Anxiety and Heart

I am 32 years old man , having problem of stress and tension since 3 years

my BP is used to be 130/86 most of the time , one day befere 15 days I felt needle like pain in left chest
i went to doc and he took ECG and said that there is small change in one lead and that is due to anxiety or MVP

After that I used to be tensed all the time regarding my heart and that cause me pain like feeling (not exactly pain ) and my confidence is getting low.

I got my cholestrol checked nov 07 and it was normal , my BP is also normal as I said above..do I need to worry about heart desease or try to avoid .

Please advice if that is anxiety or something else

[greenlydia]

That is a mighty long time to have been feeling stress and tension. Have you ever considered some therapy to find out why? I sincerely think it would be highly beneficial for you to get to the root of these feelings, not only for health reasons, but MENTAL health as well.

Your doctor said that he found one small change in your ECG, but it doesn't sound like he gave you a difinitive answer. Anxiety or MVP............so which is it? MVP is a condition which CAN be ruled in or out with further testing. Many people live very normal and long lives with MVP. Obviously your doctor was unable to make a positive DX due to the possibility that your MVP (IF you even have it) was very subtle. The ECG would have have shown a much more pronounced change which would have lead him to advise further testing. People who do have MVP CAN be more prone to anxiety.

You had your cholesterol checked and that came back normal. Your BP seems to be under control and stable. It is also very normal for folks with a leaning towards anxiety to become hyper-vigilant after a "heart scare." You asked if you need to be concerned about heart disease. We ALL need to be concerned about heart disease as it can strike any of us at any time. Your doctor should have taken the time to evlauate your life-style and family history to determine just how "at risk" you are. Questions about your diet, how much exercise you get, if you smoke or drink, if you parents/grandparents had heart disease. All of this would have given him the necessary information to advise you about your OWN health care.

Chest "pains" and chest discomfort are classic signs of anxiety. Ask any of us on this forum how many times we've rushed to the ER thinking we were having a heart attack only to be told it was anxiety. It is sometimes VERY difficult to accept that DX as the pain is VERY real to us. But the tests they do would tell them immediately if you've had an MI or not. And they would not let any of us out of the hospital if they thought for one second that our hearts were compromised.

You are young, and while it's not unheard of for someone your age to have a heart attack, it's pretty unlikely. You said that your cholesterol was checked in 2007. You should have that checked every year. Keep (or start) having yearly physicals, which will include a BP check and a fasting cholesterol test, watch what you eat, exercise..................and consider seeing a therapist for that "stress and tension" issue. Living with chronic stress is bad for the heart. So do what you can to understand where it's coming from and then get rid of it. I think 29 years is plenty long enough to have suffered with it. And I do think you have an anxiety issue, NOT a heart problem!
Please keep us posted, OK?      
Peace
Greenlydia

[betu_b]

Thanks of your prompt and detailed reply

I showed that ECG to 3 doctors and they told me that it seems normal to them , two from them were cordiologist , and one said that MVP thing

I have this stress this 3 years and I am over cautious about health

My mother had heart attack when she was 60 , does it say that we have family history..

Also I have pain in bones of chest which I think due to my poor sitting posture as I am a IT guy and working since 10 years in IT.

Does it give any clue to you

Please response as soon as  you can

Thanks again

[cj29]

Greenlydia is spot on with this.  My anxiety had come from issues with my heart.  As you get more testing done, remember that ECGs can be all over the place.  For example, I actually just had a physical two weeks ago and it came back 'abnormal.'  Remember changes do happen, but what is abnormal for some is normal for others. The MD did not seemed concerned, but I can get it go checked out if I want to which eventually I probably will.  Speaking from experience on this, we can tend to really 'oversensitize' ourselves to every little feeling or symptom we have.  We may tend to overemphasize or even misinterpret everyday feelings going on in our bodies.  So, take this with a grain of salt, get it checked out and keep us posted!

[greenlydia]

That you have seen THREE more doctors, two of whom were cardiologists and NONE of them seemed concerned, then my friend, it is time to let it go! YOUR HEART IS FINE!!!!!!
I obviously misunderstood when you said you had been feeling this stress and tension since you were 3 years old, not that you'd been feeling it the LAST THREE YEARS! Makes a bit of difference.
That your mother had a heart attack at age 60 does not necessarily indicate that there is a family history, most doctors don't consider ONE family member to constitute a "family history" of heart disease. But I can't speak for all doctors..........I can't really speak for any of them. My own mother died of a heart attack but my cardiologist does NOT consider that a "family history." That is HIS take. If your doctor thinks you do have a family history, then he will give you excellent advice on how to better your own chances of avoiding that particular fate.
You say you have pains in the bones of your chest due to poor posture caused by your job. Did you discuss this with your doctors and was that the diagnosis they gave you? If that IS the case, then I would look into getting a chair that was ergonomically better suited to the type of work you do. In fact, your employer should provide you with one if the doctors can attest to the fact it is the position you must sit in to do your job!
I would try doing some back exercises to help with the pain and stress you put on your back daily. Perhaps Yoga would help and there are many exercises you can do throughout the day to relieve the tension in your back. Look into that. Perhaps a visit to a physical therapist or a chiro would help get your back in better shape and stop these chest pains!
Bottom line.............your heart is fine. Four doctors have told you that. I think you now need to deal with the stress you've had for the past three years. Maybe it's your job causing the stress and it might be time to make a career move?
If you STILL find yourself obsessing about your heart, it would be time to get back with one of the cardiologist you saw for a complete cardio work up. And then an appointment with your therapist.
Best to you, betu!
Peace
Greenlydia  

[betu_b]

Thank you very much

I would like to forget now about heart and more focus on YOGA

Thanks again