Constantly worried over my heart

[poppyxx]

So here's some background information; I'm a 17 year old girl, no family history of heart disease or anything related to the heart to be honest, I don't have the best diet but it's definitely not the worst and I'm quite physical.

So in work, I spend a lot of time cleaning so for example I'll be moving furniture like couches (to hover underneath) and tables and in work I was getting chest pain however I wasn't worried about it and I just thought it was one of them things....then I took a day off work and really started thinking about the chest pains, made them go a lot worse, read all about heart attacks and ended up with left arm pain! So I went to A&E where they done an ECG and blood tests....all tests came back fine apart from the fact I'm iron defienct but not anaemic. While I was sitting in the A&E waiting room, I started to experience back pain but my posture was soooo bad, I was literally sat with my head in my hands with my leaning down because I was so worried I couldn't sit straight. The nurses who seen me in A&E said they're positive it's not my heart and said it's anxiety and by looking at me they can tell I'm anxious.

You think that would of put my mind at rest! How wrong was I.... So I got a second opinion last week when I went to my local doctors and he said I have Costochondritis! Makes sense as I move furniture, and when you touch around my breastbone and chest its sore to touch. He said it's definitely not cardiac related and told me to stop worrying..he could see all my results from A&E... you think I'd be happy after that. Truth is I was however it didn't take long for me to worry again..

So I got a third opinion from another doctor who prescibed me propanol.
Basically I still get jaw, arm and back pain however not much chest pain anymore and my back pain is starting to go. It only comes when my posture is really bad because I like to slouch and I lay in bed in different positions..
I'm so worried about the jaw and arm pain (havent had much jaw pain today to be honest, I've got it now that I've started to think about it) The pain doesn't exactly radiate... I'll get arm pain and then jaw pain like never at the same time.

I'm honestly so worried. I'm living my life in fear. I wake up through the night at around 3 am and don't sleep again until 5 am because I'm worrying. It's all I can think about. I'm thinking of going for a 4th opinion and demanding more tests although I know I'm only 17 and this is all unlikely and I'm just worried.
I honeslty don't know what to do.. please help

I've just been laughing then and got a really sharp pain in my heart for a split second and I literally thought I was having a heart attack..my heart started beating so fast.. I'M so scared I want this to stop I'm gonna cry

[lucy666]

This sounds a lot like me, I ended up in a&e for the same thing, they did ecg's and they were all fine, I have contochondritis and the doctor told me it would last for 8 weeks, so I went back because it had been 8 weeks and no change. And they just said that it can take months and months to go away since it's in your chest and ribs. I always ask well what does a ecg show and they tell me it'll show anything abnormal your heart. I think now I just have to believe them.

Also regarding your arm pain, I was feeling very dizzy and had achy arms and it turned out I had a virus in my throat.

Maybe you could try and see a counsellor or a therapist to help with the anxiety.


With my constochrondritis I wanted a X-ray because with anxiety it always makes you think have I damaged my chest, but I don't think they'd give me one.

[2Anxious]

It's not your heart. For one, pain due to heart disease comes from blocked arteries. Even if you ate complete garbage your entire life, you would not develop blocked arteries at 17 years old. It's pretty much unheard of. I think it is actually impossible, tbh. Especially with no family history.

The worst thing you can do is Google the heart because I GUARANTEE you will move on to other heart issues and convince youself you have them instead, because that's exactly what I did. I thought I was having a heart attack when I was 22, went to A&E multiple times etc. It's much easier said than done, but DO NOT GOOGLE. You are NOT having heart problems.

Also, heart pain is never short and sharp unless you're actually having a heart attack (which you were not).

Anxiety can grip you so tightly, I know better than anyone. Think about it logically, chest, jaw and arm pain are symptoms of a heart attack. You went to the doctor, you were not having a heart attack. Therefore, if you feel those pains again, you know it's not a heart attack.

[fallingstar]

It's not your heart. For one, pain due to heart disease comes from blocked arteries. Even if you ate complete garbage your entire life, you would not develop blocked arteries at 17 years old. It's pretty much unheard of. I think it is actually impossible, tbh. Especially with no family history.

The worst thing you can do is Google the heart because I GUARANTEE you will move on to other heart issues and convince youself you have them instead, because that's exactly what I did. I thought I was having a heart attack when I was 22, went to A&E multiple times etc. It's much easier said than done, but DO NOT GOOGLE. You are NOT having heart problems.

Also, heart pain is never short and sharp unless you're actually having a heart attack (which you were not).

Anxiety can grip you so tightly, I know better than anyone. Think about it logically, chest, jaw and arm pain are symptoms of a heart attack. You went to the doctor, you were not having a heart attack. Therefore, if you feel those pains again, you know it's not a heart attack.

I try to be logical with myself all the time - and it's been something like 13 years - but there are periods where I can over come those thoughts and times where I cannot - like right now - thus why I'm scrolling through all the palpitation posts at the moment.