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Fear of impending heart attack

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revonb
revonb

Last few weeks I have been having this feeling that I'm having a heart attack. I managed to battle through it for some time, however the last 2 days things got out of my control. I'm feeling this constant unexplainable pressure on and below my chest. Yesterday I stayed awake all night long because I feared I was going to die so I tried to make the symptoms go away by exercising and having cold showers, but nothing seemed to help after a few minutes. Today I'm checking myself every minute to see if I have left arm pain or swollen blue hands. It has come to a point where I can't function properly, all I think about is that I will have a heart attack soon.

I've been battling with health anxiety the last few years so this isn't new to me. Every medical test I have ever had comes out clean but my mind can't accept that. And things that used to make me feel better like cold showers rarely work now, it's like my mind knows it can't be tricked that way anymore.

Please help, I fear that I'm going to suffer through another long restless night

EDIT: I had covid vaccine last week and I had the usual mild symptoms the first few days. I'm 100% pro vaccine, however I suspect that's what caused my anxiety this time.

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • mike24933
    mike24933 revonb

    Edited

    I don't know whether this is anxiety or not. You should first see a doctor and tell him about the specific symptoms you are experiencing. I'm sure that a doctor can recognise symptoms of an impending heart attack. If the doctor tells you it is anxiety then believe him.

    Assuming it is anxiety:

    You are right that you can't trick your own mind but it is definitely possible for your mind to play tricks on you. In fact it always does in anxiety issues. Anxiety can cause a vast range of symptoms but the one thing they all have in common is that they are frightening. Anxiety causes frightening symptoms and frightening symptoms cause anxiety. You are stuck in a vicious cycle. Everything you naturally do to try to stop it makes it worse. However it can definitely be cured.

    • revonb
      revonb mike24933

      Edited

      Yes I don't know 100% if it's anxiety or not, in fact that's what makes it part of the problem. Seeing a doctor is not always a feasible solution. You see I have gone and gone to doctors for all shorts of imaginary things and every time the results are the same: The tests are clean and I wasted yet another evening. If I went to the doctor every time I felt anything I would probably spend the rest of my life at the hospital.

      Every time I feel any symptom (usually minor) my mind starts thinking if I should see a doctor or not. The inner battle then begins: I try to shake the symptoms off but my mind says otherwise. It's a vicious cycle yes, it's an exhausting feeling.

      thanks for the reply!

  • Nanamunchkin
    Nanamunchkin revonb

    Posted

    i get the same feeling alot, but both of my arms get numb and a burning feeling along the skin on my upper back, and i start to panic and my chest starts to hurt

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