Pericarditis, Heart disease!!!???

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Hello, my name is Timothy Sirus and I am a 24 year old male who has had some very disturbing health issues within the last 2 years. It all started a year and a half ago when I was sitting at the computer e-mailing my friend when I suddenly felt short of breath. This symptom had never manifested itself before that and it sent me into a panic attack. I'd had a history of panic attacks and depression before the event but this was completely different. I decided to tell my mother what was going on but she didn't seem concerned because she thought it was just my anxiety acting up. Then, I walked to my friends house which was two miles away and my chest was tight and I felt extremely lightheaded. I also was very weak after the walk and I could barely even stand up strait without my legs giving out. I did some rational thinking and came to the conclusion that it was just my anxiety. It didn't go away, however, and it plagues me to this day. I started vomiting on 8/04/08 from intense episodes of chest pain and weakness accompanied by palpitations. I literally thought it was a heart attack at first but then after it happened so often I dismissed that theory. I stopped smoking and drinking on a regular basis to see if that would help and it didn't. When I do drink I get horrible hangovers after about 6 drinks and smoking now makes me vomit.
I've been to the ER and to the doctor about 6 times and they always diagnose something different. I've had CBC blood tests run and an echocardiogram with negative results. I've also had multiple chest x-rays....please help! :confused:
 
I'd put your mind to rest over pericarditis. The echocardiogram would have shown fluid in the pericardium and the x-rays would have shown the leftover constriction of the pericardium if you either have or had an infection in the pericardium. And although heart disease can occur at any age, at 24, you really are low risk.

I had endocarditis at 16 and you can't miss the symptoms and even anxiety can't mimic it. I've had high blood pressure since then and you don't have that either so that kind of rules those out as well.

But you do have the exact same symptoms my husband and his father both had. Both had anxiety induced cardiac symptoms. My father-in-law was taken to the hospital so many times with chest pain and shortness of breath and each and every time, it was anxiety. He insisted it was his heart but refused testing to prove or disprove it. It was finally done when he was 83-catheterization- and he had the heart of a 60 yer old....not a single sign of heart disease. He had been having these attacks all of his adult life and only found out shortly before passing away of cancer that it was all in his head. He wasted so much time convinced he had heart disease.

When my husband started having the same symptoms I took him to the ER and they admitted him and monitored him for 24 hours. No heart problems at all. The doc and I both confronted him with his father's history and forced him to admit it was anxiety and to get help. He did and hasn't had a major problem since. When he gets his chest pain, he knows to take and anti-anxiety med and it goes away.

Hate to say it, put you sound exactly like the 2 men in my life who have had identical symptoms. I'd seek more treatment for the anxiety before seeking more tests for your heart. Anxiety is very real and can be very debilitating. It is an illness in and of itself and needs to be treated. And more people suffer from anxiety and anxiety related illness than just about anything else. I've had it too...gives me debilitating headaches and asthma attacks. But I know what it is and I can treat it by myself now. It's just my body's way of coping, not something that is wrong physically. So I treat it and if necessary, see my doctor or even a therapist. Consider doing the same.
 
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