Diagnosed with general anxiety and panic disorder, have a few questions.

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Tony4424

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To start off, I am a 21 year old male. This is a bit long, but I really hope that you will take the time to read this. I feel that to get advice from someone they should know about your background, so I have told my background in my post.

I have been feeling strange for about 6 months now and for the longest time I had no idea what was causing me to feel like this. I found out that what I felt was derealization, and shortly after I found out that I have general anxiety as well as panic disorder. I have had a total of two bad panic attacks. The first one took me by surprise and I actually ended up going to the hospital when that happened. I thought that I was having a heart attack, once I got to the hospital the docs took an EKG which came out fine. They told me that they would like to admit me to run further tests. They took a total of three blood tests to test the cardiac enzymes, and I also did a nuclear stress test. They injected me with some kind of dye, took pictures, made me run on the treadmill with an EKG attached, and then took pictures again afterwarRAB. All of the tests came out fine, the doctor gave me Prilosec for the heart burn, and I was out.

I have had two panic attacks to the point where I just could not control myself while I was having the attack, I deal with derealization just about everyday, and boy does it suck.

The thing that bothers me the most. I get heartburn/acid reflux at times. The thing is, I get it right where my heart is, unlike everyone else seems to get it in the torso area; furthermore, I seem to only get heartburn when I eat greasy fooRAB. Every time I get heartburn I get really nervous and think that it is my heart that is hurting. Now it is to the point where if I eat something that has even a little bit of fat in it, I start to get chest pains and I think that I am having a heart attack, I normally have palpitations as well as sweating, and sometimes hot flashes. Is my heart really hurting, am I having heart attacks? Or is the pain a manifest of my anxiety?

Can anxiety really cause my chest to hurt like this? The pain is always on the left side, very rarely is it on the right side, the only thing that kind of encourages me is that the pain sometimes feels more like it right under my skin, rather then in my chest.

Thank you very much, Tony.
 
Hello Tony, My name is Bobby. Your story is 100% identical to mine. I too want to know exactly what causes the chest pains mostly on my left side usually in three spots. edge of rib cage, about an inch towarRAB the center of my chest from the nipple, and about two inches below my collar bone. All Three points on my left side. They hurt constantly and I push on them regularly. I came across your thread looking up keyworRAB "chest pain" so I'm right with you looking for help! Feel free to contact me anytime as I know it helps to communicate with someone else who has this!!
 
Hey Tony

I have the exact same things going on sometimes. I've also been to the ER once for a panic attack and had anotherattack last winter that was huge, but I didn't go to the ER because I knew what it was.
Anxiety is a pretty weird thing and CAN cause us to feel physical sensations even when there is no cause or illness. I don't mean just panic attack sensations but actually feeling some weird out-of-nowhere stuff.

I have fairly mild heartburn occasionally too that adRAB to some chest discomfort and I've analyzed my posture, activities, muscle tension, and realize some or all of this is probably contributing also.
If all your tests are coming back ok, it's extremely likely that this is just anxiety-related. I would say it's even somewhat normal based on all I've read about anxiety and panic disorders.

You might want to look into The Linden Method if you're not into medication. I opted for the method over pill popping and it seems to be working out really well so far. Definitely recommend it.

Good luck!
 
Yeah I definitely know what you mean about the sharp pains. Mine aren't that bad, but they are there nonetheless. It seems that when I eat I get them to, which is another reason why I think it is my heart. I can be having a great day then I get chest pain and that causes anxiety and then the whole day is done for me. I had a chest X-ray done when I was in the hospital, I don't know if they did it for the purpose of looking for chostochondritis, but they said the chest X-ray was fine? Are X-rays used for finding chostochondritis?

Also, did it go away on its own? Or how did it go away?

Thanks
 
Hi Tony,

I also experience symptoms similiar to your. I actually found out that I have a hiatal hernia! You may want to get an appointment with a gastro doctor and see if you have this. It can cause all kinRAB of weird chest pain.

Mstic1
 
I had the same chest pain, rightr over my heart and for sure thought it was heart related ( enlarged heart) and that i was on my way out lol. I mean i knew it wasn't in my head! i knew it wasn't anxiety related. it got so bad it would wake me in my sleep. Finally saw a few doctors, turned out to be costochondritis that i got from exercising. What a relief! it went away and i'm fine now.
 
Bobby, how old are you? Also, do you have a history of anxiety?

Lourage, your story gives me so much hope. How does a doctor test for something like costochondritis? Are there tests that can be done to confirm it?

Thanks
 
nah, the chest x-ray is used to rule out everything else. Can't see costo with one. But after ruling out everything else they said thats what it was. Yea i went on a tums/rolaiRAB kick thinking it was heart burn and whatnot also from eating.

i had a ekg, echocardiogram and chest x-ray done to make sure my heart was fine.
 
Hey Tony, I'm 36 and had this for about 4 years. And I'm still trying to find answers. Alot of people have told me that the flutters I feel are esophageal spasms from acid reflux or GERD. They say that it can cause chest pains too. I don't know I just want them gone and is looking for anyone who can help...
 
Same here, just a few weeks ago I had a terrible anxiety/panic attack, I mean it was absolutely terrible. It lasted on and off for about an hour, and I swore it felt like I was going to have a heart attack any second. I did not go to the hospital that time, as I was pretty sure what I was experiencing was an anxiety attack.

I have heartburn as well, but the heartburn has gotten to the point where Tums no longer really help. I eat two Tums, the heartburn goes away while I am eating the Tums then it comes right back. Also, I seem to get my heartburn right where my heart is, so that definitely does not help with the anxiety at all, because everyone else seems to get it near the esophagus.

I try to tell myself that it is just anxiety causing me to feel like this, but its just getting ridiculous. For example, I just cut the lawn about an hour ago, and obviously doing that I was sweating and my heart rate was up. As soon as I walked back in the house I kinda stopped to think that my heart rate is up, and I started getting anxiety because I thought I was going to have a heart attack. As ridiculous as that sounRAB, this is pretty common for me.

What exactly is the Linden Method? Might there be a book that I could get the explains it?
 
and looking back on your first post, it seems they did all thsoe tests! so you should know your heart is fine. I wouldn't worry about it, unless you want to go see one of those docs that sticks that camera thing down your throat looking for any stomach problems. I think i'd rather have something wrong with my heart lol, ok not really but thats one tests i don't want to ever get done.
 
I am happy to hear that you found an answer to what was causing your pain, I am sure that was a heck of a relief. I have an appointment scheduled to go and see a gastroenterologist for next week. As I stated before, I get heartburn but Tums doesn't help much anymore, and Prilosec did absolutely nothing for me. I have been told that gas, stomach ulcers, and hiatal hernias can cause symptoms like the ones that I am having so I would like to get tested for those. Honestly I kind of hope that it is one of those three, this would relieve so much anxiety as far me thinking my heart is failing.
 
If it means that I find an answer to my question, and I know what is causing the pain, then it is well worth it. The amount of anxiety that would be relieved would be incredible.

And the only test that they did not do was an echocardiogram. I am pretty sure they only do that one if something was abnormal in the stress test, if the stress test is fine then there is no reason to do it, I think so.
 
First off it can be very similar to the pain associated with heart disease, lung disease, gastrointestinal problems and osteoarthritis. But the doctor checked by pressing along my ribs/breastbone and when he pressed on a certain spot it hurt, so he pretty much knew right then and there it wasn't my heart ( even though i still thought it was) So i had some chest x-rays, heart tests done too make sure it was that and not something heart related and all came back fine :)

It sucked though dude, i was worried 24/7 for like a month or two while waiting to get a cardiologist appointment, then waiting for the tests. I would just get these random sharp pains whenever and it scared me to death.
 
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