Return of chest pain, anxiety?

[Belial]

Hi guys,

A while ago I posted saying that I was having chest pains, got the doc to check them out, went on anti-inflammatories for a few days and all was well. Well, the same condition has returned, pretty much exactly the same symptoms although I'm not having difficulty breathing. After last time I had an ECG which checked out fine though wasn't experiencing symptoms at the time. This time, I first noticed it after playing guitar on the couch, with the guitar kind of pressed into the left side of my chest a little, and since then, I've been fidgety, occasionally slightly tingly, nervous, and occasionally the chest pain comes back in little "prods". Based on what the doctor said last time he's tending towards diagnosing anxiety which would make some sense to me based on my general outlook on things, the problem is that these symptoms are probably fuelling the anxiety and have me in a cycle...something like a heart attack is pretty unlikely given that it has never happened during exertion (and I play cricket as a fast bowler, anyone who knows the game realises the physical demands involved in this, for the uninitiated, you run, gathering speed to something approaching a sprint over a distance of 15-20 meters or so, then hurl a ball with dimensions not unlike a baseball towards a batsman as hard as you can while maintaining control) and given it happens weeks apart.

Anyway, I'll be seeking medical attention, but any input is welcome.

[dreamgurl]

i'm sorry to hear that this is happening again, have you tried just getting away for awhile, i know it may not be possible physically but mentally, go somewhere quiet and just relax if it's anxiety, or seek a professonal therapist if it keeps happening in a pattern, it may be something that needs to be addressed emotionaly. sorry i have psychology this semester and i'm all in that mode right now. but seriously hun it would be a good bet * hugs* :heart:

[jseal]

Belial,

I hope that whatever it is that causes you these problems goes away - and stays away.

Hang in there guy!

[Loulabelle]

Hey sweetie,

I suffer from very mild asthma, which manifests itself, not so much in breathing difficulty but in kind of stabbing chest pains, that feel a little like someone has put a knife right in the centre of my chest.

I find it worse if I have been spending too much time sitting, and mine also appears to be seasonal - it is worse during hey fever season. Is it possible that it could be something like that?

If not, have you considered the possibility that it's a form of indigestion? Both of these are likely to be affected by anxiety, as anything that makes you tense up is likely to affect both your respiratory and digestive systems.

I don't see what harm spending some time doing relaxation would do, and you might also consider steam inhalation to ease the discomfort. In fact, I'm thinking a long hot soak in the bath might be good for you - most guys I know tend to shower rather than take a bath.

Finally, I've heard people swear by Bach's Rescue Remedy for anxiety. I've just started to use it, so it's a bit early to tell for me, but you could consider that too. :)

[jseal]

Loulabelle,

"Bach's Rescue Remedy"?

I thought he focused more on Baroque music composition, not pharmaceuticals.

[Loulabelle]

LOL it's actually a flower remedy. Kinda like herbalism/homeopathy. Not sure if it's reached as far as the US and AUS, although as far as I'm aware, Bach goes way back to about Victorian times I think, so it probably does.

[Catch22]

*Puts on nursing cap* Things to watch out for: Red cheeks. (on your face not the other place) Red neck. Pain/pins & needles in the left arm. If you have any of those go have a blood test. Is the guitar electric? If it is get it checked. You may be getting a charge from it.

[Lilith]

Bach's Rescue Remedy (http://www.herbalremedies.com/resrem10ml.html?source=google&engine=adwords!32&keyword=%28rescue+remedy%29)

[Belial]

Originally posted by Catch22
*Puts on nursing cap* Things to watch out for: Red cheeks. (on your face not the other place) Red neck. Pain/pins & needles in the left arm. If you have any of those go have a blood test. Is the guitar electric? If it is get it checked. You may be getting a charge from it.
I wouldn't go so far as to say that I've got needles and pins in my left arm, but it does feel very slightly odd...also pertinent is that I can feel a definite ridge in my chest as if a rib were out of place, my cheeks and neck are fine. My guitar is electric but it wasn't plugged in at the time.

What would a blood test be attempting to find? I've had one in the last couple of months that apparently didn't find anything odd but I don't know if they were looking for the same thing(s).

Thanks Catch22 :)

[Catch22]

Was the blood test for this? If your left arm is like that when it happens it is your blood pressure up. You need to do something about what is causing you stress. Watch how much sugar and salt you eat as well.

[Belial]

An update is in order.

After a night wracked with nerves and anxiety about death during the night from a cardio-neurological disaster cocktail, I went to the doctor first thing in the morning who examined my heartbeat and blood pressure and stated that in his opinion the problems were caused or at least exacerbated by anxiety. He has prescribed a low dosage of Zoloft for the next few weeks. I am not going to solely rely on this drug, I am going to make a concerted effort to reduce stress in my daily life, firstly by avoiding getting angry about minor things like dropping something on the floor (which I usually swear at myself about) or triggers for remembering stupid things I did in the distant past - even things as trivial as calling out a stupid answer in class 8 years ago.

Catch22: The blood test was to try and discover the cause of my breathing problem, my doctor said nothing about my bp when he took it this morning and my arm (it's mostly my wrist) has been fine most of the day. I will certainly watch my sugar and salt intake. Thanks :)

[Belial]

Okay, now both of my hands, my fingers and wrists are intermittently tingling, after I've been typing. For this reason I suspect carpal tunnel but of course I don't really know. Hopefully it's not..that'd kind of fuck up my education for a while...

[jseal]

Belial,

Maxibummer! It seems to be one thing after the other for you of late.

Here's hoping you can make the lifestyle changes which put you back on the path of normalcy.

Hang in there sir!

[Belial]

Okay....just jacked off and my heart got rather thumpy....I don't think that's good. But I don't think it normally happens with exertion for me so I don't know....I don't know anything about what's going on in my life :(

[BamaKyttn]

uhm about that Bach's Rescue Remedy , I use it on my dogs and one day I tried it meself..... I think it's mildly alcoholic drink a glass of wine and it'll do ya as good.......I give my dogs a few CCs of cheap wine in place of the Bach's Rescue Remedy and a glass of vodka for me. .....livin on a shoestring.....

[Catch22]

Belial, Your blood sugar lvl must be up to the moon. Take some bed rest. A day of sleeping. Take a holiday to a beach and watch the surf for a few days. Cut out any sugar and no booze or smokes.

[Belial]

Not doubting you there Catch22, but what in particular makes you say that?

I can cut the sugar down to pretty much nothing I think, I hardly ever drink booze and I have never smoked. The day of sleeping may not be feasible any time soon but I should be able to engage in some rest and relaxation somehow...thanks for your help :)

[Loulabelle]

Belial you silly arse - STOP WORRYING HONEY!!!!

You sound to me like you're fine - getting a thumpy heart is one of the key things about an orgasm (your heart beat actually becomes slightly out of rhythm at these times) Perhaps it was more noticable than usual given your current anxiety level. Orgasms are totally about a release of tension so if you're more tense than usual, then it stands to reason that you'll have a more powerful release at the point of orgasm.

PLEASE don't worrry - you're young, you've been to the doc for some advice which will have ruled out anything life threatening, so just try to chill, hun.

[Belial]

Well I figured the thumping itself was pretty normal, but my pulse seems to be a lot stronger than I can recall in my neck/collarbone region on the left side, and the blood vessel there - I think it's an artery - seems swollen compared to the one on the right and occasionally is a bit sore. I don't know how normal that is or what, but I've also been getting occasional pains - very mild and short ones - in the left side of my face and a very mild headache that seemed to have confined itself to the left side of my head.

[dreamgurl]

maybe you should consider getting an ultra sound to see if anything is out of the ordnary as far as blood flow, i'm sorry about these problems you are having sweetie

[Belial]

Thanks dreamgurl :)

*huggles*

Will mention it to the doc when I see him.

[LixyChick]

Originally posted by Belial
Okay, now both of my hands, my fingers and wrists are intermittently tingling, after I've been typing. For this reason I suspect carpal tunnel but of course I don't really know. Hopefully it's not..that'd kind of fuck up my education for a while...
I was in hyperventilation once (had major anxiety over extreme pain that turned out to be an ectopic pregnancy)......and my hands and feet got numb and tingly! Turns out, all I had to do was "calmly" inhale through my nose and exhale through my mouth into a paper bag and the sensation would have come back to my hands and feet. The tingling and numbness was caused by an abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from my blood due to the excessive rate and depth of my breathing (anxiety). Breathing into the paper bag would have allowed me to recapture that excessive loss of carbon dioxide. Hyperventilation affects the extremities first.

It could very well be carpal tunnel syndrome (the tingling, that is).....but if/when this tingling/numbness occurs again and you find you are having an anxiety attack (breathing faster than normal)....try the breathing technique, with the paper bag, as I explained above for a short while. If the tingling disappears......voila.....you have your answer!

And.....try and recognize/isolate exactly when this happens to you. If you can determine that you are indeed breathing excessively and feeling anxious at the same time, and that the paper bag trick works...you'll not only calm all your other notions of "what could be wrong"....but you'll take control over something that you've felt no control over before.....which, in turn, could calm all of your anxiety in time!

Good luck hun!

[Belial]

Thanks to everyone who has posted advice. Big hugs to you all :)

Don't know if it's the Zoloft or what, but I'm more relaxed now and don't seem to be noticing "symptoms" as much. I wore a heart monitor for 24 hours from yesterday to today, and man are those things annoying. I'm sure it'll return normal results :)