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?

[Rache1976]

I too have anxiety. I experience hot flushes, chest pains, I find myself crying a lot, can't sleep properly and I cry myself to sleep most nights and sometimes I cuddle my pillow to help me sleep. My doctor told me I'm not having a heart attack, my family have told me too, I just can't seem to get it out of my mind some days. I have been to the orthodontist about my teeth and as it turns out I have a crossbite and will be needing braces within 6 months. I also have a jaw that locks and clicks and my orthodontist told me that's what caused my crossbite and he even said to me that I'm not having a heart attack either. He asked me if I get nervous and anxious at dentist and orthodontist and I said yes I do. I've had braces before, I know this sounds crazy, but I'll be glad to get braces back on. I'm like a bag of nerves and on edge, feels like I'm going crazy. My doctor also told me if I got my jaw fixed, it could fix my ears, so I'm staying hopeful for that, hopefully it could fix the anxiety and on top of all that I have dizziness, so it could fix everything. I'm trying to stay positive, but its really hard. I also get chest pains and don't like them at all, my arm hurts every now and then. I probably had this before and didn't even notice anything. I went to the website anxiety centre and read all the symptoms it said on there and I have it. I clench and grind my teeth without me knowing and after that happens, it hurts and I cry. I just want this anxiety to go away and want my life back.

[Howitzer77]

Hi, I have panic attack 5-6 months ago, since then my anxiety went of the roof, my life turned upside down, getting all sorts of symptoms everyday, mental and physical torture, it's hell but after a few months I was able to control my anxiety and started getting a day or two feeling normal again then suddenly out of the blue i get a tingling pain in my lower breastbone, I didn't freak out instead I googled the symptoms and and found out it can be heartburn or heart attack, since then I'm back at square one with my anxiety, monitoring my chest every second then 1 night both my arms feels numb and I freakout and was about to go on a full blown panic attack but was able to calm it down, after that my left arm (inner bicep area) feels like nerves being stretched inside at first it doesn't hurt much but later on its mild and severe and goes away in a few minutes, it comes and goes randomly mostly when I'm unaware of it, then after a few days it got milder and almost gone but then the next day its my right arm and had the same pain with random shoulder and back pains too.

Now its been 3 weeks having this awful symptom and torturing my mind knowing I might die anytime, a week after the symptoms occur I was able to go to the doctor and got some Ecg, Xray and blood work test... all came out fine, yet I'm still not convince, they may have missed something or is this my anxiety?, the pain is real and it gets worse each day.

I'm just wondering how are you guys doing right now those who posted here with the same symptoms, I wish all you people are doing great and already free from this.

[birdie0907]

You might get a better response if you start your own thread because this one has a hodge-podge of old issues and many of the people only post for a week and so aren't here anymore.
If so, just use this link.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/new_with_new_subject?forum_id=71

[goalkeeper]

I everybody I am new to this. I know what is GAD and sever panic attacks. I know what i have is this because i was diagnosed with it.  I also know i basically have all the symptoms under the sun that relate to tjis and i could freak out over the littlest thing if it relates to my health. I have been cleared medically of any ill health ekg are s ok etc..i see a shrink once a week i am on a beta blocker and two tiny water pills for my bp.i also take one atavan on a as need basis. This post site helps some what knowing people have the same as i do. I have had panic attacks for 17 years and i started only resently since i was discharged from the hospital for having a bursa sac infection started having the anxiety panic strike me the same way it did when it started back in 97. The attacks for the last 5 years have been almost nkn exsistant. Any segestions or comments on how to get my head around to commen sense and telling my self what i know what it is.  I want to be undercontrol and pain free. Thanks for taking the time to read it and listen.

[bigbraintheory]

You have demons and need to be delivered.  The demon of fear and anxiety especially. I wasn't a believer until I had this happen and you can literally feel these things crawling out of your back up your arm, making you cough and vomit them out.  Ever since that night I believe in demons but more so I put my faith in Jesus Christ. I know, I used to laugh at people that post crazy **** and said they should be committed.  Craziest night of my life and better ever since was the night.  I swear I just googled something and they are about to release a film here in 2014 called "Deliver us from Evil" the D is right above EVIL. Jerry Bruckheimer based on true events in 2001.

[cratster]

lipitor (and all statins) can cause muscle pain.