Starting to panic help..........

[ella32]

Im starting to panic even though im trying not too. I was just sitting watching telly and got a shooting pain in centre of chest . I had an ecg done two weeks ago and it was normal but i am waiting for an appointment for a stress test. Im just so scared in case it my heart... I wasnt even anxious wen it happened

[BobbyDog]

It could be trapped wind, try putting a hot water bottle on your tummy.

[ella32]

Thanks ill try it. Just cant help but think it heart related.:shrug:

---------- Post added at 21:30 ---------- Previous post was at 20:58 ----------

Anyone else ever have this ... Just need reassurance im scared

[nomorepanic]

If the pain has gone then I wouldn't worry about it.

I get it all the time.

it could be indigestion/trapped wind/reflux/muscular

[erin31]

Hi Ella.
I get a tightening in my chest if I am very anxious. I wouldn't call it a shooting pain more like I have a band across my chest and I cannot take a deep breath.
I have a hiatus hernia and this causes me a lot of chest pain if I eat to much at one sitting and this pain can be constant or shooting.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
x

[ella32]

Thanks for replying. It hasnt gone per say it not as strong is all. It scares the crap out of me when it happens and its the lingering effects that make me worry. My blood pressure is fine so i presume that a good thing at least i hope.i do have a question though can a gp know just by listening to ur chest and doing blood pressure whether it cardiac or not

[nomorepanic]

No they can't Ella

[ella32]

Thanks nicola for getting back to me. I dont know maybe the chest pain is all anxiety cause around 5 weeks ago i think it was i ended up in a@e with chest pain and everything came back fine. Sometimes my doc will listen to my chest and say heart is fine your not having heart attack which i do worry about.

[nomorepanic]

It is anxiety related and I think you are making it worse cos you are stressing about it.

Please try and relax ok and forget about it as the stress is not good for you either.

You have to trust that you are ok

[ella32]

I have very low self esteem so i have no belief in myself . I try to tell myself it ok but i dont believe it sometimes. I got a sharp pain in right arm about half hour ago so now it feeling tingly but then again im txting this on my phone so my arm is bent anyway. I dont know just having a really really hard time at the min

[flossie]

You've had the tests done at the hospital and the logical part of your mind knows that all is well with your heart. The pains you are experiencing are likely all down to muscle tension where you are holding your body rigid with anxiety. You have got caught in the cycle of anxiety causing muscle tension which causes discomfort, which causes more anxiety, which brings on more muscle tension - and so it goes on and on.
Have faith in the doctors, they have given you the all clear on your heart, be happy about that and accept it as the good news that it is. Now you need to focus on breaking the anxiety/muscle tension cycle. This can be difficult as we hold tension in the muscles for so long it becomes to feel the norm for us.
Get yourself a relaxation CD or MP3 download, one that uses muscle relaxation. NoPanic have a good one but find one that works for you. We all have different favourites. Find time every day to learn how to relax and breathe properly. At first it will be hard to let yourself relax but give it time and you will soon recognise the tension you are holding in your body.

---------- Post added at 09:25 ---------- Previous post was at 09:23 ----------

Another thought. Do you text a lot? Is so then it could be muscle strain from the repeated texting.

[cazscotchic]

Hi Ella,

The chest pains is a very common pain when suffering anxiety attacks, I get them and feel like I cant breathe, the more you stress about it the worse it gets and your breathing becomes more difficult and then you statrt to hyperventalate, a vicous circle really, the more you fight it, the harder it gets. If you allow a panic attack to go full way, you will see that even though this is a scary process it will eventually calm down and although it feels like hours, the longer you fight it the longer it lasts, allow it to come and tell yourself, this will not kill me and it will pass very quickly and this is your 1st learning curve I do this and my panic attacks pass quicker and quicker and it learns you how to understand how your body responds to how you feel. Learn the breathing technique as this helps me alot in for 4 hold for 4 then out for 6.... reading things can sometimes make it worse but I say the more you learn about ur attacks and pains the more you will understand them. I have been a sufferer for 23 years and the last 5 years have been amazing but sligtly fallen back recently due to wedding, moving home new job, but just need the same reassurance you do that I aint going to die and believe me you wont. I have had the worst attacks, pains, faints you can experiance and I am still here 23 years later, my life is now amazing but sometimes we all slip back. My advice Stop all caffeine as this is a huge factor on panic and triggers them dreadfully, I have not used caffeine for 20 years and feel the effects when I accidently have the wrong teabags at work and this triggers pain in my chest and palpatations. And another thing dread is an awful thing as this plays awful tricks on your mind, learn to accept you suffer from this then and then you can learn to deal with it and life becomes that little bit easier every day, and we are all here for you xx