Chest Pain Question...

[gman]

Hi All,

I'm new to the site and stumbled across it after several trips to the GP in which they told me I was very anxious.

The site is great and I come here quite often and read everything which does help a lot.

My GP visits all started due to very bad back pain behind my right shoulder and chest pains from the centre of my chest up the the top right. After several GP visits, blood tests and an ECG the doctor diagnosed me with Costoshondritis (a cartiledge problem) and I started to feel a lot better, the chest pains even disappeared for 2-3 weeks. The peace of mind came with the fact I could replicate the pain my pushing on the cartiledge.

However, in the last 3 weeks I've been getting chest pains again without the back pain. There is no cartiledge pain either. However, the pain is now mostly in the top right of my chest. It's not there all the time, sometimes for maybe an hour and sometimes just a sharp stabbing pain and then it goes. The stabbing pain feels very deep inside my chest and when it comes it sends a slight pins and needles sensation down my right arm into my fingers.

I do honestly believe this started due to a lot of domestic and work related stress but it feels more like a health anxiety now.

Everybody seems to associate chest pain with the heart but in my last visit I told my GP I was more concerned it was some lung related problem including the obvious lung cancer. They didn't seem in the slightest bit worried about that but I can't help feel that a CT scan would put my mind at rest (assuming there is nothing wrong).

My first question is do any other anxiety sufferers get this very deep stabbing pain in their chest?

My second question is should I be asking them to send me for a CT scan?

I can cope with this most of the time but sometimes I just end up in tears as it all seems too much. I'm a 30 year old male, happily married and we have a child on the way in February next year. I've never been worried about health before until now. To the point I could go 5 years without a trip to the doctors.

Any feedback to help me with this would be extremely appreciated.

[gypsywomen]

your Doctor is sending you for scan just to rule out anything he feels is causing these pain not because he thinks you have bad heart or lung cancer or any problems ,when you think about it isn't this better than worrying what it can be ,,so when you get all clear you will feel much better .i am sure he only wants to put your mind at rest ,so please don't worry to much

[sarah jayne]

The same happened to me on saturday, I was xmas shopping in tk max when all of a sudden i got a really bad pain in my chest, it was that bad that i thought i was going to collapse. It lasted for about 30 seconds but it felt like a life time and it made me have a huge painc attack, ive felt worn out since and very scared but ive been to the doctors so many times recently that i darent go again. Its happened to me a couple of times in the past, one time i went to hospital and they did an ecg and it was fine. I cant help worrying that theres something wrong with my heart. im sorry i cant give you any advice but i just want you to know that your own.
Sarah x

[sarah jayne]

I forgot to mention that i also suffer from costochondritis x

[gman]

Thanks for the reply guys :)

I try to remind myself if it was as serious as I sometimes think it is then it would be there all the time.

Apologies though, I'm not sure I phrased the scan question correctly. They aren't sending me for a scan but I can't help feeling that I should ask them to so I can put my mind at rest. Then the other side of me thinks I should stop being so stupid and it would just be a waste of NHS resources.

They are sending me to a CBT Professional though so maybe I should just see how that goes.

I feel a lot better so far this morning after reading through the site again.

[gman]

Sarah,

With the costochondritis, can you feel where the cartiledge is sore or do you just get the pains?

[darrenc]

Hi gman,

Yes I get those pains as well, and like most people I associate pain in the chest with heart problems. I also get numbness and tingling in the left arm, and shortness of breath when I'm anxious. It also hurts when I take a really deep breath, and when I sneeze!

I'm not sure if you need a CT scan, but a chest X-ray may put your mind at ease. You could also ask for a spirometry test which is quick and simple. A lot of chest problems can also be diagnosed with stethoscope.

I know it's the easiest thing in the world to say, but try and leave the diagnosis to the doctors. They are the ones with all the experience and knowledge. If you are still worried, tell the doctor's you are worried.

[ZoJo]

Hi gman,

Welcome to the site, i'm sure if you look around you will find loads of weird and wonderful symptoms that we all experience!
I get bizarre deep pains anywhere, mainly in the upper body. I thought my last lot was lung related - it wasn't! I have had ECG's etc all perfectly fine too. I get relief from my muscular pain from a physio, I find that it really relaxes me thus giving the muscles a well earned break from being so tense. My aches and pains can last for weeks too!!
I also got very anxious about my health when I was expecting all of my three children, it seems to be a natural thing to do - we all want to be fit and healthy and be there for our little ones!
You do believe deep down that your new pains are down to domestic and work related stress, and I would say you are more than right, being that you have been to your doctors and being that they were not concerned.
You are about to have a baby in your life, which in turns brings joy, worry, stress, sleepless nights etc etc!! If you really are concerned talk to your doctor again, they are there to help and it sounds like you have a good relationship with them.
Hope that helps a little bit!!

[sarah jayne]

Sometimes i can feel where its sore but other times i cant and all of a sudden i'll get a horrid pain, thats what freaks me out. When it happened on saturday my chest felt fine than all of a sudden i was in agony

[Louisejane]

Hi gman

I'm not a big poster on here but just had to reply to you.

I started with random chest pains in January 2009 and straight away thought I had lung cancer or heart disease!

I have had - full blood works - 3 ecg's, a chest X-Ray, CT Scan with contrast and a 24 hour heart monitor. Absolutely nothing has showed up as abnormal on any of the tests I have had. Reassured? Should be but I continued to panic and worry. I rushed myself to ER convinced I was having a heart attack, I induced my first ever panic attack and now have constant palpitations.

My pains can occur anywhere in my chest and shoulders. They feel deep, as though someone is poking a finger deep in my chest. They are not brought on my exercise and can happen if I'm just sitting. I had dizzy spells, got pins and needles, felt sick ................

Now about a month ago, I sat down and re-read all the things I had posted on various websites and kinda diagnosed myself with anxiety. (I have never been a nervous person before)

The first time I had a chest pain, I googled!!! Big mistake. Up flashed the words "YOU COULD BE HAVING A HEART ATTACK, CALL 999 NOW!!" THe pains got worse!

All my other symptoms came on gradually as my anxiety about the chest pains increased. I just could not accept that these pains were anxiety but looking back, I have had to take a leap of faith and trust the 10's of doctors I have seen and who have told me this.

Guess what? After almost a year things are SLOWLY getting better. The pains for the first time are easing, my panic attacks have stayed away for over 3 months and I actually feel a little like my old none worrying self again. I still get palps but when I think, I had these before my chest pains, I just didn't really notice them.

I am sorry about the long post but I understand more than most how worrying unexplained chest pains really are to the point where they change who you are.

I would get the tests done if your doc will agree. (I insisted) My Chest X-ray ruled out lung cancer for me and the CT Scan ruled out heart problems and anything missed on the X-RAy. In all honesty, even after I had these done, I still worried but it's hard evidence that there is nothing major going on.

If you need to chat please do PM me. I really hope you can come out of the other side. :hugs:

[Cell block H fan]

Hi All,

I'm new to the site and stumbled across it after several trips to the GP in which they told me I was very anxious.

The site is great and I come here quite often and read everything which does help a lot.

My GP visits all started due to very bad back pain behind my right shoulder and chest pains from the centre of my chest up the the top right. After several GP visits, blood tests and an ECG the doctor diagnosed me with Costoshondritis (a cartiledge problem) and I started to feel a lot better, the chest pains even disappeared for 2-3 weeks. The peace of mind came with the fact I could replicate the pain my pushing on the cartiledge.

However, in the last 3 weeks I've been getting chest pains again without the back pain. There is no cartiledge pain either. However, the pain is now mostly in the top right of my chest. It's not there all the time, sometimes for maybe an hour and sometimes just a sharp stabbing pain and then it goes. The stabbing pain feels very deep inside my chest and when it comes it sends a slight pins and needles sensation down my right arm into my fingers.

I do honestly believe this started due to a lot of domestic and work related stress but it feels more like a health anxiety now.

Everybody seems to associate chest pain with the heart but in my last visit I told my GP I was more concerned it was some lung related problem including the obvious lung cancer. They didn't seem in the slightest bit worried about that but I can't help feel that a CT scan would put my mind at rest (assuming there is nothing wrong).

My first question is do any other anxiety sufferers get this very deep stabbing pain in their chest?

My second question is should I be asking them to send me for a CT scan?

I can cope with this most of the time but sometimes I just end up in tears as it all seems too much. I'm a 30 year old male, happily married and we have a child on the way in February next year. I've never been worried about health before until now. To the point I could go 5 years without a trip to the doctors.

Any feedback to help me with this would be extremely appreciated.

I'm no doctor & only one of those could put your mind at complete rest, but my money is on a muscular thing going on here. Yes ive had what I call bouts of chest pain, coming & going for weeks in a certain place, like you say, jabbing pain quite deep in. Sometimes right through my back. Chest pains are probably one of the few things I dont worry about though! Mad I know.
I always put it down to muscular, I do a bit of lifting at work. Or indigestion maybe.
30 yr old male doesn't sound any high risk for something like lung cancer. I asked a doctor once I was dating many years ago, what the youngest person they'd had at the surgery with lung cancer. He said 40.
I'm 38, nearly 39 now :scared15:

[gman]

I just want to say a very big thank you too all of you that have taken the time to read my post and also reply.

It's because of you all that I've actually had quite a "good" day and I'm no longer dreading spending a night away from home tomorrow!

[NeverRelaxed]

I think acid reflux coupled with anxiety may have been causing my symptoms...I took two ant acid tabs and I feel much better..Im also more relaxed..so it sort of cements the docs inital suspicions of anxiety/somatization