Quote Originally Posted by pb View Post
Walked from the shop today and got a severe pain in my chest, that went when I got home.
Health Anxiety 1 - pb 0

I was getting chest pains while walking . The pain often triggered a panic attack and then my heart started banging like a barn house door in a gale and I had to lean over a fence or something while things calmed down. The sheep/cows/whatever were totally unimpressed with me. However... Heart was fine. I was simply unfit, and stressed. I got fitter, and addressed my stress levels, and the chest pain has gone - although I get the odd twinge when I read your posts.

So, I'm going to try a different approach because you're not paying any attention anyway, so what the heck!

So what if it is angina?

It's very common in the UK - so you wouldn't be alone, and it certainly isn't the worst thing that could happen to you.

It's treatable - which means you can live for many more years. (my brother has had it for the last 10 years and he's still here, enjoying life)

If you want more perspective, my grandfather had his first actual heart attack in his 40s and the second one (which finally got him) was when he was 81. Sure, he was a bit wheezy by the time I came along, but he could still throw me up in the air (bit scary if I'm honest) and he was still enjoying his pint of cider everyday (also, snuff)

Angina can be treated as a warning sign that things could get worse if you stick to a crap diet and do nothing to address your stress levels.

Most every human being on the planet will get ill at sometime in their lives, and even the most healthiest, and luckiest, buggers who literally have NOTHING wrong with them, ever, are-going-to-die one day. This is something that we all must get our heads around, because it's a cert. We can fight and scream our way to the finishing line or we can do it with acceptance, dignity and grace..

Really Scared I’ve got angina, this has never happened before ..
Pulisa did a Miss Marple and proved to you that, actually, this has happened before!

If you think you have angina, then the stress test is the best test if it is provoked by exercise - which is what you are implying in your latest comment.

I can't help but try and educate, so I'm going for it, only this time in bold in the vain hope that it wedges itself in in-between all those lies you are telling yourself...

The Reasons We Get Chest Pain With Anxiety

Hyperventilation: we breathe in too much oxygen and this makes the blood vessels constrict which causes pain in the chest. (pain is real)

Bloating: excess gas/wind/whatever increases pressure on the lungs which causes chest pain. (pain is real)

If you weren't a category 1 anxiety case pb, I would say you have a point with your angina theory - but even then, so what? My mate (who died at 46) would have gladly taken angina over her life terminating disease because she would have seen her son grow up instead of trying to pack in a lifetime of memories into 2 years.

I know that suffering is relative, of course I do. And I know that me mentioning my friend, my brother, or anybody else won't change anything for you. It might even annoy you? Your mental suffering (and all those unpleasant symptoms) is real, but, perspective?

At this moment, nobody has diagnosed you with heart disease or angina. The only diagnosis you have for sure is anxiety.

If your worst fears do come to pass (but I really don't think so, this time) at least you have something solid to work with, and there will be a plan. Anxiety is largely down to the fear of the unknown, after all.

Then you can flick the V's to your GP, and all of us on here, and say, I told you so, cockers!!

Or, you can choose another disease when all avenues have been exhausted on this one...

This has to be one of the most frustrating threads I've ever participated on, but I'm starting to understand how my poor old maths teacher felt when, despite his best efforts, nothing went in - the difference is that I genuinely tried to learn and I was just as frustrated as he was. I broke that man. He didn't have one grey hair when he started teaching me. He was almost white when I left. Fair play to me, I had undiagnosed Dyscalculia. The dude had more chance of a bagging a date with Brooke Shields than getting me to understand maths!

I'm rooting for you more than you know. I'm not religious, but I am spiritual, and I light candles for people I care about. I've lit one for you to ask this glorious universe that we live in - to support and comfort you in the way that you need, which is not necessarily the way you want...

I hope that today is a good day for you, but even if it isn't, that's ok, because it will pass. X