gabagool
15-06-16, 11:54
Im a 25 y/o male from Australia.
I suffer from GAD which has gotten progressively worse in the last year.
My problem is that I have a sensation in my chest which happens hundreds of times per day.
The feeling has progressively become more frequent in this time.
The feeling is of my heart "dropping". The feeling one would normally get when they receive a shock, are scared or worrisome.
Some describe it as have butterflies in your stomach, but in the chest. I dont feel any pain with this sensation.
Ive read online about what i think to be the sensation. Most say that its the fight or flight reaction where adrenaline is being released and the subsequent increase in blood output is the sensation that one feels in the chest.
I get this chest feeling HUNDREDS of times a day. I over react to everything and its gotten to the point of outright lunacy and complete irrationality.
I know its anxiety. This im sure of. What i really want to understand is the mechanism of what is going on.
The problem i feel is that this "fight or flight response" might not be the case because I had a catecholamine blood test to see if my epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were unusually high, but they werent. I had a cortisol blood test and the results came back normal as well.I had a 24 hour holter monitor where i had the sensation many many times and the results didnt show anything.
When i get this sensation i dont have any noticeable physiological changes. No increase heart rate, hyperventilation, dilated pupils or any tell tale signs of being in fight or flight. With the sensation, I dont jump like the shock from a loud noise.(Although is already am very sensitive to noise and jump easily)
Ive been on an ssri for some time now (which hasnt helped)and my doctor is changing me to something else soon.
I do not suffer from PTSD, depression, ruminating thoughts, OCD or any other psychological disorders.
I have no experience with psychotherapy.
I have no history with abuse of and am not taking any alcohol, caffeine, energy drinks or illicit drugs.
im not overweight, eat healthy with minimal sugar intake.
I take a few supplements.( None of which contraindicate with each other)
I do not get this feeling randomly. It is always an over reaction to a thought or visual/audible stimuli. Also when I breathe in deep.
It has no schedule, rhyme or reason. its a MASSIVELY haywire anxiety/fear response to completely mundane innocuous things.
Its gone from a problem to just plain absurd. everything i touch or do that has any form of consequence, my anxiety kicks in and i get this sensation in my chest. clicking my *mouse. typing on my keyboard, pushing a button. closing a door.. anything triggers this response especially thoughts(mundane innocuous thoughts at that)
What id love is if someone could shed some insight on is : Am i having this flight or fight response?
If i am then why are my blood tests clean for the stress hormones?
Would the heart sensation associated with fight or flight show up on a holter monitor?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.Im very desperate to find out what the hell is wrong with me and what i can do to stop it.
I suffer from GAD which has gotten progressively worse in the last year.
My problem is that I have a sensation in my chest which happens hundreds of times per day.
The feeling has progressively become more frequent in this time.
The feeling is of my heart "dropping". The feeling one would normally get when they receive a shock, are scared or worrisome.
Some describe it as have butterflies in your stomach, but in the chest. I dont feel any pain with this sensation.
Ive read online about what i think to be the sensation. Most say that its the fight or flight reaction where adrenaline is being released and the subsequent increase in blood output is the sensation that one feels in the chest.
I get this chest feeling HUNDREDS of times a day. I over react to everything and its gotten to the point of outright lunacy and complete irrationality.
I know its anxiety. This im sure of. What i really want to understand is the mechanism of what is going on.
The problem i feel is that this "fight or flight response" might not be the case because I had a catecholamine blood test to see if my epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were unusually high, but they werent. I had a cortisol blood test and the results came back normal as well.I had a 24 hour holter monitor where i had the sensation many many times and the results didnt show anything.
When i get this sensation i dont have any noticeable physiological changes. No increase heart rate, hyperventilation, dilated pupils or any tell tale signs of being in fight or flight. With the sensation, I dont jump like the shock from a loud noise.(Although is already am very sensitive to noise and jump easily)
Ive been on an ssri for some time now (which hasnt helped)and my doctor is changing me to something else soon.
I do not suffer from PTSD, depression, ruminating thoughts, OCD or any other psychological disorders.
I have no experience with psychotherapy.
I have no history with abuse of and am not taking any alcohol, caffeine, energy drinks or illicit drugs.
im not overweight, eat healthy with minimal sugar intake.
I take a few supplements.( None of which contraindicate with each other)
I do not get this feeling randomly. It is always an over reaction to a thought or visual/audible stimuli. Also when I breathe in deep.
It has no schedule, rhyme or reason. its a MASSIVELY haywire anxiety/fear response to completely mundane innocuous things.
Its gone from a problem to just plain absurd. everything i touch or do that has any form of consequence, my anxiety kicks in and i get this sensation in my chest. clicking my *mouse. typing on my keyboard, pushing a button. closing a door.. anything triggers this response especially thoughts(mundane innocuous thoughts at that)
What id love is if someone could shed some insight on is : Am i having this flight or fight response?
If i am then why are my blood tests clean for the stress hormones?
Would the heart sensation associated with fight or flight show up on a holter monitor?
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.Im very desperate to find out what the hell is wrong with me and what i can do to stop it.