British Expats - Anxiety or Stress

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Re: Anxiety or Stress

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnumpi (Post 12042881)

@T

Don't smoke hardly drink anything, last drink was 2 weeks ago two bottles of wheat beer, at a BBQ, I was hurting a little after them and 2 chicken burgers.

I do burp quite a lot when it hurts, usually if I exersice after food. Just eating food does not set it off. Being in a stressful situation sets it off, but a nitro spray soon has it settled. I may need that maybe once or twice a week.

And I don't wear spandex, often

Well GTN settling anything down sounds heart related but you should probably talk to your doctor about the reflux..

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tirytory (Post 12042883)

Well GTN settling anything down sounds heart related but you should probably talk to your doctor about the reflux..

Just to add to this, when I don't eat, starve myself, which I have done for several days last week just to test my body out I have no pain, other than a starving head ache.

I can go home and walk the dog for my usual 2 km walk with no issues other than feeling hungry

I did this to test myself as I was convinced I had angina, I believed that it would not matter if I was hungry or not, angina pain would still come, but it didn't.

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnumpi (Post 12042857)

That's why when after all my heart tests came back negative my doc surprised me by saying I may have anxiety WTF :ohmy:

Doctors always say that when they don't know. It would have been worse if you were a woman. They wouldn't have done any tests and you'd have just been told that you were being hysterical or something from the start.

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan2005 (Post 12042828)

Loads of people have "anxiety" these days. There's a woman up our street that has it along with all but 3 people on reddit. They way they talk about it, i's almost like people are proud of their mental instability rather than being ashamed. I mean wtf is that about?? If I was crazy I'd keep it to myself.

Wrote a long reply.
Then deleted.
Can't be arsed to take the troll bait

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnumpi (Post 12042051)

Triggers are when things go wrong on a file, or I can't find a claimant and stress about locating some one, also trying to follow in a car can trigger my heart rate to rise, adrenaline boost I guess. I try breathing exercises and when it was really bad I took a Nitro spray which helped immediately.

Thing is I can walk for miles when I have a pain less day, I have a HR and step tracker and can walk 10-13 km, no issues. (Had to do that following a claimant at the CNE)

I only been on the new pills for a week, he says takes a month to increase my serotonin

I think my doc is pointing toward my stress increasing acid in my stomach and that is giving me the chest pains

Sorry, didn't bother to read through the thread so apologies to others who I may be repeating, but...I developed chest pains in 2014. It was a terrifying ordeal for me because up until then I considered myself to be in superb health. I'm at a good weight and I get plenty of exercise. Your experience mirrors mine to a T. I went for chest x-rays, CT scan, stress test, all came up negative. I was baffled. I was sure I had developed heart disease, just like you.

From what you describe, it could be a form of dyspepsia (an ulcer(s), gastritis, or GERD). Your comment about feeling better during exercise is a spot on "symptom" of dyspepsia. Palpitations can also occur due to the location of the affected area (your esophagus) being in close proximity to your heart. If you haven't done so already, tell your doctor and he may eventually send you for a gastroscopy if the problem persists, but he/she will prescribe a PPI drug to lower stomach acid in the meantime which may allow you to heal. This does not work in all cases as I still am dealing with this (but it seems to be improving). Also, staying hydrated is of utmost importance.

Stomachs will heal eventually, but it depends on so many factors. Some you can control (like diet) others you have less control (stress).

Hope I got this right!

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tirytory (Post 12042870)

There are a few lifestyle changes you can make alongside diet to help reflux..

Do you smoke? Smoking increases the amount of acid you're stomach produces so for many reasons this is one to stop.

Wearing clothes too tight around your middle can increase reflux, as well as the way you perform certain tasks e.g. Bending in the middle to pick things up etc.

Definitely need to be sat upright 4/6 hrs after a big meal so no late night eating.

Try propping your bed up at night, just the effect of gravity can help. Food going in the right direction.

Losing weight, reducing alcohol...

If you're doctor has ruled out heart problems, then really investigation into reflux is the next reasonable step, once protocol followed. Not sure what it is in Canada (maybe SP can advise) ie course of medication, Helicobacter Pylori/breath test done if symptoms haven't settled.

Not dismissing anxiety but neither should reflux be dismissed as just an annoyance. As Zoe mentioned earlier, reflux often mimics heart pain..

This is how my acid reflux treatment has gone thus far, started about 2 years ago.

First step was to adjust diet, reduce and eliminate certain foods, and drinks, along with propping the bed up a bit.

When that didn't work, the doctor then prescribed Ranitidine which is also OTC in smaller doses, that helped and I was on that for about a year and a half, it recently stopped working however, and now the doctor (new doctor, as we moved since starting this treatment) has prescribed something called I think a proton pump something or other, some sort of pill, it required some sort of special approval, which I am waiting on still, so haven't started it yet.

I also had lab work done for H. Pylori (sp?) but it came back negative.

I do have hiatal hernia which is the likely cause of the whole issue and was found during some test where you drink a chalk like drink and they take x-rays as you drink, or some sort of imaging, forget the name.

Can't say if this is correct protocol but this is what my doctors have done thus far, along with a couple visits to a dietitian.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoe Bell (Post 12042902)

Wrote a long reply.
Then deleted.
Can't be arsed to take the troll bait

I did the same, but then stopped, can't let myself get caught by the troll bait anymore.

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Yep JS, looks spot on:thumbup:

Re: Anxiety or Stress

I am on a new new new diet today, eating less and only eating food with a PH level above 5 for a week or so then I wil go from there, meanwhile see how the pills work. Then I am back at the docs anyhow for a progress check in a few weeks.

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Greatest de-stressor I find is doing something you enjoy that re focuses the mind. Does not have to be expensive, or even cost anything at all.

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aviator (Post 12042942)

Greatest de-stressor I find is doing something you enjoy that re focuses the mind. Does not have to be expensive, or even cost anything at all.

Building and flying RC planes is my hobby but work is always getting in the way. Like this week end I am working thru to Monday then Tuesday I will be writing reports !! Then I have more people to stalk !!

Not good that others here also suffer strange chest pains, but it's nice to know I am not alone or the only one with a mystery pain :@)

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnumpi (Post 12042941)

And sleep on your left side, lying right side down is more likely to cause reflux into the oesophagus.

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Maybe get an aquarium? Even if your not into fish like I am, aquariums are known to help reduce stress when you sit, relax and watch the fish do their thing.

Doesn't have to be fancy, 15 or 20 gallon freshwater is easy peasy to keep, just do a 10% water change every week or so, and some basic upkeep, might take 5-10 minutes a week to maintain.

Or hire someone for the maintenance and then just enjoy watching them....

Re: Anxiety or Stress

That won't happen Smiffy not in my life time

I am ok when at home. (I think) but I am not home much, working long hours and the type of job is where the stress is, at home I feel ok. I like to watch a movie a few times a week and play a guitar a little. Also have the dog and a parakeet to annoy when I am home

I try Rogers fish tank channel tho

Re: Anxiety or Stress

I know this is off topic a little, but I heard that PI's often piss in a plastic bottle if they are caught short doing a stake out? Is that true?

Re: Anxiety or Stress

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan2005 (Post 12042993)

I know this is off topic a little, but I heard that PI's often piss in a plastic bottle if they are caught short doing a stake out? Is that true?

You heard ? Lol

Some do, some don't. We get no breaks, once I find a shady spot on your street with a view of your front door I ain't moving till u do. ;)