Anxiety and constant chest/arm pain

[nm13]

I'm 34 yr old male and have been experiencing various chest and left arm pains for about three months.  I've seen a plethora of doctors from cardiologist to internist to GI doc to psychologist.  Heart problems have been ruled out by numerous EKG's and stress echo test.  GI doc found I have a hiatal hernia/GERD from upper GI and is currently being treated with Nexium.  Have also had ultrasound of liver/gall bladder and MRI of abdomen - all normal.  Feel like a pin cushion from all the blood work - again all within normal ranges.

My psychologist insists anxiety is the culprit.  Though I have been under a fair amount of stress with work and family, can these pains linger around for this long just from anxiety?  They come and go throughout the day and are very disruptive to my thinking of 'what's going on with me? - which I'm guessing only breeds more anxiety.

The only other med I'm on is Lipitor for cholestorol.

I'm reluctant to try any anti-anxiety meds since I had a bad bout with cymbalta a few months back and I really don't feel as though I need it.  I just want the pain to stop.  I've tried numerous relaxation and meditation methods which are very calming and helpful, but still the pain comes.  The only time I don't notice it is when I'm exercising (usually run 3-6 miles/day).

Any thoughts of what's going on?  Anxiety, current med side effects or something else?

[rksvdk]

Yes i hav. but all are saying its due tp anxiety

[rksvdk]

. I am describing my problem here. Please help me in this context. Please suggest me. I wiil follow Your suggestions. Please reply for this message.
I am a having anxiety problem (based on my symptoms i concluded) from past two years. Continuously I am having chest pain and the pain is transferring back side of left shoulder to front side of chest. My left finger nerve is shaking also paining. I met five doctors who are general medicine and one neurologist, ENT and Psychiatrist. I have taken test like ECG and chest X-ray, Blood test and thyroid test. Everything showed normal. It’s taken me one year to recognize it is due to anxiety. Doctor suggested me clonazepam 0.25mg for two months, after taking that tablet I feel 80% reduction in my pain. The dosage was increased to 0.5mg and used for two months. Almost my problem disappears and at that time I stopped taking tablets. For three months everything is ok and after that the problem come again and again. Whenever I am taking clonazepam I feel ok and if I am not taking I can’t able to bear the nerve pain, chest pain and uneasy and confusion. Sometimes I am frustrated and feeling hopeless. Even exercise also not giving any relax to me.
Sometimes I am feeling something happen to my heart, I will get heart attack and so many negative thoughts. I am unable to concentrate on my studies. Even I can’t able to enjoy fully, things like parties, watching movies and chat with friends. I am always having fear of chest pain and anxiety. I am always keeping clonazepam in my pocket. That much bad situation I am facing. My friends are suggesting me to go to yoga and try for acupuncture. But I am feeling nothing will cure my problem. I am avoiding lonely traveling and going far places where there is no availability of doctor. I know all this things are nonsense. Sometimes I will feel like I am brave person and I can overcome all this things. Whenever fear comes I am becoming over anxious. This problem was severe at staring but now I started reading so many articles on this and got some confidence. But help me to fully and completely getting out of this and continue my routine life without taking clonazepam. Fully irritated and frustrated with this problem. Its completely taken away my life from the past two years. Plzzzzzzzzzzzz suggest me.
I am expecting a solution because I met all doctors all are saying it is due to your thinking and you don’t have any health problem. Always they are prescribing clonazepam. Suggest me some Ayurveda medicines which will cure my symptoms

[MiaSunshine]

It is very comforting to see that other people feel the way I do (though I wouldn't wish these feelings on anyone else). My anxiety has come and gone for 3 years now. Flared up when my grandpa had a heart attack, then again when my sister died of preeclampsia, then again when my mom died of a heart attack. The last year I was on Lexapro and did wonderful. but I quit taking it because I wanted to see if it was gone, and if not I wanted to try to cope with it on my own and see if I can get passed it. Well....I've been off the meds for about 4 months now and the symptoms have come back: chest pain, arm pain, constant shoulder and upper back pain, nervous stomach, panic attacks, feeling like I'm going to die, constantly researching heart issues and anxiety because i'm convinced im going to have a heart attack. What scares me the most is the week before my mom's heart attack she thought she had anxiety, she described her symptoms to me and asked if that's how my anxiety felt and it was exactly the same. The morning of her heart attack she asked for a klonopin that i had because she was feeling very "anxious".... two hours later she has a heart attack and dies. Now I CANT stop obsessing about it and worrying that I'll just think I have anxiety and end up having  a heart attack too. I have been to the ER 3 times thinking that I'm dying and had EKGs that have fine, along with chest xrays. But I still don't feel peace of mind, and this anxiety is literally taking over and ruining my life....

[raildog]

I feel the exact same way. Im only 22 and my left side chest hurts arm hurts my back and left shoulder hurts. Doctors say im fine but i need to exercise and do more things but im scared my hearts going to pop. Im scared to do anything strenuous when i walk up the stairs in my house i have to do it slowly or my heart will start racing really fast. I cant believe i have such bad anxiety at such a young age. I used to wrestle in high school and do mixed martial arts now im scared to even walk up stairs...... i just wish there was some factual explanation besides stress and anxiety causing this.

[Steve5148]

Hi all I'm glad I found this site as I believed I was going mad
It all started for me approx 12 months ago after a heavy drinking weekend on a stag trip
It's gradually got worse and I've been taken to a and e twice but all tests show my heart is good
I've seen the doctor and specialist more over the last 12 months than I've seen my wife(
Yet I still think I'm having a heart attack
I've got most of the descriptions that belong to a heart attack
Ar/shoulder pain/ fast pulse etc

I can't seem to get it into my head that it's anxiety and it's driving me crazy

[missvirtuous]

One the hardest things in life is coming to realization that we all have to go through things.  Everyone will not go through the things the same. Some people will have severity and some very minor.  I think what tops it off is the unknowing. No one but God knows what we will face and as we watch others face things in their life, we often say "what if that happens to me" will I be able to handle it.  This is where the anxiety rears its ugly head. I think everyone experiences some sort of anxiety at one point in their life, but there are a select few  that reaches the peaks of anxiety. Not sure how long I have been experiencing it but I think after 30, the anxiety really hit me!  I try my best not to let it get to me, but sometimes I can't help but think "am I dying"... Especially when you see others "as young as you" dying of some of the same issues you totally fear.  However, I am a person who trusts God!  My parents are well in their 60s and doing well and they have taught me how to lean on him. Everyday, I work to get closer and closer to him and every day  a little of my anxiety fades.  Its a battle that we must fight daily, but I won't give up! I love my life and will continue living it to the best of my ability as long as I have God on my side!!!  Take care everyone! #wegotthis