Hypochondria Support Group
Hypochondria refers to excessive worry about having a serious illness. Hypochondria is often characterized by fears that minor bodily symptoms may indicate a serious illness, constant self-examination and self-diagnosis, and a preoccupation with one's body. Many individuals with hypochondriasis express doubt and disbelief in the doctors' diagnosis.
Heart problems run in my family. My mom's side specifically. My mom's dad passed of a heart attack, her mom died of a stroke and in 2015 my mom passed of a heart attack. Both my mom's brother and her sister have also had a heart attack each. Her blood pressure had been super almost off the charts high for as long as I can remember. I was actually born via Csection because she had such bad hypertension. Knowing all of this, the thought that I will most likely pass from a heart related problem never ever occured to me until she passed in 2015. Now any small symptom I get makes me think... OMG I'm going to have a heart attack like right now. In the past 6 months or so I've started working at just taking a deep breath and thinking about whatever random symptom I'm having rationally. I've been checked out by my doctor, even had an EKG done. My blood pressure is a little high but nothing to really cause me to be on medication or anything. My cholestorol measured high this year (blood work was done in March) so they want to recheck it in September. Otherwise they say I'm healthy aside from needing to lose some weight.
I have a jaw pop that I've had looked at by my dentist. I've had it for a very long time but it's never started causing me discomfort until maybe the past year. Whenever my jaw hurts I freak because apparently right before my mom dropped dead of her heart attack she had said something to some coworkers about having jaw pain. So whenever my jaw hurts I keep having to tell myself... you have a jaw problem. You carry a lot of tension in your jaw. Just take a deep breath, rub it for a bit and calm down. If I get a random pain in either of my arms I freak. I have to tell myself... you work as a receptionist. You have carpal tunnel. Your elbows and wrists get messed with from sitting at a computer all day which causes your arms to sometimes hurt. And lets face it, you're posture sometimes isn't always the best.
So anyway. I feel like I'm going crazy. I can take any little thing that happens to me and automatically go straight to thinking it's heart related. And in some ways I know it still could be, but the bigger chance is that it's just something else and I'm blowing it up. It just causes me a lot of anxiety. Like, a lot a lot, which makes me freak out even more because... of course... when I have an anxiety flare up I think *you guessed it* that I'm having a heart attack. Anyone have any tips to help me out? I'm so glad I finally found a good forum to talk to people about this whole thing and not be judged!
You've seen your doctor and gotten tests done which is always wise at first, but seeing as your results are nothing to be concerned about, I recommend lifestyle changes to handle things better. Meditate, exercise, possibly get a therapist for the potentially long term battle against health anxiety. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts (the brain needs nutrients to function not just intellectually, but emotionally). If you can sleep well too. Also and most importantly, find a reliable support group. Not like this website, but real people you can get together with in times of need. It's difficult to find them since hypochondria is such a hard thing for many to understand, but if you got them, you are solid.
As for what to do when you think you have an acute problem, like a heart attack... this is a harder one to advise you on. Get medical help. I personally contact a medical advice line from a hospital. They are usually reliable in my experience if it's a good hospital system. However, do not over do it on calling for help. I did that with poison control and they all know me now. Some think I'm funny, others think I'm annoying, but I'm at risk for being considered the boy who cried wolf.
Anyway, best of luck and hopefully others can provide you with advice too.