Am I over worrying about chest pains?

[JayB4231981]

Im a major hypochondriac about my heart and I get chest pains sometimes and it freaks me out! Been to the ER 3 times the past month n a half over uncontrollable anxiety and worrying over chest pains. Had ekg's and a xray done and all im told is that I got a high heart rate which is tru, I got a perscription for something to lower the bpm but im kinda scared to take it truthfully. In your opinion do they occur over stress or my diabetes/high bp or just anxiety? It really f's with my head. My fears have been extended greatly since I had a EKG "2 or 3 before I was told im fine" and this quack told me it was all fluttery and off and I had an immediate panic attack after I was told that then 10 mins later had another EKG done and was told im fine just a high heart rate "UGH" I dunno im just scared and all this bad weather and getting dark early is making it worse "my anxiety was gone a while until the weather got bad and got dark early outside and my anxiety and symptoms mainly occur when it's dark outside". Anyway sorry for the rant I just constantly feel like their not detecting whats wrong and I feel all gloom and doom...it's really effecting me bad mentally, I dont know how to relax.

[helplessinseattle]

Hi Jay. I've been on both sides of this anxiety/chest pain thing as an ER nurse and a recovered panic person. Anxiety often causes pains in the chest because the muscles in your chest (not yout heart!) can get tight from the anxiety and of course that can cause you to spin off into fears about your heart. I get it, believe me. I suspect that your elevated heartrate was directly related to your anxiety and that the MD gave a prescipton because that's just what they do. Diabetes doesn't cause chest pain, neither does HBP. If there had been even the slightest indication that your symptoms were due to any heart stuff you would not have been sent home. Trust me on that. I've had a bazillion chest pain patients in my ER and one having heart problems is easy to spot and never sent home without further testing, treatment, etc. So relaxx about that. If you don't have one already, give yourself a break and establish with a primary care doctor. You'll like that. All the best to you.

[cat28]

Hi Jay. I've been on both sides of this anxiety/chest pain thing as an ER nurse and a recovered panic person. Anxiety often causes pains in the chest because the muscles in your chest (not yout heart!) can get tight from the anxiety and of course that can cause you to spin off into fears about your heart. I get it, believe me. I suspect that your elevated heartrate was directly related to your anxiety and that the MD gave a prescipton because that's just what they do. Diabetes doesn't cause chest pain, neither does HBP. If there had been even the slightest indication that your symptoms were due to any heart stuff you would not have been sent home. Trust me on that. I've had a bazillion chest pain patients in my ER and one having heart problems is easy to spot and never sent home without further testing, treatment, etc. So relaxx about that. If you don't have one already, give yourself a break and establish with a primary care doctor. You'll like that. All the best to you.

I've had the same problem as the poster. I've been to the ER with chest pain and had EKG's and blood work done which were all normal. I feel like maybe those tests weren't sufficient enough and they missed something.

[metallijim]

I've had these tests done too and all clear. Ask your doctor for a full health check if it helps put your mind at ease. I suffer these pains too and it's all linked to anxiety and stress. The more you focus on it the more the anxiety takes hold. I've learned to ignore it and my pains have gone. They occasionally comeback if I feel a bit tense but for me that's a heads up and I go and do something to distract my mind and my anxiety drops.

[a l i c i a]

I'm going through this right now. I finally went to my doctor and told him my concerns so he is sending me to see a cardiologist. I get random pains and palpitations. I really just hate being able to feel my heart beating. It freaks me out. I'm sure this will be just another thing I'm making worse in my head but I won't be able to rest until I know for sure. Maybe just go to your doctor and let him know your worries.

[JayB4231981]

Thanks so much Helpless! And best wishes to you all I know how this can control your mind and really ruin your life :(

[daisy84279]

Have you had bloodwork done? I went to the ER my first panic attack becuase i was having chest pains. Of course i didnt know it was a panic attack back then. But they did bloodwork on me and the doc there said my thyroid hormone was high, but still in the normal range. He said high thyroid hormone could cause my heart to flutter. I went to family doctor, and he said my thyroid numbers werent anything to worry about, but did schedule and echo for me. That came back normal too. My point is, it could be your thyroid hormone.

[helplessinseattle]

Hi. Good point, Daisy. A slightly high thyroid hormone in the normal range won't cause your heart to flutter, though. I makes you feel that your heart is fluttering. Which, as we all know, leads to more anixeity and fear, higher adrenalin levels that then cause even more anxiety, chest muscle tightness and on and on and on. I lived with this for years and it was awful. Glad you had the normal echo. That test shows exactly how things are flowing through your heart and a normal echo is very reassuring. I means all is well. This is another really good reason to have your very own primary care doctor or nurse practitioner so you can follow up on these things. It made all of the difference in the world for me. Saved me, really, from a life of fear. I still have plenty of anxiety and still am being treated for it but I no longer have the health fears which are the worst. It will all pass, I promise. And you are not alone.

[JayB4231981]

I also have low testosterone so that along with the diabetes/high bp and anxiety is a wonderful mix lol. I kinda feel like a muscle is torn or something in my chest though but I think they would of picked that up when I had a xray :/