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please help: heart attack or panic attack????

I know i've been through this a million times, but I'm really freaking out right now.  I took a nap this afternoon and woke up around 5:30 with chest pains (sharp) on my left side and pains in my arms.  I have been diagnosed with panic attacks but recently the 'symptoms' have been changing.  I tried to do my breathing exercises and I just seemed to get worse.  I was at the ER 2 weekends ago for chest pains and all EKG's, lung xrays, bloodwork was absolutely fine.  I've been to ER a number of times and have seen a cardiologist who did stress, echo, ekg, and even 24 hour heart monitor.  He insists my heart is normal/healthy. I'm 39 years old and don't drink or smoke (although I used to). I'm now on 20 mg Prozac and my doc just switched me to valium (5mg 2x a day) since the xanax was no longer working and klonopin wasn't much help.  I'm really scared right now as it's been about 3 hours and pains keep coming and going.  I'm getting more and more anxious (even though I took my 2nd valium for today).  My friends keep telling me I'm having another panic attack and that I've had so many ekg's this year I am not having a heart attack, but I am finding it really hard to believe right now.  
How can you tell the difference when the symptoms are so similar?  Even after all these years and battling thousands of these, every one is still as frightening as the first.  And I'm terrified I will dismiss it as panic and end up dead from a heart attack.  
anyone who can advise it would be appreciated! Should i be heading back to the ER now????
thank you
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652762 tn?1240496242
HI,

I read your posts and it brings back painful memories. My mom has been experiencing what you are currently, but the pain had subsided considerably for her. She did all the tests that you did and more and yet the doctors still haven't come to a solid conclusion as to what the problem is!

She went to Guyana recently and consulted another doctor who told her she was having anxiety attacks and prescribed some medication, but it didn't help. So my mom is still in the dark as to what the real problem is. I hope you can find out very soon what your symptoms mean and get some relief.  Best of luck.
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Avatar universal
there a book called Dont Panic When Panic Attcks. it will be your BEST INVESTMENT..
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Avatar universal
It amazes me how much your situation mirrors mine. I went as far to demand a cardiac catheterization and EP study- an invasive procedure with it's own risks. Well, I had those tests done and they were normal (all the previous tests were normal too- echo, stress, holter...). I am better than I was a few months ago but a pain in my chest or skipped beat still brings on a rush of paranoid feelings. They are not as strong now though. I think what helped me was slowly changing my thinking about the feelings. It seemed my mind got into a rut of always assuming it was a heart attack. Eventually after all the tests, I began to remind myself that I didn't die of a heart attack before and the chances of doing it this time are very slim. Each time I made that choice to not assume it was a heart attack, it got easier the next time I had to decide. I call it deprogramming my mind from always expecting catastrophe. It has worked. I haven't been to the ER since April. I went at least 7 times between February and that last time in April. During the hard times, Klonopin did help but I am off it now. But it is hard getting out of that way of thinking. It becomes a habit and a vicious circle. I traveled that circle many times. You can break through this, I know you can. Don't feel like a failure. Getting over this is not an easy thing to do. Sometimes it takes months. I know you feel like you are beating your head against the wall, but eventually you will find the right combo of meds and/or therapy or whatever. Just keep at it and you will find your answer.

Oh, and not that this may be a reason for your issue, but after the 5th time I went to the ER for chest pain and the rest, the doctor told me I may want to get an endoscopy. Well, eventually I made an appointment with a gastro and had the procedure. It turned out I had a pretty significant erosion on my esophagus right where my it and the stomach meets. Ironically, same general area as the heart. I never thought of it because I never had heartburn, just pain. After meds for that, the chest pain became better. I still was paranoid about my heart, but less pain helped make it easier to change my way of thinking.

Take care,
Joseph
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Avatar universal
Thank you for responding and helping calm me down...
I'm trying so hard to not let the panic take over and to just deal with these symptoms, but I have intense heart/health anxiety and I'm constantly feeling as if the doctors are missing something. Maybe it's just too hard to believe it's all 'in my head' because it's so much more difficult to fix.
I have been off xanax for awhile and was switched over to klonopin because i needed to take something every day...I was taking Klon between .5 and 1mg per day (not often going up to the 1mg) but I was still having attacks. It wasn't helping my head the way xanax did but i was needing the xanax too often to continue with it. When I ended up in the ER about 2 weeks ago (again) with a 'heart attack' my shrink took me off the klon and wanted me to try the valium instead thinking maybe the older drug might work better for me.  So far....eh.  Obviously it's not helping as much as I would like.  
i'm doing everything right now- breathing techniques, meditation, reading all the books i can for all different suggestions...seeing a therapist weekly now along with my shrink and even taking an 8 week course in Mindfulness: Stress Reduction.  I feel like a pathetic failure that I'm still not managing this after all these months.  
thank you all for sharing with me and the words of encouragement.  My chest still hurts but I'm feeling a bit less fearful now which i think is half the battle.
best to you all,
k
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Avatar universal
if eh insisted your heart was fine, your EKG was fine, and blood work was fine. dont you think being a doctor hes right. theres a point and time when you gotta tell your self. this is getting old i need to grow up.. i think your at that time.. YOU ARE FINE....... BREATHE...
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Avatar universal
your right about every panic being as frightening as the first one. i'm soory your feeling this way. i know how horrible panic attacks are. if you've had all this testing the your heart must be fine. did you taper off the xanax?how long have you been on the valium? maybe your dr. needs to increase the dose. i'll be here if you want to talk to someone. take care. Remar
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Avatar universal
i used to go to the er everyday due to the same things you are describing.. that was a long time ago.. now.. after all those tests.. i still have problems.. i have 1-2 degree heart block.. and my cardiologist INSISTS that i am fine.. that 1 in every 50 people my age have it.. kids have it.. and its NORMAL.  

pains and feelings associated with panic and anxiety evolve.. it changes.. ALOT.. just when you get used to a particular feeling or pain.. it goes away and is replaced by another more scary or less scary feeling or pain.  i am 38 years old.. ( its my birthday today..lol) i cant believe i just said i am 38.. oh.. and.. i found my first few silver hairs today..wooohooo..

anyway... could you be going through some xanax withdrawl?  i remember when i went throught that i was in HELLTOPIA.  

of course you find it hard to believe that you arent having a heart attack.  

have you ever really had one though?  nope.. you havent..  

your mind.. ahh what a wonderful manipulator it can be....

i carry aspirin with me everyday.. it comforts me... even though i know i am fine.  if I die  of anything.. it will probably be from driving off a cliff because i am so pissed about wasting my entire life due to panic and anxiety.

i know how you feel.. i go through it everyday... i scare the **** out of myself everyday... my grandmother passed away last week.. and on the way home from school.... i almost turned around and went to the er because i thought that i was having aheart attack... its was soo scary.  man.. was it scary.

you can scare yourself into almost anything.. and if you let it continue.. well. it will continue..........
accept that you are scared.. accept that you have anxiety and panic.

let it go through you... after all these years of panic and anxiety.. thats what i do... and sometimes.. i just get really pissed. but never fear.. i still find myself asking friends.. omg.. are you sure i am ok ? is this a heart attack??

you are ok .  believe in that..

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