Is this anxiety?

[candy225]

Hi everyone, I have been getting shortness of breath, burning sensation on my upper chest, racing heartbeat among other things, I recently had a heart catharization done and it came back good.  I have had numerous blood test done and everyone is good, I have high blood pressure but taking meds for it. I am really upset is there another test they can perform to make sure my heart is alright. I also forgot to mention it feels like something in my throat and I'm choking. I recently started taking zoloft but stopped it because it made me feel worse.  I seem to be very nervous, all the time. I want to go back to work but im apprehensive please what could this be. I went to the er last week and they said I had bronchitis and put me on antibiotics and steroids which I haven't start the steroids yet cause I'm a little scared, but I know this is not due to the bronchitis cause it was happening before, and I do take ativan but I hear is addictive so I would like to stop however is the only thing that helps me. And the doctor said he wants to get me off , please help  thank you

[worriedinOK]

I have anxiety... It comes out of no where.. It has flared on me this week big time.  BUT the burning in your chest and lump in your throat sounds like reflux to me.  I had that and was having chest pains.  My cariologist did a heart cath and said everything was fine and that the pains are coming from reflux.  He put me on nexium and it worked really well.  We changed insurances, and this one needs prior authorization :(   So I have been taking something else.  And it all came back.  We are in the process now of trying to get the nexium approved.

Good Luck

Stacy

[candy225]

Thank you so much for your advise.  I am taking 0.5 ativan but i only take it if im really anxious which is everyday now, I was taking 1mg but I cut down the dose. I am not working right now so I lost my insurance and therefore cannot go to therapist I had started going but now I have no insurance, as far is things changing in my life alot has changed, I don't have my own place I am currently living with my daughter, I don't have a job I feel sick all the time, so maybe when I find a job I will feel better, but everytime i think about a job interview my heart starts racing and i get all nervous, the other day I went to fill out an application and I felt like I was going to pass out.

[angel_gyrl]

I was also given Zoloft about 15yrs ago and it made me even more nervous! How much Ativan are you on? And, how long have you been on it? I had to start on Ativan about 20yrs ago, and have taken allmost every benzo over the next 20yrs. (the Dr's tried to give me tons of anitdepressants/ but i am not depressed!) The antidepressants just caused weight gain (which made me feel a little depressed) But, i stoped taking them!

But, i do agree w/ the other Simpleyben that you need to find the roots of the anxiety and/or panic attacks mayby thru talking to a therapist? Or journaling? But, you do seem to have symptoms of anxiety! Good luck!

[SimplyBen225]

It sounds like anxiety and I feel the same about zoloft. For me it made me feel worse.. I hear it is best for depression and not so much anxiety. I experienced what felt like all the bad side effects too. I took 100mg a day. Anyhow as far as your anxiety, I think it is anxiety but it could be a number of other things. Do you think it is constant or triggered by something? Do you have a history of any drug use/abuse? How old are you? Has anything in your life changed (1 or many things) that could cause stress(think hard)?

Any other details you wish to include? It is difficult to discern sometimes what the real problem is when dealing with possible anxiety. Because it would seem normal to feel anxiety when one has a real issue. At the same time, your mind is a powerful thing and can take a small symptom like a cramp and turn it into some kind of severed tendon. Let us know all you can and someone will surely have some more information for you.