chest pain worries.

[ella32]

My anxiety is through the roof at the moment and its all focused around my heart. The fear is crippling me . I have had echo,stress test and countless ecgs done in 2013 and everything came back normal but I still suffer with chest pain that varies. I don't know how to reassure myself or stop the cycle of fear around heart and its taking its toll on me . I'm so scared at the moment but my gp keeps telling me I'm ok cause all the heart tests came back normal. Don't know what to do .xx

[Carnation]

Ella, I had this a while back.
You have to calm yourself with the breathing exercises.
We cause ourselves, Heartburn, Indigestion and Hyperventilation.
If you feel an attack coming on and get scared, you can do the following things that will reassure you.
If you can raise both arms above your head, you are ok.
If you can string a few sentences together, you are ok.
If you can sing or whistle, you are ok.
This helped me, when I was bad and was given to me by someone when I called 111.

You'll be fine, you have had the checks, it's just the Panic and Anxiety causing all of this. :hugs:

[ella32]

Thanks. I'm just so scared all the time over the chest pains all the time. It's very rare I don't have them. I'm seeing someone to help me with the fear but unfortunately I'm one of those that Google symptoms and always see the scary ones. I can get pain on left or right of central and its destroyed my life.xxx

[countrygirl]

I have had chest pain for past 10 years at least, due to problems with my back. Its muscular, usually the muscles between your ribs that play up. I too like you was convinced it was my heart and even had the blood test that detects heart attacks which of course were negative.

The more tense you are the worse these muscles will be, I was told by physio that tension in your neck can produce stabbing pain in the front of your chest as the nerves go down there.

[Carnation]

Do Not Google.

That's the worst thing you can do.
That will definitely set off your Anxiety.
Discuss on here, rather than do that. :)

Fear is one of the hardest things to overcome.
Anxiety is Fear.
You have to try and divert the Mind in to thinking it is not a HA and tell yourself it is Heartburn, gulping air, holding your breath, clenching your shoulders, breathing shallow.
All of this we do because we are frightened and nervous.
Think of it this way.
What have you got to lose?
Give it a try and see what happens. :)

[ella32]

Thanks for replying. I'm just so fed up of being scared. I'm scared to do anything and I'm not who I use to be. The cardiologist told me in 2014 that pain wasn't cardiac but I can't seem to believe him. I constantly need to b reassured I'm ok and I hate it. Xx there are days where the pain can even affect my arms which sends me into panic mode.xx I'm afraid to sleep sometimes in case I don't wake up and I get palpitations every day.xx

[Carnation]

I fully understand.

My turning point was when I got so fed-up feeling that way, I just thought; 'Just do your worst to me, I'm fed-up with feeling like this, do your worst!'
And then the symptoms slowly faded away.
And, I know it is Anxiety, because as soon as I get nervous or stressed; the symptoms pop up again. That's no coincidence. That's a Fact! :)

Try to keep your 'Mind' busy with as many Hobbies as possible.
Play some nice music and walking is excellent for the adrenalin. :hugs:

[ella32]

Thank you. I'll try to calm myself. I have been under stress the last week so it probably all related and I was poking and pressing my chest last few days so it probably made it worse.xxx

[Carnation]

We've all done it Ella.

Try loving your body and not hurting it. :D

[ella32]

I'll try it not easy when your scared and alone. I'm just so sick of the weak arms and the chest pains. I have to learn to trust the cardiologist and my gp not easy to do though.xx it's a never ending cycle of fear and worry . I've had more ecgs than I can count and they have all been fine and that reassures me at that moment but then the pain starts again and my head starts thinking heart attack . It's completely draining me.x I want my life back