stress/heart attack/anxiety

[xgemma06x]

Hi I have had a lot of stress the last couple of weeks, and tonight I had a bit of stress with my boyfriend and I got a pain in my chest,

Can stress/anxiety bring on a heart attack?

Or could it just be anxiety symptoms getting worse?


I'm scared of getting stressed in case I bring on a heart attack or something?

Help I'm scared x

[wantofeelbetter]

when i first started with my anxiety years back, i used to think i had heart attacks, but after aout a year o having attacks, how many heart attacks could i have? ha

[sblzmd]

i'm going through the same thing. i've been dealing with a lot of stressful stuff and today i got a bad chest pain. it caused me to freak out and i hadn't had anxiety problems for almost a month. i'm only 20 and i really doubt it's something with my heart. anxiety can be scary!

[coops025]

Most of us have been here with the thought we are going to have a heart attack and honestly believing we are going to die, well your not so dont worry.

No matter how many time we suffer from a panic attack it will always be a scary experiance it needs to be delt with in the correct way so that you dont suffer for long. If you have an attack you instant focus onto it, so what you need to do is divert your mind which is no easy task. I find that just watching TV or putting on a DVD helps or even go to bed while listening to some slow music (Not thumping music as it will make you worse) it will pass.

If you have chest pains, try taking some Rennie or any other indigestion tablets, it really does work well.

Dont for get that your diet is one of the main factors on how your body deals with attacks so stay away from caffine, sugers and just eat healthy.

Herbal tea is great for us Anxiety sufferers so give it a shot.

Peppermint Tea: Great for headaches and nausia.
Green Tea: Good for all you bodys health
Red bush Tea: Full of anti oxidants to remove toxins left over by Anxiety.
Camomile Tea: This is great stuff, it puts you into a relaxed state and also is brilliant for helping you sleep.

Basic rule here is look after you body and it will look after you.

[Georgec]

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but this is a very common feeling. I think the pain comes from taking in many deep breaths (caused by the early symptoms of a panic attack) that start putting pressure on the chest and rib cage.

You can also get bad chest pains from stomach acid coming up through the esophagus.

In a post I wrote earlier, I spoke about anxiety being a distraction. You are so thrown off and scared by the idea that you have a heart attack that you probably completely forgot about the fight with your boyfriend (I believe you said.) Besides relaxing, exercising, and drinking calming tea (which in the long run can cause erosion of stomach lining...I've heard) try to logically and calmly sort through your daily stress and see if you can find some trigger of your panic attacks. See anxiety as being brought on by your body to cope with stress and you will see the physical symptoms are not as scary as they used to be.

Thank You,

George

[fernandogress]

One of the most common questions asked with reference to anxiety and stress is whether or not these conditions cause heart disease.Panic attacks usually involve sudden development of emotions such as anxiety, fear or extreme feeling of discomfort. These emotions are followed by some additional symptoms.According to a recent research it has been indicated that people with stress or panic disorders tend to possess a more active coagulation System and inhibited fibrinolysis. The result was not expected as there was no injury other than some breaks in the skin occurred due to blood sampling.
Anxiety or stress is also known to make a patient get a feeling like heart attack due to rapid pulse and shortness of breath. According to a study of more than three thousand older women, it is suggested that shortness of breath or rapid pulse experienced due to stress may evoke a feeling similar to heart attack and even result in serious heart troubles in the long run.

[Lostemerald]

I used to get heart pains when I stressed, then I started getting blood infections and other infections. My Dr finally linked that when I stress I make my body sick. Even with my effexor and seraquel I was manifesting my anziety and stress in a highly physicall manor. He told me if I didnt learn how to calm myself I was going to wind up in a hospital, which of course gave me more stress. I found Buddhism. I was able to take the meditation and sayings and alot of work, but I have larned how to stay calmer. Their is my Pommerainian of course, he is the biggest help, but I also learn to talk to the people in my life. I swalloed my emotions and started stating the truth calmly and matter of factly ( THAT WAS REALLY SCARY) but after pratice I was able to do it. I am able to talk now about things taht bother me without getting worked up. Verbalizing the anxiety, or even just writing it down has helps me medically immensly...and in return helped me calm my panic and anxiety. ...I can even get out of the house now...sometimes. :D

[dimspace]

i have actually found a great source of comfort is a home blood pressure monitor...

cost about £15 from the chemist and i love it...

i take my blood pressure daily and the relief i get from seeing that nice 115/70 each day is well worth it..

but also, if and when i do get a panic attack, the fear of heart attack, i throw it on and take my blood pressure..

general result, usually about 125/75.. perfectly normal.. and safe AND CONFIRMS MEDICALLY THAT YOU ARE NOT HAVING A HEART ATTACK.. just my pulse goes up a bit, usually to about 100 under extreme stress.. but again, testing it half hour later after some rest, it drops to a pulse of about 80bpm which again gives me great reassurance..

well worth investing in one..

just dont it now.. 113/76 pulse 76... wonderful.. :D

[niq]

You probably want to be careful about monitoring your own blood pressure. Anxiety CAN cause high blood pressure, and if you get a high reading it will only make you panic more (and hence push the BP up higher still).

On my previous 3 visits to the doctors my BP has been at 145, 158 & 148. Very high for someone who is 26 y/o and exercises regularly. However, he assures me that there is nothing physically wrong, it is just the anxiety that is driving my BP up.

[dimspace]

You probably want to be careful about monitoring your own blood pressure. Anxiety CAN cause high blood pressure, and if you get a high reading it will only make you panic more (and hence push the BP up higher still).

On my previous 3 visits to the doctors my BP has been at 145, 158 & 148. Very high for someone who is 26 y/o and exercises regularly. However, he assures me that there is nothing physically wrong, it is just the anxiety that is driving my BP up.

mine seems to be fairly controlled around the 110-120 mark...

if you are having a heart attack it can jump to 160+, drop to 70, rise again, drop again, so ive just found personally, that testing it during anxiety, and yes, its higher, but its not in heart attack territory, and not fluctuating i find really reassuring.. it tells me im not having a heart attack..

the only thing that i find really jumps during a panic or heightened anxiety is my pulse rate..

which again i find reassuring that its just my fight or flight mode kicking in...

its just useful in those "im having a heart attack moments" to reassure youre self that youre not..

however, i can see if you have constantly high blood pressure its not a great idea.. it could make you more anxious, but if like me you are lucky, with healthy blood pressure i find it really good..

(until the day i have a panic attack and find my BP is 170/90 then i will panic) :D

i do find it a motivating tool in calming down as well.. if ive had a bad spell, and i relax the sofa for half an hour, i can check my pulse, if it is say 98, then i set myself a five minute calm time, and aim to get it to 94 for instance, then check my pulse again, and when it shows 88, i think great, and calm some more, aim for 84, etc etc

i hate profitting from other peoples misfortune, but it seems sometimes the way around here, knowing someone else has a BP as high as that (well high normal) through anxiety makes me feel so calm and relaxed about mine being as low as it is...