I always feel like I'm having a heart attack
Posted , 6 users are following.
I'm 33yrs old and I feel like I'm having a heart attack almost daily. I've had anxiety for about 10 yrs now and was told once in the ER that I have angina(not sure how they came to that since all they did at that time was an ekg,but ok).I have had numerous ekgs done,chest ct scan,cardiac blood work and wore an event monitor for a week,(had an echo done about 10yrs ago,but that was 10yrs ago so..). I was told I had some bouts of tachycardia,but it was in normal sinus rhythm and that everything looks good nothing to worry about. I dont get chest pain often,but i do get discomfort in my chest(mainly in my sternum area),left arm and shoulder pain,jaw pain,neck pain and upper back discomfort. My blood pressure is great in the low normal range,heart rate is usually 75,80 while resting,cholesterol is pretty good...It's interfering with my everyday life and I hate it. Everyone tells me I'm a hypochondriac and I dont disagree,but I am genuinely terrified that I'm going to have a heart attack and I cant help it. Any advice on what to do or how to not freak out?
0 likes, 9 replies
AlexandriaGizmo art47585
Posted
So they told you in the hospital that you have angina, did they say you did or that they thought it could be???
Did you have medication for it
jaco90 art47585
Posted
They told you you had angina at 23? seems odd
art47585
Posted
yes,they told me at 23 in the ER when I went in with chest pain that I had anxiety(which I alrdy knew) and angina and no I am not on medication for it because that is the only time I have been told that I have it. Every other time I have went to the ER they have never said that,they always say every thing looks good and that I'm fine.
AlexandriaGizmo art47585
Posted
I think that if you had been definitely diagnosed with angina they must have done an aniogram because that's the ultimate diagnostic tool for anyone who is considered to have angina
If you definitely have then you should most definitely be on some medication, I think that anxiety is more likely
jaco90 art47585
Posted
I agree with Alexandria. You would be on medication if you had angina. Angina is considered a serious issue that needs to be managed. They wouldn't tell you you have angina and then just let you walk out of the hospital without putting a plan in place for medications and so forth. Seems like anxiety which can also cause chest pain and the sensation of a heart attack if it's serious anxiety.
jaco90 art47585
Posted
I agree with Alexandria. You would be on medication if you had angina. Angina is considered a serious issue that needs to be managed. They wouldn't tell you you have angina and then just let you walk out of the hospital without putting a plan in place for medications and so forth. Seems like anxiety which can also cause chest pain and the sensation of a heart attack if it's serious anxiety.
moon53540 art47585
Posted
Have you ever had an upper endoscopy? You may have oesophagitis and reflux. It causes a lot of symptoms that feel similar to heart problems. Other than that you may have costochondritis, which is inflammation of the cartilage in the rib cage. If your blood pressure, cholesterol and heart rate is fine and all the tests have come back normal, I would think it unlikely someone your age has angina or is at risk of a heart attack. You sound like you suffer with anxiety so perhaps the jaw, neck and shoulder pain is down to grinding your teeth. It is very common and a third of sufferers don't even know they are doing it as they do it in their sleep.
art47585
Posted
I've never had an angiogram done and I'm not on any medication for it. I haven't had an endoscopy done neither,but other people have told me it could be reflux or maybe my gallbladder..but I always think the worse and I cant help it...
garren88859 art47585
Posted
take a xanax