Chest discomfort and panic attacks

[almoststew1990]

Hey there. Just joined up today if you haven't seen me around. I guess I am just looking for people in a similar situation to talk to.

I have had chest pain for 3 years, and I have panicked about it ever since it first started. When I get chest pain (doctor says it is due to bad posture/ sitting at a desk all day) I panic that it is a heart attack. I went home from university for a while to get over it when it first started, was put on Citallipram and saw a chiropractor (sorry for the spelling), but to no avail; I started getting general health anxiety about other things too like food poisoning, headaches and Meningitis. It gradually got better as I got used to not dying, but now it is back with a vengence after a bad panic attack about a week ago, because I am in Finland (about an hour away from a hospital and can't speak Finnish, not a good combination) and am not going home for 6 days. Now I am back to the old ways of not being able to sleep and 'listening' to my body too much and feeling anxious even if there is no chest pain.

So just wondering, are there any other chest pain panickers out there? Anyone who misses a nights sleep because the anxiety keeps them awake? Anyone got any tips to get to sleep?

[Estellenoire]

It's like you just described me!

I find watching TV until I physically can't keep my eyes open helps to some extent, but some days I have to actually get up and forget about trying to sleep and go for a walk with the dog.

[kimkitson77]

Im going through a tough time at the min and iv been getting chest pain!!
Its not nice and it scares the hell out of me, i have health anxiety about my heart anyway so any little thing that happens on my left hand side i think its my heart!! i havnt slept propa for over a week its so depressing!!
kim

[almoststew1990]

ah so there are a few of us around! Glad to hear I am not the only one out there. I also sometimes give up on sleep for a night when I know it is a lost cause, I watch a film on my psp or something to waste the time.

Kimkitson77- Dr Google can be your friend on the rare occassion. (I guess it doesnt count as my real doctor told me :P) I also got nervous about pain on the left side of your chest, thinking it was my heart, but it turns out that that pain is nothing to worry about. If it is something wrong with your heart it will be in the center of your chest. Of course, you can have pain in the centre of your chest and it not be anything serious- I am living proof of that every day :D