Heart attack symptoms for two months.
Posted , 5 users are following.
To start off, I'm 19. I have severe anxiety and panic disorder. I also have hypertension, but recently my np has stabilized to normal numbers. Since October 20th, I have had a pain in my chest. It can be either a sharp pain in my left chest, a burning sensation in my whole chest or a slight discomfort. I also get an issue where it feels as though there is something blocking my throats when I try to take a deep breath. Lastly, I have a sharp pain in my left bicep when the sharp pain in my chest is happening. When this first started, I rushed to the ER. They did an x-ray, ekg, blood test and a urine test. Everything came back normal. They told me to follow up with my gp, and I did a week later. She just sat there nodding my head when I listed off my symptoms and acted like she wasn't listening. She told me it was probably(PROBABLY) my acid reflux moxed with my anxiety. So she prescribed me omeprazole and hydroxyzine. The hydroxyzine helps my anxiety, but the omeprazole doesn't even ease my acid reflux symptoms. Anyway, she also told me she scheduled an echocardiogram for me two days later. I had that done and got my results a few days later. She told me everything looked fine but that I showed signs that my heart had slightly enlarged. That's the last time I've seen a doctor, and that was about two weeks before thanksgiving. Since, my symptoms have stayed the same and I'm still having daily panic attacks. The symptoms seem to ease slightly when I wake up, but get worse throughout the day. They also seems to get worse when I stand, and ease slightly when I sit/relax. Another thing that kind of helps is belching/passing gas. I'm really just tired of fearing for my life every day. Does this sound like anything specific? I may have left out a few things as this was a long wall of text to write. Please ask any questions you may have and thank you all so much in advance for helping me if you choose to do so.
0 likes, 15 replies
whatevertrevor
Posted
albert48271 whatevertrevor
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derek76 whatevertrevor
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You probably don't have hypertension. Your BP probably peaks when you go into panic mode. The test were OK so believe the results and enjoy life.
Cezzy46 whatevertrevor
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Hi whatevertrevor,
Yes your anxiety may be making your symptoms more problematic & I am no expert, but it does sound like you need some further professional help. Has your Dr ordered an x-ray & if so, did this show you have an enlarged heart? Also if you have only recently started the two medications you mentioned, it is still early days. I would give it a good month from when you started taking them. If your symptoms are still an issue, you may need a higher dose of the anxiety med or a change of medication for either the anxiety of digestion meds.
Make another appointment with your GP if theres no improvement. It is hard enough for you to deal with one medical problem, let alone two or three! You could print off a copy of your symptoms to take to a GP appointment which might help? I do this with new hospital appointments & it is definitely useful; in fact I get complimented on doing this.
It may take some time to resolve everything. In the meantime, try not to let anxiety increase your concerns.
whatevertrevor Cezzy46
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THank you for responding! Yes I had an x-ray done. It didn't show any issues. I have now been on my acid reflux medicine for a month. They ran all the tests they could on me without sending me to a cardiologist. I don't think anxiety could make my chest hurt when I'm not having a panic attack, but I'm not sure. I honestly believe I have heart disease, and I told that to my gp, parents and girlfriend but none of them seem to want to listen. Easier to deny something awful than accept the horrible truth I suppose.
whatevertrevor Cezzy46
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derek76 whatevertrevor
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Acid reflux/GERD very often mimics heart attack symptoms. Mine has done so for years and I just ignore it. No point in crying wolf and going to A&E as the tests will always be negative.
whatevertrevor derek76
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Not really worth risking it if I'm having heart attack symptoms, but thanks.
derek76 whatevertrevor
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Quoting you.
"Another thing that kind of helps is belching/passing gas"
That says it all.
whatevertrevor derek76
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But the thing no one has explained to me yet, why is my left arm hurting as well? None of the doctors I've seen even talked about that
derek76 whatevertrevor
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whatevertrevor derek76
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I've always got something like that in my shoulder blades. I guess it wouldn't be that far of a stretch to think that'd go to my arms. The main thing that makes me think that it's my heart is that the pain is there, if only slightly, every day all day.
derek76 whatevertrevor
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There are so many things that can cause chest pain. My wife was told that over 50% of people who go to emergency with chest pain that no reason is found for it.
whatevertrevor derek76
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Thank you so much for actually replying to me and trying to help me during all this. It's hard for me to find people to talk to about this + my panic attacks. I feel like no one really understands what I'm going through during a panic attack. Perhaps this should have been posted in the anxiety thread.
derek76 whatevertrevor
Posted
Anxiety may be a better place for you. I've had friends with anxiety problems and frankly medications just gave them more problems. They were helped by Mindfulness or therapies that allowed the to talk through their fears.