Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
Since most of us anxiety sufferers have anxiety about our heart, I thought I would ask if anyone has had a treadmill stress test. I'm having one Thursday and I'm really nervous about it. I'm out of shape; haven't exercised in the last several months plus I'm already having palps, chest pain, panic attacks, etc so how am I going to make it on the treadmill? And how will they know the difference between the anxiety, me being out of shape, and the condition of my heart? I know I'm overthinking all of this but that's what I do!
I was where you are now almost a year ago.
I am 32 years old, female, overweight, panic disorder 13 years, and a strong family history of heart disease...(dad first heart attack at 29, angioplasty in his 40's, paternal grandma died of a heart attack at age 46, maternal grandpa triple bipass in his 50's, died of diabetic complications and heart attack at 67, and maternal grandma heart disease with no major complications, died from cancer in her late 60's). So, that is a lot of heart history. I have ALWAYS been paranoid about my heart, with good reason!
Last year I did a treadmill test. I have palps, chest pains, and all the typical feelings of a heart attack with my panic attacks, and tend to have general chest discomfort a good portion of the day. So...I requested a treadmill test, and the doctor agreed it was a good idea.
Last June, I was as nervous as you are now as I walked into the hospital for my test. Was I going to pass out on the treadmill, was it going to bring on a heart attack, I don't exercise much so was I going to even make it through?
Well, I made it. It is difficult especially if you are out of shape. If you smoke, don't smoke before hand. Relax, and just get up on that treadmill and walk it like your life depends on it. Don't watch the machines because you will see your heart beat rise up to a level that will freak you out, (which is the mistake I made, and I did freak myself out). Everything is very precise. They have a limited time where they can do the pictures of your heart after you get off the treadmill, and your heart rate has to hit a certain number for the test to even be accurate, so just walk, jog, and stare at the wall.
They know the difference between anxiety and a heart problem because they are going to take a pic of your heart before and keep track of it during and take a pic after, and the doctor can determine if your heart is healthy or not.
I promise you that you will be okay!!!
I go back in June, and as I sit here and tell you to be calm, I am sure I will allow myself ot overthink things in June, and be as nervous as you are now.
Just relax, and look at it this way...if something is wrong with your heart, let's get it fixed. If your heart is healthy, which let's be confident and say that it is, it will ease your mind some when you have future attacks.
Let me know if you have any other questions...I will answer what I can. And, let me know how it goes.
Thinking of you and wishing you well!
Oh, wear comfy shoes and like shorts or jogging pants!!! If you have long hair put it up in a pony!
Just go thru it and you'll probably feel tons better when they say it's anxiety and not your heart.
good luck