What do chest pains from anxiety feel like?

I have had chest pains since February 17th. The chest pain started immediately after I took a few hits of marijuana in a small pipe very quickly - I have ceased smoking and I have been regretting this day for a long time. I am a 21 year old male and I've been to the hospital, the doctor many times, gotten three EKG's and am about to get an echocardiogram because of this. I've also been prescribed Prozac and have been taking 20 MG for the past 5 days every morning. I've been in pretty good shape for my life (overweight by like 5-20 lbs at max at different times in my life) and have never had any heart problems.

My question to you all is, when you have chest pain/discomfort from anxiety, what does it feel like? My chest feels sort of full, mostly on the left side of the middle of my chest (to the left of the sternum... sometimes lower... it used to move to the right randomly) and at night I sometimes notice my heart beating faster. I have been worrying about my chest pains CONSTANTLY for the past two months (literally constantly) and when I am doing an activity that occupies my mind or drinking alcohol I do not notice this discomfort in my chest. Is this a common description of anxiety related chest discomfort?

[CaliGirl48]

Oh wow this is my chest pains described exactly. I don't get them much anymore because I finally convinced my brain that there was nothing wrong with me. I have never smoked pot so I can't offer advice about that part but I do know that what you feel is so very common of sooo many people with anxiety.

There are a few things that helped me with my chest pains, and fast heart beat...if you go to my profile and read my journal entries I have listed them there. Hopefully they can help you too.

Good Luck, and hey trust me on this one...you ARE NOT alone!

Crystal

[cfcid]

Thanks... is your discomfort constant? Mine is except for maybe a small window here and there (besides the times I am drinking or doing an activity that takes up my mind)

[CaliGirl48]

ooops sorry didnt see this...but i responded to your message though =)

[greenlydia]

Chest pains created by anxiety can manifest themselves in hundreds of ways. And what I may feel can be drastically different than what you feel. That my good friend Cali knows of what you speak should afford you a great deal of relief!
I can't speak to the smoking of the pot either. Have you been a frequent smoker of this herb? Did you possibly get into some that had been laced with something horrid like PCP? What we old hippies used to call "Angel Dust."
The fact that you have had numerous vistis to your doctor and the ER , that your heart has been checked by the most up to date equipement and professionals, and found to be free of defects, should offer you all the reassurance you need. You are obsessing about it now and that creates anxiety which is going to create chest pains and you're going to stay on that out of control merry-go-round until you accept the fact that your heart is OK. That you do NOT feel any chest discomfort when your mind is otherwise occupied....i.e. NOT concentrating on every little tweak or twinge in your chest, or when you've had a few drinks.............alcohol being a depressant will cause you to relax and once again NOT concentrate on your chest/heart, that should also tell you something about the origins of your discomfort.
I would normally advise anyone with heart/chest discomfort to see their doctor immediately for an eval and rule out any possible problem. If the work-up came back normal, which yours has, I would then advise them (you) to see a therapist to get to the root cause of your anxiety which you have "planted" in your chest.
At the age of 21, you are just a puppy on this road and you should be having the time of your life, not hunkered down inside yourself worried that you're gonna have the "big one!" PLEASE get the help you need so that you don't waste any more time!
Talk to your doc about your anxiety and have him/her refer you to a good therapist.
And as an old hippie who survived the 60's.............stay away from the drugs! There is too much good stuff to get "high" on in life, you don't need that!
Peace
Greenlydia        

[SJordan]

Loved your answer!