Chest Pain Terror, can anyone give me some advice??

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders » Panic Attacks » Chest Pain Terror, can anyone give me some advice??

Question:

: I’ve read some of the posts on chest pains and : found it encouraging to know that Im not alone in this : terrifying condition. I am 23 yr male, and two years : ago, I became afraid that i was having a heart attack. : I was having shortness of breath and mild chest pains. : I went to see a heart specialist, and he ran all kinds : of tests including wearing a heart monitor for a day : which wasnt much fun especially when ya got body hair. : Anyways, he said my heart checked out good, and the pain : was stress related. I recovered immediately with relief, I am now 27, and have had similar problems since I was 20 and even before. I, too, have gone through several holtar monitors (where they keep tabs on your heart for 24 hours) and tread mill tests and echocardiograms. And, I too, have been told my heart is OK. <SNIT SNIPPED : exercise and I’ve ate junk food all my life. What are the : odds of someone my age having a heart attack? Can my : arteries be clogged this early? I dont know what to do : except wait and hope it’ll go away. I have found that frequent mild exercise has helped me a great deal, esp when I also do daily breathing exercises. I also have been changing my diet quite a bit. Email me and I will be happy to share more details. In the mean time, if you feel the docs have not been thourough, it is worth having a second opinion, NOT because they are likely to find anything (they probably will agree with the first tests that your heart is fine), but to help set your mind at ease. When are your chest pains ost often seen? If it is not associated very closely with exercise, it is not very likely that it is from clogged arteries or other such problems. General disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor, just a guy with similar health problems who has done quite a bit of research from a laymans perspective. Good fortune to you and let us know how things are going.

Response:

I have a very stressful job as a 911 dispatcher. The next day it was gone, but yesterday in class, mild chest pains hit me, and refused to go away. My chest felt heavy and tingly. As the day progress, my worry grew. Was it just a panic attack? What if this is really the big one?? I became so afraid of dying that I prayed constantly begging God not to let me die.

Hi Looks like you said it all right there. You do have a stressful job. My mother has suffered from chest pains/discomfort all her life. I had never experienced it until I developed GAD and Panic disorder. I feel a pressure and tightness in my chest and it can last for several days. I, like many of the others you will find here, have been through the heart monitor routine also. I’m glad you check out o.k., there. I just recently started feeling depression again and I was surprised to have the chest "discomfort" return right away. I think this is a common place for some of us to demonstrate symptoms of excessive stress/anxiety. You need to get a Dr. recommended to you by someone. Perhaps a little counseling because of your line of work would help you relax a bit too. They can help you with breathing/relaxation techniques. Good Luck Susan

Response:

: Hi everyone, Hi Sears! Welcome to ASAP! : I’ve read some of the posts on chest pains and : found it encouraging to know that Im not alone in this : terrifying condition. I am 23 yr male, and two years : ago, I became afraid that i was having a heart attack. : I was having shortness of breath and mild chest pains. : I went to see a heart specialist, and he ran all kinds : of tests including wearing a heart monitor for a day : which wasnt much fun especially when ya got body hair. : Anyways, he said my heart checked out good, and the pain : was stress related. Yes, I went through this too. Since the EKG turned out OK, you can stop worrying about heart problems. : I recovered immediately with relief, : and no problems until now. Last weekend, I had breathing : difficulty at work. I have a very stressful job as a 911 : dispatcher. The next day it was gone, but yesterday in : class, mild chest pains hit me, and refused to go away. Well, it is possible that your job stress is producing your anxiety problems. : My chest felt heavy and tingly. As the day progress, my : worry grew. One of the big problems with anxiety disorders is that worry aggrivates the anxiety which causes more worry which further aggrivates the anxiety which… In other words, it’s a feedback loop that can escallate into panic. : Was it just a panic attack? Believe me, there is no such thing as *just* a panic attack. Panic attacks can be more horrifying than facing death and sometimes cause fainting or even temporary paralysis. : What if this is : really the big one?? I became so afraid of dying that I : prayed constantly begging God not to let me die. It’s not the big one. But the fear is often so intense that it’s a perfectly natural reaction to fear for your life. : I want to seek medical attention, but I currently : have no health insurance, and the docter I saw before died : in an auto accident. I hate hospitals and docters yet : I dont wanna toy around with my life. A few thousand : on a docter bill is certainly worth living for. Well, now that you’ve checked your heart, you know that’s OK. The other medical problems with similar symptoms to anxiety-panic include blood sugar disorders, thyroid disorders, inner ear infection, and neurological seizures; all of which can be medically tested for. You can keep your medical bills down by just testing for these four. : I just : refuse to believe it’s happening so soon although i rarely : exercise and I’ve ate junk food all my life. What are the : odds of someone my age having a heart attack? Can my : arteries be clogged this early? At your age, I seriously doubt that you are suffering a cardiovascular problem. However, you should really improve your diet and slowly begin exercising; I suggest a comfortable mixture of walking and jogging, wogging as it’s often called. : I dont know what to do : except wait and hope it’ll go away. Chances are that it wont simply go away. Once you have ruled out the medical possibilities, it’s time to consider the psychology and psychiatry of anxiety-panic. Chronic anxiety and panic disorders can result from psychological repression, traumatic experiences, neurotransmitter dysfunctions (serotonin, cholecystokinin), etc. It’s important to consult both a psychologist and psychiatrist since there are many variations from case to case. Try to consult people who specialize in anxiety and panic disorders; often found at major university hospitals. Feel free to post or e-mail us with any further questions or support. We all know how very difficult such disorders are and we have plenty of suggestions and experience. Best Wishes, Arthur

Response:

Hi everyone, I’ve read some of the posts on chest pains and found it encouraging to know that Im not alone in this terrifying condition. I am 23 yr male, and two years ago, I became afraid that i was having a heart attack. I was having shortness of breath and mild chest pains. I went to see a heart specialist, and he ran all kinds of tests including wearing a heart monitor for a day which wasnt much fun especially when ya got body hair. Anyways, he said my heart checked out good, and the pain was stress related. I recovered immediately with relief, and no problems until now. Last weekend, I had breathing difficulty at work. I have a very stressful job as a 911 dispatcher. The next day it was gone, but yesterday in class, mild chest pains hit me, and refused to go away. My chest felt heavy and tingly. As the day progress, my worry grew. Was it just a panic attack? What if this is really the big one?? I became so afraid of dying that I prayed constantly begging God not to let me die. I want to seek medical attention, but I currently have no health insurance, and the docter I saw before died in an auto accident. I hate hospitals and docters yet I dont wanna toy around with my life. A few thousand on a docter bill is certainly worth living for. I just refuse to believe it’s happening so soon although i rarely exercise and I’ve ate junk food all my life. What are the odds of someone my age having a heart attack? Can my arteries be clogged this early? I dont know what to do except wait and hope it’ll go away.