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intense chest pain and palpitations constantly feeling like I'm been suffocated! Advice please

Posted , 7 users are following.

laura80515
laura80515

HI everyone I'm laura and I'm 22, basically iv had what doctors say is health anxiety and I don't belive them for one minute I know there the experts but I'm constantly feeling like I'm been misdiagnosed or there missing something sad long story short iv had panic attacks on a daily basis since December, iv had a few cbest infections and basically my general health has gone downhill since December, it all started just before newyeears eve I had my first propa "panic attack" convinced I was having a heart attack and so my dad rushed me to hospital I had the typical ecg, blood tests, heart enzymes checked and also chest x ray all to which was normal, ever since then I got diagnosed with anxiety and also costochondritis! Also had low vitamin d so was prescribed tablets, I'm also taking propanolol 10mg once a day ( reduced from 3 a day )and I'm also on 30mg of mirtazipine at night, now since December I have had 7 ecgs, 24 hour ecg, numerous blood tests and x rays to which they say they can't find anything but I'm convinced they are missing something everyday without fail I have severe chest/breast pain radiating to my left arm/jaw etc but it doesn't usually lead to a panic attack! My heart is currently pounding and I feel like I'm gunna pass out or something bad is gunna happen to me, I'm so focused on my heart and I'm always fearing the worse!! I know it's easy to say focus on something else I try reading books, games on my phone talking to family /friends my partner etc but nothing takes my mind of it maybe I should go back upto 3 a day of propranolol but I want to come of them hence why iv gone down to 1 a day but what I'm trying to say is they anyone out there with the same symptoms as me on same medication that have found a way to cope with not focusing on my heart and thinking that I'm having a heart attack all day every day even when I'm at work I'm always clutching my chest because when the pain comes it comes in waves that are so strong I feel sick and weak and that I'm gunna die there and then!! So has anybody please got aby advice to give me on how to cope with this chest pain I take painkillers but I don't want to get used to them I'm just petrified I'm currently sat clutching my chest because the pain feels like my heart is gunna explode sad can I have a heart attack just like that? I'm always thinking what if? What if it happens and I think it's a panic attack and it turns out to not be and it's not sad I know I sound stupid but I'm literally so scared and I don't know what to do sad thanks for reading x

0 likes, 20 replies

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  • laura80515
    laura80515

    Posted

    Also I keep having this choking suffocating feeling that makes me feel like I'm going to choke or suffocate as well as the tight band under my boobs and my back sad sad
  • Lockerby
    Lockerby laura80515

    Posted

    Its very, very, very scary. Once the first attack I was like that too for a while. Everyday my mind would tell me I'm going crazy, I would feel like I would pass out, my heart would feel either it's going to explode, or just stop. It's mind crippling. I'm sorry you are going through this. It will eventually simmer down, I promise. When you first start taking long term ssri meds they will give you side effects until they eventually fully kick in. Its a gigantic pain. Its a chemical imbalance in our brains.
    • laura80515
      laura80515 Lockerby

      Posted

      Thank u for replying yeah it is very scary!! I'm sorry u have experienced it too hun the thing Is iv been on these meds since December and that's what scares me because I'm worried my heart wont take all this stress and it just stops because I'm not even stressing I was having a chilled night with my bf and I just broke down crying because I feel emotionally and physically scared and drained! My bf tries to reassure me and so do my fam and friends but they just don't get it I have stopped going out drinking etc because I'm petrified I would die in front of everyone I just want to be myself again and wish I didn't hear and feel my heart pounding all the time because it sounds of beat like it's missing a beat or its straining if that makes sense as tho its jerking in my chest I just can't explain it but the chest pain is something else it's so severe sad and it scares the hell out of me when all the symptoms are the same as a heart attack one doc says I'm too young to have a heart attack but another says it can happen any time and that has played on my mind constantly I'm also a bit overweight as well so I'm losing weight but I'm just scared iv already caused damage to my heart sad also when I take a deep breath iv got shooting pains (iv currently got a chest infection) but I'm also convinced I'm gunna get pneumonia and die as my nanna did sad what are your coping techniques hun? X
    • tracy66554
      tracy66554 Lockerby

      Posted

      I have the same symptoms how long tillbthe ssri kicks in? Been on them 7weeks just increases the dosage.
    • tracy66554
      tracy66554 Lockerby

      Posted

      Question how long till the meds to kick in? Been on them 7 weeks n still feel like junk. Do the physical symptoms ever go away? Thanks in advanced.
  • leonie33332
    leonie33332 laura80515

    Posted

    Hi, I have chest pain all the time & also the pain in my left arm I've had an ECG down & blood tests but all day every day I think I'm going to die, it's literally taking over my life, I'm on propranolol 2 a day & I want to come off them, I don't take painkillers incase I have any side effects, I just try thinking every time I get a pain that it's all anxiety x
    • laura80515
      laura80515 leonie33332

      Posted

      Hi hun yes I'm the same I just constantly think I'm gunna die too I was at work the other day had a massive panic attack came out the blue and all I wantedwas a ambulance I eventually got calmed down by a colleague but I'm just convinced anxiety is hiding something deep down because as I say anxiety came out of nowhere last year and I'm constantly questioning that the docs are missing something because when I have ecgs the pains not as bad I'm constantly checking my pulse and feel like everything gunna go black and I die or my heart is going to beat that fast that it causes a massive heart attack sad x
    • laura80515
      laura80515

      Posted

      Iv been on propanolol 10mg since December was on 3 a day but I had them unopened for ages convinced I was gunna be made worse when I took them as I read the side effects and it said heart attack if stopped so I was petrified of taking them then I just did it and felt a bit better then a month a go I reduced them down to 1 a day (doctor said it was ok) but still on mirtazipine 30mg on a night time which send me straight to sleep which they are really good for relaxing u, but iv been taking the propranolol 1 a day for a month do u think if I stopped them I'm gunna feel worse as doctor says it's ok to stop them now but I'm scared in case I have a heart attack still as it says on the leaflet its such a constant circle sad sad
    • leonie33332
      leonie33332 laura80515

      Posted

      I'm sure it shudnt be fine but I would do it wen you feel ready as it could make your anxiety worse just thinking about it, I know the feeling but I'm the opposite & I'm terrified of doctors hospitals ambulances & every thing else, all I ever want is to be care free again the way I used to be, & trying to get to the bottom of all of this is quite hard as it came from no where, I hope your feeling better soon xx
    • laura80515
      laura80515 leonie33332

      Posted

      Yeah I will do hun thank u and I know how u feel I just want to be myself again carefree outgoing etc sad it's so horrible and definitely feel it needs more awareness! Aw no as if u feel like that there only who I want to be near when I feel like this! Just goes to show how it effects people in so many different ways sad and thank u I hope you are too one day we will all wake up anxiety and stress free!! I hope smile xx
    • leonie33332
      leonie33332 laura80515

      Posted

      Yeah I hope so, it's nice to speak to some one that understands, do what you feel is right & ready for you, I've ordered a book on health anxiety it's meant to be good so I will let you know how it goes when I've read it, xxx
    • laura80515
      laura80515 leonie33332

      Posted

      Yeah it sure is Hun and yes please do I'm here anytime u need to talk smile take care xx
  • tracie20455
    tracie20455 laura80515

    Posted

    Hi, sorry that you are suffering so badly at the moment... Have you tried CBT? It helped me alot! My fear is having a stroke as i watched my mother have one and became convinced every little twitch was a sign one was imminent.... My therapist said to me one day " how long have you beem fearing a stroke when you get these physical symptoms?" And i said "18 months at least" and she said " how many strokes have you had in that time?" And i realised what she was trying to get me to see.... If they were signs of a stroke i would have had one by now!  If your symptoms were a sign of a heart attack you would have had one by now.... Try to think of it like that
    • laura80515
      laura80515 tracie20455

      Posted

      Thanks hun and sorry to hear u have witnessed that it's awful to think that anxiety works in so many ways sad no I haven't treid cbt yet but I'm going to ask to see if I can have it I just wish they was a cure sad and yeah I see what u mean it's just so awful when it happens because my gut instinct tells me something bad is going to happen sad
    • danny198658
      danny198658 laura80515

      Posted

      I've had and still get the chest pains I've had every symptom you can possibly get also had three years of xrays ct scans cameras down my throat taking tissue samples allsorts they took three years just to diagnose mine and also had alot of different meds but didn't work for me neither did the cbt or psychologists they basically just told me what I already knew I just stopped the meds and found distractions work for me I never go anywhere without my headphones as my music is currently the main one that works but cbt does work for some ppl just didn't for me or the meds but I'm ok now I still get chest pains but because I know it's my anxiety it doesn't bother me as much anymore but there is light at the end of the tunnel I had some really dark days but now I'm almost out the other side with no meds no nothing
    • laura80515
      laura80515 danny198658

      Posted

      Aw that's really good to hear that ur feeling better Its bad u had it for that long without been diagnosed! Yeah it's the chest pain that worries me because of where in my chest it feels it's coming from and how strong it is sad if u don't mind me asking when u was in ur dark days how did u cope with ur symptoms?
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