Hello All.

I'm a pretty big guy, in the 300+ area though I am currently dieting and trying to incorporate exercise into my daily routine. I've had interesting experiences that I'd like to share and get some feedback/thoughts.

For as long as I can remember, My fingers/hands would get numb. Now it wouldn't be just for a little while--usually it only went away after a nap or after going to sleep for the night. I went to the doctor around 1999 and the doctor said it may be my nerves acting up. We tested circulation and it was fine.

In Late June/early July 2005, I was experiencing scary attacks. I'd be laying in bed and all of a sudden I'd be gasping for air and had a weird sensation in the back of my head. It started to scare me so I went to the emergency room. After blood tests revealed what may be a clot, a catscan was done on my chest and there were no clots discovered. I was hooked up to an EKG and had my blood pressure taken, etc. There were no problems found. It was told to me that I was having Panic/Anxiety attacks. It seemed like it may have been mental because after seeing the doctor, I felt fine knowing I wasn't going to die.

Now, a year later, I feel more sensations. Though this time, I have no healthcare at all. My left arm had started feeling numb about a week or two ago. It left the same night but ever since then I've had an "uncomfortable" ache in my lower left arm near my wrist. It could be anything. Additionally, I have the symptoms of heart attack as periodically I'll feel discomfort in my chest and middle of my back. The discomfort in my body sans lower arm, has been on and off for a year now. What alarmed me tonight however; was when I tried to go to sleep (I have work in 5 hours). At night, I have trouble sleeping sometimes and it feels like I just stop breathing as I doze off, which jerks me awake and gasping for air. Additionally, my heartbeat feels like it could be irregular during times of discomfort, though Im not 100% sure.

With the breathing, it may be all in my head because if I lie on the opposite end of the bed, I seem to sleep just fine (it's inclined a little bit more than the other side I usually sleep on).

This may sound really ridiculous but when I have the discomfort, I usually have a lot of gas and find myself burping over and over. I started typing this post with the discomfort in my chest, but now it appears to be gone, like usual. After a bunch of burps, I feel a bit better.

Could this all just be in my head? Is it just gas trapped in my chest? Am I having legit heart issues? I feel stupid for sharing all of this with you but I would like to hear some thoughts that would set my mind at ease or even prompt me to get out there and get checked even if I don't have health coverage. I'm 25 years old as well, just an fyi.

Thank You for reading and responding,
--Joey

I've had severe panic attacks for eleven years now, and I could be entirely wrong, but it sounds to me like you are continuing to have panic attacks, as was diagnosed in the ER. Panic attacks can cause all kinds of very weird symptoms. Everyone experiences it a little differently, but one thing is for sure - they are scary as heck! In my case, I'd have very disturbing symptoms, and then I'd get better. I'd go back and forth, sometimes having no symptoms for six months, and then I'd have a really bad relapse. Bad news is, they often recur, and many people have them for the rest of their lives, off and on.

Are you a nervous, high strung person? And do you worry about your health (that you'll have a heart attack, etc)? That is the type of personality that most commonly suffers with anxiety attacks. The way you describe your sleep pattern makes me think you might have sleep apnea (which could be diagnosed in a sleep lab) or it could simply be what happens to me on occasion - I wake up feeling like I can't breathe, and in a semi - state of panic. Those are called nocturnal panic attacks.

When you say you have a lot of gas and belching when having these attacks, that also leads me to lean on the panic attack side. Its very common. To tell if your heart is beating irregularly at these times, just feel your pulse. It will be obvious if your heartrate is irregular. Mine is often very irregular, and sometimes I can't even feel if unless I put my finger on my pulse. But I do feel weak and shakey when it happens.

Maybe you could have your doctor order an echocardiogram? That would show any abnormalities in your heart, and hopefully reassure you that you are only suffering overwhelming anxiety. There are very effective medications for that, and you may have to resort to taking something. Without my daily med, I would still be suffering debilitating attacks that make functioning very difficult for me. Panic attacks are often genetic, and a trigger is often all that is needed to start the vicious cycle. Mine was an irregular heartbeat that terrified me and made me feel I was going to die every time it happened. With my medication, it is still frightening, but easier to deal with.

Joey...I can completely relate to the dozing off/gasping for breath problem. I know mine is definitely from anxiety (started right after my mom started having very serious heart problems & I would get woken up in the middle of the night from the ER calling). Anyway, after awhile they went away but I had a mild MI in April and I have been having them again periodically. They get worse if you 'think' about them a lot (at least mine do). Anxiety can do really bad things to a person, that's for sure !!

Thank you for the replies! I am quite sure it may be anxiety. Especially since I started a new job tuesday. My pulse seemed irregular. Like a steady beat and then it even appeared to stop for a second and beat 3 times quickly and then back to normal. It was during this time that I felt a bit weird. I must admit that I do not look forward to sleep at night because of the way i feel right before bed. I may have recurring anxiety attacks. Looking online at heart attack symptoms just makes things worse I think.

Joey,

It sounds like you might have sleep apnea. THey test for it in a sleep clinic or a vigilant friend can watch you overnight to see how often and for how long you stop breathing. Alas, you can't consider the first option without insurance because it will break the bank.
I'd ignore the pain in your lower arm at least heartwise. It's really not cardiac but it DOES sound like you have some nerve impingement in your thoracic or cervical spine (chest or neck.)
Sometimes a chiropractor can work quick miracles with these things.

I guarantee that many of these problems will disappear when and if you take your weight down to 200 pounds or lower...for real! Over 300 pounds makes night breathing tough and all that extra weight makes spinal nerve impingement far more likely.

What can I say about the U.S. insurance company run health care system: It S**KS big time...Not to worry though, your CONGRESSMAN and SENATOR have good free coverage.