Do I have heart problems ?

[Mpange]

Hi everyone,am new in this group,and I really don't understand what is going on with me.i can't sleep every time I try to go to sleep I feel like something bad is going to happen. I have a strange discomfort on the left side of my chest them it spreads across the chest.sometime chest feels tight, heaviness and I feel like I can't breath. Then sometime when am falling asleep I get this sadden feeling of fear that keeps me up.am so scared,anybody out there feel the same? Please help.thank you.

[carrieprice1998]

That sounds like a panic attack. Just to be sure you may need to see your doctor.

[Mpange in reply to carrieprice1998]

Hey carrieprice1998, thank you so much.i have seen a doctor, the only thing he said was you might have anxiety,go home and read about it.i did read about it,and it looked like he was right,but you can't stop thinking it must be something else when it's happening.its also nice and comforting when you help from others who are going through the same.but agree with you,going back to the hospital tomorrow.thank you again.x

[Hidden]

Hello, it's getting late here, but wanted to let you know there is always someone around the globe reading the posts and replying.

If what is happening to you lasts more than ten minutes or so, it may not be a panic attack, it may be what I call an "anxiety hour".....you're not going to run away, but you are anxious and worried. Not much consolation, eh?

Have had my share of those nights....sometimes not sleeping at all, but never worried about my heart. If your heart is pounding, then as CarryPrice wrote, you're probably having a panic attack that will pass....your heart will slow down, but you may still be feeling something physically. That's anxiety.

Take some deep breaths, in through the nose and out the mouth.

Get up and walk around your home if that helps. If you have a dog, and it's not past 1 a.m. consider walking him around the block.

Been there and have actually done that, and my dog never complained. Will be up for awhile longer if you want to write.

[Mpange in reply to Hidden]

Hi there.

Thank you so much for that,I have not slept it's now 4:34 am and I can't sleep. Every time I try to sleep I have this intense fear like am about to stop breathing And chest hurts. It's scary. Thank so much for your reply.maybe I should get a dog that might help.good night.

[Hidden in reply to Mpange]

Thank you for your answer....I think I detected a sense of humor in it. Good. (I miss my dog. He died last week, but we walked may miles together. It the task was within 1/2 - 1 mile from our home, we walked to it....the grocery, the shoe repair shop, the clothing shops, the post office, the bank, the church, at night when I was anxious and could not sit still or sleep...and he was only a small 14lb dog. Maybe a dog is a better idea than you think.)

I hope you see your doctor and ask for a referral to a therapist who can help you deal with your anxiety. I have one and that makes a great deal of difference for me. We have to sleep sometime, don't we?

You are not in England if it's past 4 a.m.....and you're not in the US because it's only 10p.m...... so where you are is a mystery to me....let me look at my world map....

[Mpange in reply to Hidden]

Hey am sorry to hear about your dog,hope you can find a new pet to keep company on your walks.but I hope and prey you can find a way to sleep.i sure need to find a way to sleep, I don't think I can walk around my city when I can't sleep.am in Tanzania.

[Hidden in reply to Mpange]

Ah, you are in Tanzania.....that makes perfect sense....past early breakfast in Australia, and to earlier for sleepers in England. Of Course. Yes, your Tanzania may not be a good place to walk during the late nights. Many of the neighborhoods in my city of Tampa would not be safe.

Back to the basics, are you able to see your GP and make certain you have no medical issues? And then ask for a referral to a psychiatrist or therapist to work with your very real panic and anxiety issues. Do not be embarrassed to ask for help in this mental health field. Medication may be Rx to just to settle you enough to sleep so you are calm enough to work on why you have anxiety and how to resolve it.

It is so late in the night, that soon will be early morning for you. I hope I was of some help, and that your health care system can provide you the professional help you need,

I wish my very best for you. Let us know how you do? Ok?

You will get better, I did and I had gotten to the point where I thought I would not, and then finally everything seemed to work in just the right way, I got much better.

[Ishyp in reply to Mpange]

Sorry to hear what your experiencing.it is all part of the anxiety panick attack symptoms.i beleive these attacks and anxiety are irrational,its the subconcious mind somehow turned this pleasant thing in to fear,so to reconnect or realign the subconcious and conciois mind there are a few tips.firstly like 1 of the members mentioned about breathing,if you all panicky and got this deep stomache feeling,breathe in deep from nose filling your stomache,when stomache is full breathe out slowly at the same time your hand folded over belly and pushing your belly down upon exhaling.

Secondly sit up and look striaght ahead,extend both your arms infront of you at eye level with index fingers raised,slowly move right hand towards your right following with your eyes,basicly stretchbyour right hand out as far back possibly but dont let the index finger out of sight,bring it back to the front and start with the left.trying to do this without a stop right to left,stupid as it sounds that is realigning the subconcious mind and concious mind.as all these attacks phobias etc develop when our subconcious mind understands something as fear when it isnt..

Very lengthy,appologies.hope this helps.

[Kayleealice17]

Yes I feel this all of the time. It's your anxiety talking. It's amazing what our mind can do to our bodies.

[Mpange in reply to Kayleealice17]

Gosh that's crazy.does it ever go away?

[Hidden]

Anxiety anxiety anxiety. Had ten years of this wonderful disorder. My symptoms change too, tight chest, palpitations, panic attacks, burning feet, tensing muscles (fibromyalgia), dizziness (swaying non stop like I'm on a constant boat trip), insomnia etc. like someone has a voodoo doll of me trying out many different things.

I went through years of what your describing here. Anti-anxiety medications and Valium/Xanax helped ... but...what I found was the more I worried about not being able to sleep the worse it was. After three years I thought I'd give in to it (so to speak), what worked best for me was finding a show I didn't have to concentrate on but liked (Seinfeld was my saviour), I would go sit on the couch, set it up like a bed and take my Valium or Xanax and just watch the show, then close my eyes and listen to it ... I found that somewhere along I eventually slept. It might not have been till 4am, but it worked. I did this nearly every night. It worked. Now I can go to bed at a normal time and sleep. If ever I can't sleep I get up and do as I've mentioned above and after a couple nights I'm fine. Guess what I'm saying is try and go with the flow. Don't fight it, it causes you to worry more and then you get more anxious and panicky. It wasn't an overnight remedy but it made nights more bearable.

[Mpange in reply to Hidden]

My gosh, it's not a good feeling to have anxiety.just came back home from the hospital, didn't sleep at all last night. Was up this morning with vomiting, went to the hospital and I had a massive panic attack,had to be put on a monitor for a good 2hours.i don't wish to go through with that again.

[Suz65 in reply to Mpange]

What did they tell you at the hospital? I am so sorry you are going thru this. I am in a struggle right now as well.

We will get thru this!!

[Mpange in reply to Suz65]

They couldn't do much at the hospital,just gave me something to clam me down then after 2hours they sent me home.sometimes it hard to be in Africa.

[Boo153 in reply to Hidden]

Hi there that's what I've been, going thought I've suffering from bad anxiety insomnia and tinitus for the past 9month it's getting me down I'm so scare I will never sleep again I'm on sleeping tab but I'm scared. To come off them I have cut my does but once off them I'm back to square one I can't cope anymore