Anxiety or Something Else?

Posted , 3 users are following.

About 3 weeks ago I started having trouble breathing deeply and it felt like someone had their hands around my throat. The feeling would last all day and all night and was really uncomfortable. I've had this feeling before but only for a few minutes or 2 hours at the most. 2 doctors both suggested it was bad allergies. I got an inhaler (which I barely use) and that was that. Then at the beginning of last week I started to have chest pain, discomfort, and heart palpitations. All the symptoms now come and go but the heart stuff is the scariest. Twice I woke up in the middle of the night with a racing heart that would not slow down (I have a HR monitor on my fitbit) and I felt like I was going to die. The second time it happened I went to the ER. They did 4 EKGs and took a chest x-ray and a full blood workup, but found nothing abnormal. They sent me to a cardiologist the next day and he did another EKG and said I should wear a holter monitor for 2 weeks to catch any abnormal rhythms. I can't do this until I get home from vacation because I'm leaving next week. In the meantime I have an appointment with my regular doctor to see if she can figure out what's going on. I've also recently developed a cough and sore throat. I feel totally crazy. I do have panic disorder, but it makes no sense to have symptoms 24/7 out of the blue when I'm not stressed at all. Recently I had an ovarian cyst that ruptured and while they did that CT scan they found a tiny kidney stone. That whole thing happened almost 2 months ago and did make me really stressed and anxious which is why I'd be surprised if this was just anxiety. Has this happened to anyone else? Did you get any answers? I'm a 21 year old otherwise healthy girl btw.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    I should add that the symptoms disappear right after I burp but then come right back. Also, I don't have symptoms when I'm eating and when I drink alcohol.

    • Posted

      Im the same with alcohol but we need to remember that alcohol really does mess with your mind so u might still actually have the symptoms but drinking seems to calm it. I also find the day after when im hungover its at its worst
    • Posted

      So true. I'm willing to try anti anxiety meds if it'll help. I've been having a drink at least once a day lately just to get some relief. It's awful. 

    • Posted

      Ive been offered meds but u refuse to take them i need to get through it alone . Just be careful with the drink that u dont become dependant on it x
  • Posted

    I have the same problem i suffer with anxiety but i havent had a panic attack for so long. Right now im in magaluf with my friends and should be having the time of my life. Insteas tonight ive not been able to breathe and ny heart is beating so fast. I do however believe that it is just anxiety and it sounds to me like yours is too. Its just so hard to convince yourself that thats all it is when you are having a pabnic attack. What usually calms you down?

    • Posted

      I only had maybe 3 panic attacks during this whole 3 week stretch. Hot showers calm me down and oddly enough so does crying and talking to someone about how I feel.
    • Posted

      I find talking to people about what im experiencing helps to i think its reassurance to myself that i am okay. Maybe go back to the doctors if u want to be 100% sure but to me it really sounds like anxiety x

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