heart anxiety

[bjfoste1]

I honestly have had the worst heart anxiety ever since I had 2 bad panic attacks and was rushed to the hospital (thinking I was having a heart attack). They did 2 EKG's and 2 Cat Scans on my chest. Everything came back fine. I was put on cymbalta and klonopin when needed. I still am always concious and nervous about my heart. Think about it everyday like 20 times a day. I get symptoms like indigestion/burping (lately a lot I dont know why)/ left arm and shoulder hurting (which I guess they say I have nerve messed up in my neck)/ Heart palpitations a lot/ light chested/ f fasiculations (right now only on my left arm) and some shortness of breath. I also quit smoking right after these panic attacks and will never smoke again. I have been to countless doctors. My question is why do I still have these problems. Also when I think about it , it gets a lot worse! I hate going through life like this.  You can see from my symptoms why i get a little worried. But I have had 2 cat scans/ x rays/ ekg's I mean is this all contributed to anxiety! Thanks
Brandon

[bjfoste1]

also I quit smoking like 2 and half months ago....and im only 23 ...I dont know if that contributes to the symptoms a lot

[Broken3995]

Maybe you should just try to not think about it as much if it crosses your mind just start thinking of something peaceful quickly and keep your mind busy. Worry and stress is a funny thing that causes strange things to your body.
If all the tests came back and were fine try a second opinion also just to make your mind feel at ease.
Take care and best wishes and good health.

[bjfoste1]

thanks ive been trying bizzump

[bjfoste1]

mind you i hate when people say go to the doctor- I know to go to the doctor! But this forum is for helping others right?

[shell1925]

I have the EXACT same anxiety problems.  I am constantly worrying about my heart.  I have a constant chest pressure, left shoulder and left arm pain, left sided neck and jaw pain as well.  I have the "classic" angina/heart attack symptoms but I have had so many tests in the past 2 years on my heart that all my doctors are convinced that it is not my heart.  I am only 30 years old and I don't have any cardiac risk factors.  I do have thoracic outlet syndrome (left side), hiatal hernia and GERD which all can contribute to my symptoms.  I just always have that feeling "what if it is my heart this time".  If you go into my profile you can see all my symptoms and tests I have had.  I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone out there.  I can go months with no symptoms and then BAM it hits me again. You can go through my posts and see that I have periods when I am not on here.  This episode has been going on for about a month now.....long one.  My PCP wants me to take Celexa, I got the prescription filled, I just haven't taken it yet because one of the side effects is heart palpitations, scares the **** out of me.  Good luck to you and keep me posted!

Shell

[Jackie1980]

I have been having the same issues lately, but there really is something wrong with my heart. I have high blood pressure, constant PVC's for the past 3 months and chest pain. It started ever since my dr. took me off of metoprolol (blood pressure med).. It is scary and its all I think about..that I am going to drop dead any minute..So I know the feeling..

[Chrissie512]

have any of you ever felt like a cold rush go through your body? Then right after your heart starts beating really fast? I have not been diagnosed with Anxiety but from what I read I'm sure I have it. I have ALL the symptoms!! At times I feel I'm going to die! I hate the feeling. I know this is going to sound weird but I don't know how else to describe it, sometimes I feel as if my heart were melting! I don't know, but I feel such weird things. It all gets worse at night when I go to bed. I can't sleep and I stay up for hours thinking that if I go to bed I'm going to die. When I started reading that other people felt what I felt I was relieved thinking I wasn't the only one. I'm glad I have someone to relate to.

[shell1925]

Your not alone with bedtime anxiety.  I used to pray every night that I would wake up in the morning.  It's funny I would always be scared to fall asleep but that was when I felt my best.  As far as the "cold rush" and the "heart melting" sensations, I've never experienced them.  I am blessed with constant chest pressure, rapid heart rate, and skipping beats.  I wish I could offer you some insight on this, but I have nothing.  I do sympathize with the feeling that your going to die.....not a day goes past that I don't think of going to the ER because I'm afraid that I'm having a heart attack.  It's very difficult to have health anxiety....every little thing gets me worked up.  It stinks when you realize that you have anxiety, but at least we can SOMETIMES realize that we will not die from it.  Good luck to you and keep me posted.

Shell

[Chrissie512]

Thank you very much Shell. I also freak out a lot and always say to myself I should go to the ER. I always think I am Having a heart attack. The things I feel are so weird. I stay up hours during the night just reading the anxiety symptoms to reassure myself. I'm so thankful I found this site!

[Red931]

The change in your blood pressure medication could have magnified your symptoms. This just happened to me last month. My doctor took me off of Cardizem CD after 17 years and put me on Norvasc. This caused me to have severe palpitations and I had to be taken to the ER by ambulance only to be sent home five hours later and told there was nothing wrong with my heart.

The medication that you were taking also slows the heart so depending on what your taking now it could be a factor to what is going on with you right now.

As I said, I have HBP and Mitral Valve Prolapse so I have a tendency to over-react if I get indigestion. You just have to learn to deal with it by knowing quickly what to check for. It is difficult because anxiety can give you the same symptoms as a heart attack and if you have hypertension it is even worse.

I always have found that if I can notice that any chest pain changes with movement then you know your not having a heart attack. With a heart attack the pain will be steady, crushing or constricting and will not change if you move your arms or press on your chest muscles. When you have chest pain from anxiety it is usually from you tensing your chest muscles and will vary as you move around.

I know it is not easy but you have to learn to talk yourself out of these episodes when they occur by simply telling yourself that it is anxiety that is causing what is happening and you are not going to let it beat you. I think you will find over time that if you are able to do that it is effective. You have to keep in mind that this has happened to you before and you are still here. Focus on that and you won't be thinking about dropping dead every time you feel a pain or some discomfort.

Good Luck.

[Red931]

I apologize, the medication change is for Jackie. I think I gave you the same advice in the heart forum.

The rest of my advice you may both want to try and see how it works for you.

[Chrissie512]

Has anyone ever experienced lower back pain and neck pain with anxiety? It's almost everyday I experience a new symptom. At times, I'm not even thinking about it, I can be totally relaxed and BOOM! I start having anxiety. I could even be happy and laughing and I get it. I don't understand why if I'm ok I start having it. Does this happen to anyone else? I try not to think about it all day, I keep myself busy doing things but sometimes it doesn't work.

[Jackie1980]

I can definately relate to be afraid to fall asleep at night and the ER/heart attack thing. I am constantly thinking that the pain is related to a heart attack..It is usually on the left side of my chest and is a dull pain, but then goes away. It is not crushing at all, so i guess that is a good sign..I have had anxiety most of my life actually and now it is starting to creep up on me. Do you guys feel that Anxiety has affected your health? I truely believe that anxiety and stress has caused my High blood pressure..Have any of you tried yoga or relaxation techniques? I am going to start soon and maybe get some counseling or something. I have had some unfortunate things happen in my life and it has made me an even paranoid person that I was to start with. (Lost my 2 month old daughter last year to a rare congenital heart defect..and was given a 90% chance of survival..) I try to stay positive, but sometimes it is hard.

Chrissie: yes, I have gotten the cold rush thing whenever my heart skips a beat, i feel almost "unreal" and detached from my body, it is a strange feeling..

Red: thank you for the reassurance..it is scary, but you are right..it is best to remain logical about the pain and not freak out and panic about it, it only makes it worse. Is yours usually a painon the left side? I usually get it there, and I figure that a heart attack would be more in the center of the chest and would be a crushing pain like an elephant is sitting there..I could be wrong, but that is what I've hear.

[Chrissie512]

Jackie, First off, I'm so sorry about your  loss. I have a daughter myself and could not imagine losing her. All I can tell you is that God made your daughter an angel, I know my words are of no help but remember that the short time she was on this earth she had a purpose. You daughter will forever live in your heart.  

I'm relieved to hear someone else feels that cold rush because it is the weirdest thing I have ever felt. the first time I felt it i literally thought I was dying. Do you or anyone else get face pains? I feel my face hurting and my shoulders.

[Red931]

For me the pain is actually in the center of the chest but I have found it is coming from the muscles attached to my breast bone. When they are tensed alot they tend to become inflamed and hurt.