Anxiety and panic attacks

[Mul.dani]

Hi I've been getting panic atttacks, chest pain , neck pain, double vision, and jaw pain for about 5 months now. I've had blood tests done, all the heart tests and I've been to casualty twice thinking I was having a heart attack. I'm still not convinced that there is nothing wrong with my heart even though all the evidence points towards just that. The doctors keep telling me the same thing "it's anxiety".I find it very hard to reasure myself when the palpatations start. From reading other peoples stories it seems that the chest pain only happens when they are in a middle of a panic attack but mine is there most of the time, it will go away for a little while and then come back. I can't get my head around it, I am going around feeling my pulse all the time and feeling my heart beat just to make sure it's ok. I can't keep going for tests on my heart and to be honest it's doing my head in. I need an answer as to what is causing this as I get these pains everyday not just some days. I'm afraid to be on my own incase I have a heart attack and it's ruining my life. I hope someone can give me some advice. Thanks for reading :)

[Kmccluskey]

hi mate, you sound like your having a similar time to me, I also have daily chest pain , what does yours feel like , is it severe ?. I also have loads of other heart symtpoms and share your fear of dropping dead of a heart attack. I understand why it is hard to believe the docs, because I also have trouble accepting anxiety can somehow cause all this when not feeling panicky etc. I had such a horrible squeezing in my heart yesterday I thought that was if and am now living in fear. so, if this is any consolation , you are not alone

[Mul.dani]

Thanks for the reply kmccluskey. The pain is really severe sometimes and then others it's just like a sensation in my chest. I get what you mean about the squeezing in your heart I get that sometimes too. Sometimes I feel like my chest is shaking but I think it's just that I am aware of my heart beating I'm not quite sure what causes it. I'm glad you understand because I was beginning to think I was going crazy.i get these weird pains up my neck too. I know it's unlikely that I'm going to have a heart attack because of all the tests but I don't know how to stop worrying about it. I'm not sure why I get the pains even when I'm completely relaxed and not panicked at all.

[Blondiegirl1]

Hello to you both, I also get this pains in my chest etc. and another thing I get is shortness of breathe, the feeling I can't breathe, this puts me into panic for I feel like I'm going to drop dead at any second. I too have been to the doctors and several tests later all they can tell me is I'm fine. That it is anxiety. It is so hard to believe that anxiety can make you so sick. I used to be so easy going and loved life I used to go camping go on outings etc, now I'm afraid to do these things for aI never know when an attack will happen. So you are not alone in this. This sight has helped me a lot. Because there for a while I thought I was going crazy. Now I see so many people with the same problem as me.

[shea]

I have had this. I have rocked up to a&e and my gp surgery more than once, CONVINCED I was having a heart attack. Each time, all bloods, ecg etc came back normal, and it was put down to anxiety.
Then I saw a different doctor, mentioned the chest pains which were there every day, not just when I panicked. Of course, by this point, I thought it was a pulmonary embolism :-/
The doctor suggested indigestion/heartburn and prescribed omeprazole to reduce stomach acid. I came away, still so disappointed that no one was taking me seriously, and there was no way this was indigestion.
Well, I dutifully took the omeprazole, and knock me down with a feather...The chest pain went!! I had terrible indigestion with my three pregnancies, and this felt completely different, but the omeprazole clearly worked, and the Dr was right after all.
I still occasionally get the same pain, perhaps once or twice a week, but now I know what it is, it does not worry me and soon clears up with some Rennie or a mouthful of gaviscon. :hugs:

[Kmccluskey]

yeah , today for example. I was in a shop and just got this massive squeeze on the left side of my heart, it's not nice lol. it's hard to focus on things properly when out an about due to the worry, everyday just waiting on that heart attack lol. we can fight this though mate, it's gonna be very hard but why lay down andlet this shitty illness dominate our lives. eventually we will come out on top.

[Mul.dani]

Thanks for the replies guys. Im glad im not the only one in this situation, I was prescribed pills from my gp that stop the palpatations but im still worried and getting the chest pain etc.But to quote kmccluskey im not going to "lay down and let this shitty illness dominate my life".:)

[Kmccluskey]

yeah I have the chest pain every day aswell, yesterday it felt like my whole upper body got squeezed extremely hard and like I was going to burst, just a general horrible feeling , it's not a nice way to live. we will get through though

[james_grimble]

Hello,

I have had all of the above, chest pains daily, pins and needles in my hand / arm, arm pain, upper neck pain, shoulder blade pain, feeling weak, feeling faint, palpitations.

I have had a 24hr monitor, echo cardio, and just recently at CT heart scan and Artery scan which I am waiting for the results for. The nurse said if the CT was showed anything serious I wouldn’t be allowed to go home.

So basically it must all just be anxiety. All of those tests cant be wrong !

[Mul.dani]

Hello,

I have had all of the above, chest pains daily, pins and needles in my hand / arm, arm pain, upper neck pain, shoulder blade pain, feeling weak, feeling faint, palpitations.

I have had a 24hr monitor, echo cardio, and just recently at CT heart scan and Artery scan which I am waiting for the results for. The nurse said if the CT was showed anything serious I wouldn’t be allowed to go home.

So basically it must all just be anxiety. All of those tests cant be wrong !

I know how you feel, and how hard it is to believe the doctors. I have had every test possible and they all came back clear. If helps to just accept the pains and keep thinking to yourself "ok I have these pains and sensations but they are just anxiety and they can't harm me" i tried that today in the middle of a panic attack and I think it helped. I am still worried about my heart but not as much as I was.
Also I find burning camomile in an oil burner helps to relax me. I'm not fully over my anxiety but I'm getting there. Hope this helped in someway.

[Keith Banks]

i have a lot of similar symptoms and done all the tests ,told it was anxiety .Unconvinced i have to sometimes prove that my heart is ok by going for a jog or a sprint up a hill.I find the symptoms disappear during exercise which gives me some comfort that my ticker is OK.

Hope this helps