Another trip to urgent care for me

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
So most of you know I have been suffering from on and off again chest pain and numbness for several years now. I have had multiple EKG's (all normal) a stress test, chest X rays, and blood work. Everything always comes back normal, so the doctors are telling me it's anxiety. Last Tuesday I had another scare while at work. I was sitting at my desk actually feeling pretty relaxed, when the chest pain hit me like a ton of bricks. I also had sharp shooting pains running down my arms, and my left arm and hand suddenly became numb.

I made a trip to urgent care, where they did a full heart work up on me, including EKG, chest Xray, blood work, etc. Of course everything came back normal. I was sent home. My symptoms lasted a few hours, then mysteriously went away. Once again, the doctor told me it was stress/anxiety related. In the past week, I have been experiencing the same symptoms on and off. As a matter of fact, as I am typing this right now, my left arm feels a bit numb and I am having chest pain.

I know my doctors keep telling me everything is normal, but when I get these attacks they are scary! One thing urgent care did tell me is that my blood pressure if very high. As a matter of fact, my blood pressure has been high the last several times I have seen the doctor. I am blaming my weight. When I was thin, my blood pressure was always low. Now that I am so fat, it's suddenly high.

Speaking of weight, I was weighed at the hospital and found out I officially weigh the most I have ever weighed in my life. At 5'2, I weigh 190. My worst nightmare is getting up to 200. I am back on Weight Watchers, and hoping this time I really stick with it. I am a stress eater, and we call know how stressful my life is. But the high blood pressure scares me, and that is my new motivator.

Oh, and one of my coworkers, and friend and a teacher, recently lost 70 pounds. She is now very thin and looks great. We both decided last year to lose weight together. Instead of losing, I gained 32 pounds, and she lost all her weight. I'm jealous! Just the other day, she came up to me and asked me if I wanted her old "fat clothes" because she can no longer fit into them. That really hurt my feelings. I know she was trying to be nice, but it was painful reminder of my weight loss failure. So back I go again, to the diet and exercise routine, and hoping to slowly but surely lose this weight. My health depends on it. Wish me luck!
 

jal

Member
CB I don't post much here anymore but have followed a bit of ur story. I had a scare at work over a week ago. I didn't have pains but after lunch started sweating got really hot. I couldn't cool down. Turned on my fan, opened my window and office door to the outside. I almost felt out of body. Thought I was gonna leave in an ambulance. Wore me out. Went to the dr a few days later. My blood pressure was very high. They put on BiPolar (BP) medications. My ekg was ok. And I just had blood work done this weekend. It was scary.
Have u started BiPolar (BP) medications?
 

jal

Member
Sorry. Not bipolar medications. Blood pressure medications. I also had what can be described as balloon head and ringing in the ears. The medication has helped balloon head but I still have ringing. Go back in tue.already saw my results on line so I know what I'm dealing with.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
CB, if your blood pressure is high, try making the following changes immediately:

- eliminate ALL sodium from your diet; processed foods and fast food and even restaurant food is all high in sodium.
- increase your intake of high-potassium foods, such as bananas, oranges, and potatoes.

There is a critical balance between sodium and potassium. I tend to low blood pressure, hubby tends to high. He is always having to eat high-potassium foods to counter unexpected sodium (eating out, for example), while I have to focus on getting enough sodium and/or reducing potassium, to keep mine from going too low.
 

Copabanana

Well-Known Member
one of my coworkers, and friend and a teacher, recently lost 70 pounds.
CB. How did she do it, lose all that weight? I have been trying to lose for 2 years and have only managed to lose 17 pounds.

I am grateful for that but still...

I see a nutritionist who says that the weight loss is so hard because when I was younger I went on a very low calorie diet once and 10 years ago I fasted for a long time. She says the body will not let go of the fat, remembering these past events.

The first thing I recommend is do not bring bad stuff into the house. The rest of the family will have to adjust. Your life and health are more important than their chips or cookies.

Second, look for the diabetic diet which is based upon exchanges. With that you will begin to eat a reasonable amount. She says I should not go below 1500 calories. I am 5'6. Until you get stabilized I think aiming for that, even though you are shorter, is a good goal.

My next step is to resume exercise. Walking. Because this dieting is just not cutting it for me.

Good Luck.

If we can support you in any way, why not start a thread? Or a weekly accountability thread, and we can join you, those who want to.
 

pigless in VA

Well-Known Member
CB, please don't compare yourself to your coworker. Each of us has a different life path. Try to view it as, "if she can do it, I can do it." I know that you work at a school. Would that coworker be willing to walk around the track with you after school or during lunch? That may also be a good stress reliever for you.

I know a lot of bipolar medications add weight gain. You are holding down a stressful job, you have kids, and you are functioning. Please be proud of yourself for those achievements and don't focus on a bit of weight gain. I like Copa's idea of an accountability thread. At least you know here we are very understanding and supportive, like support hose.
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
I know my doctors keep telling me everything is normal, but when I get these attacks they are scary! One thing urgent care did tell me is that my blood pressure if very high. As a matter of fact, my blood pressure has been high the last several times I have seen the doctor.

Not that you should not be concerned - especially since being overweight can certainly raise blood pressure - but so can anxiety and stress. If you are upset, in pain, or stressed (maybe think you are having a heart attack) it will make your b.p. raise. I will never forget going to the obstetrician, having had a fight with my then-husband in the parking lot - my b.p. was sky high. By the end of the visit, it was much lower. Those were the days before it went high and stayed high.

As for how much your weight affects? I'm 5'10". I take THREE b.p. medications to control it. I don't quite have 100 lbs on you. When I was thinner, it was only two. (It had been 3, I lost weight, they cut it down because my b.p. was too low. Then I gained and we ended up back on 3.) So it definitely will cause the increase, especially if you are predisposed.

What the other ladies here have said, I'd agree with whole-heartedly. Watch your sodium, try to get some exercise, see your primary care doctor about your blood pressure.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Anxiety at seeing doctors is a common reason for blood pressure spikes.

If your EKGs are normal and your doctor's assure you that your heart is fine, seriously...if you are still worried you could be suffering from hypochondriasis. Telling you, I do too, but it is much better now. Trust me, I thought every body change was a deadly disease. It was horrible. In as young as my 20s u thought I was dying of different cancers, brain tumors and MS. The ambulance drivers knew me. This is a common and horrible offshoot of mood and anxiety disorders.

Hyperventilating can give you stroke symptoms...numbness, fast heartbeat, much more. How do I know? One of my trips to ER was for numbness, left side. I thought I was dying, of course, but all the tests came back normal. I am very into mindful breathing now, since I found out how much hyper breathing can mess with our body. Our body then thinks we are in danger and goes wacko.

I am not saying you should not check out a symptom. But if you don't even believe you are well if the tests say you are..this inability to be soothed is often health/anxitey which used to be called hypochondriac. If you put health anxiety/hypochondria into your search engine, a very good, active forum for this comes up. You can decide if you fit in or are truly ill.

I know that in my 20s and 30s, when this was at its worse for me, my doctors were very exasperated with me. You are still young and even overweight you are probably healthy. Losing weight is NEVER a bad idea because you feel so much better and are less at risk for worrisome problems.

I am 62 and survived every kind of cancer that exists, brain tumors, and MS. Each time I thought I was sick, I was convinced of it and would have days of panic attacks, ruminating on my disease of the week. It was horrible.

My current psychiatric medication combo really got rid of much of my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) thinking and ruminating over being sick. So did therapy. That doesn't mean that if something shows up as abnormal, I no longer jump to the worst conclusion. I still do. But I don't flip out every time I have pain or feel a twitch. I used to. And I believe medical results.

Just some thoughts for you, dear friend.
 
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AppleCori

Well-Known Member
An accountability thread sounds good--I could stand to loose a few pounds.

Been thinking about doing it--but not much actually doing anything about it.

Who would like to have one--for anything from weight, exercise, finances, shopping, etc.

Anything you would like to improve on?

Apple
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
CB I don't post much here anymore but have followed a bit of ur story. I had a scare at work over a week ago. I didn't have pains but after lunch started sweating got really hot. I couldn't cool down. Turned on my fan, opened my window and office door to the outside. I almost felt out of body. Thought I was gonna leave in an ambulance. Wore me out. Went to the dr a few days later. My blood pressure was very high. They put on BiPolar (BiPolar (BP)) medications. My ekg was ok. And I just had blood work done this weekend. It was scary.
Have u started BiPolar (BiPolar (BP)) medications?
I have been on bipolar medications for many years. For the most part they are working. It's this darned anxiety I can't get rid of.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
Sorry. Not bipolar medications. Blood pressure medications. I also had what can be described as balloon head and ringing in the ears. The medication has helped balloon head but I still have ringing. Go back in tue.already saw my results on line so I know what I'm dealing with.
I am going to schedule a physical with my doctor and we will discuss blood pressure medications then. So far nobody has recommended them to me. We shall see after my appointment.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
CB. How did she do it, lose all that weight? I have been trying to lose for 2 years and have only managed to lose 17 pounds.

I am grateful for that but still...

I see a nutritionist who says that the weight loss is so hard because when I was younger I went on a very low calorie diet once and 10 years ago I fasted for a long time. She says the body will not let go of the fat, remembering these past events.

The first thing I recommend is do not bring bad stuff into the house. The rest of the family will have to adjust. Your life and health are more important than their chips or cookies.

Second, look for the diabetic diet which is based upon exchanges. With that you will begin to eat a reasonable amount. She says I should not go below 1500 calories. I am 5'6. Until you get stabilized I think aiming for that, even though you are shorter, is a good goal.

My next step is to resume exercise. Walking. Because this dieting is just not cutting it for me.

Good Luck.

If we can support you in any way, why not start a thread? Or a weekly accountability thread, and we can join you, those who want to.
Copa, my friend went on a protein shake diet. She drank 2 protein shakes for breakfast and lunch then had salad or a chicken breast for dinner. I tried the diet. I only lasted 2 days. Nothing but liquid for two meals in a row made me a miserable you know what. I prefer to eat food with substance. I decided to go back on Weight Watchers, because they allow you to eat real food and lose weight steadily. It's a slow weight loss, but I prefer not to be miserable when I'm dieting. Weight Watchers is something I can handle.
 

pasajes4

Well-Known Member
Over thinking anything can lead to anxiety. Thinking positive thoughts, even when things are truly desperate, can have a positive effect on overall health. Focus on what's good in your life. It can be as small as a cup of coffee.

I had an aunt that was cinvinced she was dying and was miserable her entire life. She derived no pleasure in anything. She lived like thisvuntil she was 101. She never had as much as a cold.
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
I just read that stress causes weight gain too
I lived it. Both directions.
Stress triggers cravings for simple carbs, such as sugar, bread, pasta... these carbs DO reduce the stress hormones in our bodies, and therefore remove some of that stressed-out feeling. BUT. The price we pay for that is weight gain, which (ironically) adds to our stress.

Reducing stress can have a positive effect on weight loss. It did for me.
 

Californiablonde

Well-Known Member
I lived it. Both directions.
Stress triggers cravings for simple carbs, such as sugar, bread, pasta... these carbs DO reduce the stress hormones in our bodies, and therefore remove some of that stressed-out feeling. BUT. The price we pay for that is weight gain, which (ironically) adds to our stress.

Reducing stress can have a positive effect on weight loss. It did for me.
I am about to go see a new therapist for my anxiety. I am nervous. I have bad social anxiety and having to talk to a complete stranger about myself for 50 minutes makes me anxious. But she is my last hope. medications aren't helping the stress and anxiety. Maybe some behavior therapy will. Wish me luck!
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
Look at it this way - if part of the problem is social anxiety, then this new therapist should get a pretty good idea of what you are dealing with from just meeting you.
 

1905

Well-Known Member
Here are symptoms for a woman having a heart attack,
HEPPP, remember that.

H-Heat, you will feel insanely hot
E-Exhausted, like you are walking through water, unbelievably exhausted
P-Pale,ghostly
P-Pain, somewhere there is pain, even your arm, anywhere
P-Puke, your body is shutting down, you're nauseated or vomiting

This may sound stupid, but Rosie Odonnell said these were her symptoms and she walked around like this for days, as a typical woman we don't want to "bother" anyone or scare anyone by calling an ambulance or seeking help. I'm sure your can find this speech on the internet somewhere, not that this is real advice,CB, but may be helpful.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
medications helped my anxiety, but did not cure it, like it did my depression. I am working hard on mine with DBT. I've been in therapy all my life and I'm no spring chicken. My panic attacks and agoraphobia were helped by my medication. Yes, now I can do anywhere and not freak out.
It did not help my social anxiety (mine is bad in crowds of people I don't know) and day to day general worry.
I hope you get some relief. Anxiety is the pits.
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
Copa, my friend went on a protein shake diet. She drank 2 protein shakes for breakfast and lunch then had salad or a chicken breast for dinner. I tried the diet. I only lasted 2 days.

Yeah, that is like the old "Slimfast" plan. Do they still make that? I tried that, along with a thousand other things in my day. Puleezzee! A shake is a BEVERAGE! It's what you have WITH a meal. Lil likes to chew WAY too much for that to ever work!

The ONLY thing that ever worked was WW and I literally obsessed about every bite that went into my mouth.

I SO need to do it again. :(

am about to go see a new therapist for my anxiety. I am nervous. I have bad social anxiety and having to talk to a complete stranger about myself for 50 minutes makes me anxious. But she is my last hope. medications aren't helping the stress and anxiety. Maybe some behavior therapy will. Wish me luck!


Best of luck! You clearly WANT things to improve...and that is a big step. :group-hug:
 
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