Chest Pain? HELP - Anxiety Message Board

sara103 · 02-19-2003, 02:20 PM

Again, I am new here, and just wanted to know if anyone suffer's from chronic chest pain associated with anxiety and panic? I alway's feel that there is a big fat elephant setting on my chest and usually my heart rate is 60-80, but today it has been about 54-60! Is this normal? I got myself so worked up that I had a full blown panic attack, but managed to just calm myself down and now I am fine. My blood pressure is usually normal as well, sometimes goes 110/60 but usually ranges 120/70. I am under a considerable amount of stress. Right now my blood pressure is 119/67 with my pulse rate being 65. I guess that is pretty normal? My chest also feels like someone is squeezing muscle or something, in the upper left hand corner of my chest. I have had several EKG's, wore a heart monitor for 20 day's or so, believe me I recorded about a million times, and also had an echocardigram. Should I be still worried about my heart? I do take Lexapro and Xanax as well. ANY INSIGHT WOULD BE GREATFULLY APPRECIATED.!!!!!!!!!!!1

Sara

nervousdave · 02-20-2003, 06:29 AM

hi,

chest pain is a classic anxiety symtom. part of it is due to the fact that you're breathing from your chest. take a long deep breath from your stomach and release the air slowly. do this a few times and feel the tension release from your chest. also, don't spend so much time thinking of your blood pressure and heart rate. you're only freaking yourself out.

nd

[This message has been edited by nervousdave (edited 02-20-2003).]

Autumn Angel · 02-20-2003, 07:40 AM

Hi sara...I know the feeling well...One thing it could be from the tightening of your chest muscles mine got so bad before I developed what my Doc called Chest wall pain. It feels like someone is squeezing the life out of you. It helps me to remember the heart isnt on the left side it is located in the middle of your chest and a tiny bit of it is in the left by your stomach. Your esothogus is in the middle too and joins your stomach which falls to the left under your left ribcage. It helps to know what body parts are where when you have anxiety so you know your not having a heart attack even though it feels like one at times. When do you take your Xanax? As a preventative or just when you get your attacks? I am on Ativan but I only take it when I feel an attack coming I take half of it when I feel the "start" of it and it usually calms me down if I call my mom or a friend and talk after I take it if it doesnt calm things down I take the other half and I am fine. I also have TUMS handy for the gravel gut I get. Panic/anxiety attacks are one of the worst things in the world to feel especially when you dont know whats going on just know they cant kill you but they make you feel like they can. I wish you the best in controlling them.
Cheers....Autumn

sara103 · 02-20-2003, 09:34 AM

Thank you all for your words of wisdom. You know I used to have headaches all the time, and would wonder about a brain tumor and what not, now it has all just centralized in my chest area? I wonder why this happens? We all have stress-why can't we just seem to handle it better?
Does anyone have any suggestions about how not to tense your chest wall muscles? I am also constantly checking my pulse. Another bad habit I guess.

Thanks guys..
Sara

toolong · 02-20-2003, 03:59 PM

Sara, I have the exact same problem you do. My chest hurts every single day. Sometimes it's a tightness, sometimes it's stabbing pain. Either one is very uncomfortable and scary. There has barely been 1 day in the past 8 months that I didn't think I was having a heart attack. I just started on Effexor 2 days ago. Feeling a little lightheaded but I want to stick it out to see if this will work for me because Paxil didn't. The most aggravating thing to me is I have no idea where this is coming from. I truly don't. I have the same stresses as most people nothing more - nothing less. Why do I get this type of physical pain from stress & worry? I have had many medical tests all showing that I am perfectly fine except for having acid reflux. Yet I find myself constantly doubting the test results because I just can't make sense of the anxiety thing. Jeez - this is frustrating.