View Full Version : Worrying about heart
Hi all,
I've been doing quite well lately so I've not been posting. But today I have got myself into a bit of a tizz. I'm worried I'm having small heart attacks. It happened today when I was trying shoes on in a shop. It's a pain that starts under my arm, or that's what it feels like, and it moves into my left pectoral, or that's what it feels like. I'm freaked out that it's a heart attack, a mild one or something. I've had it before, a few times. This pain that starts and seems to radiate. It lasts a few minutes then fades off but it scares the hell out of me. There is NO chance I'm googling so I'm just hoping for some calming words.
Thanks xx
You are not having heart attacks. I promise.
And please, stick around when you're doing well. It is therapeutic to tell other people off for being daft when they are worrying about the same things as you do when you're having a hard time :-)
Thanks Kate. I've got myself convinced that I should be going to a&e. I mean, it does hurt when it happens. My boyfriend says it's muscular or something pulled, and that I couldn't 'rub away' a heart attack. Which is rational. But it comes on out of nowhere! Maybe I was trying to force those boots on too hard...
I don't know. I am genuinely concerned because it's happened before and I know it's coming. I have to stretch my arm out to sooth it, and windmill my arm around. It's scary. Should I go get checked? Grr, just when I'm getting my head together!
I am going to reply to more posts. Sometimes I find I can read things and it triggers me into panic, so sometimes I'm reluctant.
Thanks for your reply xx
**Normal "not a doctor" disclaimer***
It sounds very much muscular to me. The fact that different positions ease it backs that theory up.
If you are at all worried, please ring 111 from your phone. They always err on the side of getting you checked out if they hear the words "I'm worried about a heart attack" so if they have ANY concerns they will have an ambulance out to do you an ECG before you can say "Ooops"
I'm not gonna phone them cos like you say, they'll just put me into more panic as soon as I mention the word heart. I'm just hoping it's nothing serious. My parents just laughed ay me when I said I think I've had a heart attack. Not in a mean way, but my dad said I'd not be sat here talking about it. But then you hear all this stuff about people having attacks and not really knowing, or it not necessarily flooring someone.
I'm determined not to Google because I'll be able to symptom match quite easily. The only thing reassuring me is the knowledge that heart attacks usually feel like your chest being crushed and the pain is also in your back and neck. Still freaked though. Am I in overreact mode? This is it. When do you know to panic! I'm talking myself out of any drastic action but maybe there should be some action . Xx
You aren't having a heart attack hon. It's happened before like you say - how many heart attacks do you think you'd have and still be standing?
But if it was me, I'd phone them. Let them come out. Then when I got a normal ECG and felt a bit of a plonker, I'd know for next time.
I'm worried I'm having small heart attacks.
There's really no such thing. Even a minor heart attack is BIG! And you wouldn't be having several small ones.... And of course... you wouldn't be posting about it here I assure you! ;)
Positive thoughts
If you look at the questions on the All Experts Cardiology website, the advice is often that chest pain in young people is usually muscular pain, and Dr Richardson on that site has often said that if you can make the pain better or worse by pressing on it or moving, then it is not heart pain.
I used to worry about stories where people didn't realise they were having a heart attack, but usually it was more that they were ignoring a host of symptoms, not just one small pain.
Thank the replies. Really helpful and informative without having to go on the dreaded Google!
Especially fishman as I know you've suffered this for real, your advice means a lot.
Will try and stay rational although the whole left arm chest pain stuff does really scare me. But yeah, as Kate said I guess I wouldn't have several heart attacks and still be ok. Whatever it is, it's pretty intense at the time. Saab, good to know about the pain changing with movement/touching. Mine does.
Thanks guys xx
Ok...I'm panicking again. I've been awake since 5am worrying, it's now 7am and I just can't switch off. I'm still thinking that maybe I did have an actual attack and have had several before. I've read through some posts on here and the main comments are 'you would know about it'. Well that's the thing, I DO know about it when it happens. When it's happened in the past I've been at home and been able to lie on my bed and stretch out til it fades. But today I was in a shop, and it was so uncomfortable I had to take my coat off and rub my chest.
What's worrying me now is I can feel like, a crawling feeling in my chest to the left. And I have mild pain also on the left when inhaling. So now I'm thinking it's some after effect of the attack today. Or that maybe it's about to happen again but this time it'll be even worse.
The pain does move when it happens. It started under my arm, then after I rubbed there it moved into the breast area on the left. It feels like an intense burning feeling. Almost like cramp. I'm so worried! I darent Google because then I'll be in absolute hell so I'm coming here again. I'm just hoping for some calming advice, (again).
Thanks xx
mummyanxious
18-01-14, 11:22
This sounds very much like something I've been getting. Starts just below my left armpit, sometimes its slightly further round and can spread up into my armpit. Mine can last quite a whole though. Sometimes I get it on both sides.
Both dr I've seen said they didn't think it was anything serious. I remain unconvinced. I don't know what it is but its very painful, sometimes like a burning sometimes like a squeezing cramping. I'd just like someone to take it seriously and make it go away!
Yeah it's horrible. The more I think about it, the more I realise how many times it's happened. Not sure if this is a good or bad sign as I've never heard of anyone having 10 heart attacks. Now I'm worrying it's warning signs or something. Really hope it's just a muscle spasm or holding myself funny, anything!
mummyanxious
18-01-14, 13:57
I've got it now. It centres to the left where I think my stomach is so I'm not sure if its acid as I had a bad time last night with reflux.
I've been going through the same thing as well pains in the chest, though I have had it on and off since I was about 13, I haven't had bad health anxiety for quite a while now but lately it's come back. Yesterday afternoon I was convinced it was heart related and was having pains and a little in my arm and neck/shoulder, I was so scared, posted on here and was sure I was making it worse by panicking about it. When I was distracted later on in the evening it went to barely noticeable and then no pains last night really. This afternoon it is back a little but this time on my right side and a little in the middle, yesterday it was on the left. I also feel dizzy and have a load of other symptoms and am also worrying about a range of other things that could be wrong with me.
People do say that you wouldn't even be posting on here if it was anything to do with the heart. I know what it's like in that moment when you feel the pain and suddenly your thoughts are instantly filled with thoughts of the heart and dying, it's scary and I think that I just make myself worse sometimes thinking about it so much and then when it's happening focusing on just that and sitting or lying there waiting for the next little twinge or pain and that setting me off again.
I did tell my doctor years ago and the chest pains and he said it was muscular, but I've never had any tests, I'm the kind with HA that avoids doctors. But I have an appointment end of this month to get a routine check on everything.
Mine panic started off again I think when I had bad acid reflux last Monday morning at 6.30am, when I woke up with it and I've never had it bad before, thought I was dying and ever since then I've been having chest pains off and on and am now so worried about eating anything else that will set the acid reflux back off.
I get the pain sometimes as well when breathing in too. Heartburn can cause a burning feeling in the chest. It can be worse when bending over or lying down as well. It can be made worse by stress. And sometimes it can be eased by rubbing or moving position. Other digestive issues can also cause chest pain apparently.
My neighbour once had a heart attack and the whole street knew about it he screamed that loud for help and he said it wasn't like he just had intense pain and then got on with his day/or sleep, it stopped him doing everything and he was in the A&E before he knew it. He also said that rubbing or changing position didn't help it at all either not that he could move that much anyway.
I'm just trying not to think about mine today, see if that helps it. As I said mine is worse when I think about it and focus on it and then get all anxious thinking about what it could be or what might happen, usually the things that I'm anxious about never even usually ever happen anyway. I would go get a check up at the doctors anyway when you can, just to put your mind at ease so you can stop worrying about it.
My neighbour once had a heart attack and the whole street knew about it he screamed that loud for help and he said it wasn't like he just had intense pain and then got on with his day/or sleep, it stopped him doing everything and he was in the A&E before he knew it.
That's what I've said in numerous posts. A heart attack... a real heart attack isn't just some chest pain. It can bring you to your knees, stop you in your tracks and there's really no doubt. My second heart attack happened when I was in the ER. I went there with chest pain and while I was there it actually hit. The pain was so intense that I told my fiance' to get the doctors. They shot me up with drugs to help the pain and such. Even with that, it was an hour or so before it eased up enough that I could relax a bit. The ECG/EKG showed it as did my blood work.
I've seen so many posts here about heart attack fears. All of them are and have been anxiety related. Seriously, if indeed you were having a heart attack, you wouldn't be here posting about it.
Positive thoughts
I've just seen these posts now, thank you for replying.
My anxiety is through the roof today. I've debated calling an ambulance. I've not got any major pains but I am having shooting pains to the left of my chest and arm, and my hands are tingling. I can't calm down. I'm having panic attacks one after the other, it's bad. I've resorted to having a brandy to try relax but I don't think it's working. Would you have warning signs if you were going to have a heart attack? Like the pains I've had in the chest and arm weeks or months ago, or the one the other day? Could they been signs? This is horrendous.
---------- Post added at 15:31 ---------- Previous post was at 12:14 ----------
Anyone? I know I've had some really good responses and I really appreciate that. Shelly, thanks for sharing your experiences, it does sound similar. I'm just wondering if pains or aches happen days weeks months before an attack, or is it just totally out of the blue? I'm just really trying not to Google this because I just know it'll terrify me.
Sorry, just having a really bad day x
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