Anxiety and constant chest/arm pain

[nm13]

I'm 34 yr old male and have been experiencing various chest and left arm pains for about three months.  I've seen a plethora of doctors from cardiologist to internist to GI doc to psychologist.  Heart problems have been ruled out by numerous EKG's and stress echo test.  GI doc found I have a hiatal hernia/GERD from upper GI and is currently being treated with Nexium.  Have also had ultrasound of liver/gall bladder and MRI of abdomen - all normal.  Feel like a pin cushion from all the blood work - again all within normal ranges.

My psychologist insists anxiety is the culprit.  Though I have been under a fair amount of stress with work and family, can these pains linger around for this long just from anxiety?  They come and go throughout the day and are very disruptive to my thinking of 'what's going on with me? - which I'm guessing only breeds more anxiety.

The only other med I'm on is Lipitor for cholestorol.

I'm reluctant to try any anti-anxiety meds since I had a bad bout with cymbalta a few months back and I really don't feel as though I need it.  I just want the pain to stop.  I've tried numerous relaxation and meditation methods which are very calming and helpful, but still the pain comes.  The only time I don't notice it is when I'm exercising (usually run 3-6 miles/day).

Any thoughts of what's going on?  Anxiety, current med side effects or something else?

[suzi-q]

I definitely believe it can be from anxiety.  This past summer, my right arm always felt extremely heavy.  It seemed even hard to lift!  It was anxiety related.  Our bodies can do so much to us!  Aside from a pinched nerve or syatica (spelling?) and your heart is fine (thank goodness!) that is what it is!

Notice how it goes away when you are exercising...you are releasing anxiety and stress when you do that and it isn't building up inside.  

You do not need to be overstressed or over anxious to have anxiety symptoms...as a matter of fact, I get more symptoms when my life seems the calmest!  The more you dwell on it...the more it will be that....and I can attest to that!!

[nm13]

Thanks for your input suzi-q.  It's just something I never had experienced until a few months ago - it's debilitating.  But as all my docs eliminate the nasty things, I'm becoming more and more a believer of anxiety (which is initially what my psychologist has said all along).

Do you have any helpful books, websites or tips related to this ailment?

God Bless all of us,
nm

[karatekid123]

i recommend the anxiety and phobia workbook. it should be available through any town bookstore. it has good distraction methods which seems to me would help you. if you distract your mind from the pain, it goes away. eventually it will just stop coming back. every time you feel anxious use one of the distraction methods, such as saying the alphabet backwords in your head.
hope it all works out.

[Bsmith6883]

Try a heating pad at night it might ease some of the pain... Get a handle on your stress and Try some new posture and breathing techniques it can help tremendously! I have been through what you describe and have seen cardiologists.. ER's ETC.
I found that eating right and improving your posture in your daily activities can help you to recover quicker!

[suzi-q]

go to anxietycentre.com  lots of info there on anxiety.  Best to you....best to all of us!!!

[justlookingforanswers]

I am relatively new to this anxiety thing too.  The one thing that casts deep shadows of doubt into that diagnosis is the chest pain.  Strictly left side.  I have been checked out by three cardios (2 thoroughly) and I SHOULD be able to find some relief in that....but I don't.  

When I feel the craziness of the anxiety, I truly believe I "JUST" have an anxiety issue.  But when the weirdness of the chest pains and those symptoms come, I'm a wreck.  They seem to be two different things.  I know rationally that a serious heart problem wouldn't be knocking at my door for a good part of a year and not come in.  But, unfortunately, I am not always rational when the weirdness starts.

I am getting worse I think and I fear I WILL make myself have some kind of heart issue.  I even was at Disneyworld last weekend and wouldn't go on the Space Mountain rollercoaster because of the warnings about heart conditions.   That's pretty stupid, I know.  I don't HAVE a heart condition.

I just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone and if you've been checked out--you are okay.  (Now if I could only listen to that!!!)  I'm not sure where I am going but this forum has been great for peace of mind, the people who answer have been most helpful--I don't feel like such a wreck after the support.

Good luck to you.  

[chris blair]

I to have been getting chest and left arm pain for a few months and same thing went to doctor then hosp only to be told that it is either anxioty or muscle pain very very destressing for me so i know how you feel.

[nateandjen1111]

i am new to panic disorder and I have had almost constant chest pains for 4 months.  I have been through the ringer with doctors and nothing is wrong with me.  But there is major pain and i still feel like something is the culprit.  My pain happens most at night when I am trying to relax.  When I am exercising and am active, I don't feel it.  I am a wreck and am having a hard time dealing with it.  Reading forums like this really helps.  I see people in the same boat and I don't feel so helpless anymore.  

[vrad1977]

Hi all, glad to hear that there are so many of you suffering from the same symptoms that I have. I often get these feelings, sometimes two or three times in a day, although the pains in the arm and chest aren't always there, I always feel as though I am on edge and that something bad is going to happen to me. I have been suffering from these symptoms for close on 4 years and nothing has changed, they haven't got better and thet haven't got worse. Been to the hospital on several occasions for ECG's etc and everyone comes back fine, eventually went to the doctor the other day and explained howmuch of an effect my condition was having on my day to day life. He prescribed me some Beta Blockers, Propranolol 40 mg tablets, have only been taking these for 2 days so am unsure if they are going to work!! Often wake up in the middle of the night feeling tightness across the chest and sometimes I feel like I have an armband around the biceps of both arms, like I said very frightening. Think that we are just some of the unlucky ones in life, although would love to be able to go through a day without havinf to worry about every little ache and pain being "the big one".....

[kerri0104]

I have been experiencing left arm and chest pain. Mainly in my left arm though. I have been tothe doctor and had examinations for lumps etc but he is happy there is nothing wrong! I have lost my appetite and feel sick alot, I am short of breath at times and my chest feels tight, I also keep crying! I know this is anxiety and I believe that I am feelinglike this because of my arm pain. About 5 weeks ago I found a lump in my left armpit and since the second I found it I was convinced that I was going to die, Thankfully it went away ina few weeks after a course of antibiotics but I worked myself up that much over it I think this is where the pain in my arm has come from... I am constantly thinking about it! I need to snap out of it, my doctor has given me anti-depressants but I want to try and sort myself out on my own! Any suggestions?

[scaredjo]

i too have suffered with chest pains, tightness, breathless etc i have had it on and off for 14 yrs but its been pretty bad since my grandad passed away nearly 2 yrs ago. i have had tests which were all normal, so jus have to accept its anxiety. as soon as you get it in your head that it is a heart problem you will have the symptoms anyway cause its your brain that is causing these symptoms. im having therapy which helps re-train my brain and thoughts its hard but we have to think if it was really our heart that was the problem surely it would get WORSE by excercise, surely we would have major symptoms by now ie fainting, see my chest gets tight with exercise but thats cause its in my head that exercise will strain my heart too much lol or something will happen when i exercise.
the key is to trust the tests and start living again

[trish2828]

I do the same thing.  Everyone tells me to exercise but i get anxiety thinking about exercising because I am afraid I will have trouble breathing if I exercise!  It is a cycle I would like to break!

[scaredjo]

have you tries CBT? look into it they help you break this stupid cycle there were times when i was even afraid to go upstairs incase i collapsed, i was to scared to go the toilet!!! i still get nervous if im alone, and still have bad days but im better than i was, its a slow process but gotta be worth it. my next goal is to walk my dog alone its horrible cause i love my dog lol and my hubby has to do it after a long days work

[jk127811]

I been having a constant chest pain (I mean all day long) for almost six years now. I did the whole blood work, chest x-ray, and of course an EKG.

My pulse hits 115 sometimes, the docotor says it's because I get stressed when I'm about to take it. Because in the last year he caught me at rate of 60 and 70.

My head was foggy in the fourth year, I did hit it  but at least xanex helped.

I'm finding after years of Xanex it really has no effect on me beyong going into a freak out.

I only get freaked out because I worry about my heart but I have been checked out and I'm told if there was a problem they some how missed I would be dead after 5-6 years.

Anyone has two cents on the subject.

[scaredjo]

as you have probably read i have exactly exactly the same symptoms i hate it i had it on and off for 14yrs and same as you i dont believe the doctors or the tests,you would have been dead before 5/6 yrs and you would have had miles more symptoms ie fainting if there was anything really wrong. just try and trust the tests and get some therapy

[lradav]

These posts are the only thing that keep me from running to the doctor every time I have a chest/arm pain.  For the last 7 years I have had on and off episodes of chest pain, arm pain, shortness of breath, racing heart, fatigue, etc.  After several EKG's over the years, my symptoms too have been diagnosed as anxiety related.  I took Lexapro for 9 months which seemed to help tremendously.  I went off it in May and now the physical symptoms are creaping up on me again.... each day I have some symptom I fear is life threatening.  It's really controlling my life and mood.I hate to go back on Lexapro... I am a 27 yr old female who would like to have children someday and don't want to be dependent on Lexapro during pregnancy.  Hopefully I'll get over this without drugs!

[scaredjo]

as you have prob read im the same we have to trust the tests and the doctors. although its horrible anxiety wont kill us and trust me i know when the symptoms happen thats hard to believe, i dont take meds only beta-blockers but im thinkin only meds are gonna help me. although therapy is great i still have bad days and im greedy and want them all to be good

[daughterofsarah77]

Gosh, I seriously thought I was the only one having this constantly...going on 2 years here of pretty much daily chest, left arm, shoulder pain. It goes into my jaw, yup pretty easy to convice myself I am having heart problems.  I have had multiple EKG's and a full work-up by Cardiology, so I should know better by now.
I swear I have this even when I am feeling calm and relaxed.  Get the shortness of breath and can't swallow symptoms, which really drives me nuts.
Is anyone on medications for these issues? I just started Amitriptyline a couple weeks ago, so it is not kicked in yet...just wondering if anyone has had relief from this by taking anti-anxiety meds?

[lradav]

Thanks for the advice. Has therapy worked for you?  I guess that's my next option if I don't want to take the medicine.  I'd like to have my life back.... the days are long when I'm constantly worrying about my health.  It's really wearing on me as I see it does others also.

[Leddj0002]

I have chest pain from anxiety. It is more of an uncomfortable feeling that comes in waves. Sorry to hear you are going through the same thing.

[scaredjo]

im still in therapy i started weekly session in feb and now dropped down to monthly, it hasnt cured me but deffo helped loads. like before when i had symptoms i would get in a state and get really upset i would wanna go hospital and be convinced i was dying were as now im calmer and can ignore things more, the symptoms dont feel as bad even though i still get them, dont get me wrong i still have bad days but i deal with them differently. i just wish there was a miracle cure but unfortunatly there aint so we just gotta work hard at it x

[lradav]

I started taking a b complex vitamin last week which is supposed to help with anxiety.  Just wanted to report it has helped some.  It's no cure all but it has kept me from running to the doctor to get some meds.  Has calmed my anxiety a bit which in turn has relieved some of the scary physical symptoms.  Hope it keeps up the good work and I'm not jinxing myself by posting this........just wanted to share in case it may help someone else.

[scaredjo]

i know a few people that have taken vitamin b and said it works so you know what im gonna ring my chemist see if i can mix it with beta-blockers and if i can im off to the health shop, cheers for the advice
p.s dont worry if your wee goes bright yellow its the only side effect!!!!!!!!! haha

[paulptt4]

Wow , I feel better too after hearing all of your stories. I have had anxiety since July 08 after a alergic (allergic) reaction. Since then i have been tested for every desase known to man. Also im a us soldier that was supposed to be deployed for the 3rd time which gave me ample amounts of stress. But now im not getting deployed due to that and A-fib . I had 2 bouts of A-fib due to stress . Let me tell you , wow you can really feel like something is gonna happen or that i have a unknown diesase. I have had burning skin sensations , Sharp arm pain , chest pain , shoulder pain , back pain and my burning sensations were all over even tongue and throat . I also had a fear of having clots? for some reason lol .. i mean how could i get them in the first place. I get burning sensations from my chest to my finger tips up my neck like a sharp and cold stinging sensation it comes and goes . Well after all of this i was checked out by the best docters (military docters/Vetern) And im completely normal .. it has to do with the nervious system. And im on metropolol but by choice. besides that im on stoamach pills (nexium).
BUT!! All of this is UNNESSARY. Everyone one of us have the same or almost same symptoms. Now think ppl we r all healthy (told by drs.) and we all have same problems. I finally got over anxiety attacks 2 weeks ago. If i can do this we all can . I have had support and no drugs so far and well Its very hard but like quiting smoking you can do it if you want. After you try very hard and cant try anymore you Still have to try alil harder. It will work ppl. You can do it. Like nike says .. Just do it ! So !! -- With all my symptoms and feelings and er visits , I learned that anxiety is a pain in the behind but you can over come it and live witht out it . Even in less then 30 min you can tell your self no more im done with this. and totally ignore it. it worked for me so far. and eventully (depends on how bad you have it ) it will go away and you will be happy agin . lol i remember 1 time i couldnt even sleep laying down i set up all night next to my wife for the fear of a heart attack ,i look back and laugh at my self for being like that lol at the time it wasnt funny though lol im a infantry soldier and i was still scarded to death. You guys will be alright lets all start living .. only one life lets have fun :) and make the best of it. WE ARE NOT SICK!!  Its in our heads we just have to get it out.

[scaredjo]

good post and im glad you are better i bet your very happy. but.....if it were so simple to stop anxiety wouldnt be all be free of this ****? how the hell did you stop the chest pains coming? cause i just shouted at myself and said right chest pains go away i wanna be normal but the bloody chest pains didnt listen!!!

[Shayleigh]

Hello Everyone,

Wow these posts are helping me tremendously. I am 29 and I starting experienceing my first bouts of anxiety at 23. I thought it was a heart attack. Went to the doctor and all the tests were normal. I think I might have the hiatal hernia as well. I have had a stress echo and many EKG's this year. All came back normal. Thank goodness. I work out too so that does help somewhat. Much like everyone else, I wondered if the workouts were making the condition worse. But I have decided to work out because it's been determined that it's not my heart. I just started having the arm pain like 3 days ago. I guess that's the progression of it. I do not want to take anything for it because I would like to overcome it psychologically if possible. But sometimes the pain is unbearable. Also, I'm in school to be a PA and any class discussing the physiological effects of the body totally freak me out....I have to get through this. I think I might start a yoga class and try some meditation. I'm praying that we are all freed from this anxiety. Remember mind over matter. We can do this. Thanks to everyone for posting.

-Risa

[carmyt]

hi all,
it's very interesting reading all your posts. and it is comforting.
i'm just wondering, has anyone had intermittent pains in their hands, different parts of the hands, wrists, forearms, and sometimes thighs, knees, and ankles? coupled with occasional shoulder pain, and tightness in forearm muscles? as well as slight numbing, and tingling/prickling? i also have gerd. it all started when i'd been on pantaloc for the gerd for about eight months on and off, but the last two months everyday. i've been off the pantaloc now for two weeks, but the complaints continue. i'm not on any antidepressants, but definitely have a tendency toward being depressed and anxious.
i just really want to know if this could really be anxiety related! i've been freaking out about a lot of possible diagnoses (and have started medical investigation) but now the worst is that i'm worried it's als.
anyone have some insight?

[KirstinMc]

Palpitations


Palpitations are short, abrupt periods in which the heart suddenly starts beating fast. If you’re in a sensitive state, this can ring alarm bells because you fear a sudden heart attack. The more you panic, the faster the heart beats. It’s therefore understandable why many people in this situation jump to conclusions and call for medical help. What you have to remember is that palpitations are perfectly natural and can often be caused by exhaustion or stimulants like caffeine. Your heart is an incredibly strong muscle, and it won’t stop or explode simply because it’s beating hard and fast. A healthy heart can beat fast all day long and not be in any danger.



Missed Heartbeats

The medical term for missed heartbeats is extrasystoles. A missed heartbeat is usually an extra beat between two normal beats. Given the pause that follows this premature beat, it just seems as if one beat was missed. And because the heart’s lower chambers fill with a greater-than-usual amount of blood during the pause, the next regular heartbeat can feel like a bit of a jolt. When you feel this sensation, you often freeze and wait in terror to see if your heart is in trouble.

Such missed beats are generally harmless. It can help to sit down when you feel this sensation, but if you wish to keep moving, do so. Exercise won’t cause the situation to get worse, and don’t convince yourself that going home to lie down is the only way to help the situation. If you retreat every time you feel an unusual sensation, that behavior can reinforce a negative idea that your home is the only safe place to be. Our hearts are not atomic clocks that always keep time; they speed up, slow down, or occasionally beat in an irregular fashion. People with anxiety are very keen observers of all bodily functions. From time to time, you may notice an irregular beat or two. This is nothing to get upset about.

Sometimes, individuals go through similar worries about their heart as they do with their breathing. People convince themselves that if they worry enough about their heart, or concentrate too much upon its actions, it may somehow get confused and forget how to beat correctly. It’s quite common for people who suffer from panic attacks to check in on their heart at regular intervals to make sure it’s still beating away.

If you simply can’t stop obsessing about your heart, here are some tips:

• Get a full medical examination. If you don’t, your mind will always bring up the “what if something really is wrong” card. When you get a clean bill of health, trust in the results and don’t second-guess them. If you really must, get a second opinion—but after that, stop doubting your good health.

• Remember that your body has incredible internal intelligence. Simply telling your heart, out of panic, that it might stop doesn’t mean that it heeds your fears. Learn to become more comfortable with your heart, and let it do its job. Listen to it when you’re relaxed and also when you’re exercising. The more comfortable you are with the diversity and range of your heartbeats, the more confidence you’ll have in it.

• Allow your heart to beat in whatever rhythm it sees fit. Don’t try to control the natural rhythms of your body by always insisting on a calm heartbeat. The more you allow your body to flow in the manner it so chooses, the faster it will return to a state of rest.

Very often, your heart only wants to palpitate a bit, thump a few beats harder. Why? That’s the heart’s own business. It’s your mind that interferes and panics, causing the adrenaline to kick off a longer cycle of rapid heartbeats. So from now on, make a verbal agreement with your heart that you’re going to stop interfering and obsessing over its health and trust in it 100 percent. Then hand over the controls. Let go to whatever way your heart wishes to behave. By allowing the sensations to happen and simply getting on with your day, you release the anxiety that you hold around your heart as well as the cautious monitoring of every heartbeat.

[Ocean82]

Great posting KirstinMc. I am in my mid 40s and I had my first nasty episode back in July and have been suffering for the last several months. Your posting is very helpful. I am trying to force myself to work out as I feel better when I do. However, some times  after I work out the palpitations and chest pains play havoc on me and I am not sure if it is self induced. Post like this help keep me going. I have been meditating and doing Tai-Chi but was thinking of trying  celexa as well, do you have any experience with that and is it worth a try?

[Robot_Teacher]

For 2 years off and on, I've been experiencing left arm and hand aches; worse in 2007.  2 years ago when it started it was the worse as I had left chest aches, left arm and hand pain, irregular heart beat, extreme fear, and dizzingness especially for a few days following a few Korean or Chinese beers which are undoubtebly full of bad chemicals. Funny thing, I learned I get this from Asian beers, but not from German and microbrew beers.  I'm not a hardcore alcoholic, but I like to enjoy a 6 pack once a week such as on Friday night or the night before a holiday off work. I went through 6 months of these symptoms in 2007, then a couple months in Spring 2008, and then recently for the past 4 months off and on without drinking or smoking anything.

I get terrified by any left arm, hand, or chest ache, but don't show classic signs of heart disease such as angina when doing physical work like climbing up stairs, getting hot and sweaty in the gym, and climbing up 4000 to 6000 feet mountains. No chest pains, no arm pains while exercising. I always feel better from excersize, but nights can be sleepless and making me exhausted.  When I'm exhausted, lacking sleep, and forced to get up too early, I have more left side, left arm aches and sometimes feeling of weak and terrified of failing.  

With being 35 years old and knowing my dad had his 1st heart attack at 35, died at 54, and his dad dropping dead at 42 to heart attack from blocked arteries, I'm scared I've been dealt a premature death sentance. My 36 year old brother also has coronary heart disease and is on SSI disability already, but is grossly over weight, did a lot of meth in his days, went to prison twice for stealing, and smokes heavily anything he can get his hands on. He's a thief always trying to sick the police on you when you don't let him rip you off. Needless to say, I've experienced a great deal of fear and anxiety resulting from my dysfunctional family and lack of love of support, but I'm strong in that I just have to keep trucking on through life on my own. I must be experiencing anxiety over economic uncertainty, dysfunctional relatives I've had to bail out of trouble over their irresponsibilities, fear of going broke, and a general sense of lacking security.

I live very differently than my parents, grand parents, and brothers in that I avoid milk, cheese, fatty meats, fried foods, don't do drugs, got a high school and college education, served in the military, get regular physical exercise 6 days a week, and look very good. Me and my brother are like night and day. I hope I avert the heart disease disaster by being contrarian to my relatives, but I know I take on a hell of a lot of pollution. It's hard for anyone to believe me when I express concern I could be coming down with CAD as I look good and am strong and healthy otherwise. I'm still single; not settled down, not in a relationship since teenager years, don't plan on having kids, live and work abroad in Asia, and enjoy traveling to many countries.

My blood pressure was found to be high 2 years ago at 155/105, but I didn't receive ACE inhibitor pills until last August which lowered it to normal levels, but this didn't make me feel any better. I know to keep it in check as that's really bad for your heart, arteries, and everything else. I'm only 10 pounds overweight, but very physically strong and healthy otherwise. These left arm left hand and sometimes left chest pain aches come unexpectably and the fear sets in.  

What terrified me about these left side aches is possible heart disease.  I reasoned that if it were anxiety, why didn't I experience this anxiety in my 20's during the extreme stresses of army life and then times of extreme dire straights?  Maybe my 35 year old mind is weaker to anxiety inducing stresses like economic uncertainty and the stresses of work and career and relatives I'm not proud of.

I took a 1 month vacation to Thailand last month and just felt aweful most days feeling left side aches and fear of heart attack, but upon return to Korea where I work, I immediatly started feeling fine the day I flew back through symptom returned within a week so I went to a doctor. A year prior, I felt like a million dollars during a 2 month trip to Cambodia, Laos, and the Gulf of Thailand south islands, but upon return home to the states, I got horrible symptoms from day 1 upon being around my mother having serious mental issues and trying to committ suicide by hydrocodone overdose which I averted by taking her to the ER with a BP of only 50/30. When I left home in the states again last June for Asia again, the symptoms went away, but returned in September.  The pattern and symptoms indicate an anxiety disorder in itself, but CAD must be ruled out first. It's perplexing as I would think I'd felt this in my teens and 20's too if I'm suseptable to anxiety disorder as my early years were very difficult and stressful due to the lack of finances. I still don't have a lot of finances and am facing economic uncertainty as the economy tanks, but that's par for the course in our time.  This is not mom and dads time period where you inherit money, house, and a good stable job.  

2 days ago, I went to the doctor, EKG checked out healthy as a young bull, given nitro pills to test if it releaves arm aches which it seemed to despite the resulting tremendous headache, and given a Beta blocker and mild benzodiazapines which seem to have relaxed me in reducing fear and not feeling like I'm going to have a heart attack. My blood cholesterol is a low 150 due to giving up milk, fried foods, meat with visible fat, and eggs 2 years ago for fear of fat clogging my arteries.   I was told 10 years ago my cholesterol was a very high 300 back when I chugged milk, munched cheese, fried lots of catfish and zuchini, was 30 pounds overweight, and just gorged on anything late at night not yet realizing it's not OK to do that.

I'm going Monday for further heart testing at a larger hospital in the big city in attempt to find out if I have and how bad arterial schlerosis is inside my body.  With my left arm aches, extreme fear at night and sometimes at work, and my family history of heart disease, I've been so convinced I've got a partially blocked artery or CAD, but don't show classic symptoms of angina during physical exertion. I only wish I could go talk to my dad and grandpa to find out more of what they felt like, but they're long gone dead many years ago from blocked arteries causing fatal heart attacks. Even both of my grandmothers succombed to blocked coratid arteries leading to stroke where they to be sadfully put down or euthonized by starvation when they couldn't no longer be concious and feed themselves. My mother had congestive heart failure 1 year ago, but is surviving though lost a few of her marbles.  Needless to say, she's moving into an assisted living unit this Spring which deeply saddens me that she won't be able to continue to enjoy the roses I planted in the front yard of her public housing apartment 2 years ago. She's just getting too weak and forgetful to do her own house work, cook, shop, and get around.  She's on all those heart meds and has always suffered severe anxiety and depression, but has been medicated for years.  She never worked as she was in a wheel chair since 17 due to breaking her back during the 1st ride in a car with her 1st boyfriend.

Any drugs that can disolved plaque in the arteries to cure arterioschlerosis or for preventative maintenance?  This is my priceless question as this would be the holy grail of curing CAD. Lipitor is rumored to disolved arterial plaques, but I don't have any of these pills.  I know back in my dads and grandpas time, they're wasn't much more technology than nitroglycerin pills while today, we have beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, benzos, and cholesterol reducing drugs.

[tripwire240]

Thank you so much for sharing your feelings. I can't explain how great is feels to know I am not alone in my struggle with terrible anxiety. Always worried, hypersensitive, never trusting the doctors and tests, afraid of dying.. I'm sorry others have to feel this pain.. this prison.. but knowing there are others strong enough to share and even offer help to others like me gives me strength.

I'm 24 years old and have had anxiety and panic disorders my entire life. Everyday I pray I can win the struggle to stay functional and baseline. It takes so much strength and focus to just appear normal a lot of the times and the days that I actually do feel safe and strong and secure are such a blessing. I take nothing for granted anymore. I appreciate everything beautiful about life, especially my loving wife and great friends/family. Because of the love and support of family, friends, and others like me sharing their thoughts and feelings - I feel like I might just be ok.

Thank you all so much. I'm in tears right now from the sense of release in knowing I can beat this that I AM ok. I can't really explain it but this just really gives me strength. A lot of the times I just feel crazy because I feel like as much as family and friends and doctors/therapists try to help its like they don't really understand. I know you guys do. Completely. So in a way it is a new kind of comfort. I will always be thankful for those that are there for me, especially my wife who has given so much for me.. but like I said this is like a support group for me in a way I guess.

I'll stop rambling.. thanks again. I wish everyone the best of luck and the happiest of futures. I hope you have many calm days ahead.

[Robot_Teacher]

I've been taking a beta blocker and Clobazam, a derivative of benzo, since March with no change along with my ACE inhibitor with my blood pressured controlled around 110/65 and 60 to 70 resting BPM. I'm still working out 5 days a week and seeing cardio and muscular gains over the months. I almost always feel good when exercising, standing, walking, hiking, cycling, working and anything else on my feet regardless how tiring and sweaty it is. The harder the better, but when I sit down at night, I get dull left arm/hand aches and sometimes mild chest pain. I often don't feel comfy laying down, but seem to feel my heart working harder to beat, especially laying on my back. I prefer sleeping on my left side. Oddly, 3 weeks ago, one morning at 7am, I was having a dream I had just arrived in the states after doing a 1.5 year round the world trip to find I was so jet lagged I had acute chest pain. I do not know if I was actually experiencing the chest pain while dreaming, because it seemed so real, but I immediately woke up and no pain. As you can imagine this makes it hard to go to bed. I wonder how common this is? I'm not seeing a whole lot of posts on these boards, but there's a handful. I quit drinking altogether which didn't help, but I'm worse a day or two after when I did have a drink.  I drank twice in the past 3 months and I thought the hangover was going to kill me as the dull aches were worse so I avoid drinking situations and enjoy the savings as it's not cheap to drink.

I am working overseas and haven't been home in 14 months and anticipate I'll be back in October so that 1.5 year round the world trip is my reality as I'm planning to do some traveling into the Fall season. This dream 3 weeks ago was the realest dream I ever had. Back in March, 2008, I was in Southeast Asia for a few months after working in Korea for a year, felt great and normal during my tropical vacation, but when the next day after landing in LAX, I had chest and left arm pain with severe exhaustion or jet lag. I went to bed that afternoon after walking around in Hollywood, slept like 14 hours, got up,(went nutz at Denny's on Sunset eating American high fat heart attack food) and had a great day at Universal Studios Hollywood. Even road all the rides, including the Mummy roller coaster with heart warnings at the entrance with no ill effects. 2 days later, I flew to St. Louis to visit home and the symptoms returned a day after that flight. I went through 1 month of it until I joined a gym. No more symptoms again until last August. I had EKG, stress test, and chest xray done back in March of this year with normal results. Unlike in 2008 where working out prevented it, working out no longer prevents symptoms, but I know it's good for me. I thought if it was anxiety, I would had suffered this back in my 20's as I had a very hard 20's when it came to money, military duty, and issues with greedy selfish relatives. It's quite a miracle if it's true I am as healthy as I look, because these dull ache symptoms in my left arm and most often, hand make me cringe.  

Of course I'm scared with heart disease running deeply in my family, but I don't live like them. I'm educated, don't smoke, work out regularly, eat lots of healthy foods like salmon and fresh veggies/fruit, rice, and not grossly over weight like they were. Well, I'm totally different in mind and body than them. Just 30 pounds over for my height which are tough to lose. I'm not a steak and fries eater nor hamburgers nor any pastries nor any of those bagged snacks nor Zingers as those sorts of things have hydrogenated shortening. My 38 year old brother has already had heart attack and stroke, but he's 350 pounds, just sat the past 8 years on disability over his back from factory work, and looks awful. Ironically, when they started taking $400 a month for child support 4 months ago, he's laying roof under the table, but time will only tell if he can actually handle it. I still look young, can handle long walks, even up mountains, lifting weights, and anything, but feel better when on my feet unless exhausted due to badly needing sleep. I wanna sleep in the morning; not at night, but must get up for work. On days I was just too tired and needed sleep, I get left arm and sometimes chest dull pains regardless of position or activity. This is not bad pain, just very mild dull ache that comes and goes, but it worries me.  I've never had tightness in chest nor shooting severe pains. Doctor said to forget it when I talk about heart anything, but that's not good enough to personally clear me.  I want that 64 slice scan done to get a visual on my arteries to see if I have blockage requiring angioplasty, but the machine is not available in my local area. When I was growing up, I did eat food fried in shortening, was around smoking parents, smoked a few years, and ate anything, but was never obese. They say after 5 years of getting away from all that, you're as good as a nonsmoker who never ate junk food. I find taking a drink of water at night helps me and then I relax and finally fall asleep. I drink about 1 gallon a day most days very rarely drink soda and other sugary drinks. The only oil in my house for the past 2 years is extra virgin. Even corn oil and deep fat frying of any sort is out of bounds. Only a tiny bit of milk for morning coffee and things like cheese and eggs only on rare occasion. That's why my cholesterol is low.  What's wrong? I know I'm not imagining these dull aches. I know we all need instant full body scan high tech machines like on Star Trek due to our level of knowledge as unprecedented knowledge and hyper-ultra sensitive awareness of our bodies and the world may very well be our excess burden. So we need the who sheebang; not just talking to doctors and doing EKG's.

[cobainsdomain]

Ok i just posted a similar post today about my symptoms.  After posting i decided to search farther into the forums and finally found this posting.  This is exactly what i was looking for.  I get chest pains, i get loss of breathe, i've even almost lost conciousness got extremely lightheaded and lost balance.  My chest would feel like i was being stabbed, and my arm would go numb, i actually had similar feelings when i smoked weed in my younger years.  Weed releases dopamine, dopamine is the chemical in your brain the produces anxiety so as far as step by step it makes sense.

I too, can't listen to my logical sense and still feel as though everyday is my last, and i cant believe there are so many who have said the same.  i stop and wait to see if its the big one lol...

I'm going to get my heart checked out just incase, and if anything like a few of you said it will cause me some peace of mind just making sure my hearts fine.  I've had an er visit, 6 ekgs, a chest x-ray, blood test, and ct scan, and yet im still not convinced completely it's anxiety.  I think after i get an echo i will be more than satisfied for some reason.

I've been on lexapro for a few months now and it seems to supress the pains, but not get rid of them, they also have been getting worse lately even on the medication.

I do get pains when exercising and my heart feels like it's working overtime, which is different then alot of the other postings, but as another post said that could just me being worried i'll strain my heart.  

[br2509]

Seems like to me its anxiety not sure i am not a Doc but i have anxiety attacks and it seems like everyday i experience something new.Like now i have been having chest pains but i am just thinking its nothing bad its just anxiety I have gotten chest x rays- Cat scan blood work everything..

[Jordan1988]

I have had this feeling for a couple of weeks now and its scaring the s*** out of me! i just wish it would go away! x

[mnhg]

i have anxiaty problems for over 5 years now. i am 29.  i get chest painsjust over my heart, racing heart, pains in my arms, neck you name it exspecially when i am about to fall asleep and then im up all night paceing the floors waiting for my heart to stop.  have had every check there is done to me with no problems found.  i just recently check into the emergency room to find out nothing is wrong with me even though my blood pressure was around 198/90.  ever thing went back to normal when they told me the ekg was normal.  this **** *****. i just had a eco and stress test done last week and every thing again was fine.  i wish they would find something wrong with me so i could have an explaination why this happens to me.  i have been told its stress which it probley just is. i have been on all this pills, paxil, lexarpo, xanax, and one i have forgotton,   looks like i have to go back to them and probabley stay on them this time no matter how they make me feel or side effects they have. i have tried working out and staying busy and it works sometimes, but not always.   nice to read that im not the only one with the problems. good luck everyone

[sariibearii]

i've had panic and anxiety since i was in 4th grade. it manifests itself in many different ways over the years. important thing to remember is that it will pass and you arent dying...even though it really does feel like it. it isnt pleasant, but there are many ways you can calm it down so it doesn't snowball into a huge event. i tried lucinda bassett's attacking anxiety and depression program and it gave sooo many helpful tips and tools. medication isn't part of this program, although she doesn't knock it. she gives you self-tools on how to live and handle things. it's an ongoing battle, but there are things you can do to help yourself and manage your thinking. this doesn't have to run your life! beat it. :)

[insomniac_michele]

I have been having weird arm pains for almost a year. I first noticed last year that my left arm would ache after I would smoke a cigarette. It wouldn't happen all the time but it has continued to happen. Over the last few weeks it has gotten so much worse. I've had EKG's this year with a physical and they "say" my heart is fine. But I'm not convinced. I also have really sharp pains on the left side of my chest but am not sure of it's origination (rib cage/intercostal muscles, breast pain, or cardio issues). I am currently trying to stop smoking since it is such a horrible thing to do anyway but it is a very hard (14 year) habit to break. I have been on anti-depressants because of anxiety and Panic Attacks for 3 years. Zoloft worked for the 1st two years and then I had to switch to Lexapro this last April because the Zoloft turned on me. Now after 6 months on the Lexapro I have weaned myself off of the anti-depressants all together. I am struggling but really only have the worst anxiety at night. I have had horrible insomnia since May and stay up til the wee hours of the morning and sleep most of the day. I lay in bed at night in fear that I'm gonna have a heart attack because of the various aches and pains in my chest, arm, stomach, etc. It's the most frustrating thing in the world! I feel better at times by reading other peoples posts but find it hard to believe that so many people suffer from the same experiences with no real answers other than "it's anxiety". I recently started seeing a Psychiatrist and I am just not sure it's worth my time or money. I got Mirtazapine first. I took that for 1 night and was "stoned" for 24 hours. I slept like a baby and did not experience the somatic issues (i.e. aches and pains, racing thoughts) that I normally feel from the anxiety at night but the next day I was in a stoned stupor and could not function as well as I needed to. Next I was given Klonipin. Told to start out on a very small dose (1/8 of a mg) as I am very sensitive to all drugs. All this seemed to do was give me more anxiety and heart palpatations and faster heart beat. Called my psych to tell her what happened with that drug and she has not returned my calls. So I feel completely uncompelled to up the dosage to 1/4 mg. Psychiatrists are so flakey! Or at least mine is. She completely missed the 2nd appointment that we had scheduled. Now if I had missed the appointment I would have been charged for a full session. Where's my compensation?? So at 30 years old I am terrified of medications, terrified of my heart giving out from all the years of strain I have done to it with alcohol and cigarettes, and can't sleep. This is not a way to live. I have quit drinking (except for maybe 2 drinks at the most -- once a month), tried to cut out MSG and aspertame (as this can affect my anxiety), no caffiene, and just trying to eat better in general and taking supplements (albizzia calm, omega 3-6-9 oils, magnesiem)-- which seem to be helping but a very slow process as I introduce them each individually (next is a B-complex) and slowly to see what works best. I've also started acupuncture and continuing to see my wonderful chiropractor for the pains that I experience (which ironically there is aways something out of alignment that can explain the pains I'm experiencing). I just want to say that no matter how debilitating it can be, I think there's hope, you just have to find what works best for you. As time passes, I have had to change with it because what worked for the first few years (zoloft and talk therapy), is not working now. It seems that the anxiety evolves in my body and takes on different forms over time. I'm getting a referral to a cardiologist to put my mind at ease, hopefully once and for all. Then I'm ready to find my next step. I'm just ready to live again and stop living in fear that I'm going to drop dead any freakin' minute. Stay strong people and BELIEVE in yourself!

[chicken_ramen]

I've been suffering depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember, probably even as a young child (3 or 4 years of age). My symptoms have recently become more pronounced as I started university and work etc.

Anxiety chest pains have been a big thing for me, and they've been getting increasingly worse over the last few months (pain over my heart area, pain in my neck and then up and down my left arm.. tingling, weakness) needless to say, I freak out every time I have one of these episodes and think that it's the big one.. that I'm having a heart attack and will be dying shortly. I've been to numerous doctors and have had blood tests, ECGs, you name it. Each time, tests come back with nothing. My doctor has even said that my heart is "perfect". I can accept that all these symptoms are anxiety related but the train of thought that develops in my head when I experience one of these episodes is debilitating and frightening.

Anyway, just wanted to share my experience on this forum. It is comforting to know that I'm not the only one out there experiencing these symptoms.

I am seeking help with ongoing counselling as well as looking up resources on the net. I work hard every day to stay positive, keep fit and to "untwist my thinking" and stop obsessing about my health. It's tough! But I'd say most days are manageable, some days are great, other days are bad.

Keep positive people and don't give up learning new strategies and take it easy on ourselves, never think that you're a failure and that you'll be living with this condition forever. You just gotta pick yourself up and keep at it.

[Jo1216]

Hi.

I'm a 21 year old girl and ever since I moved a decent amount of furniture in late September, I've been having, more aches than pains in my left arm, left side of my back and chest. I went to the doctors in early October and to be honest, he made me feel worse.
He said basically, do something to get over it and forget about it. Not to mention bringing me to tears. I'd been having crying tendencies a few days before and on the day of the doctors visit.
Somewhere in his little speech, he attempt to reassure me 21 years olds don't have heart attacks. He said the aches were probably muscular due to what I had been doing a couple of weeks previously.

The aches did fade away and I had no problems however, over the past few days they have returned and I feel they are worse than the previous bout.
Especially in the nights. I really cannot sleep with the fear of not waking up in the morning.
An example: last night, I was up going to the loo, vomitting and when I returned to bed I started shivering. I was literally jumping from being cold, whilst the arm and chest aches worsened - sometimes it felt like pain. I just did not want to sleep.
This morning I still have the aches alot, including my back and I was sick again.

I am trying to understand that it's all in my head but with the constant ache in the worst possible places it's hard to do.
It's horrible, and making me cry.

I would return to the doctors but we can't choose who we see so I'd likely see him for a second time.
And I just don't know what to do. I don't think I can take it.