There's something strange in my chest

[sebinkent]

Since being told that my lungs and heart are normal after having a CT scan, I relaxed a bit but something still isn't quite right. Breathing has become a bit of an issue and I get a tight throat and sometimes burning or pressure in the my chest around my sternum. Today it has felt like I am breathing through a straw but two doctors have told me that I don't have asthma and asthma doesn't run in my family. My logical brain is telling me it's anxiety but if it's something physical, what could this be? It's driving me nuts.

[Dazza]

I've had countless symptoms, some of which have changed over time.

I've also had many 'chest' symptoms, ranging from pressure, sharp pains, really strange fizzy numbness just as nodding off to sleep (that was a scary one), and even sudden squeezing around heart area that almost made me pass out at the time. All had me in a frenzy of anxiety... countless heart tests have ruled our anything heart related...my chest pain symptoms usually come back diagnosed as acid reflux or gastritis.

Despite all the heart tests, I still worry about it on a daily basis.

[BKF1515]

I have also had all sorts of chest symptoms, even like those you described. A few weeks ago I had sharp pains around my sternum and thought I had a pulmonary embolism. I've had breathelessness for weeks on end, pressure feeling for weeks on end, etc. Luckily all that was about three years ago when I had a lot of anxiety and then translated it to worrying about my heart and chest after starting to experience those symptoms. I have had ECGs which ruled out anything wrong with my heart. And now I no longer have heart/chest symptoms as often and am on to other health worries. So don't worry, you'll get past this.

[sebinkent]

Thanks everyone! I know that the anxiety will remain if I keep worrying so if I keep telling myself it's just anxiety, hopefully it will go away. I hope it does because it can really take over so many aspects of your life. I used to be really active and do loads of sports and I have done no exercise for two months because i've been afraid of over-exerting my lungs! How f***ed up is that??

[Dazza]

I used to be really active and do loads of sports and I have done no exercise for two months because i've been afraid of over-exerting my lungs! How f***ed up is that??

I know how you feel, I used to not even leave the house, so convinced that merely walking up the street would cause me to have a heart attack. Seriously f***ed up as you say... but now I can function much more, and even exercise, usually with swimming. When I swim, I reassure myself that it's making me feel good, and making my heart stronger. And when I swim, no chest pains! :)

[VioletWings]

Thanks everyone! I know that the anxiety will remain if I keep worrying so if I keep telling myself it's just anxiety, hopefully it will go away. I hope it does because it can really take over so many aspects of your life. I used to be really active and do loads of sports and I have done no exercise for two months because i've been afraid of over-exerting my lungs! How f***ed up is that??

seb I totally understand where you're coming from! Accepting it's anxiety and carrying on as if it's only anxiety (which it is!) has always helped me when I've been having bad symptoms.
I've had chest pressure in the past so I know how scary that is, and right now I don't know what's going on with mine, but I know that the first steps out of responding to your fear are the biggest! As for exercise, just start slowly, and you'll begin to feel better :)

[sebinkent]

Thanks Violetwings. I went for a long walk today and felt good. Didn't get out of breath or feel tightness in my chest. I think a lot of us on here can almost have a chronic hyperventilation syndrome as a result of long periods of anxiety and that alone can give you weird symptoms.