Anxiety or real heart problems?

[naked_eye]

I've been getting chest, arm and neck pains lately and not sure what to do. I have an anxiety and panic attack disorder which makes it very hard for me to tell if something is actually physically wrong with me.
I get the pains here and there through out the day but it gets really bad every night when I try to sleep. Sometimes I get pains in my back too and a numbness in my fingers.
I'm sure this could all be my anxiety but it feels different from what I'm used to.

[Bridget A. Hewitt, RN]

While some of these symptoms can be related to anxiety, some (such as the involuntary flailing, and the feeling of losing control of your bowels) are less "typical".  I think you should see your doctor about these symptoms before you decide that they are anxiety related.  They may very well be anxiety related, but I always feel "better safe than sorry".   I hope this helps.  

Bridget

[kay2486]

hiya, ive been an anxiety sufferer, i had a panic attack so bad i dialled 999, it scared the life out of me, my heart was racing my face was numb, i couldnt talk, my speech was slurred and i suffered my first ectopiv heartbeats, they were scary and becuase ive never had these before i rang for the paramedic

i have had less severe panic attacks in the past but this was a bad one, and it was put down to a panic attack s nothing else was foundt wrong with me,

i would get it checked with the doctor to make sure nothing else is wrong, do an ecg and blood tests then deal with the anxiety

[naked_eye]

Thank you for taking the time to write back I really appreciate it. I do have anxiety and panic attack disorder. I've been medicated for them for about five years and they have worked wonderfully for me. I haven't had a panic attack in years until just a few weeks ago.
Though I'm not totally sure if it was one. I've had so many panic attacks in the past that I could always tell if I was having one.

A few of the things that worried me was the flash of light, falling to the ground, body flailing (moving on it's own), the feeling I would lose control of my bowels and finally my failed speech, everything I said was slurred and I couldn't seem to say the words I was thinking in my head.

The other parts seemed like a average panic attack, the racing heart, feeling of fear, tingling in the body and cold sweats.

I've been having the chest and other pains ever since then. I've seen my doctor to get a higher dose of my pills for my anxiety, I just need to pick them up now. I'm also getting a chest x-ray on the off chance something else is wrong.

While I wait for my pills and x-ray I'd just like to ask if this all sounds like classic anxiety?
I'd just like a little guidance so I know if I should be concerned with mental or physical state.

[Bridget A. Hewitt, RN]

Hi and thanks for using the forum.

The only way to know for sure that this is not something physically wrong would be to see your doctor.  IF this is the first time that you are feeling these symptoms, then you should see your regular doctor to get checked out.  If you have had these symptoms before and they were diagnosed as anxiety/panic symptoms, then you know that is the cause.  Do you have medication for panic attacks?  IF you do and feel relief of symptoms with the medication, then you can safely assume that the symptoms are anxiety symptoms and not something else.  Hope this helps.  Good luck.

Bridget