Heart attack or anxiety getting bored and fed up with anxiety

[caitlinxx]

Chest Pain Question
DoctorQuestion02-08-2015
Hi my name is caitlin and I'm 20 years old ive been having chest pain basically for 6 years ever since my generalised anxiety disorder started but i always have symotoms like chest pain 24/7 not just with anxiety or panic attacks but in the last 2 months the chest pain has been different it has been located on left side at center basically where my heart is the pain goes through to my back also and this makes me very scared sometimes it's just pain i would say the pain is a 3 out of 10 for soreness it's not that sore but then sometimes i will get squeezing and thats a 5 out of 10 pain wise and not localized sometimes my chest feels like it's tearing or ripping or even like someones pulling inside my chest like pulling it down thats just a disscomfort with no pain just weird really ive been to the ER plenty.of times had atleast 20 ekgs blood tests 24hr heart monitor but it still worries me alot as i have hypacondria/health anxiety also my doctor says anxiety but i just can't get it into my head everyday i feel like I'll have a heart attack or cardiac arrest or i think i have an aortic anneyrusum sorry about spelling i don't know what to do is this anxiety? Or heart realted i also get dizzy cold sweats numbness jaw pain you name it but everyone thinks anxiety but i just.dont beileve it do u think it is anxiety or should i ask for a ecocardigram ? As ive heard thats more accurate thanks so much
Caitlin x

[jaysonrl]

For me I put them in two separate categories.  I've noticed my anxiety is strongest when I don't feel stressed by something but I actually am.  It comes out in physical symptoms, especially regarding cardiophobia.

[Flycaster305]

If you have a heart attack or angina you will know it, no questions asked.  Your chances of a heart attack are almost zero given your age and anxiety issues unless you are quite obese, smoke, and/or don't exercise.  I'd suggest exercise, walk at a pace that you can't talk and walk an hour a day, and eliminate risk factors like drug use certainly including smoking, obesity, and inactivity.
Hope that helps, remember, I'm just a hack with heart problems, not a health professional.  

[hefner33]

Some good responses.

Let me ask you guys/gals this. Do you put anxiety in the same category as being stressed? I know that might not make sense. But I can probably bet that each one of us have had times that we knew we define being 'stressed out'. Anxiety I feel presents differently if I believe what my Dr's and tests say. Ed34 i know you said "shoulders were raised, my teeth were tightly clenched and I was breathing by using the top of my lungs rather than the bottom" but how did you make your self aware of that? By thinking about it or by someone telling you? I've been told I have anxiety and this stresses your body. I have had heart rate variability tests, cortisol tests, autonomic tests which are suppose to show stress to the body or proper functioning. They come back normal for myself so I dont meet the text book stressed but told I have anxiety.

Just wondering how you guys view your anxiety, compared to being stressed out. Hope that makes sense though haha

[jaysonrl]

Achillea, what you added is so true!  Acceptance is probably the biggest obstacle for us with anxiety.  It doesn't matter if it's social anxiety or health anxiety, it's acceptance of it all.  There is a theory that anxiety is a manifestation of the fear of death.

[achillea]

jayson and ed have provided excellent answers, and several are simply outstanding:

1.  Ed's suggestion that if you can accept the idea of death, there's really not much else to fear.

2.  Jayson's description of his doctor's role-playing exercise is a unique approach to the medical second-guessing that is so troublesome for those with anxiety.  You might give that one a try with a level-headed friend.

All I would add is that you seek--and accept (acceptance being the BIG issue) --vigorous treatment of your generalized anxiety.  

[ed34]

Your heart will be fine now, but keep up with anxiety and you will suffer later in life, probably in your mid 40's. Is it just your cardiovascular system that you have anxiety over? If so, accept your tests show there is nothing wrong. Have you tried relaxation exercises? I used to be full of anxiety and in my mid 40's I had a heart attack and was luck to survive. My Arteries were full of plaque. However, I did have other problems such as very high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Relaxation helped me a lot because I didn't even think I was stressed out. My shoulders were raised, my teeth were tightly clenched and I was breathing by using the top of my lungs rather than the bottom. I used to sit in a quiet area and go from head to toes, relaxing every single muscle. This in turn caused me to breathe more in my belly. I would imagine myself laying on a peaceful beach and make it last for an hour a day. After three weeks, everything altered. I could just think "chill" and all my muscles would totally relax. After a few more months, all my anxiety was gone. On top of this you need to admit certain things to yourself, including death. No matter how much you worry, you will die one day. I know it sounds harsh but it's reality. However, you would hopefully want to die much later rather than soon. So think about death and come to terms with it. If you are in control of the fear of death, then all your pains will vanish.

[jaysonrl]

Hey Caitlin,

You know what, you sound just like me! :-)  First let me state that if you're not able to accept it right now, an echo will not be able to help you either.  I had almost a near perfect echo, near perfect holter monitor test, several near perfect EKGs, absolutely perfect blood chemistry... AND I STILL THINK there is something wrong.  I should feel blessed and lucky!  No matter what, you have to just put your hands up in the air and say, "what will be will be".  Anxiety seems to find a new way to scare you all the time.  I've learned that early on and I've only been diagnosed with anxiety about 4 months ago.  It is stressful always worrying about your heart!  Each day seems to be getting better though, and on those bad days, you just have to push through and get back to the good day.  Trust the doctors!  Don't say "I reject your reality and only accept my own!"  My doctor did some role playing with me.  He asked me to pretend I was a friend of me and he was going to be me.  He then told me all the cardiac problems I thought I have and then asked if I should be seen by another doctor.  I said to him, absolutely not.  You've seen 5 doctors, including a cardiologist from Mayo, I don't think anything is wrong with you.

I suggest you talk to your general practitioner, and if you don't have a good relationship with one, find a new one.  Get the tests done if they think you should.  If they don't think you should get further testing, that's okay, trust them.  You're not the medical expert and neither is WebMD and Wikipedia.  It takes many, many years of full time schooling to even begin to understand all there is.  Pains, aches and even symptoms that sound familiar is more than likely anxiety coming back and looking for attention.