HA - left arm, chest and pulse

[CharlieM]

Hi everyone,

Well I am now at my most anxious ever about my health. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and at my last GP appointment was prescribed 10mg Amitriptyline, not as an anti-depressant, but for neuropathic pain relief. My GP thinks my physical discomfort/pain in my left arm, armpit, neck and chest is probably some sort of muscle/ nerve issue and she has also referred me to a neurologist to see if there is any nerve compression issues. My appt is not for another EIGHT weeks though. I am on day 5 of taking the Amitriptyline and have suffered no side effects of note, but it is a small starting dose which will be increased to 20mg in 4 weeks.

But, I am having some weird new symptoms which may well be anxiety, but are scaring me a lot.

The discomfort in my armpit doesn't seem so bad, so maybe the tablets are working a bit. But my pulse is causing me huge anxiety.

I can feel it and even see it in my stomach, above my chest near the collar bone and also in my left temple. I am an obsessive pulse checker at the best of times, so now I am just so tuned into every beat of my heart. I worry that my bp is increasing which is why I can see and feel my pulse. Also I am getting a twinge just below my left collar bone and above my left nipple which twinges in time to my pulse. And finally my heart rate is continually higher than normal. When I wake up, it is 60/64 which is normal for me over the years. I get up and then it spends most of the day at anywhere between 70 and 90.

But it is the visible pulse in my stomach and the feeling in my temple and chest which is new to me.

Is it just because I am focussing on it, or have I deteriorated since I had all my tests at the end of 2012????

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Charlie

[nomorepanic]

Hi

I know that the visible pulse in the stomach is normal - loads of us on here get that.

[CharlieM]

Hi Nicola,

Yes I did a search on here and have seen quite a number of posts about seeing pulse in the stomach. Reassuring really

I think the temple and chest pulse worries me more because the pain is in synch with the pulse.

Thanks for your reply.

Charlie

[Mr m anxious]

Completely normal Charlie, I can see pulse in right wrist.

[almamatters]

I can see my pulse in a few places, but especially my stomach. I get a fast heart beat quite regularly and do worry about it, but I asked my doctor about being able to see pulses and she said it is normal especially in people that are slim. Focusing on it will probably make it more apparent, I do not notice mine when I am busy . I have similar issues to you, left shoulder pain, chest, arm and have had heart problems and neurological things ruled out but still worry about it.

[CharlieM]

Thanks guys,

I m trying to remember if I have noticed it before I got HA, and I probably did. It's weird how we think about things differently when we have anxiety.

I have spent 43 years on this planet and never considered my health once- never bothered my GP since I was about 16. In the last 8 months I have been over 20 times.

I am 44 in August, and really want to get back to normal.

Thanks again

Charlie

[Mr m anxious]

Wow Charlie, I was just about to post that I'm 42, 43 in September and for 42 and a half years I never worried about my health either until one bad day in December.

[CharlieM]

Lol. It's bloody mad isn't it.

We should set a challenge. Wake up tomorrow and forget it all, go about our day ignoring every symptom. I promise not to check my pulse all day!!!!

[Mr m anxious]

I think I could manage that, probably for 5 mins...haha

[CharlieM]

Noooo mate.

Lets do it. Going to plan a few activities for tomorrow rather than mope and lie in bed.

See if I can manage them without a panic attack.