder" He prescribed my Citalopram and said this would help. Almost instantly the palpitations stopped and I started to feel good again. Several weeks later I thought my heart was beating faster than normal and it has all started again with the above symptoms. 

Am I imagine this or am I poorly and my GP has missed it?

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

2

Hi Shaun unfortunately that is anxiety for you. Try doing some deep breathing excises they do help or listening to

Music. X

3

Try suggesting your doctor to prescribe you Propranolol a beta blocker that will normalize your heart rate its a good combination along with the Celexa. I used to have heart Palpitations which can be frightening and annoying. But I manage to control the palpitations with a diet change and exercise along with the beta blocker (propranolol) its truly a life saver. Hope things work out for you .

4

Hi Shaun,your not poorly and your doctor hasn't missed something, you may be having a set back which isn't unusual but can feel as bad as your original symptoms,my advice is to go back to your gp you may need your dose tweaking, don't be afraid your doctor will have dealt with this plenty of times before and you just need to get the right dose for you😉

5

Hi Shaun,

I was not sure what your doctor meant by "sub consious anxiety" is so I googled it -"One of the many common problem that people have with anxiety is that  of that anxiety is unclear to them"  

Do you have any insight into the potential source? Does your wife know of anything?  

Are you aware of any triggering events?

Has any one mentioned panic attacks?  

If none of this resonates with you, please know that I am with you.  

Sometimes the dose of Citalopram must be  increased.  

Are you living in a big city or smaller town?

6

Thanks for your replies.

​I really dont understand what is happening to me and do not know if I am becoming an hypocondriac/paranoid or if I really am unwell.

​My chest pains, burning throat & chest, upper back pain, (the upper back pain is usually after eating). All these symptoms last for weeks and months at a time. there is no set pattern and the symptoms come on even when I feel relaxed and not stressed. This is why my GP said it is sub-conscious anxiety, which means I'm not thinking about things but in my sub-conscious I am.

I completed a stress/anxiety test online and the result came back extremely high.

I am taking medication.

Astrovastatin, 20mg daily,

Amytriptilene 5mg daily 

Citalopram 20mg daily

I do not know if the medication is causing my symptoms, especially statins for the cholestrol because I have read some bad reports on this medication.

My wife works in a cardiology department and told me that if my doctor suspected anything with my heart he would have referred me asap, she also said that I am always looking for something wrong with my health. Myself, I do not believe this and the symptoms I get are not something I am imagining.

​Its like living in my own personal hell, and the strange thing about it is I know (or think I know I am causing it myself but can't stop it) Its frightening.