Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
716924 tn?1235869479

Chest Pain / Anxiety-Panic Disorder

Just thought I would ask some of you to discribe what your chest pains feel like Without the attack and during a attack.  (I have chest pains and sensations without attacks as well, just want to see if I can relate to any of yours)

Thanks again

John
12 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
765775 tn?1366024691
If I am reading what you posted correctly, your test did reveal mild Mitral Valve Prolapse. This is also what I have. This condition will cause feelings of Anxiety in people that are sensitive to it. I am one of them.

Why don't you talk to your Cardiologist about it? It can get worse as we get older. My Cardiologist has me going for an Echo and Holter next week to see if mine has gotten worse becasue I was taken to the ER myself last Monday with palpatations. I have never had them before. My doctor said he has to make sure the valve has not gotten worse with age before he decides for sure that the palpatations were caused by lack of sleep.

Let me know how you make out.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I get chest pains from stress sometimes.  It feels like a sharp stabbing pain and can be anywhere round my ribcage - sometimes down the side, sometimes across the bottom, and sometimes right in the middle.

The pain doesn't change with movement or touch, or with breathing, but usually goes away after a while if I can lie down and relax (usually on my front).

Sometimes, the pain has been so intense that I can't sit/stand.  Once I couldn't walk due to the pain and ended up crawling across the room.

These pains started with me when I was 15 (coming up to exams) and since starting work full time, instead of studying, I don't get them so often. I usually only get them now if things have been very busy or if I'm particularly worried about something.

Doctors couldn't help - just said it was muscular pain and told me to try gentle exercise (going for walks etc) and painkillers (which don't work).
Helpful - 0
716924 tn?1235869479
Thanks again red for the feed back. Yes i have been checked for MVP with my Echocardiogram. I will link all my test results back to you here:

Diagnoses: Cardiac Dysrhyhmia, Supravenventricular Premature Beats, and Other Premature Beats:

Myocardial Perfusion/Gated S.P.E.C.T. Imaging (Nuke stres Test) : Findings - there is no significant motion artfact on reat or stress images.
S.P.E.C.T. images - There is essentially uniform tracer uptake seen throughout all left ventricular segments with the exception of some apical thinning. There are no significant relative perfusion defects.
Gated images - There is normal systolic contractility of all left ventricular segments. The calculated left ejection fritction is 73%
My rest HR was 70 with a peak of 186 at peak exercise representing 100% of age predicted max Heart rate.
Resting BP was 130/70 and peak BP during exercise was 180/90. There were no Ischemic ECG changes with exercise.

Echocardiogram Report:Normal left ventricular size and function with a ejection friction of 65-70%
Trace mitral insufficiency and mild tricuspid innsufficiency noted (Less that 1+) PA systolic pressure is noral at 18mmHg

48 Hour Holt.Monitor- Occasional PVC's,Rare PAC's, some junctional escaped beats and one 4 beat run of junctional rhythem noted. There was a 2.6 second pause noted. No significant tacharrthythima noted.

3 Week Holt. Monitor (event type)- the only thing picked up wasone incidenceof what is likely sinus exit pause,which likely accelerated even to gross escape rhythem or junction rthythem with bundle branch block, in any case no significant pauses were noted.

He released me and said I can come in on a as needed basis. What do you guys think of all of this.

He statesd that stress and anxiety could be causeing all my troubles so that long and winding road has left me here.
Helpful - 0
765775 tn?1366024691
John,

  Have you been checked for a Mitral Valve Prolapse (Heart Murmur)? You posted that you had an Echo did the doctor say anything about a Heart Murmur after that?

I am asking because like I said, I get these symptoms also but they are related to the Mitral Valve. They found that I had it when I went out for football in high school and said it was nothing to worry about. But I am finding out that it can become a problem as you get older.

I have been having something similar to what your talking about when I am falling asleep lately also. Just when I am about to fall asleep I involuntarily jump up. I found a term for it in the Sleep Disorder Community. They say it is from not sleeping enough.

Hang in there.
Helpful - 0
716924 tn?1235869479
Here is another new symptom. I woke up this morning and layed around for a bit watching T.V. as I sit up on the edge of the bed to begin my day, I felt my heart beating hard and a bit faster than normal, i also had some chest discomfort and broke out in a sweat. This only lasted 15-20 seconds and then everything went back to normal. Strange hu.

Also I have been getting very mind shooting chest pains throught out the day. They dont last long, but enough to make me fill uncomfy. They are not brought on by activities though. They pretty much can happen with me just standing there doing nothing.

And last but not least, When you yall are starting to fall asleep at nightdo yall wake up gasping for air almost right at the moment when you are about to fall asleep? It dont happen every night, but sometimes.
Helpful - 0
765775 tn?1366024691
I also agree with cj29. I have Mitral Valve Prolapse. This condition by itself causes anxiety. I notice that when I get a bit obsessed with my health my anxiety level will go up.

I get the tightness in the chest and what I call constricted breathing as I am not out of breath. I believe that the tightness sensation in the chest causes you to tense your chest muscles and later gives you that soreness in the center of the chest.
Helpful - 0
716924 tn?1235869479
Agreed Cj29, I have been rading books on Anxiety and Panic related disorders, and began the slow deep breathing techniques they teach ya in there. Not a ton of improvement but i also underatand that it takes time. I had my 1st appointment scheduled this past week with a therapist, but guess what?..He caught the flu and had to cancel...go figure hu. Going to phone him tommorow morning so we can go from there.

Still find it hard to think that anxiety and Panic can cause all these physical symptoms on a daily basis. Chest pain (in the heart area, althought the pains are short in duration, middle back pain, dizzyness (lightheaded feeling), and every feeling that something is clogged in my heart and i am just going to die at any moment lol. Sound familiar?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
When you worry about chest pain, you will have chest pain almost all the time in my experience.  You will feel every little bump, twinge, palpatation, etc. because of 'oversensitization.'  My original anxiety had come from heart health and I felt everything you described and would not believe the tests and doctors that told me I was fine.  The trick to beating it, in my opinion, is gaining the long term knowledge to accept the anxiety and then confront it....keep us posted!
Helpful - 0
716924 tn?1235869479
I have had Heart work done. 48 hour / 3 week Holter monitor, Echocardiogram, Nuke stress test, and blood work. All came back normal except there were a few PVC's and PAC's, a 2.6 skip on my 48 hour H Monitor. My Cardo doc didnt seem to worried about this and after these test released me to follow up with GERD or Anxiety issues.

Helpful - 0
804276 tn?1480858056
my panic attack chest pain feels like someone is sitting on my chest, tightness and pain. you may need to get your heart checked out just in case expecially if you have pain down an arm or something. you could have an irregular heart beat or something else as well. just a thought to rule that out. when i'm not having an attack i usually feel o.k. but sometimes i am a little sore in the middle of my chest, it also greatly effects my back with really bad pain. especially my upper and middle back.
Helpful - 0
765775 tn?1366024691
The pain that you are probably feeling is probably related to your breast bone. It is from being tense too much.

That has been my experience at least. If I have had a couple of rough days I have pain or soreness in center of my chest. My doctor said that it is from being tense and tightening my chest muscles.

I was taught a little trick that seems to help. If the pain changes with movement or to the touch then it is not a heart attack so just calm down. It has always worked for me.

I hope I addressed what you are referring to.
Helpful - 0
716924 tn?1235869479
Bump
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community

Top Anxiety Answerers
Avatar universal
Arlington, VA
370181 tn?1595629445
Arlington, WA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?