Have Many Questions, Would Like Help/Answers

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun May 27, 2007 1:55 pm

but, i'm sure a trip to the Dr would ease your mind. he can do an EKG for you in his office, maybe do some blood work, and just ease your mind. best of luck to you

yeah, I think so too. but back when my anxiety was at its worst, I went to the ER a couple time a month (seriously) because I thought I was having a heart attack. every time I went, they did an EKG, and every time everything was fine. I've never had blood work done before...what kind of blood work would they do for something like this? I've always wanted one of those stress tests done, just do see how my heart reacts, but they're just too expensive. Actually, I'd REALLY like one of those 3D things of the heart they can do now. It lets you see if there are clots and what not. But again, waaay too expensive.

I thought I had my anxiety under control, but I guess I'm going back down hill again.

Gman5256 · Post by **Gman5256** » Sun May 27, 2007 1:56 pm

So if you can find the reasons in your mind why it's not a heart attack, instead of "what if" thinking, you'll feel much better.

I try, believe me, I try. My mind just ALWAYS goes back to heart attack.

QueenEsther · Post by **QueenEsther** » Sun May 27, 2007 1:58 pm

the doctor said your bp can be normal or a little elevated but to have a heartattack its just the lack of blood getting to the heart and it could be a blocked artiery which sometimes does not cause a raise i blood pressure but it does raise the heart rate

Yes, I'd really like to know if I have any blocked arteries. I truly believe that would help me get over this.

deedee00 · Post by **deedee00** » Sun May 27, 2007 2:02 pm

My professional advice is to confer with your doctor, have an EKG done, an echocardiogram if still uncertain, explain family history, have blood work done and then go from there. Everyone needs a little reassurance to form a baseline. Ive done a few EKG's on myself in the early days too. Remember the WHAT IFS? You need to get those out of your head! I hope this helps you make the right decision. Truly RRT2007

RRT2007, thank you SO MUCH for responding to my post. It's reassuring to me to know that there is someone who knows what I'm experiencing. I've had multiple EKGs done in the past (late 2005, early to mid 2006) when my anxiety was at its worst and I was going to the ER all the time. Every single time I had an EKG done, it always was normal. However, I've never had any blood work done. What kind of blood work would you suggest being done? And what, exactly, is an echocardiogram?

And yes, I know I need to get those "what ifs" out of my head. I try, I swear. They just always creep back into my mind.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun May 27, 2007 9:03 pm

Hi Lisa, You are welcome for the info and I hope I can give you some peace. I dont want to rattle your cage ya know? An echocardiogram is similar to a sonogram they do for babies. It looks identical as a matter of fact. I watch them with cardiologists all the time and it shows the heart beating and the blood flow patterns. Of course none of our tests are cheap so why am i broke? haha. A stress test is another good one for checking the health of the heart because of the exertion can show emphasis on the cardiac arteries and the muscle. A holter monitor is a telemetry worn over your shoulder for a 24 hour period to catch specific times that you might have an episode. The blood work portion would be thyroid. I think Lucinda recommends this too. Elevated thyroid levels T4 and TSH can cause anxiety. Other tests would be for electrolytes, ie: potassium, sodium and calcium. Again, I want to say, being so young drastically lowers your incidence for heart problems but your family history is the number one thing that makes me bring this all to your attention. Try and give it time to get your thoughts straight. They are probably deep rooted and require you to raise to a higher level to flush your brain of all the negativism. How is your Dad and anything specific about your Dad that might have lead to his attack?

Gman5256 · Post by **Gman5256** » Sun May 27, 2007 11:02 pm

Dear Lisa,
You don't have to try to get those thoughts (of having a heart attack) out of your head. That's RESISTANCE and that makes them stay longer. ARe you working the program? In the program, we are told to ALLOW THE THOUGHTS TO COME IN and give them permission to be there, but don't attach yourself to them. When you do that, they have less impact and you start to fear them less. They are THOUGHTS ONLY THOUGHTS! They are busy distracting you from the REAL PROBLEM! What's the real problem? Fear of unworthiness(not being good enough), failure, abandonment? Those are the truly deep rooted fears that your obsessive thought about the heart is distracting you from. Get to the "heart" of the thoughts and then you can stop giving these "heart" thoughts so much power. Let them pass, don't feed them.

I see you as I have been in the past, always asking questions about this, that, and the other with my obsessive thoughts - not getting to the root of the problem. Now, I've gotten to the root of my fears, and those thoughts have so much less impact upon me. The thoughts don't go away on their own, you must accept them, and give them an "I don't care if you come into my head" attitude. Let them pass by like a gentle cloud.

Hope you can understand what I mean.
deeroad

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun May 27, 2007 11:45 pm

I just wanted to say deeroad that what you said was so true and worked for me also. The way you worded it was right on.
Sandra

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:58 am

Amidst all these questions that I have, and the replies that I'm getting, it prompted me to email my mom and ask her about my father's first heart attack. Like I mentioned earlier, I thought it happened when he was 31, but according to my mom, it actually happened when he was 29, which is the age I just turned, which doesn't reassure me one bit.

Here's what she said: "Your father had his first mild attack at age 29. He always had an irregular heartbeat. He never told me why but did mention that he should stop smoking and he never did. The dr. never checked for cholestral in those days. He never had high blood pressure to my knowledge so it could have been a heart defect." It would have been in 1968, give or take a year, that he had his first heart attack. Too bad I don't have anymore information.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:19 am

Thank you, Deeroad. My husband used to say that I did enough worrying for him too. When I look back on my life, most of the things I worried about never happened. I am always tempted to be what I used to call "proactive" (imagining the worst case scenerio to be prepared)! Now I know that is just plain nuts.

P&P · Post by **P&P** » Mon May 28, 2007 2:59 am

I would have it checked out with a dr just to be safe... but it could just be anxiety. The first place I feel my anxiety is my chest, between my breast. I start to feel pressure like something is sitting on my chest and sometimes I feel a lump in my throat. If I dont do anything... it continues on and can get very bad. I have had shortness of breath, pain, and I thought I was having a heart attack.... it was just an anxiety attack. Usually something is going on that makes this happen, but I have had them on great days, for no apparent reason.

Also, indigestion can cause severe symptoms. Keep a record and see if its worse after you eat. Try a tums or rolaids or some type of antacid and see if it helps.

With either of those.... I try to lay back in a recliner and close my eyes and take slow deep breaths and think some happy thoughts. Try a relaxing CD and if you have this program, do the relaxing medition tape. Try not to focus on the pain, but on your breathing.

I hope this helps.