Chest pressure as an anxiety symptom.....please help!

[shell1925]

Hello all!  About 30 minutes as I was getting into the shower I was hit with incredible chest pressure that felt like it was coming from abdomen.  I got dizzy and lightheaded and I was so scared, I almost started screaming for my fiance to call 911.  It passed about 5 minutes later and I was able to shower.  As soon as I got out of the shower it hit me again, but this time I got left arm pain, headache and neck pain radiating from head, along with the chest pressure and dizziness.  I have had this before but this was one of the worst.  I have been to the ER so many times and have had so much cardiac testing done in the past 2 years that my cardiologist has actually told that if it was my heart it would have killed me by now.  I'm so scared, I don't know what to do!!!!  I hate going to the ER and it be nothing but I can't help but wonder what if this is the one to get me?  I still have a headache and some dizziness but the chest pressure and arm pain have all gone away.  Has ANYONE ever had such classic heart attack pains and it has just been anxiety?  I'm so scared, please help.  Everyone thinks I am a hypochondriac, which I may be but that is also a real disease.  I don't know what to do, I've been dealing with this for over 6 years.  It comes and goes, I luckily don't have to live everyday like this but I do deal with it every week.  Thanks in advance all!

Shell

[faz84]

Hi shell,
           sorry to hear your having such a bad time.  Ive had exactly the same to the point i thought i was asphyxsiating as i had that much pressure on my chest.  If your unhappy you must go to the hospital to be safe but it sounds like bad BAD panic .I have at least 5-6 of these bad attacks per day its a nightmare.  
good luck
jem xx

[shell1925]

I used to have CONSTANT panic where I was unable to work, luckily not that bad anymore but now when I do have them it is freaking AWFUL.  Thank you for your post.  I have also had a headache for the past 2 days and horrible phlegm (sorry TMI).  I don't know if this is allergy related, heart related, neck related or I'm just crazy.  Thanks again!

Shell

[tia77]

Please go to the drug store and try the neti pot.  I use the squeeze bottle type.  It doesn't matter which kind you get.  Just put the warm water and the packet of salt solution and do what the instructions say.  It is really gross but you will get used to it.  I do it once at night and if the stuffines gets bad i'll do it morning and night.  You can do it more than the.  I bet you will start feeling better.  Your phlegn will thin out and your head should start to feel better.  Please try it.  I know it sounds gross but I havn't had to take any allergy medicne since I started using it last year.  Good luck.  Let me know if it worked.  

[bryanguy]

Yes, i have had the exact same experiences you are talking about.  Been to the ER several times. constantly going to my doctor to work up my heart.  Everything comes back normal.  I have been struggling with this thing for a long time, and been doing a lot of research on anxiety.  Basically anxiety can cause just about any symptom, anytime, whether you are knowingly thinking about a certain thing or doing a certain thing or just doing absolutely nothing.  Anxiety symptoms mimic so many other types of symptoms especially heart related symptoms, that's why it is so scary.  I feel the exact way you feel, what if they missed something or what if this symptom that im feeling isnt anxiety this time.  But i try to reassure myself by thinking about all the tests that i have had done, and the slim chance it could be heart related.  Not to mention, countless medical professionals looking me in the face and saying, its not your heart.  You've probably had all the tests done, but just to reassure yourself, get your doctor to give you an echocardiogram of your heart, and a stress test(which you have probably gotten already).  between the two of those there is a 95% accuracy rating that it will pick something up if theres a problem.  Not to mention all the other tests they run, like blood tests, EKG's etc.  Anyways, i hope that helps you out,  and im slightly relieved everytime i find someone that is dealing with the same issues i am.  Let me know if you find out anything, and I will do the same.  Bye bye