Posted by RedbeardNC on July 15, 2007, at 23:00:25
Hello everyone - I'm new to this group and have joined because I need peer support with some problems that I am trying to chalk up to hypochondria-centered anxiety disorder. I'm 34 years old, and weigh 225 pounds. I'm not in great shape, but not bad. I started smoking 5 years ago to curb my appetite (I was at 280).
I seem to be having...I AM having some chest/upper abdominal sensations that alarm me at relaxed times (generally a half-hour or so, sitting, after a meal). My heart and stomach seem to join together and POW, I suddenly feel what is like a giant heartbeat. Sometimes I feel it other places in my abdomen but not as strong. My doctor thinks it is anxiety - which is a strong possibility I admit...but then again it seems like when I come in with a broken toe they say "anxiety" and give me everything but Xanax (which is the only medication that seems to make me feel better. The sensation hits me once, scares me to death, and then I am afraid of it happening and obsess over it to the point of tears, and chain-smoking. Even when on meds like Effexor or Paxil I have this insane desire to hire a cardiologist and a gastroenterologist to sit with me 24 hours a day to monitor me. These feelings of dread make it difficult to work or concentrate on anything enjoyable....or anything altogether except being scared of my body. Does anyone else deal with this? I'm so tired of being afraid of myself....
poster:RedbeardNC
thread:769799
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20070714/msgs/769799.html