heart or anxiety how to tell when its chicken and egg??? - Heart Disorders Message Board

presson · 08-12-2006, 09:02 PM

hi all
i am 35 and have a 17year history of eating disorders. but have remained amazingly healthy and have had four children in the intervening years.

in jan i went to hospital with very mild chest discomfort that showed as nothing on any tests. since then i have been increasingly concerned about any damage i may have done to my heart from years of abuse to body..i no longer purge but am about 84lbs at 5'4" and fear gaining almost as much as i fear dying!!!

i find i am fine in the day but almost as soon as darkness falls, i start worrying about heart failure. then i will go to bed and relax and read, and it is often while i am immersed in my book that i will suddenly get either a racing heart or skipped beats.

ppl tell me it is probably anxiety and i DEFINITELY dont want to be setting myself up for panic problems.

my qs are;
1) if it IS anxiety why does it start when i am relaxed?
2) what tests could/should i ask for?
3) is it worth going on meds..doc is pushing paxil but i am pretty anti meds and not depressed anyway, but also afraid of getting stuck

thanks

Mari526 · 08-12-2006, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by presson

hi all
i am 35 and have a 17year history of eating disorders. but have remained amazingly healthy and have had four children in the intervening years.

in jan i went to hospital with very mild chest discomfort that showed as nothing on any tests. since then i have been increasingly concerned about any damage i may have done to my heart from years of abuse to body..i no longer purge but am about 84lbs at 5'4" and fear gaining almost as much as i fear dying!!!

i find i am fine in the day but almost as soon as darkness falls, i start worrying about heart failure. then i will go to bed and relax and read, and it is often while i am immersed in my book that i will suddenly get either a racing heart or skipped beats.

ppl tell me it is probably anxiety and i DEFINITELY dont want to be setting myself up for panic problems.

my qs are;
1) if it IS anxiety why does it start when i am relaxed?
2) what tests could/should i ask for?
3) is it worth going on meds..doc is pushing paxil but i am pretty anti meds and not depressed anyway, but also afraid of getting stuck

thanks

I think anxiety sometimes kicks in when you are less preoccupied with the days activities, your mind can then focus more on your body and negative thoughts.
You should ask for labwork that checks electrolytes and protein levels to check on your nutritional status.
As far as meds go, I would wait until after my labwork results were complete, you may want the doctor to order an antianxiety med to take as needed. That way you have something available for when times are too stressful for you.You might want to have the doctor refer you to a psychologist for counseling and stress management .
I'm sure you already know that you are extremely underweight and this in itself can lead to many health problems.

tnmomofive · 08-14-2006, 06:51 AM

I have anxiety disorder and I have had the symptoms out of nowhere many many times even in my sleep before.Maybe if you get some help for this and the weight issue thing you may not worry as much if you get back to a normal weight.I have had tons and tons of physical symptoms from anxiety that mimiced heart problems amoung others.

Connie122516 · 08-14-2006, 08:27 AM

Medications like Paxil and Zoloft are also used for treating anxiety, not just depression. I too was anti-medication, until I discovered that the medication is far less onerous than the anxiety.

I assume you are under psychological and psychiatric treatment for your eating disorder? If not, I would hope you would seriously consider it, as a weight of 84 lbs and your fear of gaining weight are indications you do not have it under control. That treatment can also address your anxiety.

As others have said, it is not unusual for anxiety to arise "out of the blue," including when you are relaxed.

As for your question in the subject line, from my own experience, it is not possible for me to tell (I began having anxiety issues after being diagnosed with heart disease). The symptoms of a panic attack and a heart attack are quite similar, and it is difficult for a doctor to sort them out.

While what you are experiencing is probably anxiety, you are, as you know, at risk of heart problems. Please deal with your eating disorder so that you minimize your risk.

mrtallman · 11-27-2006, 06:28 PM

17 years?? Holy moly!
After only about 7 months of binging and purging, I experienced tachycardiac episodes which I strongly believed were related to my eating habits. They scared me to death! and since having these episodes, I have begun to take care of my body once again.
If I were you, I would definitely speak to a doctor about your eating habits.. Many people die after only a few short years of mistreating their bodies.. You are lucky to have lived this long. I wish you absolutely all the luck I can, and I will pray for you.