What to do???

[Justanutter]

Toying with taking myself to a&e as I am sick of these chest pains. Went to GP the other day and she gave me Valium for over Christmas. Told her was stressed, pains in both arms and wrists, in between shoulder blades and really convinced angina. Just been to shop and put heavy shopping in car and got chest aches so that's definitely a huge angina sign. Family sick of me and won't even talk to me about it as I was checked in a&e about 6 weeks ago but only with an ECG which checked out absolutely fine but then it wouldn't show blocked arteries...feel like can't get thru Christmas, really breaking down, too much to do and feel like I will just drop with a heart attack and because of the busy Christmas period the ambulance won't get to me in time....if I rush off to a&e, I am terrified they will find something awful and I will end up spoiling everyone's Christmas. I woke up last night with an awful pain in between shoulder blades and a bit of chest ache. My OH said I am pathetic and just shouts at me. I just want to run away. Why won't they listen to me...just because I have HA I could still be ill....sorry but I am going mad with worry.

[lele19]

Hello - Firstly I just wanted to say that I can literally identify with every single one of the symptoms you just listed. Angina has also crossed my mind in the past. Yesterday I was yet again at the walk in centre, having an ecg - surprisingly it was all fine, though I've convinced my GP to refer me to a cardiologist once and for all because like you I am sick of it, it ruins my relationships and the Christmas period is extra hard because you have to be peppy and happy all of the time.

No it doesn't mean you're not ill because you have health anxiety but if you have had recent testing and your GP is not concerned then (like me) you need to learn to trust their opinion. This is something I find almost impossible but I've taken the stance...'If it happens it happens'. I've wasted so much of my life and my energy worrying about having some kind of acute illness or terminal disease, being on the edge of having a heart attack, a dangerous heart rhythm, too low blood pressure, vertigo, fainting.

I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone.

[Justanutter]

Thanks Lele. I am going to see someone after Christmas but just need to get through it first as I am sick of it. I too am trying to think like you and say "ok, bring it on whatever" but then I get gripped by the fear so bad. I fear I may leave it too late. I had to attend a funeral last week of my best friend's husband who just died suddenly so that has also been upsetting. Surely it's not normal to get chest pain every day? I read about a woman my age dying of a heart attack suddenly as her ECG was normal and she started healthy living and then died so that panics me. She used to be smoker and drinker though which I am not but it didn't help with the panic.

[wheredidthiscomefrom]

I've been to A&E because I've been sick of the chest pains too ...

I've had nights where I've paced around the living room at like 1am wondering if I should phone an ambulance as I was convinced if I went to sleep I wouldnt wake up ...

I've convinced the doctor to refer me for a 24h holter monitor...

I've had numerous ECGs ...

I've argued with my wife because she doesn't understand why I can't accept what every doctor has told me ...

At the end of it all I've come the following conclusions -

I have chest pain / discomfort sometimes and I don't know why and my health related anxiety makes it difficult for me to be objective and think clearly and no doctor I've seen (A&E, GP, referral to cardio dept) has ever suggested I've an problem with my heart ... so what do you do?

Fortunately / unfortunately the focus of my HA has moved to something else, so I'm not currently worried about my heart so I don't know ... :shrug:

You are not alone.

[Fishmanpa]

I've responded in length to some of your other posts concerning this fear. Perhaps going back and reading them would help?

I'm sorry you're feeling so stressed and poorly. I hope you can overcome this enough to enjoy your holidays.

Positive thoughts