chest pains for months!

[pixel88]

hi guys,

I've been having chest pains for months now, been to the doctor and he keeps on telling me to just ignore it.

I'm thinking of getting a second opinion, but is scared to do so as well. I've read all the bookmarked threads on NMP about chest pains over and over, and I just feel like it doesn't help much anymore.

I get sharp pains, right at the left side of my chest, where the heart is. I get dull aches, twitches, tightness, all sorts of feelings in my chest, and almost always at the left side of my chest.

This is what's bothering me, why not on the other side, why is it exactly here, on the left side of the chest. I'm also getting random muscle pains, could be my finger, could be my arm, could be my legs, just feel some pulsing pain and it will be gone.

This has gone on for months now, almost everyday. Do you have this guys? I need advice. Please help. Thanks.

[sarah jayne]

Hi, ive had exactly what you have described for 2 years. Ive been to the doctor lots and seen specialists. I was found to have 3 slipped disks in my neck which were trapping some nerves, which causes me to have chest pain. Some days are worse than others and some days i worry that its not my neck but my heart because its hard not to with where the pain is. I suffer from anxiety so ive had awful panic attacks over it. It tooks me ages to convince my doctor to run some tests but it was worth it. Hope you feel better soon.
Sarah x

[nomorepanic]

The heart is a muscle so needs exercise too or it gets tense and hence the pain.

Try some stretches behind your back

[cricketjar]

I have also had chest pains for months now and have had ECGs and chest x-rays and all fine. i even had a full bupa health check and that was all fine. I know i suffer from anxiety but it is so hard to believe that anxiety can cause these weird pains. I would say go for an ECG cos these can pick up all abnormalities to do with your heart and it should put your mind at ease. i know it is easier said then done because i still worry about my heart and this stems my panic attacks. I guess the more we think about the pains the more they come!!

I hope you sort it out because i know EXACTLY what you are going through.

James

[TheMadPikey]

Hi everybody i know how u feel i have a constant pain just below my left nipple that hurts more the heavier i breathe,Ave been for two ecgs and a blood test all of which have come back normal,I'm personally at my wits end with worry as this pain coupled with palpitations and tightening of my left arm is very frightening.What tends to make my anxiety even worse is that this pain has been there constantly for 3 weeks now.Guess i just have to trust my doctor,Which is a bit hard when i'm in a panic all the time,I'm 29 in just over a week as well not a very good way to see my birthday in.This might sound daft but i actually feel like i won't see my birthday the way i feel and going through this alone isn't really helping,For me the night time is the worst i dread having to stretch out cos i get more paniced.Ave been on 40mg of propranolol 3 times a day for a month now which don't seem to be working at all.

[kerri]

Hi, I have been having similar chest pains, always the left side and I have had them for years, my anxiety makes the pain a million times worse. I have had ecgs and blood tests and all fine. My GP has since diagnosed Costocondritis. I however remain unconvinced and I have convinced myself its heart related. I dont think that i will ever be convinced otherwise. But I guess thats all part of having HA.

[xBettyBoopx]

Hi pixel

I could have written your post myself! I am exactly the same, am convinced that I have heart problems or am having heart attack. When the pains go away, I think 'ok next time I get it I won't panic about it', but I still do!! I don't know why it's always on the left side either!

I have no advise I just wanted you to know that by no means are you alone in this.

You could always ask your doctor to send you for tests to reassure you.

Els

[Blot]

Wow, ditto,ditto,ditto! I also do not undersatnd why I have the pain in the left side of my chest, my left arm!!

[Macchiavelli]

Exactly the same, always seems to be just to the left of the centre and is a short pain the only lasts for a split second and sometimes a dull ache

I also think I wont worry about it next time I have this, but I always do and this seems to be one of the most common symptons for me at the moment

Doctor doesnt think it is heart pain, and also said that the muscles can spasm from anx, so I try and tell myself it is just that and not to worry

[Sunkid]

Hi Pixel 88

The chest pains are my biggest concern and have been for the last four years! It comes and goes, but there are times when they persist for months at a time. I had it all checked out with blood tests etc and was told that the ticker is fine. I had it bad yesterday; pain started under my left armpit, into my chest on the left side (enough to drive me mad) into my left jaw, and finally settled in my left shoulder blade. All of these areas were sensitive to touch and were painful. I had to take a sedative to calm me down. I felt as though my left arm was losing its strength and was very shaky. I did some stretching and it all went away. I now know that it was all muscular, but at the time my mind was telling me all kinds of weird and not so wonderful things!

[pixel88]

hi guys,

thank you everyone for answering my post. Although it sounds bad, I'm glad I'm not alone in this. It's just so difficult to live a normal life with this.

yes I've had ECGs, stress echo exams, a blood test, and mostly they are normal. The latest finding my doctor told me was that I have palpitations, an abnormality in my ECG that's probably inborn according to him. At the back of my mind, I'm thinking if it's just my anxiety causing these palpitations?

I'm still having these pains since I wrote my post, having it now while I'm typing on my PC, it's so hard not to think that this is not heart related. There are days when I feel like I'm fine, and I'm cured, but most days you just feel like your sick and helpless. :(

[sarah jayne]

Hi, i replied when you first made this post and since then i have found out that i suffer from costicondritis. Its a condition that effects the muscles in the chest wall. Im in alot of pain at the moment as im having a flare up of it but im having some injections in it in just over a week so hopefully i'll soon be pain free. It might be worth looking into if you have this.
Sarah x

[simplysal]

I just am thankful to hear that you all have been suffering from the same pains as me!!! I'm sorry that you're all having these pains of course and I understand these pains cos I get them!!!

The thing that is worrying me is my left arm ache etc etc!!! How can we feel 'healthy' when we get these pains - I'm sure we all think we're just about to keel over and die of a heart attack and it's horrid!!!

I too think I won't panic when it happens again but of course when it comes back, I s**t myself over and over and over - it's a pretty crappy way to live your life feeling like you're gonna die every moment of every day - we're not living, merely surviving!!

I hope to one day start to do things without worrying about my chest pains etc - good luck to you all xxx

[Maj]

Two of my sons take chest pain when they are very anxious. When they relax then it disappears, but at the time it is very real to them. I've never had chest pain when anxious but have had other symptoms. I think certain symptoms are unique to certain people. We're all different. Reassurance that it's nothing to do with the heart is great so anyone suffering chest pain should check with the doctor.
Myra:hugs:

[Jimpy]

Chest pain and any chest sensation rate highest on my list of a thousand worries. Usually left sided pain, just to that bit of extra panic every now and then I feel like the pain/ache is coming right from my heart. All I do is try to stay calm check I can breathe ok and carry on with whatever it is I was doing. It is terrible that we live like this! It is like someone has turned up the volume of my bodily sensation so every twinge, ache, pain, or unusual sensation registers in my existance full blast and demands my attention, usually in the form of worry followed shortly by a dash of adrenalin and a slice of panic pie. That's it I quit, no more of this anxiety lark for me I refuse to worry anymore are you with me brothers and sisters???? If only it was that easy eh?