Heart anxiety - any advice?

[Midnight]

Hello,

I am suffering with health anxiety at the moment, I have the common fear that I have heart condition as the majority of the symptoms of my anxiety appear in the chest.

I had a massive panic attack back in October 09, after calling NHS direct with my symptoms they told me to go to hospital immediately (which caused my anxiety levels to go through the roof!!) I was given an ECG and told my heart was in perfect condition and it was down to anxiety.

Since then I went downhill and could not sleep or eat due to the fear there was something seriously wrong with me. After a visit to my GP I was put on Citalopram and referred for CBT. I have since improved alot but still have what I can only describe as 'twinges' in my heart on a daily basis. I am also very aware of me heartbeat and can feel it pounding even though my pulse is normal.

Does anyone else experiance chest pains on a daily basis - even when they are not feeling anxious?

I am considering going back to my GP on Monday. I am still concerned I have a heart problem which is displaying itself with these symptoms and my anxiety is a response to the symptoms. I know this is very common but I can't help but believe it! I really want to go back to the GP but don't want to waste her time. I am not sure whether her reassuring me my heart is fine will cause me to accept it and move on to a new condition?

Sorry about the long rant!!
Midnight

[sammi]

i have the chest pain on a daily basis also achy left arm and tingling in my left hand, i also believe the anxiety is brought on by this underlying heart condition. ive had 14 ecgs in the last 3 week and have all been fine they assure me its just anxiety but i dont believe it i seriously think there is something wrong with my heart and the more im told there isnt the less i believe it.

[madelaine]

i am exactly the same as the boyh of u bn put on citalopram so hope that helps wi ma anxiety which in retirn will help with my irrantional yhoghts of dyin of a heart condition xx

[Going home]

Hi midnight

Its only natural that after a panic attack you're anxious, but often what people forget is the tension that goes with anxiety, and tension affects muscles, and if its the muscles in your chest, then that affects your breathing which becomes more shallow so you feel that you can't take a deep breath. Tension in the chest wall muscles can give you alot of pain, so if you've had all the heart tests and they've come back normal then I would say that the chest pain is down to tense muscles in that area.

Hope this helps
GH :)

[hopeless]

When you are feeling anxious its easy to imagine that you have all sorts of ailments.I stopped buying magazines at one point because they all seemed full of horror stories of people with awful illnesses. If you have had all the tests and they have come back ok then the you should feel reassured that you do not have a heart condition.. The more you think that you have something wrong with your heart then you will be so focused on it that you can convince yourself that any little twinge or flutter is something more serious..I know from experience that its sometimes easier said than done but try to do something that will take your mind off yourself, the mind really can start to play tricks if you let it..Try to eat a healthy diet and drink lots of water & avoid caffeine.. Foods high in sugar and caffeine can make you feel more anxious and sometimes make the heart beat faster and not drinking enough can also make anxiety/mood worse

[margom]

Hi All, I too suffer with Heart Anxiety and constantly worry about having a heart attack. Went to A&E earlier this week and they said everything was fine. I stupidly went and bought a blood pressure monitor and take my BP all the time.......I'm obsessed!. The info on what is thought to be high blood pressure was great....many thanks.

[Utility]

Hi

This is a very common one for anxiety sufferers and as long as you have been checked out by the medical profession (as you have ) then there is nothing to fear.

I too have the exact same feelings and have had all the tests come back fine. Did not believe the results until the cardioligist explained about all the different things that can go on in our bodies that mimic heart problems, when they aren't.

The conclusion is that I have non cardiac chest pains and knowing that I can accept what I have.

[Ella_Jayne]

Hi Midnight,

I have the exact same problem as you. Since I had my first big panic attack in August I've become so anxious over my heart. Like you, when I was having the panic attack, I called NHS direct and then an ambulance. I thought I was dying. At the hospital they did an ECG on me and said I was fine. They just suggested to get a 24hour holter monitor if the palpitations persisted. But the first thing they thought it was, was panic and anxiety.

Since then I haven't been able to put it to rest. I've had 20+ ECG's, an Echocardiogram, Thyroid test, Blood tests, 6 chest x-ray's, a 24 hour holter monitor and so on. Everything has come back fine, and I'm still worried that I have a heart condition. I'm not on any medication apart from Diazepam when I feel highly anxious. It's really hard to get on with panic attacks when you have heart anxiety, as a lot of the symptoms are in the chest.

Like you I always think that the pain that I have triggers my anxiety and not the other way around. But logically if this was true then why wouldn't something have shown up on the ECG?

You're not alone. I have the same issues daily. And hopefully one day the symptoms, chest pains, fast heart rate, severe anxiety will be gone, for both of us. I've had CBT which hasn't worked for me, I hope you respond better to it, it doesn't work for some people.

Please try not to worry (easier said than done) it's common to feel like this. And any problem with your heart would have shown up on an ECG. Don't go and get a battery of tests like me, i think it made me more anxious in the end for some reason, and in the long run didn't reassure me. I need to reassure myself.

Hope you feel better soon. :)

[NeverRelaxed]

i am exactly the same as the boyh of u bn put on citalopram so hope that helps wi ma anxiety which in retirn will help with my irrantional yhoghts of dyin of a heart condition xx


are you glasweigan? :P



anyway, welcome to the club, dude! I HAVE ALL THE EXACT SAME WORRIES!! Its doing my head IN!!

Here is a list of the things ive been dealing with:

Pounding Heart (Hyperaware of every beat..My Heart doesn't rly race..But it pounds..I can feel it everywhere..Really hard, heavy beats )
Palpitations - Ive had every palp in the book...Missed beats, Flutters, Random thuds...The lot.
Slow/Fast Heart Rate - Sometimes Im worried that its too fast, sometimes im worries because its too slow >.< It spiked to 130 bpm after minimal exertion!!
Weird Chest Sensations - A " Dropping " or " Falling " sensation in my chest..weird spasm sensations.
Chest pain - Stabs, Split second type sharp pains, Aches and Twinges.
Shortness of Breath - This can stay for hours but usually it comes in waves.
Wheezey Chest - Again, this comes in waves.

Ive been to a&e and been seen by three diff doctors...They can find nothing wrong. Suggestions so far have been:

Anxiety
Allergy triggered asthma


Im waiting to see a cardiologist.

Just know that you are not alone here, mon.

I was prescribed citalopram...But I haven't taken it yet because I dont want it to make my symptoms worse....Even if in the long run they improve, Heart symptoms are the most frightning.

[Midnight]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Although i wouldn't wish these feelings on anyone I am feel very reassured that it's not just me!

Ella Jayne - thanks for the advice. I am going to see my GP tomorrow to discuss my medication as it no longer seems to be having an effect. Part of me wants to run in there demanding they do every test in the book, but I know I won't believe them even if they come back clear. I'll be convinced I have a new condition no one has ever heard of!! I'll just focus on accepting that my ECG was normal and if there was any doubt they would have done more tests.

I guess we all need to focus on our anxiety as our illness rather than our hearts and focus our energy on treating that........easier said than done though :)

[Neuro]

I have heart anxiety, too....and I may have figured out why. My most recent heart issue (which feels like twinges) came along after I moved a sofa all alone...so I propose that maybe some of you have, infact, pulled a muscle in your chests, close to where the heart is perceived to be.
All it'd take to pull a muscle is a bit of a vigorous move and there you go. Many people who work out describe a similar symptom.