Seeking help please

[anxiousoutcast]

I've been have chest pressure and pain on left side for a couple hours. I'm really close to calling an ambulance but it seems to subside and then I will get a sharp pain in or near my heart and it will start all over. I've been to the doc and after an ECG he said I wasn't having a heart attack. It's hard for me to believe a small 10 sec test can really show if anything is wrong. Is it possible it's gas? I mean, I'm belching more but I take gas-x and it seems to help a little. Maybe I'm mentally not letting the antacid work? Anybody else experience this? Would really love a reply. Thanks.

[anxiousoutcast]

Also, I was checking my pulse and it seems that my heart was skipping beats, which really freaked me out. But maybe it's stress.

[sharjen]

I went to a&e myself today with chest pains- shoulder and down left arm pain and tingling after ECG and blood test the doc told me it was my anxiety - really thought it wasn't really dizzy and blurred vision felt terrible- so I'm sure your ok but if your really worried go get it checked- let us know what you decide xx

[anxiousoutcast]

Thank you for your reply. I hate to go to the doctor again, that's why I'm trying no to. I keep telling myself that it's not the first time ive felt this, but then I read that 'if it's a heart problem you'll feel like crap for a long period of time' and that scares me cause I've been feeling like this for hours. Like I said, it comes and goes and I normally feel better when my boyfriend is around. I'm on vacation right now with 3 days left and all I can think about is how I only have 3 days left to relax.

[sharjen]

Did they do a blood test last time? Because that tropin( I think it's called) test tells them if your having a heart attack or not and also if there's heart damage- you do what makes you comfortable- if you want it rechecked then go get it rechecked - if your comfortable leaving it leave it- but don't leave it if your going to worry about it because that'll probably make the pains worse

[anxiousoutcast]

They did draw blood and my doc said something about hyperthyroidism so I'm not sure if he tested for that. I will call and ask.

[sharjen]

Yes do that I'm sure it's a tropin test- u could look it up on the Internet it checks what I said before and it would give you more peace of mind I'm sure - if the doc hasn't done that test ask him if he can and let me know- if it's done in a&e the results are back in two hours don't know about gp surgery

[sharjen]

Hyperthyroidism is your thyroid being checked I'm guessing not the same test

[anxiousoutcast]

Well I caved and went to the ER. They did a chest X-ray, tropin test, and an ECG and everything was fine. The doctor prescribed Pepcid because he thinks it has to do with my GI tract. They gave me a fast acting (really gross tasting) antacid basically and it seemed to help. Though I wonder if I was just more relaxed because I was at the ER. He tried to calm me by telling me the symptoms of a heart attack, which didnt help since i have all those symptoms. Since he had just done a bunch of tests though i wasnt really freaking out. Im pretty sure i freak out about heart attacks because my father had one in his late 40's and im a smoker. Anyway, just thought I would update you guys. I'm actually thinking I've probably just smoked way more than normal today, probably causing discomfort. Thanks for your replies.

[pawlowski187]

Not to be a smart ass or make things worse in any way ... But have you tried to stop smoking ?? Hey, I'm a smoker I know what you mean .... But I'm ready to give it up... Can you?

[anxiousoutcast]

I think about quitting every time I light one. I know it's the root of my anxiety but, as you know, it's hard. It's those days where everything is almost normal and you enjoy smoking that make it hard to quit. At least for me.

[pawlowski187]

I'm going to try electric smokes, maybe u should look into it to :) it's good to elementary things that u can though to help with worry... Like caffeine , smokes ( which increase heart problems ) eat right , Exsersize ... Try to do more things u know are good for your health ... That way when u start to feel panicky , u can look at your life and say " I'm healthy " it's in my mind ... Make sense ? Hope something helps

[pawlowski187]

Eliminate things .. Sorry dam phone

[sharjen]

I'm glad your ok- you've done the right thing because it's put your mind at rest- every doctor I see tells me about smoking!! I'm a heavy smoker- but I don't drink alcohol - no caffeine I'm keeping my damn fags !lol electric fags didn't work for me they leak and everything nasty!!plenty of people have heart attacks that don't smoke too bear that in mind xx

[anxiousoutcast]

My boyfriend quit smoking with alternating electric smokes and snus. He was a super heavy smoker too. I hate seeing people who smoke and I think, "they smoke and don't have issues' (assuming they don't). I just can't get rid of this pressure in my chest! It's so uncomfortable, even after I tell myself that my heart is fine. Is it anxiety? Or maybe I have gerd?

[dazza]

Hi

I can relate to the chest pressure.
Through all the many symptoms I've had over many months I'm finding that i'm predominantly left with the following three:

1/ chest pressure
2/ shoulder pain (mostly left)
3/ left arm "electric current" tingle

Where heightened anxiety and panic attacks used to end in breathlessness, racing heart and generally feeling like total crap, I now just get the above 3 in various
degrees of severity (ranging from "no worries" to "oooh fuck this is ALMOST A&E time")

I also smoke, by the way. 15-20 a day and I also hate that I'm addicted to the bastard things.

Anyhoo...

Regarding the chest pressure:

Yes, it feels like a pressure, but it also feels like a bloating... like it's been blown up rather than is crushing inward.
Hideously uncomfortable but absolutely indicative of heightened anxiety and USED to be a major, symptomatic player in kicking off a full blown panic.
(I say used to since I'm able to ride it out these days)

The discomfort itself is actually the chest wall muscles being pumped with adrenalin - this explains both the bloating and pressure as the muscles expand both out and inward.

Anything chesty or hearty is the hardest to deal with in my opinion. Still scares me shitless even though I can deal with it.

[anxiousoutcast]

Dazza, your posts are always informative and great. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who feels this and you describe it well. I agree that anything in the chest region is horrible. I feel when I have this issue that my neck gets tight, my arm goes numb, and my jaw hurts...why wouldn't I think it's a heart attack right? Plus I get sharp pains and it's always on my left (once on my right). I just have to struggle through it, like you said. I mean, I can't keep thinking its my heart when they did all those tests.

Thank you.