anxiety and thoughts of heart problems

[Mum3]

I wonder if someone can help me. I have an anxiety disorder and fear that I have symptoms of angina or heart attack. I have GERD and IBS and logically know that those disorders can give me similiar symptoms. I have had ecg tests in the past and bloodwork and all is fine. Right now I have had chest pain, left shoulder/arm pain and jaw pain off and on for the past few days. My part er tries to reassure me that it's my GERD but I'm still frightened. Help please. X

[Arnie365]

Hi mum3, I can totally relate to you and know how hard it is. My best bit of advice is that acceptance is a key part of recovery. Believing what the doctors have told you is really important. Ive also found CBT and Fluoxetine really helpful and have been doing really well over the past few weeks apart from a blip and panic attack today at work, but anyway that aside, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Ive gone from worrying about having a heart attack daily to hardly thinking about it at all. I still get chest pains which are digestion related but I can ignore them most days now so it can be done.

[Heley]

Hi there.

I have an anxiety disorder and also worried about my heart. I had blood tests and an ECG done and all was fine. I also get similar pain to you and have IBS and suspected GERD.

I know that it's really frightening. But you will be fine :) if anything changes or gets worse, you can call 111 to find out what you should do. They can usually reassure you/send you to an out of hours GP if you're concerned. You might also have costochondritis (like me) which is an inflammation of the cartlidge in the left side of the chest. To see if it is, gently press on the painful areas. If the pain replicates, chances are it's that. If it is that, you need some ibuprofen/paracetamol and avoidance of doing things that could make it worse (so heavy exercise or picking things up).

Hope this helps :) but also don't forget that if anything does change and you're seriously worried, it's far better to get checked out than have the minute chance of it actually being something serious.

[Mum3]

Thank you so much to both of you for replying. My partner is being so kind but it helps to share experiences. I have tried what seems a silly remedy too....a tsp of mustard. Has taken the edge of the chest pain a bit. Still the shoulder and jaw pain but will take on board what you both have said. Thanks again! X

[Heley]

Hope you feel better and if you want to pm me, feel free to :)

[Mum3]

Thanks honey. Will do once I figure out how to do it. X

[Arnie365]

just click on the persons name and you get a drop down list with PM on it

[Mum3]

Thanks very much. :-) x

[sjlb]

I have similar thoughts most days. I have palpitations, a sort of strange fuzzy feeling in my chest and now a pain in the side of my neck which I keep thinking must be something sinister. This has been part of my life since my first panic attack 4 years ago. If I think logically, I only ever get the neck pain in the evening, never at work or when I am busy. Unfortunately the logical thoughts are often drowned out by the anxiety!

[JulieJay92]

exactly same as me, i posted last week and still here alive and kicking and moved house so unlikely to be more serious