Chills at night?

[UserName20]

The past few nights later on around 8-10 ish I start getting chills and feeling cold. I have no clue why. This is something that happened a lot in the winter. It’s like as soon as I was outside my body never fully warmed back up. However, it’s summer right now and is 75 ish outside. We do have the ac running, but I don’t think it’s that. The house says it’s 72. I read somewhere getting a fever at night could signal cancer and now of course I’m worried. I don’t think it’s a fever though.. I just feel cold. At work today I saw a blue mark on my hand and I began getting worried until I wiped it off and realized it was just marker, I’m so tired of driving myself crazy. Is getting chills at night something to worry about?

[UserName20]

I don’t necessarily know if i have a fever but I keep finding myself being colder than usual. Like if I am not moving around and I touch something cold my hands feel like ice and take forever to warm up. I’m not sure if I am just noticing this and if my mind is possibly playing tricks on me... I know I’ve had this happen before and I thought it was poor circulation. I had a CBC blood test 4 months ago and everything came back fine. I also had my thyroid checked. Chills were one of the things I had talked to the doctor about. I’m not even sure where I have read this online but I know I read somewhere feeling cold at night is a sign of cancer. Now I am worried all over again. Im so tired of living in this circle of worry. It’s taken over my life and my symptoms are so real. I can’t stop worrying. I don’t even know where to go for help. I have tried to mention my anxiety to my doctor and he just doesn’t really seem to think much of it. Just tells me to not Google. Maybe I’m not doing a well enough job explaining how much it affects me. I am so desperate. I want my old (somewhat) worry free life back. And it terrifies me that anxiety had such a grip on me I feel like I’ll never break out. It’s one symptom after another, it never ends.

[Dying_Swan]

I think you'd probably know the difference between a fever and feeling cold. Fevers tend to make you feel quite unwell. You could try taking your temperature during one of these chills, but I'd only do it once just to prove to yourself it's just a chill. You don't want to get trapped into checking it every night. I often feel cold like that and think my circulation isn't great. A warm bath, short walk or hot water bottle usually sorts it. It's also worse if I'm tired.
If your doctor isn't helpful, could you see a different one?

[UserName20]

I checked and I definitely do not have a fever. In fact my temp is around 96-97. I know 98.6 is what it’s supposed to be at and now I’m even more worried. In the worst I know my temp has read 96/97. I don’t want to google but I’m scared a low body temp is a sign of something.😔 Yesterday I was carrying a rug around a store and then after my wrist started aching. Today I moved a window air conditioner and a dresser and my wrist feels like it slightly aches again so now my mind is going a million miles an hour in fear. My stomach feels kind of queasy and I just realized I haven’t eaten since noon and it’s almost 8 at night and I’m not even that hungry. I am so tired of living in fear but these symptoms are real 😔

[Fishmanpa]

In fact my temp is around 96-97....I’m scared a low body temp is a sign of something.

That's not low body temperature at all :lac: Just sounds like the dragon is breathing fire down you neck as he's done many times before.

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

I just know that I usually am not one who usually gets cold and lately I just keep feeling cold but it’s not like I have a fever. The house can be 72 degrees and I just feel cold and I notice it mainly at night and when I first wake up. I am in tears and I don’t even know why. I am so very sick of random constant symptoms. I got a book on anxiety and I am trying so hard to help myself. I want to go and talk to someone but I am embarrassed. I want all of these symptoms to just go away. I am so tired of living in fear every single day. I have this fear that I’m going to wake up one day with cancer. I can’t shake it. As long as the symptoms are there I will worry. I’m so sad that this is what my life has become. I feel like I’ll never get free.

[Fishmanpa]

I want to go and talk to someone but I am embarrassed.

There's nothing to be embarrassed about. If you're hurting, you seek help. You've been dealing with this for over 3 years here on the forum and its not really moved you toward a healing path so... :shrug:

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

You’re right. I have been struggling with this since I was 14 ish and I am now 19 but I’ve been on this forum for 3 years. It started with me feeling a bubbling chest in my chest. I googled it and it said heart failure and I still remember the panic that set in. That was what set my anxiety off. This forum has been a place for me where I know people understand. My friends laugh at me, I cant say I blame them since they don’t worry the way I do. Before I was 18 I had tried to talk to my school counselors, my parents, I was kind of treated like it was foolish. I tried bringing it up with my doctor a few times. Last time he just shook his head and told me to just make a separate appointment if I really wanted to talk about anxiety. But every time I’ve been there I’ve been so worried about other symptoms that I feel like they are more important because they are so real if they makes sense. I just took a shower and saw grey-ish around my armpit area on both sides. I almost drove myself to the ER until I realized it was just dye from the black shirt I wore today as it came off with water and soap. Now I feel like my chest is hurting me but I’m not sure if this is caused my anxiety. My stomach is upset, my neck is bothering me. Surprisingly I don’t feel cold so they symptom seems to be gone at least for now. I just don’t feel good right now. I can’t sleep and my heart is pounding. I am making an appointment on Monday to talk about my anxiety. I’m not doing myself any favor by pushing it off. I should made a separate appointment for anxiety a long time ago. This has to get better😔

[Fishmanpa]

Glad to hear that. Also, every state in the US has mental health help (https://www.mentalhealth.gov/get-help/immediate-help). They can help refer, work with you on cost etc. There are also groups in many areas that meet weekly and provide support. Let us know how you get on with the doctor.

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

Well, last night I began to slight chest pains in the left side and I could feel my heart racing and no matter what I tried it wouldn’t stop. I finally ended up going to the ER. Of course they take heart things very seriously. They immediately hooked me up to a EKG machine. My heart rate was up to 130. The nurses were rushing and I could tell how worried they were which made me even more nervous. My parents didn’t even know I was there. The EKG results came back and the doctor said al was well- besides the fact that my heart rate was up so high. I told him that I think it was from my anxiety. We talked, he listened. My heart rate still wasn’t coming down but he gave me some anxiety medicine in my IV. Honestly, I kind of feel like it worked but for a very short amount of time because then my heart rate climbed back up. They took blood to check my thyroid, CBC,and a ton of other blood tests. He came in and told me all came back fine. He gave me some medicine through my IV to again try and lower my heart rate. I went in with it st 130 and left with it around 105 ish. He told me that he does not believe anything serious is going on, but that he is Sendjng me to a cardiologist who may want to put me on beta blockers since my blood pressure shot up too. He told me the anxiety medicine should help me today and he prescribed me pills for a week but I am so terrified that there is something wrong with my heart now. I don’t feel it pounding anymore but I do feel a slight pressure in my left side. I am relieved that I finally have some medication to hopefully help and I am planning on following his advice and making appointments regarding my anxiety. Has anyone else been referred to a cardiologist? If there was something wrong with my heart surely it would have showed in the EKG?

[Fishmanpa]

Call your GP and make the appointment to discuss your anxiety. They'll have records of your ER visit. Increased heart rate and BP is a common symptom of panic and anxiety. The tests showed nothing physical was wrong. The ER doc was quite aware it was anxiety and was practicing CYA medicine by suggesting the referral. Beta blockers are commonly used to quell the physical effects of panic and anxiety but further medication is worth discussing as well as therapy.

Positive thoughts

[Dying_Swan]

I don't think they'd have sent you home if they were concerned. I've not been referred to a cardiologist, (but our health system is quite different to yours) but I've had ECG's and a 24 hour tape. As FMP said, panic and anxiety can increase your heart rate and BP. The cardiac review will hopefully put your mind at rest and it's great you're going to work on your anxiety. Good luck

[UserName20]

Thank you guys. The left side of my chest still feels tight. I have absolutely no appetite. I haven’t eaten all day and I literally just cannot eat. I took the anxiety medicine. I can just feel my heart racing all over again and I am in tears. I am so afraid my heart is failing. Nothing is helping my anxiety right now. The medicine at the hospital barely seemed to help. I feel so trapped. I truly feel like I’m dying.

[Chrysoprase]

I definitely do feel for you in this situation because it’s extremely similar to health anxiety I go through almost annually. I want to just let you know that even after the past ten years of regularly believing my heart is failing or I’m having a heart attack, nothing has ever actually been wrong with my heart.

I do have some risk factors (family history of heart disease, & I’m very overweight) but even with those, all I have is slightly elevated blood pressure and resting heart rate that the docs believe is mostly anxiety related. (Edit: I say “mostly” because my weight does play a part in my BP.)

I took beta blockers for a year but was able to get off of them because the issue is largely just anxiety. When I have that under control, my heart feels better!

I’m saying all this just to show you that even as someone with a few risk factors & someone who has been extremely, intensely scared about heart stuff in the past, my heart is okay.

When I have frequent panic attacks, I get a tight chest, shortness of breath, dizziness and sweating, back or neck pain, stiff jaw... all things that sound like a surefire heart problem, but it’s always, completely, totally anxiety. Getting your anxiety taken care of and getting on some meds that will help you manage those symptoms will probably make a huge difference in what you’re dealing with right now!

[UserName20]

Thank you! I know how worried you must have been too. Anything to do with the heart is awfully scary. I’m glad that all is well with yours and you can relax! I am going to my regular dr in about 30 minutes. I feel like the medication they gave me for anxiety is helping. I am still worried, but I feel calm is that makes sense. It has definitely helped me get through the nights sleeping. Today I woke up and I am pretty nervous about my appointment. The left side of my chest feels tight. I took some of the anxiety medication, took a hot shower, and I still feel this pressure in my chest. I don’t necessarily feel my heart racing but I’m just getting myself worked up over this appointment I guess!

[UserName20]

Of course I had googled and it said that chest pain signals heart failure. If my heart was failing would my EKG have came back something other than normal?

[Fishmanpa]

Of course I had googled

If you hold your hand over a flame, you're sure to get burned.

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

Just got back from my doctor. We finally had an open conversation about my anxiety. He saw all the tests they had done in my heart. They took my blood pressure and it was a little high but the nurse said not too bad. He told me to stop taking the anxiety medicine that was prescribed because it is addictive. He instead is prescribing me medication to take daily and told me to only take what the ER gave me if I feel a panic attack coming on

[UserName20]

I mentioned them wanting to refer me to a cardiologist and he really wouldn’t say much besides that he would prefer we try the medicine he is prescribing before any talk of beta blockers. I’m confused. He listened to my heart and didn’t say anything. Does this mean my heart is okay and this was all anxiety related??? I’m scared to not make an appointment with a cardiologist but it seems as if he disagreed with the ER doctor’s advice

[Fishmanpa]

Just got back from my doctor. We finally had an open conversation about my anxiety. He saw all the tests they had done in my heart. They took my blood pressure and it was a little high but the nurse said not too bad. He told me to stop taking the anxiety medicine that was prescribed because it is addictive. He instead is prescribing me medication to take daily and told me to only take what the ER gave me if I feel a panic attack coming on

Listen to your personal doctor. He knows you.

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

I have all went all day today mostly fine. At work my coworker was talking about feeling her pulse. I felt mine and mine felt fast again. I counted to six and multiplied by 6 and got at least 100. I can’t stop feeling it and now the tightness in my chest has returned and I can feel my heart beating. I am so tired of this I am so terrified. I really believe I am dying. I feel like my heart is going to end up failing. These anxiety pills the dr gave me he told me would take up to a month to have any effect. He told me to only take the stronger anxiety meds the ER dr gave me if i feel like I need to go to the hospital again. I can’t do this. This can’t all be anxiety I can FEEL something isnt right with my heart. I know I had an EKG that didn’t show anything besides my rate being fast, blood tests, and the dr listened to my heart yesterday but he didn’t take my pulse yesterday. I’m scared I told them I feel like this is my anxiety and that I’m wrong and something is actually wrong!!

[UserName20]

I have never been this bad. I can’t wait a month and see if the medicine the doctor gave me starts to kick in. I’m terrified that this isn’t anxiety. I’m back to feeling this weird tightness in my chest. The sad thing is that when I was at the hospital the other night they gave me anxiety medicine through my IV to calm me down and i was still panicking. I feel like nothing will ever help me I don’t know what to do or where to go

[UserName20]

There was no worse feeling than being left in a freezing hospital room with the curtain closed with my phone across the room from me and being connected to a bunch of monitors not being able to move and having my parents have no clue where I was at 3 am. I ended up yelling for a nurse and probably sounding crazy

[UserName20]

Last night I had this burning in the left side of my chest that had me so scared. I asked my parents to take me to the ER and they told me absolutely not and instead gave me medicine for heart burn despite my pleas to just let me go. The medicine didn’t rewlly do anything. It was worse when lying down. I woke up this morning and still had it. I went back to her and now it’s 9 am and I feel a little better but I’m still terrified. The first thought my mind goes to is my heart and as soon as I woke up I could just feel it pounding again. When I was worried last night my dad made me take my blood pressure despite be being really nervous while he strapped the thing to my arm. My blood pressure was I think 129/80 ( the bottom number may be off ) and my heart rate was back up to 110. My dad explained to me that wince I was as nervous as I was my normal heart rate most likely is not that high but I am just living in a constant panic right now . All I can focus on is This poudbjng a d tightness in my chest that isn’t going go away

[UserName20]

Wow I can really see what a panic I was in the other night. Today my chest does not feel to be burning as much. I had called my doctor yesterday and asked what heartburn medicine was okay to take and he told the nurse which one I can take. He wasn’t overly worried about the heart burn but it rewlly was scary. I’m still terrified it’s going to come back. I tossed and turned all night and was nervous even though it felt fine. Now I keep feeling like my arms/hands are kind of tingling or burning. I’m not going to google. I was at work all day today and finally felt like myself again. Before work I was scared about my arms, at work we were so busy my mind was too busy to think of any weird symptom. I think this is a step towards improvement. It’s been a really rough week. Today was the first day I feel like I have almost felt like myself again. Like I haven’t felt like I was dying. I’m praying it continues and that the anxiety medicine my doctor prescribed starts helping.

[UserName20]

Yesterday was a good day besides some burning in my arms. As soon as I went to lay down last night my heart started burning though. I keep feeling like I need to burp. And then the panic set in. I realized that my arms burning all day was a sign of a heart attack. I took my blood pressure with the monitor we have at home. I have no idea if it’s wvwn accurate. A few nights ago when I was scared it read my pulse as 110. Last night my pulse never read higher than mid 80’s. My blood pressure went up a bit but is now reading 120 ish. I asked my dad if I could go to urgent care and ask them about my burning arms and heart burn. My parents are incredibly annoyed it’s me and keep reminding me that my EKG and blood tests at the hospital were normal. My doctor listened to my heart Tuesday and took my blood pressure. They didn’t seem concerned. But I can’t deal with this. I know for a fact I’m dying.

[UserName20]

I googled if the anxiety medication the doctor prescribed me could cause heart burn and it said it could. I’m on day 4. The doctor said with my CBC my blood was clotting fine or something to that nature. He had told me almost a week ago that he did not feel like anything serious was going on. And he referred me to a cardiologist because he said they may want to put me on beta blockers. I visited my normal doctor instead who told me to hold off on beta blockers and to just try the thing he’s prescribing first and that he may need to up the dosage. I guess the question I have is how can I not be incredibly worried?? How can I ignore the burning in my arms or the burning in my chest? Could this really all just be anxiety? I’m scared I’m going to have a heart attack or that my heart is failing or who knows what else

[Dying_Swan]

What medication did your doctor prescribe? Are you getting any other help with your anxiety?

[UserName20]

My pill bottle says Escitalopram oxalate. I just keep trying to remind myself that all of the tests I had at the hospital showed nothing was wrong and now my heart rate is more in control. My blood pressure goes up and down according to this monitor but hasn’t gotten too high. I know my family thinks I’m nuts. My doctor only suggested medication but told me it would be about a month before I see any improvement and that he will see me and see if he needs to up the dosage. I feel like I need more than just medication to help though

[Dying_Swan]

I think there is a subforum for escitalopram in the medication section on here. It does often take a few weeks for the meds to kick in and settle down. Keep reminding yourself that the tests were clear and your doctor was not worried. If he took your blood pressure, perhaps there is no need to be monitoring it at home? Unless he said to. Otherwise you will just fuel your worries with checking it yourself.
What about looking into some therapy?

[UserName20]

I will have to look into that! I am trying so hard to just remain calm. Last Saturday night I was nervous about feeling cold and then I felt my heart racing. When they ran the tests they said my heart rate was at 130 which was pretty high. But when I was younger and at the dr mine shot up to 150 and they did an ekg and blood tests back then too and I was fine and never called back for any other testing and that was a few years ago. I feel like I am just over focused on my heart now but the heart burn and burning in my arms is terrifying me. Right now my heart doesn’t burn but I feel like a tightness in my chest. My heart rate and blood pressure was okay. I just want all of these symptoms to go away. I want my normal life back. This is such a scary and horrible feeling

[UserName20]

I went to work. I’m a cashier while I’m in college and we were packed. There wasn’t a second to breath in between huge orders. I started feeling panicked while i was there and like I could feel squeezing in my chest and pain. I never never call off work or go home early. I got so panicked I went to my boss and asked him if I could go home 50 minutes early and rushed to an urgent care convinced I was having a heart attack. I explained all of my symptoms and my pulse was normal but my bp shot up. She explained that she is a cardiac nurse and has been her entire life and that my heart sounds good. She told me that her daughter started taking the same antidepressant and had the same heart burn. She told me that it is completely the antidepressants that I am taking and told me she feels I should consider therapy as well as taking the antidepressants. She told me I’m young and healthy and need to listen to her. I could tell my dad was frustrated while we were there. I’m hoping it goes away soon. I wish my dr would have warned me it could cause heartburn if it as common as this doctor said.

[UserName20]

At this point I feel like I am just being written off as having anxiety. I still have this burning in my chest. And both of my arms have a burning sensation that I can feel. Yesterday I was terrified that this is an impending heart attack. My pulse was fine but my blood pressure rose because I was nervous at urgent care yesterday. Why is nobody taking these concerns seriously?😔 I know she told me that my heart sounds perfectly normal and that she was not worried at all and told me the antidepressants I recently started taking commonly cause heart burn.. then what is this burning in my arms or is it in my mind?? She told me to take time and Prilosec everyday.. this don’t seem to help. I have been “cleared” by 3 doctors now and still am Petrified 😔

[KK77]

Why is nobody taking these concerns seriously? 

That's a very melodramatic statement. You have been given all the appropriate tests and attention despite your very obvious anxiety disorder. Yet nothing appears to allay your fears.

Maybe reassurance is a mug's game?

[UserName20]

I feel extremely foolish and ashamed I let my anxiety get me to this point. The original thing I went to the ER isn’t even a problem anymore as my pulse has been fine since that night when it shot up. I think the the entire scare really has just sent me over the edge. I do have medicine the ER gave me for when my anxiety gets extreme. Yet I am afraid to take it because I am on Prilosec, tums, and the lexapro ( generic version )even though the dr yesterday suggested it. I have made myself a nervous wreck. I know my family and everyone is getting so tired of me. I just feel so hopeless. The doctor told me that the first couple of weeks of starting an antidepressant will seem terrible. I feel like my anxiety has been heightened.

[utrocket09]

At this point I feel like I am just being written off as having anxiety. I still have this burning in my chest. And both of my arms have a burning sensation that I can feel. Yesterday I was terrified that this is an impending heart attack. My pulse was fine but my blood pressure rose because I was nervous at urgent care yesterday. Why is nobody taking these concerns seriously?😔 I know she told me that my heart sounds perfectly normal and that she was not worried at all and told me the antidepressants I recently started taking commonly cause heart burn.. then what is this burning in my arms or is it in my mind?? She told me to take time and Prilosec everyday.. this don’t seem to help. I have been “cleared” by 3 doctors now and still am Petrified 😔


It is being written off as anxiety, because it is anxiety. You have already been evaluated and cleared, what more do you need ?

[UserName20]

I just wish these symptoms would go away. I wake up and I feel absolutely fine. Then I get my day and start thinking about my arms and suddenly they both burn again. If my mind is creating this this is insane. I promised my doctor I would stop googling and it’s only been 2 days but I haven’t yet. ( which for me is like a new record ). I guess I would just feel a lot better if I stopped feeling these symptoms. If it isn’t something with my heart it could be something else. But wouldn’t my complete blood count test have shown something was up if I had cancer spreading or something serious going on? I’m not sure how they work. But I’m just staying off of google.

[KK77]

I guess I would just feel a lot better if I stopped feeling these symptoms. If it isn’t something with my heart it could be something else. .

You have to learn to live with benign symptoms such as these. There is no other way to live life, because you're not living if you carry on like this, and the HA Beast will always invent symptoms if there are no "real" physical ones :lac:

So focus on treating your HA.

[BlueIris]

Perhaps it would be a good idea to stop thinking of them as symptoms and start thinking of them as sensations? Bodies do things, we feel things and they're not necessarily symptomatic of anything other than being alive.

[UserName20]

Thank you guys. You’re right. I think the trip to the ER for my heart just set something off in me and suddenly I became obsessed with my heart. My heart rate is fine now, I am on day 5 of starting the antidepressant my doctor prescribed me. The other doctor on Saturday told me that the first few weeks of starting an antidepressant may seem horrible. And I surely do but I am trusting within a few weeks it will kick in. I’m 19 and live at home so when I went to urgent care my dad rushed there as soon as I told him what was up and he talked to the Dr. and told she was trying to explain to him about the anxiety concept. My sister has been on antidepressants since middle school and I guess although I have been struggling with this since I was about 14 ( 5 ish years ) they always figured I was fine. I’m glad I have taken the necessary steps to start getting help. I am going to take the doctor’s advice on Saturday about seeking therapy as well. I’m just going to try to take it one day at a time. I need to get my mind off of these sensations. I just ate my first “real” meal out of this entire week. Not that I was hungry I’m just trying to remind myself I need to eat. My appetite has been completely gone. Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this. I’m going to try my best to start on the road to recovery. Starting with no googling😬

[UserName20]

Well, that was short lived. At work today one of my mangers came up and asked me what had happened at urgent care. I told her and she shook her head and asked me if i have seen a cardiologist. I told her no but explained they did blood tests and ekg and I’ve had three doctors listen to my heart and say it sounds good along with my pulse being good now. One of them being a CARDIAC nurse. She shook her head and told me hospitals always dismiss things as anxiety and that a nurse doesn’t know as much as a doctor and that it also matters who looks at the EKG. She told me that her family member who was 14 had a normal EKG and still died of a heart problem. She then told me she wasn’t trying to scare me but I can’t mess around with this. I could feel the panic set back in and my boyfriend who works here told me I need to calm down and not listen to her. I started to feel better and she keeps coming over and keeping on me about “I’m not trying to scare you, but you really need to get checked out.”

[KK77]

Your manager is overstepping the line and you should tell her that you don't want to discuss this any further as it's causing anxiety and distracting you from your work.

You have been "checked out" enough times now. Don't let negativity from others trigger you. Listen to your boyfriend - he sounds like he has his head screwed on.

[UserName20]

Thank you. I’m really upset she told me that. Whether she meant to scare me or not, she knows how worried I was and that I was feeling a bit relieved when I told her what they said. As soon as she walked away I told the other manager that I have already talked to three doctors though and she just said “yes but not a cardiologist. Better to be safe.” And she knew the story about me having anxiety as her And I ste kind of friends. So frustrating!

[UserName20]

I called my doctor today and just brought up the heartburn and burning feeling in my arms. Apparently they believe it is the generic lexapro causing these and he is switching my medicine. Hoping this is the case and it’s nothing else!

[Dying_Swan]

Good to hear you're taking your doctor's advice. It sounds like the intervention from your manager was not helpful. There will always be these horror stories but they are rare, and I am sure the 3 doctors you've seen have a lot more cardiac knowledge than your boss. In the UK, we wouldn't get to see a specialist like a cardiologist without referral from a doctor, usually our GP. We don't have much choice other than to go by what they say. There are pros and cons of course, but it does avoid this sort of thing. Good luck with the new medication.

[UserName20]

I had a really good day earlier today. My appetite seemed to be returning. It was the first day I have been off of the new medicine in almost a week since starting it. At work I didn’t notice any symptoms at all or anything most Of the day. However I had fried chicken for dinner and as I went to go back to sleep I felt a bit of heartburn again ( not nearly as bad as I had before ) I also just woke up in the middle of the night with that same burning sensation. It’s going from my back to my arms. I really honestly can’t tell if it is all in my head, that’s the strange part. I am 19 but I am now worried about some kind of cancer causing this or MS... my doctor seemed to think switching my medicine would help as these symptoms all started after taking it and are all possible side effects. My question is, would side effects disappear the day after stopping the medication? My doctor told me to wait three days before starting the other, I’m just wondering if the medicine would have stayed in my body for an extra couple of days after taking it and if this could still be caused from my medicine. I’m trying so hard not to worry but this is terrifying 😔

[UserName20]

I’m too afraid to even start the new medicine in a couple days. I wish I had the medicine the ER gave me that’s fast working to take right now to calm me down but it’s at home and I’m staying at my grandma’s. The more I focus on it the worse it gets. It’s almost 3 am so nobody is up and I feel like this is around the time my anxiety starts to get worse when I’m alone trying to sleep.

[UserName20]

I am so frustrated. Everyone is tired of hearing me be worried. I feel fine for the lost part throughout the day.. I don’t really feel the burning in my arms since I stopped the medicine. However there is still something weird going on with my chest... the Dr a week ago told me it was acid reflux she assumed caused my the medicine. I’ve been off the medicine for 4 days.. still feel a tightness/crushing/pain in my chest. It’s scaring me so bad. I don’t feel it constantly, just once in awhile. What if the doctor is wrong? I’ve been taking Prilosec every morning as she said.. it’s not helping. I’ve had three doctors listen to my heart, I had an ecg which was clear, my heart rate has been within normal measures. I started my new antidepressant last night. I’m so hopeless. I just keep looking st my boyfriend and being sad thinking I’m about to drop dead of some disease or get diagnosed with terminal cancer and that I won’t get to every marry him or grow up with him. I want my life back.😔

[UserName20]

I can’t tell if the symptoms are in my head but when I do feel the pain it is definitely there and real

[Dying_Swan]

Did you look into having some therapy?

[UserName20]

Hello, thank you for responding. I would like to look into therapy. They were willing to refer me somewhere but I am still on my parent’s insurance since I’m 19 and when the dr mentioned therapy my Dad just almost looked like he was shaking his head. I just am so terrified something is wrong. I don’t know what else could be wrong or what other tests they could run. I just want to stop worrying and start living. 😔 I know this new medicine will take a month or so to kick in. But I’m terrified this ain’t just my anxiety and that something physical is going on. I can’t think of anything else. I sleep fine but even in the middle of the night my chest feels fine but I am hyper focused on it with every twist and turn. Earlier today I was scared because my left pinkie felt asleep for an hour or two. I’m taking tums. I’m taking the Prilosec. I stopped the medicine they said could be causing heart burn but I’ve been off of it for 5 days now. My heart rate and blood pressure have been fine as I’ve been taking it st home. Just so frustrating. The cardiac nurse at urgent care told me a week ago yesterday that my heart sounded perfectly Normal. So if it isn’t my heart now I’m worried about cancer or something

[Fishmanpa]

My daughter was not much older than you when she came to me and told me about her anxiety and depression. I, along with her mother, made sure she got help. She's been on meds and in therapy since and despite a bump in the road now and again, she's doing great. I find it a shame that many parents don't recognize mental health issues. Please take a look at this (https://www.mentalhealth.gov/get-help) and find out what help is available to you in your area. Perhaps an honest sit down with your parents, showing them what you've been posting online would be in order as well. You need all the real life support you can get.

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

Thank you Fishmanpa, your responses have always been very helpful to me. I want to say I was around 14 or 15 when I first had begun to get really scared about symptoms. I still remember... I had felt a weird bubbling sensation in my chest. I googled and oh boy, heart failure came up. My parents had told me at the time I was being silly, my mother told me maybe it was asthma. Looking back it didn't make a lot of sense, but then all of a sudden over the next few weeks I started feeling like I couldn't breathe properly. Then that turned into a lung cancer fear. I remember i barely even enjoyed that family vacation, i felt like I had an undiagnosed death sentence. Since then it is like symptom after symptom, disease after disease. I wasn't aware that I had anxiety. I didn't know health anxiety was a thing. I had opened up to a school counselor about feeling anxious and depressed. I even stopped going to school and got sent to a behavioral school. I was not a bad kid, I was a goofy two shoe and i never got in trouble but suddenly i was thrown in with a bunch of kids who had gotten expelled and having to be patted down before They could step into the school. The school called my parents and told them that they should consider getting me evaluated, especially since my sister struggles with anixety. I still remember what my parents told them. I remember my parents telling me to "stop pretending to be like my sister." Now, my parents are loving, I think they just think that I am "tough and normal" compared to my sister.

I am so glad that I have at least taken the first steps at least with medicine. That night I went to ER in a panic its like something just changed in me. I didn't care what my parents thought, I knew my anxiety was out of control. Underneath all of this panic, there is a part of me that knows I need help. Im paying all of the copay for my medication, I am trying to be as independent as I can be but while being on my parents' insurance I still have to go through them. I just want these weird chest symptoms to go away. I want the medicine to kick in, I want to go back to living a life that I am happy to live. I feel like I haven't been properly living the past few years.

I am so thankful for all of the support I have had online along the way. Since my family doesn't understand as much as I would like I am glad I found others who understand on here. This site has really helped me realize that I am not alone in this.

[Fishmanpa]

I am so thankful for all of the support I have had online along the way. Since my family doesn't understand as much as I would like I am glad I found others who understand on here. This site has really helped me realize that I am not alone in this.

While there's a definite benefit to knowing you're not alone in your thoughts and struggles, and it's cathartic to be able to express your thoughts and fears, you run the risk of it becoming a replacement for real life help and efforts. What you don't want is this becoming a reassurance seeking thing and food for the dragon. I mentioned 'serial posters' on another thread and I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about. Despite your anxiety and fears, you possess a very rational side and I often see it in your replies. That's why I reply and encourage you. IMO, you possess the inner strength and fortitude to put the dragon in his place. The last thing you want is to see you here years from now still struggling with the same issues.

Meds are a funny thing. You're just getting started on them and that's bound to ramp up your anxiety a bit. My daughter went through several meds through the years. Some worked, some didn't. Some worked for a while then quit on her. She had to go through the ramp ups, the cross tapering and all the side effects that went along with that. I spent many an hour on the phone with her in tears feeling helpless but I told her the same things I'm telling you. Tough it out, even if it's an hour at a time. Push yourself to do the things you enjoy, find distractions, eat right, read about anxiety and learn how it affects you and why. Look into therapy. There are resources in every state and they'll work with you. There are often groups that get together with fellow suffers and that interaction can be very beneficial. When my wife was in recovery from encephalitis, I found a local group that were composed of people who suffered brain trauma and their caregivers. Their experiences and support helped me greatly and helped me help her.

Recovery, whether it's a mental or physical illness is a process. It's often one step forward and two back but eventually it becomes two forward and one back and it gets better from there. Keep putting one foot in front of the other and you'll see the goal much more clearly.

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

I have been reading your response a few times daily the last couple of days and it has really helped me! I have been doing everything I possibly can to keep myself busy. Like you said i just have to push through it! There have been some downsides as can be expected. Yesterday I got the bill from the ER and yikes. I’m starting to think I’m going to have to put my college on break for this semester or so to handle all of my medical things. That was a really rough realization. I completely broke down, more than I ever have before and honestly I was starting to scare myself. I was so mad that they sent me home and didn’t even find this undiagnosed heart/cancer/ that I can “feel” that I have. I cried to my boyfriend and he told me “there is nothing with you. We already know that.” And I completely lost it, telling him there is and that nobody is listening to me. It was a really frightening mood that I was in. And then after getting some tears out I got back up and brushed myself off the best I could.

I am very pleased to say that the burning sensations in my arms and my chest are gone. It must have been the other medicine causing it. I am still feeling tightness in my chest. Not pain, just tightness right where my heart is. It scares me so bad. But I know if I went back to the dr my family would be even angrier at me. I just hope nothing is going on and that there’s no undetected heart problems or cancer.

It’s going to be a big battle for sure but I know somehow I’ll get through it.

[UserName20]

Im trying so hard to remain positive but nothing is working. I just keep getting this random tightness pain right above my heart at random times. I feel all alone in this at this point. The hospital wasn’t able to find anything wrong but all they did was an EKG and blood tests. Now I owe the hospital a ton of money. ( I know I shouldn’t have went to the ER that night but I was panicked.) I saw my normal doctor that Tuesday a couple of days after and at that time I wasn’t really having chest pains. Then the antidepressant they started me on caused burning pains across my arms and heart burn. I stopped that medication one week ago today. The burning went away but now I’m left with a tightness where my heart is. Everyone keeps telling me anxiety. I feel like I’m at my ends wits. I ruined my chances of taking my college classes this semester as I am now in debt from that ER visit. I am starting to feel so down about everything. I just fear there is a cancer or a heart condition. I’m ruining my own life. My mind is wondering how much longer I have of Being alive

[UserName20]

I have taken my blood pressure several times after work today. My blood pressure seems okay. But my pulse is going from 90’s to 103 ish?

[UserName20]

I really honestly can’t do this anymore. I feel like I need to start planning my own funeral. This feeling/tightness in my heart is not going away. I’m fearing the absolute worst how couldn’t I? I wake up in the middle of the night and I feel the tightness. I immediately take my pulse and can just feel my heart stomping away. I don’t know what this could be but I wouldn’t wish this fear on anyone. I feel like I’m having another panic attack yet I’m too afraid to take the pills they gave me for panic attacks on top of my other antidepressant. I don’t know what’s happening I’m losing control

[BlueIris]

I'm sorry you're having such a rough time, it sounds awful. Constantly measuring your vital signs won't help, though.

[UserName20]

Thank you for responding. I know I need to stop constantly checking my vitals. My blood pressure is fine. My pulse has been around 90 for the most part today which terrifies me. I wouldn’t wish this worrying on anyone. I’m starting to feel so depressed like I already have a death sentence even though docs have told me my heart is fine. I still feel like they need to run more tests besides an EKG, listening to it, and blood tests. I’m scared I have cancer or something. But my family will think I’m nuts if I go back to the dr tomorrow. I know my anxiety is playing a part in this right now.

[BlueIris]

I've got a few hours free; feel free to drop me a PM if you'd like to talk.

[UserName20]

Thank you so much for responding to me. I feel like in the middle of the night my anxiety gets worse when I wake up and everyone is sleeping and I feel so alone. My blood pressure is 111/77 and my pulse is 80 now. I’m starting to feel more calm. I think I’m going to go to my regular dr tomorrow and just express my concerns to him. I know they have already ran an EKG and the Er dr told me a couple of weeks ago he didn’t feel like anything serious was going on. A couple of days later my regular dr took my bp and listened to my heart and then mostly wanted to discuss my anxiety. And then a few days after that a cardiac nurse practitioner at an urgent care listened to my heart and assured me everything sounded perfectly normal. Surely if there was something wrong with my heart it would have been detected? My normal doctor told me if I start feeling my heart racing and as if I need to go to the ER to take the Ativan the Er prescribed to me for panic attacks. However I’m too scared to take any even though the dr said it was okay with my regular antidepressant. I just feel like I have so many different things coming at me at once... I am so stressed about paying these medical bills and college. I am so sad and scared that I’m dying. I feel like since I started these antidepressants I have been more emotional. I want to grow old with my boyfriend and finish my second year of college

[UserName20]

My dad told me at this point the hospital would want to put me in the psychiatric unit . And honestly, if that’s what I need then so be it. Last night I had a panic attack and then I went to sleep and I had a dream I was having a brain MRI and brain surgery. I’m aware at how silly this sounds but this is torture. I’m calling a place and asking about counseling tomorrow. I really wish my antidepressant would kick in

[UserName20]

I am trying my best to just enjoy my day but I can’t. I am so scared this chest pain is something serious and I’m going to die. I know I keep posting but I am honestly starting to lose it

[BlueIris]

Take a breath. The chest pain is likely just muscle tension caused by anxiety.

[UserName20]

Thank you I’m starting to think so too. Last night my boyfriend and I watched a movie and I didn’t notice it at all during that. This new medicine is just making me fly off the handle. I’ve been randomly thrashing out in anger st everyone. My boyfriend and family have been telling me I’m a completely different person and it’s almost like I feel depressed now with it

[Dying_Swan]

It might be your anxiety which is causing you to feel like a different person. It could be the meds, but it's hard to say. I know I can be quite snappy when I'm stressed out. The fact that you didn't have any chest tightness while you were distracted supports the fact it's most likely being caused by anxiety. See how it goes and do check out getting some therapy.

[UserName20]

Thank you for responding. I’m starting to agree with you too, it may just be my anxiety. I felt better almost all day yesterday, barely as any chest tightness at all. Today I woke up feeling great this morning up until about 11. A member at the church I was in is actually having heart surgery this week. And suddenly my chest began feeling tight and now it is back to this horrible, tight feeling. How selfish of me. There is someone with an actual heart condition requiring surgery and somehow I start worrying about myself again.

[UserName20]

I have been having a horrible time sleeping at night. I tossed and turned last night all night and had nightmares yet again regarding heart surgery. A few nights ago I had a dream I was having brain surgery. ItÂ’s like even when IÂ’m asleep my mind cannot shut off. I am trying so hard to ignore this tightness IÂ’m feeling but I canÂ’t stop worrying. I know the ekg and blood tests were fine, a few doctors listened to my heart. IÂ’m only 19 but I am worried I have blockages in my heart and that is what this tightness is. But the tightness isnÂ’t always there... itÂ’s on and off. It doesnÂ’t make sense. 😔😔 I am just trying to go out and distract myself but nothing works. My boyfriend was talking about getting married someday earlier. I blurted out “If this doesn’t kill me first.” Without even thinking and he just gave me this look like I’m out of my mind.

[UserName20]

I have decided I am going back to my GP tomorrow. I’m 19 so I still go to a pediatrician until I’m 21. Sometimes I feel silly still going to a pediatrician. I keep talking myself out of going. I’m just going to go there and explain the chest tightness. The urgent care doctor told me I had acid reflux or GERD from the first medication. I’ll mention that too. I just want to have an honest talk with him about how I’ve felt since I started my antidepressant. Today my throat started burning with the chest tightness and I keep feeling like I have to burp and at some point some not so tasty stuff came up... gross right? I am terrified. I hope it’s not my heart or cancer of any kind. I haven’t been able to sleep well at all. I have had such bad nightmares. I just feel like my world is crashing down. I will certainly go talk to him tomorrow. 😔

[Dying_Swan]

I think that's fine to go and talk to them, just be sure to talk about your anxiety about it all. Good luck.

[UserName20]

Usually I can get in the day that I call. However today when I called they asked me if I was sick or just a recheck-up. ( the lady at the desk knows my name and me calling by now ) I told her it was a re-checkup and she told me they can see me on Thursday. I think right now I just have so much that’s stressing me out. My health is stressing me out and giving me anxiety, I’ve been having horrible nightmares and can’t get my mind off of my chest, the medical bill from the ER and urgent care are eating me alive, I’m trying to figure out it college is even possible at this point while trying not to disappoint my boyfriend or his parents. I know stress can hurt the body physically and I think I’m falling down that hole. I apologize for all of my venting and rambling. I just can’t even begin to explain how stressed and horrible I feel

[Fishmanpa]

See your doctor. Discuss how you're feeling. It's very possible the med you're on isn't a good match for you. I told you my daughter went through this with several medications and the cross tapering and increased anxiety until they found the right med and dosage.

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

Thank you Fishman, I’m definitely going to be explaining all of this to my doctor. I know on the medicine I haven’t quite given it a month. This tightness in my chest is just relentless. I drank milk awhile ago and it’s like fluids keep trying to come back up. Nasty tasting and hurting my throat. the urgent care cardiac nurse practitioner gave me a paper on GERD but I took Prilosec for the two weeks and it didn’t help much. I am so desperate to feel better at this point. I don’t even want to sleep because I know I’m going to have nightmares of being diagnosed with who knows what. Is it possible that anxiety can be causing this chest tightness I feel almost constantly?? My boyfriend is starting to tell me I’ve just been acting too different lately. My entire world feels like it’s caving in. I have been taking my blood pressure so much at home using my mom’s machine j managed to break it. I’m terrified for my appointment tomorrow. I don’t know if my dr will pin it to anxiety or send me to the hospital or want an angiogram or what will happen! If it’s not my heart I’m scared of cancer. I really want to just go to the hospital and beg them to not send me home until they know what’s wrong with me. Yet at this rate With these medical bills I have already ruined my college this semester. I reached my deductible and since I’m 19 and on my partners insurance theirs will Kick in a little. I can’t live in this fear. I’m driving myself and everyone around me mad.

[UserName20]

I don’t know how I even feel. I am scaring myself 😔 isn’t it crazy I starred this thread panicking about being cold and now I’m into this.. I try to explain things to my dad and unfortunately I am just yelled at and cussed at and called stupid for going to the dr tomorrow. I am just in tears and feel like I’m at my wits end.

[Dying_Swan]

Well, I don't think you're stupid going to your doctor. Unfortunately, anxiety problems can be very difficult to understand if you've not suffered them, and I'm sure most of us can relate to being told to "pull yourself together", which never helps. What I do think is that you need to talk to your doctor about your anxiety, how it's affecting every area of your life, and that you need some help with it. And throw that blood pressure monitor away!

[UserName20]

I just got back from the doctor. I explained everything to him and told him about my urgent care visit and everything. I told him I had tightness in my chest and he told me it very well may be anxiety feeding in to it. He prescribed me a proton pump for acid reflux and has doubled my antidepressant as I told him all of the nightmares and that I haven’t been feeling better. He told me the ekg and blood tests would have showed something wrong with my heart. I was completely honest with him. I spewed information 20 miles an hour and he just smiled and listened patiently. He told me to eat smaller meals throughout the day and that exercise can get my mind off things. I want to believe that I’m in good hands. He pressed on my stomach and throat and didn’t listen to my heart though and I really wish he would have. My grandma told me it’s because he knows my heart is fine. I still kind of want a chest X-ray or mri to make sure there’s no tumor.

[UserName20]

It felt really nice to have someone in person just let me ramble the way I did

[Dying_Swan]

Well that sounds positive to me. I suspect your Grandma is right and your doc deliberately didn't listen to your chest or arrange further investigations. The trouble is that it just reinforces the cycle of reassurance. Your heart has been checked very recently and doesn't need checking again. You'd have had a chest x-ray or MRI if your doctors thought you needed one. Even if you doubt the paediatrician, you've seen several other clinicians who've all said the same thing. It's highly unlikely they'd all be wrong. Now, I know I'm nagging, but what about that therapy? :shades:

[Dying_Swan]

It felt really nice to have someone in person just let me ramble the way I did

Even more reason to have some therapy!

[UserName20]

You are absolutely right. I know my family doesn’t really understand my anxiety. In fact my dad is pretty mean about it at times that I feel like makes me feel worse. I have seemed to be feeling better today. I just need to work on trusting my doctor. Right now I’m knee deep in medical bills. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to pay them. I had to drop my college classes and get a refund, it is a really difficult time for me right now but I’m trying to push through as best that I can. I have met my deductible but I am not sure if therapy would be covered by my insurance? I’m going to have to check into that. Either way I know I would like to get into some therapy sooner or later. It’s been a rough and rocky road the past month, but things are going to get better. I’m confident in that. I also know that I’m not done falling on my face but my grandma told me the important thing is is that I get back up and brush myself off and keep pushing forward. She has been telling me a lot lately that God isn’t done with me yet.

[Dying_Swan]

Grandma sounds like a wise lady. I know you're having a tough time and it's even tougher when you feel isolated and unable to talk about things. I'm afraid I don't really know about insurance as it all works differently here, but perhaps one of the other US members could advise. I know there is also a link for some free HA workbooks which I'll look out for you, but I know it's not the same as talking to someone face to face. Is there any chance your parents could support you in accessing some therapy if your insurance doesn't cover it?

[Dying_Swan]

The link to the workbooks is here (https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?211324-9-FREE-CBT-ebooks-for-Health-Anxiety)

[UserName20]

Thank you! While I figure out if I can look into getting therapy I’m going to try and work through that book a little! I know I need to help myself too in all of this. Today was a pretty good day.. still feeling the tightness but I know I just need to trust the doctor. Which is easier said than done. I have taken my blood pressure and pulse a few times today, nothing crazy but a bit high at times. I downloaded an app on my iPhone to measure my heart rate and was horrified. The app had lots of 5 star reviews saying how it “could have saved their life and doctors found something wrong.” I held my finger over the flashlight on my phone like it said it said 150 ish. I started panicking and asked my friend to hand me her Apple Watch. ( apple designed the Apple Watch to detect heart rate ) her watch went mostly from 70- low 100’s if it went over 100. But that app on my iPhone said like 150. I sat there for 10 minutes watching my heart rate change on her Apple Watch and having the blood pressure on my arm at the same time going repeatedly and comparing numbers. The Apple Watch and blood pressure monitor never said my heart rate was that high, but that app on my phone did which just set me off. My friend just gave me a very concerned and confused look but went back to coloring. I need to delete this app off my phone... I’m just worried it’s right and my heart rate is really that high. Then again I’m not sure how holding my finger over the flashlight on my phone is completely accurate. I wish I never downloaded that stupid app. This one is definitely on me. I’m just confused as to why that app has 5 star ratings if isn’t accurate. My boyfriend got after me for feeding into my anxiety and I know he’s right. Why does my brain work like this and in my head slemhwere I know insane I sound. My friend actually took her pulse on her watch after I handed it back to her and hers read 120 and she just shrugged and laughed. I couldn’t believe she wasn’t worried at all.

[Chrysoprase]

I used to be very focused on checking my heart rate too and I also downloaded that same app. Here’s some advice I’ll pass on to you.

From my husband, who is an RN: That app is extremely inaccurate, and taking your heart rate the old fashioned way is still the most accurate option. (He also said “stop checking it all the time”!)

From my doc: Checking your heart rate often makes you anxious about what you’ll find, which makes your heart rate go up, which continues the cycle—so don’t check it all the time.

From me: Many apps pay people to leave glowing reviews. Yes, this is against the rules, but it happens anyway (I know because I’ve been paid to do that in the past, before realizing how sketchy that is). You really often can’t believe all the 5-star reviews on anything.

Hope some of this helps put this into perspective a bit!

[UserName20]

Thank you so much for your response! You’re right, I deleted that app off of my phone. I have a really hard time counting to six while counting my pulse at the same time to determine it. I’ve been using my moms home blood pressure monitor and praying that it’s right because it hasn’t said my pulse has been up that high. But when I feel my pulse on my wrist it feels fast. But the Apple Watch also said that my pulse was within normal ranges. Taking it over and over just increases my anxiety. On Snapchat one of my friends posted a picture of her friend smiling in a heart hospital and wishing him luck on his surgery tomorrow. He’s a year younger than I am and this is so selfish and ridiculous but it’s like seeing things like that set me off. That kid seems like he’s in perfect healthy condition yet he’s having surgery in a heart hospital. I feel so selfish because I hear of stories like this and suddenly I am thinking about myself and thinking if it happens to them it can happen to me. My doctor is confident that I am fine. The ER doctor seemed confident that since my ekg and blood tests were fine it was anxiety. The urgent care cardiac nurse practitioner seemed confident I was fine. I am the one who cannot accept their opinions and it stinks because I want to be able to.


I took my blood pressure and pulse on my moms monitor this morning. My pulse was 70’s. I’m not allowing myself to take it anymore today.

[Dying_Swan]

Excellent. Get rid of the app and stop checking your pulse and blood pressure. There is no need to and you'll only fuel your anxiety. Ask your mum to lock away that blood pressure monitor!

[UserName20]

I am going to start going through that workbook you showed me, Swan. I know along with the medication if im not in therapy I need to start helping myself. I am definitely wanting to get into therapy of some type. I think it will really help. I am starting to realize and accept that this all is an anxiety problem with the constant checking. I got rid of that app and felt a lot better. I still have this thing where I keep checking my pulse though with my finger and wrist. I don’t even know when I’m doing it half the time. Then yesterday I thought mine felt really slow and what did I do?? Redownloaded the app and told myself “I’m just going to take it once to reassure me.” ( of course) They turned into over and over and probably like 10 times an hour. I never got a bad reading but the number would start at like 113 or go to 113 throughout it measuring and it would scare me. And all day yesterday my chest felt fine for the most part. Then after I started checking my pulse all over it started feeling tight and I started getting scared something was wrong with my heart again. Then when I went to bed I could feel my heart pounding, maybe from being anxious I’m not sure. So then I couldn’t sleep all last night tossing and turning.😢. I know I completely did it to myself yet I feel like I cannot stop?? I also developed a sore throat yesterday and just generally do not feel good and have chills but no fever. I contributed this to something being wrong with me too instead of just a cold. My boyfriend told me yesterday I have looked tired all week. ( then I started being afraid I was looking ill from this heart thing ) it’s like my brain looks for something to worry about. At this point I realize how ridiculous I am yet I can’t stop. I think my boyfriend is trying his best to be supportive but then I also feel like he thinks I’m nuts and is starting to slowly push himself away

[Dying_Swan]

You're in a cycle of checking and reassurance. The good news is that you recognise it. An app is not going to be as accurate as a proper pulse reading, but regardless, you've no need to be checking it. That app is no use to you whatsoever. Hearts speed up and slow down as they need to, and yours is doing its job. If we're in an anxious state, our body perceives a risk and our pulse goes up. Years ago when I was about your age, I started having loads of palpitations following a period of stress. I had no anxiety diagnosis then and thought my heart was about to pack up. I was feeling my wrist constantly and freaking out with every ectopic. It was investigated, nothing was wrong so I stopped checking. Guess what? The palpitations stopped. It's not easy to put it out of your mind, but when you do, I think you'll find lots of these sensations will go away.

Talk to your boyfriend. Explain that you realise it's a challenging time for him too, but that you're seeking help and you WILL get over this, it just takes a little time and patience. Perhaps give him some ideas for how he can help (distraction etc).

[Fishmanpa]

You're in a cycle of checking and reassurance.

Talk to your boyfriend. Explain that you realise it's a challenging time for him too, but that you're seeking help and you WILL get over this, it just takes a little time and patience. Perhaps give him some ideas for how he can help (distraction etc).

True.... while it seemed forward strides were being made, the reassurance cycle is becoming more apparent again. As far as your boyfriend... Recruit him as an accountability partner. Have him be the one to stop you from posting and reassurance seeking. Making him aware of your efforts and giving him a role in your recovery can be quite beneficial.

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

Thank you both. You have even very helpful. I had a really nice day today. I went to church with my boyfriend and went line dancing with his family, ( I made a fool out of myself and I also didn’t care ) It was just a perfect day where I was genuinely happy. And the best part is that I haven’t checked my pulse once using any app or blood pressure monitor, and I have felt mostly fine with my chest. I do have a cold right now.. a sore throat that is now a stuffy nose but I know it’ll just pass. I was messing with my neck about an hour in the evening service st church and I feel like I feel a lump in my neck. I began getting worried and touching it over and over. I looked in the mirror and it’s not visible at all for from the outside but if I stretch the skin I feel like I can kind of see an outline of a bump, and it moves with the skin. I’m done touching my neck now. I have a cold, if anything it’s probably just a swollen lymph node. Not letting it ruin my night and didn’t let it ruin the rest of my day either. This is one of the first times in a long time I’ve been able to talk myself down. A little accomplishment for some, but a big step in the right direction for me. My boyfriend told me he was happy I was finally myself again today. Hoping more days like this are to come 🙂 Thank you guys again for being so kind and Patient with me in your replies. It’s been an incredibly rough month but I hope things are getting better.

[Dying_Swan]

That's great! Well done you. A great leap in the right direction if you ask me :yesyes:

[UserName20]

It’s been almost a week since I have posted on this. And this thread has went on for a long time so I’m probably going to be putting an end to it after this. I just wanted to share what an amazing week I’ve had. I feel like the person I was a month ago vs right now was a completely different person. A month ago that person feeling that lump I felt last week in my neck would have been sent into hysterics. Sure, I poked at it a few times throughout the day but in the end I didn’t worry too much. I was able to reasonably think. I had a cold, it was surely just a swollen lymph node. Which went away so I assume I was right. After seeing my Dr last week and being put on that medication for acid reflux those symptoms have stopped. I have felt so much calmer, my chest tightness has basically vanished. I have felt more myself and actually enjoying life, something I haven’t felt in quite a while. I know I’m going to have lots more ups and downs with this whole thing. He did double my antidepressant last week, not sure if that has anything to do with it.

I have been working through a free book on this site a bit. I am still going to be looking into therapy. I am under a ton of stress as far as having to drop college for now and financially. I’m just in a weird spot where I’m transitioning to a “full” adult and yet it’s like I’m calm and hopeful all at the same time. I’m really grateful again for all of the comments everyone has given me through this entire process. It’s been a few long years but I’m finally on the road to recovery! 😊

[BlueIris]

So great to hear this! Congratulations!

[UserName20]

I wish I could say I was still doing as well. The left side chest tightness has returned the past week and doesn’t seem to be going away. The doctor thought it was possible reflux with anxiety. However even when I’m not feeling nervous it’s there and it’s scaring me. Can’t get my mind off of it. I hate fearing that I’m dying :( Trying to remind myself if it was cancer it probably wouldn’t have disappeared for a week and my CBC blood test would have been off a bit. I’ve been going on daily walks, mild exercise doesn’t make it any worse just gets my mind off things. I’m babysitting a toddler right now who’s helping distract me a bit, didn’t realize how much work they could be! Haha

[UserName20]

I have however stayed true to the no checking my pulse or blood pressure. I actually found my old Apple Watch and started tracking my pulse again until I realized what I was doing to myself. I know I had the option to turn the heart rate monitor off but I instead just gave it to my younger brother. I knew if I kept it I would Just keep turning it back on. Plus it made him really happy so I was happy to.

I guess I am just struggling. Struggling to accept that anxiety can cause chest pain. Because I always thought that chest pain or moreso the tightness that I feel is only brought on by panic attacks. Since that night in the ER I have just been hyper focused on my heart area. And the tightness/pain is always on my left side where my heart is.. it’s terrifying and that week I had the cold it’s like I was more focused on my sore throat and cold symptoms so I didn’t notice it as much.

My doctor told me last visit that if there was something wrong with my heart the ekg would have showed something. He told me he thought it was acid reflux ( the meds haven’t helped it ) and also that he believes my mind can be fueling it, so the anxiety portion.

I just want it to stop. I can’t stop worrying and thinking about it. Every toss and turn even in the middle of sleep I can recall focusing on my chest. It’s the first thought when I wake up. I was doing so well a couple of weeks ago all week and now I am back down the rabbit hole. I just want them to run more tests yet I cannot afford more tests right now. Part of me wants to just walk into an urgent care and demand a chest X-ray. Silly I know. I have spent the last few days wondering how my family will handle me being gone. My boyfriend keeps talking about future plans someday and I just feel the need to tell him I won’t make it much longer. I can’t stop I hate this and I hate myself for falling back down the hole I’m desperately trying to climb out of. It’s horrifying and I feel hopeless

[UserName20]

I spoke with an online counselor. She had told me that it’s definitely worth getting every test that I possibly can for this to rule out things. I am going to go to urgent care and ask them to do a chest X-ray. Hopefully it all turns out okay. I am really scared

[NotDeadYet]

UserName16,

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I do believe that getting checked by a doctor is essential to recovery but equally essential is trusting your doctor's diagnosis. If you feel you need the chest x-ray, then by all means get the chest x-ray, however, if it comes out normal, you must trust your diagnosis. If not, you will spend your entire life worried about something that isn't reality. You've had an EKG and it was normal. Trust that. You had a period where you weren't worried about your symptoms. Trust that as well.

I went through a period of time where I was obsessed with my heart and respiration. It is amazing how anxiety can cause the heart to palpate and breathing to either increase or slow down. I once had a doctor check my heart and say to me while the stethoscope was on my chest, "I need you to take a deep breath because your anxiety is making it difficult to hear the pattern of your heart." I took a deep breath and he then said, "That's better. Everything is great."

Please take a deep breath.

Best wishes.

[UserName20]

Thank you so much for your reply. I agree with you completely. It is important for me to be able to rely on the doctor’s diagnosis. I told the doctor of my worries ( a different dr this time ) and he told me that he truly believes this is all anxiety. I told him that I wanted an X-ray and he told me he is not going to expose me to unnecessary radiation and that I have no risk factors for a blood clot or anything. He then told me that it the pain gets worse I should go to the ER because he cannot officially rule anything out which kind of scares me. Which I know is probably him covering his butt. He told me I would have trouble breathing if it was a blood clot. He did to another EKG he said just to be safe and it turned out perfectly normal. I am just so frustrated 😔 Everyone really thinks I’m crazy. He told me I’m not handling my anxiety well and that this is starting to rule my life and that I won’t get better without CBT therapy. I truly just wanted an X-ray to rule out my tumor fear but he didn’t think it was necessary and told me that unnecessary radiation will increase my risk of an actual disease

[NotDeadYet]

UserName16

What a wonderful report from a medically trained professional. This is really exciting news! You were given the all clear. Trust that! You are exactly right and rational in that your doctor made the "go to the ER" comment to cover himself. You aren't crazy and nothing is wrong with you. You have health anxiety. That's OK! All of us on this forum have it. Again, take a deep breath and let the factual knowledge that a doctor told you that you are OK sink in.

Best Wishes

[UserName20]

Thank you so much for your reply! You are right I need to just relax! I remember when I first started worrying obsessively about health I truly thought I was alone and just “strange.” I know my family is just shaking their heads at me and doesn’t understand the way users on this forum do. The doctor today told me that counseling is probably necessary in my case to get better to help with my reasoning. I left that urgent care pretty upset at him telling me he is not going to give me an X-ray when he doesn’t see a reason to. At work I thought about it and I honestly respect for it. He probably could have made the urgent care more money by running it, yet he truly does not believe it is necessary and did not want to expose me to any additional unneeded radiation.

Four doctors not have had an examination of me, I need to get myself into therapy and be able to put this to rest

[NotDeadYet]

Your reasoned, logical and rational thinking evidenced in your last post is exactly how you are going to get a grip on your anxiety. Keep that up! It takes a lot of practice and you'll certainly have downer days but that's OK. Use your doctor's words from today and go back to them whenever you're feeling anxious. They are true and real. You can hold onto them.

Best Wishes

[Pkstracy]

I have some of the similar issues six years ago I had horrible pains left side down my ribs and chest and back worried it was heart attack kept checking my pulse, nope all due to my anxiety. I will get flares up when I am anxious. Therapy has helped me

[UserName20]

Thank you so much for your reply. It’s crazy, I actually just woke up in the middle of the night with these same symptoms again. It’s like a tightness in the left side of my chest and almost a burning sensation but not really. It’s hard to explain. I almost feel like it goes into my arm too but that may be my head making it up. I’m starting to freak out and I’m trying to focus on my breathing and not my heart. I took my blood pressure and it’s high and my pulse is around 90. I’m really scared it’s a heart attack or something but I’m not even 20 yet so I know it’s probably rare. I’m trying to remind myself a few months ago I had these symptoms and got checked out really well and they all just thought it was anxiety. I did take myself off of my anxiety meds like two months ago or so. I have started a new job and am gone 12 hours a day everyday and I’m just stressed because it’s a stressful job and everything is too much. And now I have chest pains on top of that

[UserName20]

This is just the most frustrating thing ever. This entire thing completely disappeared for a little Over three months but has now returned. I’m so terrified it’s something serious but the logical side of my brain is questioning how it would have disappeared for three months if it was serious? I don’t know. I have absolutely no time to go to the doctor with my work schedule and I’m still in my probation beginner period so I don’t want to be late or anything. The pain is not constant. It’s like it’s there and then it’s not and then it is. It’s just a tightness and pain feeling. Sometimes almost like a burning. I was running around quite a bit at work, I even jumped around trying to exercise but the pain didn’t worse . I started focusing on my breathing to make sure I could breathe right and then I started freaking out jn the car and felt like I couldn’t get a deep breath in. I know my doctor thought last time I had acid reflux but he never did any test to confirm that. I was wondering if I should run to urgent care in the morning and have them do another EKG although I just had one done in September and in July and they were fine. Or a chest X-ray or something, but then I’m terrified they will find a tumor. I’m September the urgent care dr had told me he rewlly did not want to do a chest X-ray as he told me at my age of 19 and having never smoked with jk family
History a blood clot just seemed unlikely. But I’m worried about a tumor now or that something is wrong with my heart. I just can’t handle this I definitely feel like I’m dying and I’m spiraling very badly and am back to feeling so hopeless after having a good couple months. I felt so great I took myself off of my anxiety medication. My mind is already going back to not being able to grow old or ever have kids or marry my boyfriend. This morning my boyfriend and I were in Walmart and I just “had” to stop at the blood pressure machine and my blood pressure was pretty high- my heart rate was also 104. I don’t have money to be running to the ER and last time I did that in the middle of the night without my parents knowing I just made a big mess. But I also don’t want anything to happen to me!

[NotDeadYet]

I felt so great I took myself off of my anxiety medication.

Begin taking your anxiety medication again. You felt great because you were being correctly treated.

[UserName20]

Thank you. I just keep feeling this pain/tightness in the left side of my chest. I’m terrified it’s a tumor or heart problems.

[Fishmanpa]

Thank you. I just keep feeling this pain/tightness in the left side of my chest. I’m terrified it’s a tumor or heart problems.

From 2016...


Hey! This is my first post on this site, I'm looking forward to seeing more posts!:) Basically I'm a female and I'm 16. My extreme health anxiety began last summer and it's been tormenting me ever since. This time it's the most scared I've ever been. It started last night, I got this bit of pain in the left side of my chest where my heart is. Of course I began obsessing over that spot. After reading horrible stories on google I was afraid and when I was finally able to sleep a bit I woke up this morning and it didn't really hurt except for when I breathed very deeply in. I instantly thought I should go to the ER, I was shaking uncontrollably and couldn't stop I was so terrified. Well, throughout the day when I'm distracted I actually don't really feel the pain or pressure but it comes back and then I get panicked again. I told my parents my fears, they told me it was indigestion. I have been burping/hiccuping a lot today but of course my mind is telling me this is a heart attack, heart failure, or something else horrible. I have such a fear of Doctors, I know they would run tests and confirm my worst fears. The pain isn't severe at all, it's just a slight twinge of pain and other than that it's just a bit of pressure. I thought I was doing good because most of the day today I didn't feel much but now it's night when everybody is sleeping and I feel it back again, I'm so terrified. Can anyone help calm me down a bit? I know this is most likely indigestion fueled majorly by my anxiety, but I just can't get these tormenting thoughts out of my head no matter how hard I try.

Positive thoughts

[UserName20]

You’re right and I am trying to remind myself that this has all happened before. I just cannot shake the feeling that something is wrong. It’s like something just feels tight and it’s on and off. And the more I focus on it the worse it gets.

[UserName20]

Yesterday my chest felt normal. I barely noticed anything. And now I’m back to feeling a squeezing in my left chest but by my left breast. I don’t know what to do. I have no time to run to urgent care with my job and I am really horrified right now. I don’t want to spend the holidays learning what’s wrong with me. I feel like I’m screaming and nobody can hear me

[UserName20]

I just don’t know what to do. I’m at work and all I can focus on is my chest. Last time this all happened the doctors thought it was anxiety causing it. I just want a chest X-ray but I’m also terrified to get one. I’m at work and it’s like I can’t even think I just feel trapped here and like I want to curl into a ball and cry. I’m so terrified of dying and I feel like this is it. This mostly went away in September and is now back 3 months later. Cancer wouldn’t disappear for three months ?

[NotDeadYet]

UserName16

This is a story your mind is creating to explain the actual symptoms you are experiencing. I would recommend taking 5 deep breaths right now at work and ground yourself in the present. You do this by finding 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. This helps bring you outside of your mind and gets you back to reality.

Best Wishes

[utrocket09]

I just don’t know what to do. I’m at work and all I can focus on is my chest. Last time this all happened the doctors thought it was anxiety causing it. I just want a chest X-ray but I’m also terrified to get one. I’m at work and it’s like I can’t even think I just feel trapped here and like I want to curl into a ball and cry. I’m so terrified of dying and I feel like this is it. This mostly went away in September and is now back 3 months later. Cancer wouldn’t disappear for three months ?
Unless it is not cancer. Sounds like plain old anxiety. If you did get a chest x ray what would that prove to you ?

[UserName20]

I’m at urgent care right now to get checked out again. Again my parents don’t even know. I hate myself

[UserName20]

So my heart rate again shot up to 110. My blood pressure was pretty high. I told them about the kinda burning/tightness in my chest and I guess the records showed them that I had heartburn in the past. They told me I need to go back on my anxiety pills as I need them at this point in my life and to start taking the omeprazole prescription again. The lady listened to my heart and told me there is no reason for her to believe this is cardiac related and told me my heart sounds great and that anxiety can trigger all of this. She told me since I’ve had regular ekgs in the last few months she sees no need to do any more. She pointed out things like my nails being pink, not being pale, and “looking great” with “no red flags. And they sent me on my way. I’m just worried this doesn’t necessarily feel like heartburn and I feel like the fact my pain is by where my heart is is a red flag.

[LouiseAndy]

I know this is hard hun- I'm struggling with heart anixety issues also but tbh 110 heart rate isn't that high. That's my heart rate now (I'm sick so that's a given I think). They really have to take heart issues seriously when you go into the a&e. I know its hard, I struggle myself with it but try to believe them? And please don't say you hate yourself. You're struggling right now, this is hard.