Recent heart health anxiety

[bin_tenn]

I've been dealing with frequent intrusive thoughts lately, primarily related to heart health anxiety. I think it was triggered by hearing of a couple people in recent months who died from sudden cardiac events at a relatively young age (40s and 50s). Not people I knew personally, just random stories that pop up locally. It tends to get that part of my mind wandering, understandably so.

Overall I feel better about my heart health since I started eating much better and making other positive choices over the last few years. I still have episodes of palpitations, but they're infrequent. I rarely feel my heart racing or pounding, except when I'm obviously nervous or anxious.

Still, I can't help but worry that something will go wrong. Typical anxiety thought process, I know, not abnormal at all for an anxiety sufferer. That obviously doesn't make it any less uncomfortable though.

I don't have any major risk factors. My doctor is not terribly concerned with my cholesterol numbers, they just need a bit of work. Even the people in my family, with one exception that I know of, who've had heart problems are not considered "early" for the most part. Usually in the 50s. They all have had several risk factors that I do not have, particularly diet and smoking.

I'm only 37. Again, my doctor is not concerned. His only real concern is that I'm overly worried about having heart disease any time in the next 15 years. Of course I know that it can happen, but there's always a reason of some kind. And to our knowledge I have no known reason to end up in that situation.

I can cope with the thoughts. I don't mind much that I go through these phases. How many of you can relate though? Is there anything specific you've learned that helped you stop worrying about this kind of thing?

 

[Sweet T]

I can relate! The only time I don’t think about heart worries is when some other worry takes its place for a bit. It’s hard to get away from your heart. I feel everything. I do try to remind myself that my palps are likely related to anxiety. But I want 100% assurance and obviously that isn’t possible.

 

[bin_tenn]

I can relate! The only time I don’t think about heart worries is when some other worry takes its place for a bit. It’s hard to get away from your heart. I feel everything. I do try to remind myself that my palps are likely related to anxiety. But I want 100% assurance and obviously that isn’t possible.

I understand. I've noticed significant improvement for myself because I usually don't even notice my heartbeat anymore. Even when I've done something physical like riding a bike I hardly feel it beating faster/harder. I don't know what I did to make that happen other than continuing to work on my anxiety as a whole. Although the improved diet probably contributes as well.

Wanting that 100% reassurance that we'll never actually get is very familiar to me as well. I would love to go to a Dr and say "tell me I don't have to worry about my heart for a long time." But of course they can't say that, and instead they say something generic like "let me know if anything changes, otherwise you should be good to go."

 

[JoshhLadd]

I can also totally relate at 19 im
Now 32 I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation although now I’m no medication as it’s not needed I feel my heart flutter and race briefly and always think **** is this the moment and then it’s back to normal but it does still worry me and have brought it up with the doctors had recent ecg came back fine we do just have to believe in the doctors they are bloody brilliant really.

 

[Jonathan123]

When in an anxiety state I wore out many ECG machines because I never believed they were working properly. It is no good looking back and seeing what an idiot I was because it all seemed so real at the time. That is our biggest problem, the reality of what is happening can often seem overwhelming. My wife always had a sense of humour, and we would often have a laugh at some of the antics I got up to that were aimed at stopping the anxiety. No websites then just books and help from those around me who knew what it was like. I found Dr. Weekes' teachings and recordings plus some wise counselling put me on the right path. But it took time, a lot of time, and patience is not what many anxiety sufferers have a lot of. Yes, we do need to trust our doctors, although some can be a a pain in the butt. So many have no concept of health anxiety and some even don't believe it exists. I am lucky becuse my doctor had a breakdown while at medical school. She was so uderstanding and helpful when I first went to her.
I am getting on a bit now, and looking back I can see how so many of the things I worried about never came to anything.

 

[MARCC]

Sorry you are feeling this way bin. I would not be too hard on yourself as you are doing the best you can and will eventually get over this temporary setback.

 

[Iugrad91]

I try to tell myself, yep that might happen and I could also get hit by a car crossing the street, you never know! There are plenty of things that probably have a better chance of happening that we never even think twice about. So I remind myself of that and just be with the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing until it passes.

We are wired to worry about things, even people that don’t have anxiety. We have uncomfortable moments, every one of us. Recognize that and let the worry sit for a while without trying to figure anything out or answer anxiety’s questions of what if. If you don’t give it time and energy it will eventually leave.

 

[Seryn]

Yep I always worry. For me I think it's because I've never had any tests there so it's the what if I have a underlying heart problem and if I do xyz I'll have a heart attack. I can't stand anything that raises my heartbeat. We're going to Disney/universal in the summer and i no I won't go on any coasters because I'm worried I'll find out I have a heart problem. I'm already petrified about flying alone with my teens for the first time incase anything happens to me as I'm the only adult (eldest will be 4months from turning 18) others are 15. I used to love holidays and rollercoasters but now I'm scared of everything. I'll be 40 then and I just don't feel as protected by youth I guess. It was also the decade my mum dropped dead so there's that too. Not really sure how to grt over it. Can't get any tests without there being a problem.

 

[Phillies Phan]

I try to tell myself, yep that might happen and I could also get hit by a car crossing the street, you never know! There are plenty of things that probably have a better chance of happening that we never even think twice about. So I remind myself of that and just be with the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing until it passes.

We are wired to worry about things, even people that don’t have anxiety. We have uncomfortable moments, every one of us. Recognize that and let the worry sit for a while without trying to figure anything out or answer anxiety’s questions of what if. If you don’t give it time and energy it will eventually leave.

I try to remember lines from an old Eagles song “..don’t even try to understand”….”lighten up while you still can”…and, “Take it Easy”.

 

[Jonathan123]

Yep I always worry. For me I think it's because I've never had any tests there so it's the what if I have a underlying heart problem and if I do xyz I'll have a heart attack. I can't stand anything that raises my heartbeat. We're going to Disney/universal in the summer and i no I won't go on any coasters because I'm worried I'll find out I have a heart problem. I'm already petrified about flying alone with my teens for the first time incase anything happens to me as I'm the only adult (eldest will be 4months from turning 18) others are 15. I used to love holidays and rollercoasters but now I'm scared of everything. I'll be 40 then and I just don't feel as protected by youth I guess. It was also the decade my mum dropped dead so there's that too. Not really sure how to grt over it. Can't get any tests without there being a problem.

We may not realise how common health anxiaty is. Once again I have to say that the symptoms of anxiety are perfectly normal symptoms greatly exaggerated. We lay the foundations for anxiety by allowing fear to escalate into an anxiety episode.
Now this word 'allowing' does pose problems for many. They may say, 'but I can't stop it coming'. So don't try! But accept it as part of the recovery process, becuse it is a process. We only get stuck with it if we go on adding fear to fear with all the 'what ifs'.
You are not your mum. Everyone has some characteristics common only to them, and it by no means follows that heart problems are hereditary.
It does seem as if your self confidence, or self worth has taken a knock at some time.
Every human being is worthy of love and respect, but it is also true we need to love and respect ourselves, warts and all. This is not being selfish but being aware that if we can't help ourselves it may be difficult to help others.

 

[Phillies Phan]

Yep I always worry. For me I think it's because I've never had any tests there so it's the what if I have a underlying heart problem and if I do xyz I'll have a heart attack. I can't stand anything that raises my heartbeat. We're going to Disney/universal in the summer and i no I won't go on any coasters because I'm worried I'll find out I have a heart problem. I'm already petrified about flying alone with my teens for the first time incase anything happens to me as I'm the only adult (eldest will be 4months from turning 18) others are 15. I used to love holidays and rollercoasters but now I'm scared of everything. I'll be 40 then and I just don't feel as protected by youth I guess. It was also the decade my mum dropped dead so there's that too. Not really sure how to grt over it. Can't get any tests without there being a problem.

You might recall a response I gave to another poster recently. My dad‘s father died at age 46. His mother by the way died at age 60. But, my father lived to age 97. As Jonathan says, you are not your mom (er ah mum, sorry forgot you’re in the UK!)

 

[bin_tenn]

You might recall a response I gave to another poster recently. My dad‘s father died at age 46. His mother by the way died at age 60. But, my father lived to age 97. As Jonathan says, you are not your mom (er ah mum, sorry forgot you’re in the UK!)

Yeah, this is what I must remind myself of sometimes. I am not those people I hear about.

Thank you all for the thorough replies. Much appreciated, and I enjoyed reading them all.

Part of my problem is also that a good childhood friend who's close to my age was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer last year, and he's not doing well. It's just a matter of time until things come to an end, I believe. I don't worry that I'll have the same thing, my point is simply that my own health anxiety tends to be amplified in response to knowing someone I know is seriously ill. I think that's pretty common amongst health anxiety sufferers.