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711657 tn?1229396945

Are all these symptoms really anxiety?

I am past the point of frustration.  About six months ago, i started experiencing chest pain and heart racing.  It first happened only at night.  The first time it happened i thought maybe i just had too much caffeine and went back to sleep.  I am only 21 years old, so naturally when this happened more often I became very concerned.  So when these symptoms weren't going away, i made an appointment with my doctor.  I went to her with my symptoms (chest pain, heart racing, palpatations, shortness of breath, extreme fear of dying, etc).  She first acted like i was crazy because i told her i was afraid of a heart attack or pulmonary embolism (since i was on birth control at the time, and the pills said they could cause that).  I will admit I am a bit of a hypochrondriac, but i was very scared.  So she (after me begging) scheduled me for an echocardiogram, sprometry, and EKG, and a blood test.  All of these came back normal, so she just told me i was prolly just worried and "imaging some of these things."  Not satisfied with this answer, i went to another doctor, same thing.  She put me on anti-depressants and a blood pressure medicine to help with the chest pain. The side effects were strange, and they didn't seem to be helping so i stopped.  So far I have seen 2 counselors, and no one really seems to help.  I am paranoid everytime i have a physical symptom, that there is something one of the doctor's missed and i have something else.  Each time i read about something, i get more symptoms.  When i read about pulmonary embolism, my legs started to hurt (blood clot in leg) and i just have aches and pains all the time.  Sometimes my chest pain is dull sometimes it is shart, sometimes it is accompanied by shortness or breath, other times it's not.  I am so frustrated with no real diagnosis and help with physical symptoms.  I wish sometimes doctors would take me more seriously.  Does anyone else have these weird symptoms?  Should i see another doctor?  I don't know what to do.  
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Avatar universal
ive been going through the same things its crazy that your not alone these symptoms feel real ive been in the house for 2 weeks scared to go anywhere w8ithout my mother..hey i have a holter on right now and did an echo today so we are all in the same boat hope we all get through it *****!!
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Avatar universal
the chest pains you may be feeling all day are in a cycle. You may not feel like you're in panic mode, but you really are. You might have generalized anxiety disorder, which is NON STOP worry about different things, which puts you under great amounts of stress and can cause chest pain that lasts hours or days.
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358304 tn?1409709492
I wanted to add...

Sometimes it takes trial and error finding the right anti-depressant for you. =) So keep close to your Dr. so he/she may find the right one/right dosage for you.

If that's what you need... you may not need an anti-depressant. =)
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358304 tn?1409709492
You stated above that you are a "hypochondriac". Well, there ya have it! =)
Sounds like you have a little health anxiety. You worry about feelings... and these feelings you have are caused by anxiety... and anxiety is driven by fear... and this fear/anxiety is giving you these symptoms... and therefor you worry you are having a heart attack or a blood clot... so there is more anxiety. It's a cycle of fear... and there are actual symptoms.

Now, what you need to realize is that these feelings can not harm you! They are just feelings!

I would suggest maybe seeing the Dr. again.. and trying another anti-depressant... like Lexapro... or something mild... and see your Dr. again to see if it helps. Sometimes there are little side effects with anti-depressants.. but they leave eventually.

Counseling is great! I recommend counseling while taking a mild anti-depressant. They are a great combo!!

Hope ya figure it out soon girl. Just hang in there! Things will be GREAT FOR YOU! I CAN SEE IT! =)

Keep in touch with us. =)
Helpful - 0
669746 tn?1228599145
yea my chest pain lasted about 2 weeks,i was pretty much bedridden from it,it was terrible and plus i didnt know what was wrong at the time, so that just made it worse.the pain will fade just stay away from the "basics"
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711657 tn?1229396945
All the text book answers say that anxiety symptoms (chest pain, breathing problems, etc) last a couple minutes, but i have it last hours and sometimes days.  Have any of the rest of you experienced that?
Helpful - 0
711657 tn?1229396945
Thanks everyone for your encouraging words, it really means a lot to know that I am not alone. I have had an echocardiogram and an EKG, both normal.  Lately it's been some breathing difficulties.  My family has a history of asthma, so i may have a slight case of it, that is aggravated by constant worrying about it.  My family does have high cholesterol, as well as i, but none of them have had any health difficulties.  My doctors aren't even worried about it.  I have been trying to work out more often, and i think it does help.  It's just stressful, because I am a full time college student, and work part time, so by the time i get home i don't feel like working out.  But i am trying really hard.  I have been on anti-depressants for a while, and was prescribed some ativan for extreme anxiety symptoms.  The anti-anxiety seems to help, but my doctor was concerned with addictiveness, so she did not want me to be on it long term.  I guess right now, i am just trying to go through the acceptance process, and hopefully recovery.  
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Avatar universal
I get similar feelings but I have been better with them lately. As to your concern about not trusting doctors, you have to understand that if a doctors misses a serious disease, such as, a heart problem, they will be in some major trouble, so unless you doctor wants a chance of having his or her license pulled or being sued big time, I wouldn't worry about your doctor not taking you seriously. Secondly, I've been dealing with anxiety problems since the beginning of the summer, now approaching 8 months and I can tell you one thing I've learned in these past 8 months is that the mind is one of the most powerful things known-to-man. If you think about something long enough it will come true, so if you have chest pain one night and you really think you have a heart problem, you can tell yourself you're having chest pain ALL the time. I also thought I was having heart problems at 17 with 0 risk factors and all positive tests coming back and then I was able to regain control of myself. I sincerely hope the same happens for you, but my advice to you is think to yourself whether you have any risk factors, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history, etc, and even if you do it's still a long shot you actually do have a heart problem, but it it'd make you feel better to go for an echocardiogram and stress test, go for it. But the best thing for you to do right now is to move on from this, trust the doctors, eat healthy, and get some exercise and all will be well. I joined a gym and believe it or not, working out really does make you feel better right away. I wish you the best of luck and God Bless.
Helpful - 0
447939 tn?1235061943
hi i and loads of others experience these symptoms i have a major obsession with my heart and get all the symptoms you get and more!!! you have to believe the tests, seek some therapy and enjoy life.
if you wanna chat im here for you
Helpful - 0
669746 tn?1228599145
im the same age as you and suffered the same exact symptoms.along with insomnia,vivid dreams,ect... im a hypochondriac myself and didnt belief my docs at first either,went to the ER 5 times in a month.i too had to cut back on caffine totally but acctually ive been drinkin it for the last couples days with no problems.it just takes time . and stick with your meds they gave you.beings youd rather be unhappy and able to leave your house then happy and stuck in like me.you may need a anti-anxiety med if you choose.they help a lot,.anti-deppresants arent bad but there not a real help.if youve had those moments in life you were so happy you could care less what happends,thats what they do but if you worry TOO much they wont do anything.ive been on a SSRI and it doesnt help IN a panic attack but keeps you from worrying about having one.and avoiding anxiety can lead to more anxiety.....its a fear youll have to grow out of like being afraid of the dark.its hard to deal with once you get chest pain heart palps ect..one day youll wake up its breathing issues with no pain,other days itll be the opposite,its real weird. but once you accept it  itll all fade eventually.ive had countless amounts of test like yourself and there all normal.you just have to trust your doc be strong and take your meds


cheers
Helpful - 0
592278 tn?1235661287
I would probably conceder what the doctors have to say, at this point. If you read about certain mental conditions and symptom, and then feel like you taken on that system, then you could most likely be concedered Hypocondriac.

Try not to worryn yourself into any real problems...Anxiety is common, now a days, and I wouldn't rulled out any diseases surronding anxiety (BP, IBS, OCD..etc.) Most doctors are only used to caring for exsteem cases and not entrelevel victems.

I will advise you to sit back amd focus on who you are...don't stop doing what you love to do for anyone or anything. Remember who you are!! Do the things you love, even if you have to force yourself.  Chasing drama could make you into a sponge, all over again and youll just obsorb all the bad things the world has to offer...

So in other words: regardless of  what the diagnoses may be, don't stop being you.
Helpful - 0
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