# I'm kind of Freaked out



## Guest (May 14, 2010)

In the beginning, I think a lot of the fear of dp was that something physical was wrong with me. I was thinking brain tumor, cancer, etc. Then I had a bunch of testing done and everything looked "normal" so I settled with the idea that dp was just in my head and I could overcome that one day. I've had two counselors tell me they think that my dp is not mental but caused by something physical and so I've started down the path of exploration. I am going to have an electrocardiogram done. I also asked the doctor about an MRI and getting my Cortisol checked. It just, I guess, freaks me out to be back on the track of looking at something physical being wrong. In some cases it would be the easy answer. If it was a hormone imbalance or something that could be treated with drugs that great but, if it's something having to do with my brain or my heart, that is where it gets scary. I mean thinking about surgery and everything that could go wrong. It is really scary when you have this appointment where they are going to look at your heart and the next appointment after that could be scheduling a heart surgery. That means writing up a will and making guardianship decisions for my kids. It means being realistic about your life ending because no surgery is safe. In a way, I want this dp to be caused by something physical that is easy to treat. It seems like it being in your mind and having no real weapons against it is harder. At the same time, I also don't want to walk down the path of it being caused by something worse.

I know that I am being dramatic here but it's how I feel. I'm worried and scared and I kind of want to pretend none of it is happening.


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## Guest (May 14, 2010)

It seems strange to me to consider it as something physical causing the DP/DR. But you are right it would be best if it was something as simple as imbalanced chemicals or whatnot. Personally I consider it as something like having your eyes crossed, stuck that way. I believe all we have to do is learn how to refocus our perception. But that also goes down a scary road where I start consider what if it's like have bad eyesight? Or bad hearing? Like what if it's similar in the way that it cannot be changed? But THERE ARE PEOPLE who have recovered... it's really all such a mystery.


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## Xerei (Feb 17, 2010)

tinyfairypeople said:


> In the beginning, I think a lot of the fear of dp was that something physical was wrong with me. I was thinking brain tumor, cancer, etc. Then I had a bunch of testing done and everything looked "normal" so I settled with the idea that dp was just in my head and I could overcome that one day. I've had two counselors tell me they think that my dp is not mental but caused by something physical and so I've started down the path of exploration. I am going to have an electrocardiogram done. I also asked the doctor about an MRI and getting my Cortisol checked. It just, I guess, freaks me out to be back on the track of looking at something physical being wrong. In some cases it would be the easy answer. If it was a hormone imbalance or something that could be treated with drugs that great but, if it's something having to do with my brain or my heart, that is where it gets scary. I mean thinking about surgery and everything that could go wrong. It is really scary when you have this appointment where they are going to look at your heart and the next appointment after that could be scheduling a heart surgery. That means writing up a will and making guardianship decisions for my kids. It means being realistic about your life ending because no surgery is safe. In a way, I want this dp to be caused by something physical that is easy to treat. It seems like it being in your mind and having no real weapons against it is harder. At the same time, I also don't want to walk down the path of it being caused by something worse.
> 
> I know that I am being dramatic here but it's how I feel. I'm worried and scared and I kind of want to pretend none of it is happening.


(Just an immature guys view upon it). I dont think theres something wrong with u, u have had DP for some time, and if it was something like tumor etc u would most likely be lying in a hospital bed. Chemical imbalances MIGHT be, easily fixed, so no worries about that..cancer? eh..coughed up any blood? then u most likely dont have cancer..(a lot of peepz with cancer coughs blood somehow..).
I hope that u will feel well soon, and get the treatment u need, may God be with u and urs.


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## Guest (May 14, 2010)

Xerei said:


> (Just an immature guys view upon it). I dont think theres something wrong with u, u have had DP for some time, and if it was something like tumor etc u would most likely be lying in a hospital bed. Chemical imbalances MIGHT be, easily fixed, so no worries about that..cancer? eh..coughed up any blood? then u most likely dont have cancer..(a lot of peepz with cancer coughs blood somehow..).
> I hope that u will feel well soon, and get the treatment u need, may God be with u and urs.


Actually, what might be causing my dp is a heart condition called mitral valve prolaspe. I've had all of the symptoms for a while now, before dp even. That is what the electrocargiogram is for. To look at my heart and see if I have that or something else wrong.


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## Xerei (Feb 17, 2010)

tinyfairypeople said:


> Actually, what might be causing my dp is a heart condition called mitral valve prolaspe. I've had all of the symptoms for a while now, before dp even. That is what the electrocargiogram is for. To look at my heart and see if I have that or something else wrong.










lets hope theres nothing wrong.


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## flat (Jun 18, 2006)

Ask for an artificial heart. Those suckers will probably last forever. But then, once you start getting artificial implants you may get hooked on them like tattoos and you'll probably want more and more. Before you know it you'll be looking like the BORG!


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## Guest (May 15, 2010)

flat said:


> Ask for an artificial heart. Those suckers will probably last forever. But then, once you start getting artificial implants you may get hooked on them like tattoos and you'll probably want more and more. Before you know it you'll be looking like the BORG!


Lol the Borg. Hey if I can look as hot as 7 of 9, I'll take it.


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## guest1234 (Mar 23, 2010)

tinyfairypeople said:


> Actually, what might be causing my dp is a heart condition called mitral valve prolaspe. I've had all of the symptoms for a while now, before dp even. That is what the electrocargiogram is for. To look at my heart and see if I have that or something else wrong.


Didn't you have them check out your heart before once? I thought you'd had an ECG or something not so long ago.
I can't see how a heart condition would cause DP but it could be that subconscious anxiety about your heart/health is feeding the DP perhaps?


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## PANDALOVE (Sep 9, 2009)

Don't worry! I went through the saaame thing. Yes, it's so SCARY because your mind is just flooded with so many negative thoughts. I went to the doctor recently and he said I was just fine. No diabetes, very low cholesterol and high HDL levels. With this info, he said it can't be my heart. Oh and I did an ECG too and he said it was normal. He just told me to stop worrying too much because i seem like that type of person :/ which I am because of the anxiety. ANYWAY (I'm talking too much), you'll be fine  and you know what? If there IS something wrong all you can do is try your hardest to fight it! You'll be ok. Hope everything goes well with you


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## Chillwynston (Apr 3, 2009)

Hello....

I bet you anything its not your heart... Its your anxiety!!!

I bet also everyday you wake and you think to yourself....Right, where are my symptoms and there they are..

People without DP DR dont do this, they dont get up and think, where's my anxiety while people with mental symptoms do, I did this for years and there they were, then I accpeted that this might be me forever, I joined a gym worked out like mad, joined a band, lived a pretty clean life and all of a sudden one day I thought, God remember I used to get those symptoms, remember those symptoms used to take over my life and my thinking.. then you think were they ever really there? its a perception thing.. Its like unlocking a way of perceiving things as if never before seeing them, without connection, without feeling, thats depersonilization.. You can come back if you just get on with life..

Its not your heart or your brain isnt goin to explode, everyone with DP/DR thinks that they are goin to die.. its the same story whoever I read, your mind has been tuned out by anxiety and the incessant checking of symptoms, the only way to retune it is to get on with life.

One tip I found to clear my mind and become present is to think to yourself..... "what am i goin to think of next?" and your mind will go blank.. while all is quiet up there look around, smell the smells take in the senses...become present...get out of your heads!!

Hope I helped.


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## Guest (May 18, 2010)

guest1234 said:


> Didn't you have them check out your heart before once? I thought you'd had an ECG or something not so long ago.
> I can't see how a heart condition would cause DP but it could be that subconscious anxiety about your heart/health is feeding the DP perhaps?


No, I have never had my heart checked out before. Also, while I have had a lot of these symptoms for years, my heart was never a major concern until like last week.



> I bet you anything its not your heart... Its your anxiety!!!


Really? Because here are the symptoms of Mytral Valve Prolaspe:

-Migraine Headaches
-Dizzy/Spacey feeling
-Difficulty Concentrating
-Balance Problems, vertigo
-Insomnia, sleep distrubances
-Hyperventilation; shortness of breath
-Palpitations of the heart; skipping or irregular beats
-PANIC ATTACKS, with pounding heart
-Phamtom chest pains with no apparent physiological cause
-Hypersensitive startle reflux
-cold sweats
-cold hands and feet
-Numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes
-Bowel Urgency, diarrhea, constipation
-Sensitivity to drugs, caffine and medications
-Hypoglycemia
-Adrenal instability, with hyperactivity follow by adrenal exhaustion
-Hypothyroidism
-Chemical sensitivities
-Food reactions
-Fluctuating sex horomone, especially estrogen, causing worsening symptoms of PMS and menopause
-Magnesium deficiency

Now explain to me that I have all but maybe 4 of those symtoms and how those are JUST my anxiety? How exactly does anxiety make your pms so bad that you want to murder someone and cause you to have your heart tripple beat and be sensitive to medications? I could go on but you get the point.

This thread was started to talk about my worries about something being wrong with my heart. Not for you to sit and try to prove me wrong about there being something wrong with my heart and chalk it up to anxiety. I needed support, not another lecture about how it is all in my head. I've heard that line enough from ignorant doctors. I don't need it here too.


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## Mario (Oct 26, 2009)

tinyfairypeople said:


> No, I have never had my heart checked out before. Also, while I have had a lot of these symptoms for years, my heart was never a major concern until like last week.
> 
> Really? Because here are the symptoms of Mytral Valve Prolaspe:
> 
> ...


I would suggest you to ask your doctor for an Holter 24 hour ECG.It's a lot better than a standard ECG,because it measures your heart activity for 24 hours non stop.

Please see the link below:
http://en.wikipedia..../Holter_monitor


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## guest1234 (Mar 23, 2010)

tinyfairypeople said:


> No, I have never had my heart checked out before. Also, while I have had a lot of these symptoms for years, my heart was never a major concern until like last week.
> 
> Really? Because here are the symptoms of Mytral Valve Prolaspe:
> 
> ...


i thought you went to A&E because of DP and had a suspected heart attack not long ago and had an ECG which turned out ok? I remember because you got angry with me for suggesting it might have been a panic attack.
I think now, as then, people aren't trying to prove you wrong but are trying to reassure you as that is what this board is generally about. It doesn't mean people are unsupportive, it's just quite a common thing with anxiety to be worried about illness hence why people responded the way they did. People probably think you will be happy to hear reasons why you may not have a heart condition.
I can understand your worry though. After my seizure I was convinced I had epilepsy and was always checking symptoms. I had a standard ECG a 24 hour ECG and an EEG which all came back fine. The best way by far to gain reassurance is to get checked out so you're doing the right thing there but don't snap at people who are only trying to help. Here's hoping that all will be ok for you.


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## Guest (May 19, 2010)

guest1234 said:


> i thought you went to A&E because of DP and had a suspected heart attack not long ago and had an ECG which turned out ok? I remember because you got angry with me for suggesting it might have been a panic attack.
> I think now, as then, people aren't trying to prove you wrong but are trying to reassure you as that is what this board is generally about. It doesn't mean people are unsupportive, it's just quite a common thing with anxiety to be worried about illness hence why people responded the way they did. People probably think you will be happy to hear reasons why you may not have a heart condition.
> I can understand your worry though. After my seizure I was convinced I had epilepsy and was always checking symptoms. I had a standard ECG a 24 hour ECG and an EEG which all came back fine. The best way by far to gain reassurance is to get checked out so you're doing the right thing there but don't snap at people who are only trying to help. Here's hoping that all will be ok for you.


Aww yes. I had a 15 second long EKG. Unfortunately, this condition will not show up in that short period of time, hence the need for an ecocardiogram.


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## guest1234 (Mar 23, 2010)

tinyfairypeople said:


> Aww yes. I had a 15 second long EKG. Unfortunately, this condition will not show up in that short period of time, hence the need for an ecocardiogram.


Ahhhh gotcha...yeah it certainly won't do any harm. Fingers crossed for you!


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## Chillwynston (Apr 3, 2009)

Ok fine its your heart, is that what you want to hear??

Or do you wanna hear from someone who has had exactly the same symptoms as you and as that list of generic anxiety related symptoms you put... If you want my advice.. from someone who has been there, had all the symptoms you have, and come out the other side without using medication, without giving in and with realisation that my heart was fine all along...then it would be go pester the docs till they give you what you want, when they come back and tell you, your heart is fine..then ask me how I got thru it!! Until then I am only trying to help you from experience, not a dr, just someone who has had everything you have..

And stay off google writing things like "symptoms of (insert hyperchondria here)" cos i've been there too!


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## Sleepwalker (Dec 4, 2008)

tinyfairypeople said:


> Actually, what might be causing my dp is a heart condition called mitral valve prolaspe. I've had all of the symptoms for a while now, before dp even. That is what the electrocargiogram is for. To look at my heart and see if I have that or something else wrong.


May I add my two pence?

I have Mitral Valve Prolapse (2+ severity) and have had it probably from birth; never knew I had it; diagnosed using Echo-cardiogram.
Essentially it is a floppy heart valve (on of four valves); the heart, therefore is very inefficient in pumping blood. I get breathless when others are merely breathing deeply.

For some unknown reason, this valve condition is heavily associated with an anxious disposition-like I am and my father before me.
It doesn't necessarily mean that the valve condition causes anxiety/panic attacks. They just go together-maybe carried on the same gene during reproduction or something.
People like us also have a risk that our Aorta could be weak and be liable to burst (See: Marphan's Syndrome)
So, yes, in short, I think an Echocardiogram is a great diagnostic method in this scenario.








Hope this helps. 
Cheers.


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## opie37060 (Jan 9, 2010)

tinyfairypeople said:


> Actually, what might be causing my dp is a heart condition called mitral valve prolaspe. I've had all of the symptoms for a while now, before dp even. That is what the electrocargiogram is for. To look at my heart and see if I have that or something else wrong.


I have aortic stenosis which one of my valves doesnt pump properly, but have had this checked up upon and is not causing any problems..i have sought every supplement and every remedy out there but nothing so far... it sucks but what else can we do?


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