Heart worries

[Rebecca77]

Hi,

I suffer from health anxiety at for a long time been obsessed about my heart, I have been having pains in the left side of my chest which also goes under my armpit and shoulder. The pain isn't constant in my chest, it kind of feels like someone is poking me in the chest and sometimes a squeezing sensation,sometimes when i rub that area it does feel a bit sore but i don't know whether that is because i am always rubbing it.
Do you think the shoulder pain could be tension from holding myself tight because i am so anxious?
I have had a couple of ecg's before and they were normal but i can't get it out of my head that there is something wrong with my heart and I am going to have a heart attack. My doctor has seen me a couple of times and has listened to my heart and says everything sounds fine, but sometimes I feel he looks at my anxiety history and just puts everything down to anxiety. I have asked for a heart scan but the doctor refused to send me for one, so i looked to go private but was told i would need a gp referral and that i was also too young ( I am 31).
This worry is totally consuming my life at the moment, I am constantly checking my pulse. I just don't know what to to do, instead of enjoying my life all i think about is this, it is ruining my life and also having an effect on my husband who is constantly trying to reassure me, he said to me tonight he wishes i could get better, so i know it is taking it's toll on him as well.
I am getting desperate...I just don't know what to do.

Rebecca xx

[Tracy68]

Hi Rebecca
First of all big hugs to you at this horrible time.
Secondly I have exactly what you describe, I even posted on here earlier as I suffered a panic attack last night with pains that i had on left side of chest. I have also had the pains under the armpit and shoulder.....and i'm afraid to say yep its all anxiety.
I actually rang the doctor last night and he said I could go for ecg's but he didn't think i needed to coz it sounded like a panic attack bought on by anxiety. I'm like you constantly checking my pulse and as I suffer from ectopics this makes it worse.
You will have good days as well as the bad ones and somedays its easier to deal with than others but be assured it is anxiety and when we feel this way our muscles do tense up hence we get the pain.
At least your husband is sympathetic all mine did last night was laugh and said bet you're still here in the morning and I was lol
Take care of you and hopefully tomorrow you will feel bit better.

Tracy
xxx

[Rebecca77]

Hi Tracy,

Thanks so much for replying to my message, it has helped to settle my mind a bit and though I am sorry you too suffer with this it is good to hear that I am not the only one.
I have got myself into such a state the past few days with my obsessional thoughts and the symptoms have been so evident that it is so difficult to accept that anxiety can cause this.
I wish I could snap out of it, but it doesn't work like that.
I just wondered, do you also suffer with any throat problems? because this is another major symptom I suffer with.
Take care Tracy

Rebecca xxx

[LeeBee]

Hi Rebecca, it's so hard, isn't it, to "just stop" the obsessive thoughts, even though you know that it is the thoughts that are driving your anxiety.

I would say try, if you can, to resist the checking. It feeds your anxiety. Trust your body to tell you if there is something wrong - you don't need to keep hunting for symptoms. When I'm getting ectopics I worry about my heart and so sometimes walk around clutching my wrist so I can feel my pulse! Or constantly stroke at the lymph nodes under my jaw, or constantly check my breasts for lumps... whatever I'm particularly obsessed about that day. If you can stop yourself as you start reaching for your pulse, it will help to reduce your obsessive thoughts.

Try to be reassured that your heart has been given the all-clear by your doctor. The squeezing sensation you feel has also been reported by lots of people on the site and can often be caused by tense muscles in your chest. If you use techniques to help yourself relax you should be able to determine whether the sensations are caused by tense muscles or not. Good luck and let us know how you get on :flowers:.

[Rebecca77]

Thanks LeeBee for your sound advise, it is really appreciated.
I have just started doing a relaxation cd on a night to try and calm myself down and on Monday I begin counselling, which has been organised through work. I am on the waiting list for CBT but the list is long.

Do you have any other relaxation techniques that you have found useful?

This whole heart obsession has got out of control, I know that exercise is really good for anxiety and depression, but at the moment I am like a couch potato because I get worried I will have a heart attack if I exert myself.... it's a complete catch 22!!
Rebecca xx

[donrobo]

Im more or less in the same boat as you and have been experiencing chest pain and breathlessness.I feel like those around me at home/work are laughing at me and that they havent got a clue.:shrug:
Sometimes after having chest pain,the next day i have a very tender chest which is sore to touch.:weep:
I know what you mean about the drs as well as they havent really got the time to sit and listen to your fears and symptoms and so fob you off with past diagnosis's and you come out feeling better for an hour and then it all starts again.Then im in such a state i end up going back.Im sure my dr thinks "oh my god here she comes again!":scared15:

[LeeBee]

You're welcome, Rebecca :).

I generally find that if I'm distracted and absorbed in something then I'm less likely to let my thoughts wander into over to HA. Even just simple things like cooking. I find that if I can feel an ectopic while in the middle of doing something and not keel over, when I feel an ectopic later when just lying in bed or something I can think "I had one before and it didn't hurt me, so it won't now either."

Yoga helps me to relax and the breathing exercises that you do in yoga can help to control your breathing when you get anxious too. This might be good in your case because yoga is usually not too aerobic (so won't make you worry about over-taxing your heart), and it will make you stretch out the muscles in your chest, which might reduce the squeezing feeling.

[skye]

Hi Rebecca,
Im exactly the same! in fact my family and friends think im nuts as im always saying i have this really wierd pain in my chest im sure im having a heart attack...ive been to the doc about my breathing again he said anxiety related. My HA gets really bad for a few days and then if i survive lol then im okay for a few days. You have got to keep yourself busy, try and relax have a glass of wine if you need one and try and distract yourslef. Im sure you are absolutly fine, and if you are still in a state about it then insist to your doctor you would like an ecg and tell him how much this is affecting your life. We dont pay these taxes over here for nothing we hve a National health service for a reason! But im sure it is the dreaded anxiety we all suffer from. i am always really tense my shoulders heart and thats why i think i get pains in my chest sometimes pure anxiety. chin up your be fine hun x