Chest Pain and shortness of breath - Anxiety Support

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Chest Pain and shortness of breath

nsuth44 profile image
10 Replies

Hi again,

I'm just sitting here at work and about an hour after eating, out of nowhere I had a tight squeezing feeling in my chest and a wave of nerves rushes over me. My chest is squeezing, it's hard to breathe, my neck and back are hurting. I've been having palpitations all morning and still am. I just can't see how this is anxiety. The doctor's tell me I'm fine but I can't shake this feeling, I'm only 29. My first thoughts are this is it, I'm having a heart attack and immediately think about going to the ER. I 'm scared 24/7 of having a heart attack. I feel tired and weak and just feel like these have to be related back to my heart. Sometimes out of breath just walking out to my car after work. Everyone tells me I'm fine but it really doesn't feel like it.

Can anyone relate or have any thoughts or words. I just don't know anymore and am tired of being scared.

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nsuth44
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10 Replies
Agora1 profile image
Agora1

nsuth44, since we are not doctors and do want to keep you safe, it is always in

your best interest, if this is something new, to call your doctor.

However, what you are experiencing could be an esophageal spasm due to not

having been relaxed when you ate. Acids and air can build up giving you this

squeezing pain in chest and back. I have gotten this myself most recently and

found that sipping ginger ale can release some of those gas bubbles. We must also

try to relax, as hard as it is, so that the muscles are no longer tight. Subsequently, the

body will relax and the pain immediately goes away.

Only you know when to call the doctor or go to the ER.

How are you feeling right now??

Timmypliskin profile image
Timmypliskin in reply to Agora1

Ditto...

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply to Timmypliskin

:) xx

Timmypliskin profile image
Timmypliskin in reply to Agora1

✌🤓

nsuth44 profile image
nsuth44 in reply to Agora1

Thanks for the reply. This isn't something new. It's been happening for a while. I've had multiple EKGs, blood work done, and halter monitors. It's always passed as anxiety but it just doesn't make sense. Am I supposed to just shake it off? What if it actually is serious and I don't get help. I understand that everyone on here is not a doctor and really appreciate the help. I don't have any more pain but the worry is still there. It must just be anxiety, I just always feel like I need more tests or something. Just scared. Sorry for the rambling.

Agora1 profile image
Agora1 in reply to nsuth44

nsuth, you are not rambling. Having had it myself lately, I know how painful it can

be. The first time, I called my doctor's office and of course, they wanted me to go to

the ER because they didn't want the responsibility either. I made the decision to

relax and wait it out and once the spasm settled down, so did the pain.

We have to be our own advocates at times. This is anxiety's story all too well told. :) xx

Timmypliskin profile image
Timmypliskin in reply to nsuth44

I go tru the same worries every day, I feel like they have missed something. But I'm really trying to adjust my thinking.

Anxiety is a self fulfilling process, even if you are ok , it wants you to live as if you aren't.

I had that happen recently. AFter having dinner, I had several cups of coffee. Are you drinking pop tea or coffee? It could be the caffeine. Stop the caffeine altogether or cut back severly and see if it changes anything. Also, I took a tip of the blood pressure pill (extra) the night it happened to me, and the fast heart beat slowed way down. Sometimes I get the pressure in the middle of my back, feels like 2 knees pressing against me. I never have difficult breathing though. That would be something to check out with the doctor. See a cardiologist not a regular physican, a specialist could run some stress tests to get to the heart of the matter. I worry about it myself because sometimes I can't tell if itis stress, anxiety or my blood pressure going wacko. Sometimes I get heart palpitations, where my heart beat speeds up and then slows down. It scares me thinking something is seriously wrong. We should not have these issues, especially if we are taking blood pressure meds. Maybe you should have you cholestral checked? see a doctor for sure. Good luck!

aneerj profile image
aneerj

Am a health anxiety sufferer. Mostly heart related and stroke..i was not living i was just existing..i will copy what i wrote for others having same situation..

Hi,from what i remember in the 2009 one day while exercising i got a palpitation it was not due to the exercise for sure as i can make the difference between fast heatbeat when exercising and palpitations.it was for some mins.(stress abt work).and never had one until 2013 when i was pregnant..(stress before and during pregnancy) the palps was for some mins..then gone..i again experience the palpitation for some minutes while at work (stressful work) in 2015 and then it was gone..

Then i developed an extreme anxiety (including the worst Health anxiety) in April 2014 that is 9 months after my baby delivery

Life was not the same since..(issues in personal life)..i was so restless all the time.i could not concentrate.i was not happy inspite of having a baby whom i longed to have many many years..i was in depression.nthg seem giving me happiness.i lost my job and start work in family business..

Still (personal problem) i feel the anxiety more and more. I then once had a panic attack a full blown stress related family issues.i felt i was having a heart attack. I was so afraid..i felt i was standing on fire. From my feet to my hips then to my abdomen. It was burning..i sweat as if i was under a shower..i was shortness of breath..my heart was racing..i was dizzy..i ddnt really know what was happening..later i learn it was a panic attack..after that episode in july 2017 i started having heart palpitation..later same year in aug i was diagnosed with hyper thyroid after medication same yr it was hypo and nxt year it was gone..i ddnt have any type of thyroid..

There start my daily palpitations which wss so annoying and i always fear that snthg is wrong since i have health anxiety..

It was going on n decided to get my test done and all my reports are good..medically am fit but what causes all this palps and pain..its stress as per doctors..i refuse to take anti depressant..i live without any joy..it sucks.one very day 2019 in april i was having digestive issues and family small issue i got a heart beat of 210bpm..i was shocked and fear took me..i was normal..no shortness of breath..no dizzy..no pain..just fear..my bp usually down was 17/9 ..i drank vinegar..lemon and it bcame normal 11/9 but my heart still beating hard..it bcom 200bpm..we rushed to er .was admitted the beat did not lowered after so many trial.i was given xanax and some other drugs to be finally reset my heart.i did all test and no.prob with heart.they said its stress.am on metpure xl25 since 1 year.the cardiologist said its related to some electrical imbalance and that its benign..but it sucks..

I have appointment in march and i know i will be off medication as i very rarely get a light palps for sme mins and am ok..but am afraid if i stop taking it and it happen again..in addition i take magnesium.calcium supplements by myself...

I know its a book what i wrote but hope it helps.

Mightily564 profile image
Mightily564

I have had similar feelings of chest tightness and back pain. It feels like somebody is sitting on your chest ?.

If it is definitely not related to your heart it may be reflux not necessarily acid though. I felt as if I had been pumped up with gas and couldn’t breath. I found mebeverine helped me, just wondering do you also have constipation ?. If so it could be IBS. Let us know how you get on with the advices given. Take care. X

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