Having a really bad setback re heart please help X

[claireypoo]

Hi there

Everything was going well for me until the last month or so when I started to get chest pains especially when i lie on my sides - it feels like my ribcage is crushing in on itself - if I'm honest it's not massively painful or anything - more discomfort than anything. I was worried so went to docs and they said heart was fine. My chest also feels tight (so much so i undo my bra strap) and I also get a lot of heartburn recently.

On top of this I've also been having a mostly stiff but slightly achey jaw over the last week or so since it got stuck half way open the other day - i googled stiff jaw and BANG found jaw pain another symptom of a heart attack.

I'm so terrified something is wrong with my heart. I so desperately need some peace of mind but it's Friday night and I can't get in to the doctors but really don't feel bad enough to call an ambulance. I'm not really in any severe pain right now - just aching jaw really and general high anxiety feelings/ sensations.

Everywhere I look at the mo are the posters for chest pain (chap with belt around his chest) and although I have been reading Claire Weekes and it has really helped me I can't shake this heart attack stuff off and accept it as anxiety until I know 100 per cent that these symptoms I'm getting are not a sign of heart disease.

I'm scared I'm now labelled as a "hyperchondriac" at the doctors and that they will get sick of me - I must have been 5 times in 6 months! Also I'm scared that they won't take me seriously as I worry they will put everything down to anxiety... and although I know it probably is that... I still need to know that they have REALLY checked me out in order to have some peace of mind.

Can anyone help me?
I really don't want to be scared like this all weekend!
Claire

[sgp64]

Hi Claire,

firstly I and many others here know exactly what you are going through so please try and take some comfort from that fact. All of us who have experienced this know how horrible it is and how worrying but try and get through the weekend by remembering that this is your anxiety manifesting itself with physical symptoms. Try not to google...this is important...you will only convince yourself that you have all manner of illnesses/impending health issues and this will make you feel worse. I did exactly the same as you and googled and ended up convinced I was about to drop at any mo....its tough but don't do it! Because of your anxiety over your heart you are noticing things (such as those posters) that are always there but now you are reading them as some kind of sign. They are not. It is your anxiety working away.

Try not to worry about being "labelled" anything by your doc.....they are there to treat and reassure. I've seen my doc more than that in the past few months so I know how you feel but its essential if you're worrying about physical symptoms that the doc puts your mind at rest. Trust me...your doc will be seeing some people far more often than he sees you.

Do your best to try and relax tonight, pamper yourself, chill out, try some abdominal breathing, take a long hot soak maybe. Pop into the chat room for advice if things aren't going well...there's some good people here who know only too well how you feel.

Sean xx

[Nel]

My husband had a couple of panic attacks a few years back.
What you describe is EXACTLY the same as the symptoms he had, the jaw pain and the ribcage, chest pain - all of it. He was utterly convinced it was his heart.
I just read your post out to him and he said please reply to offer her reassurance, I PROMISE you it is anxiety, I 100% gurantee it in fact.

[claireypoo]

Thanks so much guys! I do feel better now - i think i knew that deep down but it's so easy to get carried away with the anx! Thanks again!

[Stu M]

Hi Claire,

All those symtoms you describe I have been going through myself for a while now. I know how you feel, but I think the responses that people give, ie. its anxiety and try not to worry is correct. Although I know this may not help when the panic kicks in !!!

Also I have seen these adverts about heart disease lately, and to be honest they freak me out big time. Am I over reacting, has anyone else seen the one with the belt around the mans chest. I dont think anyone thought about health anxiety sufferers when they came up with that advertising campain. So again I can understand your reaction when you see these posters :(

I hope you start to feel better soon, keep seeing your doctor, thats what they are there for and steer clear of those dodgy posters [^]

Stu

[sandie]

Hello Stu and Claire

Those posters with the guy with his chest restricted by a belt really upset me. The promotional people obviously are not aware of how chest burning, restriction and pain is sooooooooo common place amongst anxiety sufferers.

Claire, Im SURE its anxiety/PA; I find my Bachs Rescue Remedy really helps, as does (strangely enough) coughing vigorously, big purposeful breaths, and of course total distraction.

My anxiety/panic attacks also causes palpitations - which scared the life out of me. Whilst I'm on meds to make palps bearable - its not because I have a heart problem - its purely and simply anxiety causing the physical symptoms.

Hope your friends here at NMP have put some of your fears at rest.

Sandie

PS I rarely wear a bra during the day unless I have to because it worsens the chest pain - so you are not on your own there - I can fully sympathise!!!

[claireypoo]

Thanks everyone! (and thanks sandie! It's good to know that someone else does the bra thing too !!!! ha ha ha ha ha!)
Thanks for all your advice!
I'm feeling soooo much better now!
Claire

[claireypoo]

Hi there
Just wanted to say thanks again!
That was my worst setback for months! But I'm getting over it now and back on the rocky recovery road!
Just a quick question though... Saturday morning i woke up with a shocking bad cold/ flu? (Aches/pains/ full of cold etc) Now I'm wondering how much the setback had to do with me being due to come down with a virus?
Can being ill with a cold make a setback happen?
Thanks
Claire

[baxwalker]

Hello Claire

When I saw a cardiac specialist due to palps etc, everything returned a negative result - but I was definitely having ectopics. He wasn't particularly concerned about them - said they were quite common and harmless - particularly as everything else had checked out.

I asked what was causing them and he asked he I'd recently had a flu virus or similar. I had and he said that was likely to have triggered the ectopics off.

Hope this helps you Claire

John xxx

[baxwalker]

It's gone very quiet on this thread following my previous post - was it something I said ? :D

[claireypoo]

lol! Thanks for your message - I think it must be that because since I've been getting better flu wise my anx has gone down too! Thanks for all your help!
Claire

[Stu M]

Hello John,

Thats very interesting about what you say your doctor said about Flu and Virus triggering ectopics, never heard that before its always been labled as anxiety when I ask my GP.

Why or how does he think Flu may trigger it??? Did he give any detail?

Stu

[Lindalou64]

AFTER I GOT OUT OF HOSPITAL WITH PNEMONIA LAST JANUARY A COUPLE WEEKS LATER I WAS HAVING TERRIBLE PANIC AGAIN A SET BACK WENT TO THE DOC SHE ALSO TOLD ME IT WAS DUE FROM ALL THE STRESS MY BODY WENT THRU MAKES SENSE??? ...........BEST TO YA.............LINDA TC XX[8D]