My story. Long read

[Dumbguy_d]

Hi all, my names derrik I just found out about this site looks like a good place to ask questions and help eachother get through this awful condition!
So about me here is my story. So I'm a 23 year old male abit overwieght, I don't smoke and I drink maybe like 3 times a year. so it all started like 4 months ago I was at my friends house it's about 9pm playing cards ( should add it's a stressful card game, magic the gathering) than all of a sudden in the middle of playing I smelt like toast I stood up by than the smell was gone and now I get this pressure in my head like my forehead was being squeezed and same with my chest and it lasted for like 5-6 seconds and my heart was just racing, the squeezing lasted like 5-6 seconds, I got my friend to call the ambulance so I walked outside all I could think was this is it this is how it ends. So the squeezing happens again this time not as strong lasted even less than the last, by than the firefighters show up give me oxygen and ask me what happened check the vitals ect.. So than the paramedics show do the same thing sit me down in the ambulance and they take me to the hospital. I get a ECG done normal bunch of blood tests all come back fine so they release me, tell me could be a alergic reaction or something cause I did have food prior to this episode.

So I went and saw a allergist as soon as I could I found out I was allergic to dust pollen ect... And also peanuts and soy milldly so about a month goes by from the first episode and I was playing a computer game and I smelt like cigarette smoke and than it happened again just like previous time so I got my dad to drive me to the hospital and they did the ECG and blood tests a xray of the chest came back clean and they said
it could be muscle spasms or acid reflux so I was released alls well than I was at work about 3 weeks ago it's nearing the end of the day about an hour left I was building a mantle for a fireplace in our showroom than I was gettin hot and sweaty heart was pumping abit fast so I went to the bathroom to wash my face with some cold water and went back to what I was doing. Now my heart started to race alot more so I was panicing abit I went into the office to sit down and try to calm myself down but couldn't than I felt my head being squeezed and the office lady called the ambulance they got me and they did an ECG and some tests so the ECG was fine and the blood work showed I had low potassium and high creatinine. So they set me up with a cardiologist so I saw him the day after checked me out got me some forms to do more tests like thyroid, electrolites, renin, aldosterone. And got me to wear a 24 hour holter monitor, and set me up with a echocardiogram for the 7th of next month. Also he was gonna set me up with a neurologist too but I haven't heard from him since. I called to try to see him but they said he would call me.

So about a week ago I was chatting with my friend in my room and than I had this pain in my left arm that was in my inner elbow area and than moved to my bicept than into my armpit chest area I flipped and took myself to the hospital it was about 8 pm so I had another ECG and tests all came back fine so I asked them if my other tests came back and he printed them off I was still waiting on the renin aldosterone and the 24 hour urine sample test but it showed that all was well except my thyroid tsh was low <0.01 and my free t4 was 26 being that the normal range max was 22. I Aldo forgot to add that I had 2 thyroid tests from when the first episode happened and my free t4 was normal but tsh was still low at >0.01

So I made an appointment with my family doctor to followup with everything that happened 2 days ago and he looked at the tests and read the letter the cardiologist sent him. Still waiting on those other tests so I have another appointment this comming Monday. He told me that this is probably not cardiac related could be some form of anxiety. I told him when I was younger I would wake up in panic thinking I was gonna have a heart attack and there was a phase when I thought I had aids and was freaking out all day and I Just got over it. So he prescribed me some Ativan 1mg if I get one of these attacks or get real anxious wanting to go to the hospital to take 1.

Now yesterday I was watching tv in my room and my hands were getting sweaty prolly cause the cell phone than I smelt like coffee burning so I immediatly freaked and was trying to calm myself down cause I didn't really want to take the medicine but I did take it and it calmed me down pretty good and all those little aches and pains i got I didn't stress over how it's a sign of this and that was just relaxed. So yah long post but I thank you for reading! I really apppreciate it I was just curious why do I always think heart attack for any pain or anything and I think I developed OCD or something cause now I'm always chewing on my shirt collar :( was even doing that after the first episode. I almost always seem to be focused on my breathing like am I getting enough air and my pulse it's driving me insane! So yah until they rule out everything medical I'm just gonna be a nervous wreck. Thanks for reading.

Derrik

Edit-

I should also add that after I took the meds I went downstairs and saw that my family made some coffee. I also try to exercise 30 mins 5 days a week. I also get these weird pains that last a few seconds mainly in my arms and chest. And I think I have a jaw clenching problem now too cause my jaw gets sore for like 5 mins or so but I can't catch myself clenching lol..

[Charmbracelet81]

Derrik,
That was a great post, good info/history. If you have read any of my posts, you will see that my main concern is having a heart attack. I have been in therapy for almost a year now after having gone through the exact same ambulance/hospital visits/tests over and over just like you. I am glad you have things ruled out, like I did. So after all that, I was like ok, it's time to get to a head Doctor LOL! So I did, and after a lot of work and understanding anxiety and panic, it is easier to live with the thoughts. Understanding that they are "just thoughts" is very hard because the anxiety wants you to beleive something of catastroph is going to happen. The thing about people like us, is that we get relief from having reassurance, ie., the repeated trips to ER and repeated medical tests. It relieves us for a while, then we want it again. I thought FOR SURE I would be freed of my heart anxiety once I met with a cardiologist and got all tests back clear, and that simply wasn't the case. That's the anxiety at work. I had several ekg's, an echo, 3 holters, a stress tests and all were fine, but I continued to think I was dying because of my heart and that it would give at any moment! It is still very much on my mind, but I have this thing from therapy called "coping cards." On one side I put MY thought, "I will have a heart attack any minute." Then on the other side the FACT from my cardiology report is there that says, "I have no significant structural heart disease." It really shows that what's in our mind is simply a thought and nothing more. It is harder, however, when I am having a "bad heart day" when it is pounding and racing more, for me to calm down and beleive the Doc's. It's just a vicious cycle, of thought, interpretation of the thought and how we react to it.
Anyway, welcome to the board and I hope it helps you. There are many of us out there!!! ;)

[Dumbguy_d]

Thanks for the reply! I will have to check out ur posts! I just don't understand how this anxiety can inflict pain anywhere it wants just doesn't make sense. I usually get pain in chest back arms little pin points of pain it's annoying and now everytime I get one I immediatly think heart attack and than more "heart attack symptoms" come like I read the symptoms of a heart attack the say chest pain lasts more than a minute but tops I get are like 10 seconds if that. I can't wait for the 7th when I get my echocardiogram done maybe that will put my mind at ease somewhat.

[Charmbracelet81]

Yes, every pain and twinge I would think I were having a heart attack. Having the Echo was my biggest relief because I know that it actually LOOKS at the whole heart and the structure of it. Slowly, but surely, I am starting to realize these pains are just anxiety and so are the thoughts and that I should be thankful that I have a healthy heart. Just so strange how the physical symptoms and thoughts can completely take over anything of fact.

[skeletonsong]

It's amazing how our mental state (aka anxious) can cause us too feel physical symptoms. I know there are many people out there who fear heart attacks. Most of the time this anxiety is build on constantly repeating negative thoughts. I know personally I am always be thinking about the worst case scenario, no matter how unlikley that scenario might be. The thoughts cause physical symptoms, and then that just reinforces the negativity even further. This anxiety is impossible to beat with logic. I am starting to learn that you need to program from your sub-concious.

[bsmooth1]

Hey derek

Ifi were in your shoes I would be thinking the same thing. Like every time your heart starts racing you think you are having a heart attack and you get all sweaty these are some of the warning signs that you hear doctors saying over and over again to alert you if u might be having a heart attack. But im happy and excited for you that you are getting better and feeling better.

Who wants to have to worry all day if there going to get the feeling again where you think u might have to go to the doctor.

best wishes :D

[Dumbguy_d]

Well I'm goin for my echocardiogram today. I'm pretty nervous tho hopefully nothings wrong! I have an appointment for the 17th with the cardiologist to review the results.

Thanks for all the support guys really appreciate it!

[Going Home]

I hope sharing your story has helped you. Many of us can relate to those chest pains and the fear of having a heart attack - especially as I get a little older. I hope the tests continue to be negative - that is good news that it is not your heart. Your young and healthy and have so much to live for still. I'm not sure whats best for your anxiety - I'm just starting CBT and hope it will help. I feel that if the worse is that I have to take a little ativan to live then so be it - hopefully things will calm down.
Hang in there.