Echocardiogram Report

[Anxious216]

My test results came back as normal “thank God”. I still feel like crap & still have chest pain. No high blood pressure or anything. I’m completely lost & don’t know where to go from here. Could aniexty & depression really make someone feel this awful!? Sometimes I’m even short of breath...the other day I felt a panic attack coming on while I was driving home from work...it felt like I was about to have a heart attack...I was a little panic & scared of course so I chewed up a aspirin with no water or anything to help it go down. But something strange happened “all the horrible symptoms just magically disappeared”. Like ultra fast, in a blink of an eye fast. It was like I came to my senses everything was normal except my leg was shaking like crazy then that had stopped. I honestly believe that we have full & complete control over most of the issues that we are having & going through on a day to day basis. If that’s not true then way some days are good & some days are bad? Why isnt the pain consistent? Why haven’t we drop dead yet? Well I hope everyone is having a good day...everyone take a easy stay positive & have a blessed day.

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My symptoms can disappear as quick as they come also. Especially now that I think I’m sort of recovering. I say that lightly because it can go BAM I’m back!

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Boy, oh, boy, yeah I've been there and still find myself in the exact same spot. I've had the EKGs and all that fun crap done as well. As much as I'm waiting to hear I have an awful heart, the doctor comes in fretting that, alas, I do not. The problem with anxiety is it takes our worst fears, our feelings of the body, and just magnifies the living hell out of them. I've never felt so weak in the knees (even worse than after knee surgery and trying to limp around) from when anxiety strikes me. I feel the chest pressure and all of that as well.

One wave of thinking says this and I would like you to avoid it....a lot of those tests work based on the situation at hand. If your heart is working fine, well there's nothing to be found. Then a second late after they tear the clips off your chest..boom a skipped beat. The most important part to take here is they've ran tests for your heart at that specific time and found nothing. Blood tests would reveal any cellular release for heart muscle death....and they found nothing.

The other wave of thinking says much of what the last part of that paragraph says. You got a clean bill and anxiety is such a son of gun, it could trick anyone into thinking anything. That tightness in your chest? Could just be anxiety. Fluttering/racing heart? Anxiety. Hyperventilating like your about to faint and pass out? Anxiety. Cold sweats? Anxiety. It's probably the worst thing about anxiety: it is like the ultimate Halloween store. Today it dresses up like a heart issue...tomorrow? Hell, maybe it'll show up as asthma. It's a terrible guest.

I think you ran into the "anti-white coat syndrome" which is one anxiety is severely frightened of. You got medical help and things calmed down. You felt more confident with where you were at, doctors and nurses were attending, and you had confirmation that things were okay. Yes, every single day has the capability to be a great or a bad day anxiety wise. Another annoying symptom of anxiety...it's a snob. Totally too good for you one day...making you think you got rid of the crappy house guest and then bam....rams the door open dressed up like whatever is stressing you.

You ask...why haven't we dropped dead yet. I actually have a really good answer for you. As much as I've made anxiety sound like a total piece of crap, it actually has a rhyme and reason. Anxiety is why you're alive. It's your body sounding off the alarms..."THINGS AREN'T OKAY, WE NEED HELP OR WE NEED TO FIGHT OFF THIS WEIRD FEELING. THE BODY IS NOT HAPPY." It's why humans have made it this far. The problem is too much anxiety in a society that doesn't have to find immediate adrenaline to run away from lions really doesn't need all of that, but we're still wired. So, if you're to find one good thing about anxiety, it's that. It means you want to live and it's your body's way of protecting you.

All we can truly do is treat anxiety like a dog. Train it, spend time with it, and be okay with it. When we don't perceive anxiety as a threat presenting us to a party of one at the bottom of a casket, we can begin to exist with it. It isn't as scary....oh...the heart is feeling funny, but I know that feeling. Okay, anxiety, go ahead....whatever...I'm going to keep doing what I do, but enjoy the false alarm signals you're sending. It will take practice upon practice session to get this down, but people swear by it (CBT basically). I've read it's more beneficial than medication.

I really hope you're feeling better and try not to focus on anything that feels awkward right now. Your body just went through its own "running from a lion". Everything is going to feel weird and exhausting for that reason. All them chemicals in the brain, heart, and lungs just threw a huge party and they're hung over. I would try to acknowledge the good results from your heart and continue to follow up and make well visits. Consult a counselor, therapist, or psychiatrist so that you can make plans for your attacks so you know what is cause for emergency hospital visits and what is probably just your brain making up drama. I hope you feel better, am very glad to hear you're doing better, and hope some of this helped. Always here to listen and support! Take care!

[Anxious216 in reply to Hidden]

I just love your post and how you broke down my questions & keep everything in perspective...also educated me in the process. Thanks for the positivity & encouragement I’m pretty sure that other have benefited from your post also...your awesome and thank you so much. Stay positive & have a blessed day.