Worried Sick

Hi All,

Ok so for the last 7 or 8 years ive been having a sharp pain in the left side of my chest, it started off being very irregular only happening once every couple of weeks, but it always made me concerned. It would disappear for a few months and then return.

Over the last 3 years it has been with me almost everyday mostly as im about to go to sleep though i feel that i focus on on it at this time of the day.

I went to the emergency room last year after i was sure i was having a full blown heart attack but the doctor took an ecg and a chest x-ray and said everything was fine and that it was probably the muscle in my chest wall cavity.

As i recall the symptoms became less frequent for a while, but a month ago i had a full bloen panic attack and went to my local Doctor for another ecg, the result was the doctor was ''unable to give an opinion'' and i wnet back the next week for another ecg, I did ask originally for an exercise test to be sure anyway after the 2nd ecg the doctor said fine and i left, this morning he called me and said that he wanted me to go ahead with the excercise test because my Uncle died following a heart attack although he said that my 2nd ecg showed ''nothing acute''

I know that i asked for the exercise test and it makes sense with my family history but i am being treated for anxiety and i get the feeling the doctor may be lying to me so it doesnt result in another panic attack, I have to wait 3 weeks or so for the exercise test and im just feeling scared,

I am going to become a father in November for the first time and i the thought of dying before she is born or being ''fragile'' when she is young is just a horrible horrible feeling:weep:

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my love...i know how health worries can be so so awful!

alot of us on this site have them so you are not alone....you really are not xxxxx

the feelings of not being around for my girl hinder me so very very much.

being scared...yes maybe...but we all get scared dont we!!!!!!

thinking of you .....im sure all will be just ok...its anxiety that is making you feel this way i am sure xxxxx thinking of you and always here for you xxxxx

love traceyxxxxx

Hi,
I don't think an 'Uncle' is considered a close enough relative to have a family history.
The doctor obviously knows you are worried and would probably like to put your mind at rest. Also, most doctors don't think like we do and see everything in black or white so for him to order a test is nothing to him. If your ECG was normal then you have nothing to fear. You're just like the rest of us......Healthy and don't know how to appreciate it! :)

Hi Ross
If youv'e had several ECG tests done and the Doctors aren't concerned with the results then you shouldn't be worried either.Worrying about it will only make it worse.

I've had chest pains for several years some quite severe and after having tests and nothing found to be wrong they seem to have reduced in number and severity.I found worrying about having a heart attack just made things worse.I still get chest pains occasionaly when I'm under severe stress but they seem to disappear quicker knowing that I'm not having a heart attack just a really bad attack of anxiety.

If you do the exercise test and the results are ok then you really should have nothing to worry about so you can put your concerns to the back of your mind and start looking forward to the birth of your daughter.