Anxiety About Chest Pains

[HM]

This is my first post, so first of all 'hi' to everyone that uses these boards.

I’ve suffered from anxiety and depression for many years, recently though, my ‘worry’ has gone through the roof and I’m finding it difficult to cope.

It all began about 2 weeks ago. I started to feel sharp stabbing pains within my chest, which brought on a severe panic attack. I was taken to hospital were they carried out an ECG and chest X-ray – all of which came back fine.

They could not find anything physiologically wrong with me. They prescribed me some Lorazepam , told me to go home, relax, and reassured me I wasn’t about to have a heart attack.

The pain continued to get worse and it also started to radiate outwards to my back and arms. This afternoon I was readmitted to hospital after my blood pressure became high and my pulse was racing/maybe irregular.

Again, they could not diagnose what was wrong. I pretty much received the same treatment - more Lorazepam, some beta-blockers to slow my heart rate down, and painkillers. (Although they have taken a blood test this time to check for thyroid problems).

I’m now pretty much in a constant state of worry. If I feel a twinge in my chest or a slight increase in heart rate I fall into severe state of anxiety, that isn’t always helped by my prescription. I become obsessed with thinking I’m going to have a heart attack and die, it’s terrible.

Despite all the reassurances I’ve received from the doctors and nurses that it isn’t my heart that’s the problem, I can’t help but think something is wrong.

I feel worried about being away from my home, or not having my cell phone on me in case ‘something’ happens.

It’s constantly on my mind and I can’t distract myself from it. I’m convinced something is wrong with my heart, and I just keep thinking that the doctors, when they look at my medical history, are just assuming it’s to do with panic and not taking me seriously.

This sort of anxiety is new to me; I’ve never had it over health concerns.

I was just wondering if anyone else has had chest pains, or similar experiences? Or does anyone have any tips on coping with the extreme worry I’m experiencing at this time?

Thanks for reading.

Harry

[Job_314]

You are not alone, you're one of the probably 98% percent of people who have anxiety. I notice EVERY little thing about my heart, and I'm almost constantly aware of what it's doing... ie, heart rate, pains, aches, etc.

If the doctors are telling you there is nothing physiologically wrong with you, perhaps you should try talking to a therapist? I mean, anxiety is all mental. That way you could possibly start on some form of medication while getting to the bottom of what's causing the anxiety. Usually once you find out what's causing the anxiety, you can make the change in your life and relieve it.

Either way, if you don't want to talk to a therapist, taking anti-depressants daily will relieve the anxiety. In the meantime, keep taking the beta-blockers, and/or anything that makes you feel more comfortable with your heart.

[motif]

HM,
read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446392308/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211734390&sr=8-1

and this:
http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1572243759/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211734497&sr=1-1

and you'll be fine. I had the same thing.

[HM]

Hi,

Thanks so much for the replies. It makes you feel so much better when you receive reassurance from other people. I definitely will look into buying those two books you’ve suggested.

Anyway, my pains, and anxiety, have been a lot better recently. I’m ‘beginning’ to accept that my problems are the symptoms of stress - not that I’ve got some serious heart condition (and I’m about to drop dead!).

Although Iam still set off when I feel something unusual in my chest, that I can’t rationalise away, things are way better.

I’ve stopped taking the beta-blockers –I think it makes sense to feel these increases in heart rate and other symptoms of anxiety so I can learn to deal with them, rather than just take a pill to make them go away and not confront the issue. But I’m keeping the Loarazepam on stand-by should I start to ‘freak-out’.

I’m also trying not to obsessively take my heart rate and blood pressure as well (it doesn’t help having the equipment to do this! I must have taken a reading 10 times yesterday!) and not to concentrate on any sensations I feel in my chest, but this is difficult.

At the moment, I’m not able to access therapy – I’m Sailing out in Canada for the summer. So I’m not really able to see anyone, or afford it.

I was wondering about medication though. What I find is that the Loarazepam is really helpful in the event of a panic attack, but I just wish I had something that took away the general anxiety that I fell through out the day.

Are there drugs to do this that don’t have bad side-effects or result in dependency? I’ve taken Lustral (Setraline) in the past, which is type of SSRI, it had really bad ‘other’ effects on me and I also had serious problems coming off it.

Again thanks for the response.

Harry

[frisby]

I wonder if the pain is muscle related to sitting in a chair for too long, something you are doing with your arms, the way you are sleeping. You can have such sharp pains from even a bad chair that can cause it to hurt to breathe in and out. Just a possibility. Having the anxiety as a result of this paid is understandable. But I would have conficence in the hospital ruling out the heart if that's what they said. Pain can be from so many things and you have lots of muscle coving your heart too, so that could be what hurts.

[frisby]

Could also be gas. Seriously. People go to the hospital all the time from gas pains in their chest thinking it could be a heart attack. Not sure how the gas hurts so high up. But not in the arms, that's not gas.

[Getoutofmyhead]

I'm very similar in the sense that I am having chest pains, but my anxiety has always been over the health related 'what ifs'

What helps me rationalise it away is taking note of when the pains seem to be around the most. eg. When I wake up in the morning, the pain isn't there- if it was an actual medical condition wouldn't it be there all the time? Also I get it quite bad at mid-morning- which is usually the most mentally active part of the day, therefore you overthink it.

Other times I get it the most is when Im alone, when Ive spent a lot of time thinking about something (as opposed to talking), just before I go to bed/sleep, etc etc.

These patterns definitley revolve more around my mental state than physical, so I know its anxiety related (now I just have to believe that too!)

Hope this helps