What is this now? Heart?

[dodo]

I was just sat there minding my own when all of a sudden I got a very strange feeling under my left armpit like a warm awful feeling, which made me feel sick to the stomach.

I took my pulse and nothing untoward was happening there but my immediate thought was that is was my heart. Could it be my heart even if it was behaving its self rhythm and speed wise?

I got that awful warm feeling then in my tummy and my hands started sweating. Now I feel a bit like I can't breathe. I've been quite stressed out all day because of various personal issues.

[Sarah Louise]

Doesn't sound like anything to do with your heart mate, it could be a trapped nerve that can cause burning sensations my fella gets it all the time just normal to him now. If it keeps happening go and get checked out by the doctor though.

The stomach burning and that being unable to breath feeling will be the anxiety the more you worry the more your symptoms will get worse. I always find it helpful to go outside and get some air and try and clear my thoughts. Hope this has been a bit of help too you.


History despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but faced with courage, need not be lived again!

[Dizz]

Hiya Dodo

It's not your heart it's just your anxiety that has caused it and that anxiety is then fuelled by the FEAR you are now feeling due to it happening and so the vicious circle manifests and grows.

I have just started reading two books by Dr Claire Weekes that were recommended on here called

Self Help for Your Nerves: Learn to relax and enjoy life again by overcoming stress and fear

and

Essential Help for Your Nerves: Recover from Nervous Fatigue and Overcome Stress and Fear

They explain all about the voluntary and involuntary release of chemicals and hormones in the body (especially Adrenaline) and how an constant over-release of these chemicals/hormones when a person is suffering from anxiety/stress/panic/phobias etc etc causes over-sensitisation of many nerves and muscles in the body.

This over-sensitisation then causes all the strange physical feeling and symptoms we all get such as those you mentioned and also blurred vision, chest pain, racing pulse. missed beats, headaches, infact everything that people mention on here etc etc ... you name it we feel it... BUT IT IS ALL HARMLESS AND IT WILL NOT HURT US.

Then the vicious circle starts... the adrenaline etc confuses the nerves/muscles... we then worry about these feelings/symptoms... the body then automactically releases more of the same chemicals/hormones as it thinks we need more of them for the 'fight or flight' mechanism and on it goes.

The body and nervous system is very clever but NOT clever enough to reaslise that we are not really in any danger... we are not about to be eaten by a wild animal or hit by a bus... so we really don't need these additional releases thank you very much... but it just releases them based on what 'WE' are telling it by our mood, thoughts and feelings

The fear/thoughts causes the symptom... the symptom causes more fear.... and by each release the nerves get even more over-sensitised.

Everyone should buy and read these books they are fantastic and have already made me realise that I am not going to die, faint, blah blah blah.... All that is needed it to de-sensitise the nerves and to NOT FUEL the release....

.... and I am ignoring the fact that my eyes have just gone fuzzy and my head now has a tight band around it as I am typing this...IT's NOTHING it's only another unexpected release of the blumming things I don't need... so thank you body for trying to help but I don't need it so you can take it away now... 'float away now Mr Adrenaline... I didn't need you so I am politely ignoring you but enjoying the nice sensation you have sent me for a few minutes just to be polite' :shades:

Must go and read some more in a bit :hugs:

[dodo]

Wha nice reply, thanks.

I have got those books and read them a few years back but unfortunately they're packed away at the moment and I can't get to them :( maybe I'll just buy some new copies.

[dodo]

Well this is getting annoying now because it keeps coming and going. Could it be acid reflux or something?

I have no pains in my chest but the feeling us going into my arm sometimes and of course you know what I'm thinking it's my heart. It's like a creeping feeling but at the same time like an achiness.

[Dizz]

...and you are thinking and worrying about it so it's still there. It's sooooo hard not to though no matter what the books say eh.

Life would be so much easier if we had a little switch to switch things off for a while :(

It's definately NOT your heart that's for sure.... maybe it's the cold weather affecting your nerves and muscles and maybe you have just been sitting or holding yourself tense or in an odd possition.

Try doing some gentle stretching or if you are feeling energtic something that involves a lot of arm movement like playing on a Wii console... it will either sort it by moving or by the fact that your mind is taken off it.

Me I don't play on the Wii very often though as I get stressed when I loose and once broke the mirror when I forgot to keep hold of the controller OOPS ha ha ha

Really don't worry about it as whatever it is it's not going to be anything bad at all x