Question 1

I'm having some health anxiety these past few months, especially about my heart, like cardiophobia, I guess. Because of this, I've been experiencing pain in my left hand, from my arm down to my fingers. I'm really worried and can't help but wonder, is this just anxiety causing it, or is there something else going on?

Accepted Answer

Health anxiety, or cardiophobia, can indeed cause physical symptoms like pain in the left arm, as anxiety can manifest with muscle tension and heightened sensitivity to bodily sensations. Since you have had normal cardiac tests and evaluations, it's likely that anxiety is contributing to your symptoms. It's important to address your anxiety through appropriate methods such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), relaxation techniques, regular exercise, and possibly medication if recommended by a healthcare provider. Consulting with a mental health professional can provide you with tools to manage your anxiety and reduce the physical symptoms you're experiencing.

Question 2

I'm feeling really shaky and I've been having these spells of dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea. I've been keeping an eye on my blood pressure since around 5pm, and it's been all over the place. It started at 12987 with a pulse of 75, then went to 13994 with a pulse of 89, 13795 with a pulse of 84, 13387 with a pulse of 70, and now it's at 13290 with a pulse of 76. I made sure I was sitting up straight and resting before and during each check. I'm really trying to figure out what's going on with me. Can you help?

Accepted Answer

Your symptoms of shakiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea, combined with fluctuating blood pressure readings, may indicate dehydration, anxiety, or an underlying condition such as orthostatic hypotension, hypoglycemia, or autonomic nervous system dysfunction; consider consulting a healthcare professional for a thorough evaluation and potential tests, such as blood work or an ECG, to determine the underlying cause.

Question 3

I've been dealing with these ectopic palpitations for the last 8 months and it's really stressing me out. I went to a general physician who said it's nothing to worry about and it's just anxiety related. I have really bad cardiophobia anxiety. He put me on ciplar la 20, which helped a bit with the palpitations but they haven't completely gone away. I did a holter and an echo screening and showed them to a cardiologist. He said it's just anxiety too, but mentioned there was concentric LVH on the echo and a single ectopic on the holter. Should I be concerned about the concentric LVH and the single ectopic beat, or is it really just anxiety like everyone's saying?

Accepted Answer

Based on your symptoms and reports, I recommend continuing with Ciplar LA 20 for the ectopic palpitations. In addition, you may benefit from an anti-anxiety medication such as Escitalopram 10mg once daily to help manage your cardiophobia anxiety. It is also important to address the concentric LVH detected in the echo report. You can start taking Losartan 50mg once daily to help manage the LVH. Regular follow-up with your cardiologist is essential to monitor your condition and make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.

Ent opinion.

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