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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 23 to 47 of 47. Go back in thread:
Posted by KimberlyDi on November 6, 2003, at 12:39:53
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by Johnny5 on November 5, 2003, at 15:36:43
Even if it is panic-related, don't beat yourself up about going to the doctor. A 35-year-old friend of mine dropped dead in the emergency room waiting room, after having chest pains.
Regret can be a precious thing, when you are still alive to feel it.
Wish you luck!
KDi in TX
Posted by cookie0876 on November 6, 2003, at 21:50:13
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by Johnny5 on November 5, 2003, at 15:36:43
Hey Johnny! I have tightness in my chest, pains that move from side to side, down my arm, and sometimes seem to shoot up my neck. My left arm tingles often, and sometimes I hyperventilate so bad my hands crimp tight and my mouth crimps as well so my lips tighten around my teeth. I've learned to control these attacks - they used to last for hours and still can if I dwell on them. I also get vibrations all throughout my body they think is another symptom of anxiety, but I'm not so sure about that and will probably hane an EEG to confirm that. Ativan works really well for me, but they quit prescribing it. I tried a lot of different anti-depressants, and Wellbutrin has worked very well for me. My doctor suggested I could be bipolar and mania could be the cause of my anxiety, but I never seemed manic before all of this. I will say that my very first full-blown attack was speed induced (last time I ever did anything dumb like that), but apparently now that I know what one feels like I have them without drugs of any kind. Good luck to you.
Posted by cookie0876 on November 6, 2003, at 21:55:39
In reply to Re: Left side..pains anxiety..???, posted by KaStevens on September 17, 2003, at 9:20:36
Do you notice your chest pains or shortness of breath happening at night? It never fails that when I'm settling in for the night, I start having them. I, too, am afraid of dying in my sleep. I have a five year old, and I'm constantly worried I am going to die in my sleep and he'll be left alone. It is terrible. I dread bedtime!
Posted by carolee on November 7, 2003, at 7:41:11
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by cookie0876 on November 6, 2003, at 21:50:13
> Hey Johnny! I have tightness in my chest, pains that move from side to side, down my arm, and sometimes seem to shoot up my neck. My left arm tingles often, and sometimes I hyperventilate so bad my hands crimp tight and my mouth crimps as well so my lips tighten around my teeth. I've learned to control these attacks - they used to last for hours and still can if I dwell on them. I also get vibrations all throughout my body they think is another symptom of anxiety, but I'm not so sure about that and will probably hane an EEG to confirm that. Ativan works really well for me, but they quit prescribing it. I tried a lot of different anti-depressants, and Wellbutrin has worked very well for me. My doctor suggested I could be bipolar and mania could be the cause of my anxiety, but I never seemed manic before all of this. I will say that my very first full-blown attack was speed induced (last time I ever did anything dumb like that), but apparently now that I know what one feels like I have them without drugs of any kind. Good luck to you.
how funny it is that the last time i did "coke" was the beginning of my panic/anxiety attacks. i do think there is a link between "recreational drugs" screwing up serontonin in our brain which definately contributes to what we are dealing with now. i wonder how many other people actually did drugs in the past and now have anxiety/depression/manic/bipolar symptoms/issues?
Posted by KimberlyDi on November 7, 2003, at 8:13:33
In reply to Re: Left side..pains anxiety..???, posted by cookie0876 on November 6, 2003, at 21:55:39
I have pains in the left side of my chest, sharp stabs, at night. My mother-in-law died in her sleep of a heart-attack in August, so that fear weighs heavily on my mind also. However, I'm in my 30's, not late 60's, so I try to learn how to relax. Panic makes it worse.
Good Luck,
KDi in TX> Do you notice your chest pains or shortness of breath happening at night? It never fails that when I'm settling in for the night, I start having them. I, too, am afraid of dying in my sleep. I have a five year old, and I'm constantly worried I am going to die in my sleep and he'll be left alone. It is terrible. I dread bedtime!
Posted by cookie0876 on November 7, 2003, at 16:24:27
In reply to Re: Left side..pains anxiety..??? » cookie0876, posted by KimberlyDi on November 7, 2003, at 8:13:33
I'm in TX, too (Dallas)I'm sorry to hear about your mother-in-law.
Posted by KimberlyDi on November 10, 2003, at 13:06:35
In reply to Re: Left side..pains anxiety..???, posted by cookie0876 on November 7, 2003, at 16:24:27
Posted by panic_attack on November 11, 2003, at 9:44:58
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by carolee on November 7, 2003, at 7:41:11
carolee.. Thats very true. I did alot of recreational drugs as a teen and one night I did alot of "coke" and have never been the same since that 1 night of hard core partying. I cannot drink like I use to.. I cant do anything like I use to. I have severe panic/anxiety attacks. Drugs is what caused my problems and now I am dealing with alcohol abuse :(
Posted by sbx on November 13, 2003, at 16:41:33
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by Amy on September 3, 1999, at 16:54:10
As I type this, thinking I'm about to croak, it's bloody great to read all your messages!
I used to take 'funny turns' when I was in my 20's (I'm 34 now), the worst being when I was on holiday abroad. I didn't have chest pains back then but I would feel unsteady, loss of breath, sweaty, the usual stuff. I still have feelings that make me think I'm about to stop breathing which annoys the hell out of me. Only in the last week or two have the chest pains started. There is no history of heart disease in my family and I consider myself to be pretty fit, so heart problems didn't cross my mind. More so, the feelings I'm getting switch from left to right, most often just below my left pec or to the right or in the middle of my right pec. I have two kids, my son is very active and keeps me on edge as soon as I walk in the house. I've also recently started a new job, more high profile than my previous positions. Having said that, I can also wake up with the same type of pain in the middle of the night, which doesn't make sense to me. This is not a permanent problem throughout the day and it definitely subsides when I'm out with the lads or if I've had a few beers. My problem now is, what do I do next? I'm not at all confident that my doctor will recognise this as a problem and I don't want to start taking medication for it. I'm cosidering massage for relaxation but would be interested to hear if anyone has anyone found any other natural remedies to these problems?
Posted by octiigon on November 16, 2003, at 2:40:51
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by sbx on November 13, 2003, at 16:41:33
Hello everyone... I'm a 19 year old male that has had panic disorder for as long as I can remember.
The initial cause was probably related to controlling OCD/(Borderline or Narcissistic- not sure which) Father- and an abusive meth addict step-father.... (causing of fear).
Instead of an "area" of pain- my whole upper body ignites in pains. Sometimes untill it feels like the "world" is crashing down and "reality" is collapsing on itself. Sometimes it got to the point of self-mutilation.
By the way, anyone else get some extremely disturbing dreams? I've had some that- to me- seem really psychotic.
I've been on several different drugs for panic disorder- but all of them altered the way I thought- not to mention I got bad side effects from them all- so I decided to do some extensive research- and my parents bought me some program that supposedly helps with panic disorder- I'll get the name of it later.
First- Exercise. Nothing has helped me more than exercising be it lifting weights or aerobic. I guarantee if you exercise five days a week- for even 30 min a day- you will feel a noticable difference. Exercising also seemed to level off your panic attacks- I only get pains in my torso compared to a full out feeling of loss of control of my self.
Second- AVOID Caffeine and eating lots of sugars. Panic Attacks are triggered by adrenaline- sugar and caffeine increase your adrenaline. I fully regret drinking caffeine lately, because it has had alot of negative affects on my anxiety levels. Having alot of sugar has the same effect. I stopped eating candy, and it too has had a profound affect on me (that is... when I follow that rule).
Eat a well balanced diet. For a period of time I tried my best to eat a completely balanced diet- and threw out all the junk foods. It also helped me smooth out those times where I would have otherwise been in a full fledged panic.Third- Engage in a relaxing activity in a relaxed environment. I personally am an artist and a writer- I use those things I do to help clear away the anxiety and sort of "lose track" of everything i've been worrying about. Also, STAY BUSY, staying active helps you with the pain- in that you don't have time to sit around- worry about everything or about getting a panic attack- Then getting a panic attack from worrying about getting one- Then compounding those panic attacks... etc... you get the point. It's just i've noticed you don't "feel" the pain as much when your actively doing something.
I know sometimes it can be hard to incorporate these things into our lives ( I know I have- I've gotten addicted to Caffeine due to Finals coming up- Something I will and am regretting. It worked for me and I hope it works for others out there who want to try a natural approach. Hope this helps.
Posted by CraigD on November 16, 2003, at 18:36:14
In reply to One Possible Natural Remedy, posted by octiigon on November 16, 2003, at 2:40:51
For those who find relief through alternative methods, massage and accupuncture can be very helpful
Posted by Dr. Bob on November 17, 2003, at 16:56:12
In reply to Re: One Possible Natural Remedy, posted by CraigD on November 16, 2003, at 18:36:14
> For those who find relief through alternative methods, massage and accupuncture can be very helpful
I'd like follow-ups regarding natural remedies to be redirected to Psycho-Babble Alternative. Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031104/msgs/280615.html
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by ENation on November 19, 2003, at 17:38:19
In reply to Chest pains panic disorder, posted by JDK on November 5, 2003, at 23:44:08
I am so glad this forum exists as I have been experiencing exactly what most people are in this forum. First of all, I must say that I went to the doctor and EKG came back OK. So I highly recommend going to your PCP ASAP just to take that off your shoulders, really helps. Then, clearly define what the symptoms of a heart attack are. Finally, stop going to WebMD.com and search for heart attack symptoms, you will make your brain create new ones. I noticed that I would read something and figure out I am fine cause my symptoms are different and the next day I would strangely start feeling those newly discovered symptoms.
I clearly have a panic disorder, which was induced by mdma (which I will never take again), but to which I am thankful for taking me out of depression and fixing my relationship. Also by going through panic attacks, which are common side effect of mdma, I realized that I have had too many irrational fears in my life before this. The key is: there are things in life you can control, and there are things that you can not. (that is how one overcomes fear of flying) - you can control picking newer airpline to fly, but you cannot control what pilots are gonna do etc. Anyways, do everything you can to make sure you dont have a heart problem, and then live your live. Remember it is better to die of a heart attack as a happy person than live a miserable life.
In regards to my chest pains: yeh I have burning, and squeezing and tightness and heart beats too fast and any other heart attack symptom you will find on the internet. But the facts are: my cholesterol is low, i am young, i have no symptoms when I exert myself and my ekg is ok. That is enough to keep me comfortable and make a progress against anxiety attacks, which by now is the enemy that is clearly losing battle to me.
Posted by kkk on November 26, 2003, at 14:54:45
In reply to Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by Amanda on February 28, 1999, at 11:38:54
i am so glad to have found this forum. i am 23 year old female, who has dealt with anxiety for the past four years. i actually went anxiety free for about 2 years, however, during the past 2 months, i've been quite anxious again. it started out with me getting sick and then, as all of you may be familiar with, my worries went beyond the norm. so, as a result, although i am not physically sick anymore, the worry and anxiety lingered. so, for the past 2-3 weeks i have been feeling a lot of chest pains. i went to the emergency room like many of you and got the xrays and the ekg and they were normal, but it is so difficult to believe that nothing worse will happen. it's about controlling the mind, which is so terribly difficult to do. it's the ability to separate fact from fiction and it is something that i am trying to do everyday. anyhow, thank you for this forum and for all your insightful messages that give me strenght and support.
Posted by LANE on November 28, 2003, at 19:33:58
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by kkk on November 26, 2003, at 14:54:45
Hi, My name is Lane I will be 24 Years old in 8 days. I am suffereing from severe chest pain .That I have been told is anxiety related. It all started like this. Sometime in July Me and My Baby's mom split up... This was devastating to me.. she later left to california ,only to tell me less than 24 hrs before leaving. The same night she left. I went to a friends house to cheer up .just drink some beer and such.. I ended up doing some "coke" after being clean for over 2 years. everything was fine but 2 days later i did it again. This time i did a lot more of it ..i mean a lot more.. at basically the end of the night i had sensations making me think iwas dying .. I would get blood rushes from my waiste that went up to my head and felt like constant running wavy water under my skin. This terrified me . then of course these lovely recreational drugs make people paranoid. It kept getting worse. finally i went to my mothers cause i can tell her anything. she brought me out of it somehow with lots of milk. very weird.... I felt like crap obviously after that .. A week at most longer i was feelin really sick and just over all fatigued. Another week passes high fevers...and i cant even drink alcohol ..its awful.loss of apetite.dizzy niss comes into play. I find out that I have Mononucleosis. within a few hrs of leaving hospital.. lmfao i was back cause i had severe abdominal pain.. I ate too much breakfast putting pressure on my spleen. I was afraid to even have a bowel movement cause of rupturing it. THis is the anxiety part kickin in.. After a week the over all mono part was pretty much gone. i was diagnosed oct 1st . did the drugs first week of sept btw... or second. Well in my time to get better .. i was over all just tired all the time.. I would get heart palpitations at work .almost always when my night was almost over. severe chest pain. I couldnt even drive. or sometimes i could and i would get dizzy while driving and have to pull over. one time a friend came and got me and i still had palpitations in the seat next to him. Over the next few weeks i lived in the emergency room i could not be dragged away. even taken by ambulance once. I would vomit. and get nautious. and i would think i had every little illness from readin websites. Several ekgs at most read irregular rythmn but nothing harmful. I was diagnosed with anxiety and put on both paxil and ativan.. The ativan relaxed me butthe paxil made me feel very sick. after a week i dropped both meds. however i still get bad chest pains. pains that run through my armand fingers and palm.and down to my feet. i feel it in the right side also but not as bad. it almost feels like it is in my breast . (lil bit of man boob going on). i actually feel better in a sense with no meds. however i have trouble sleeping . still get jumpy or scarred easily. or even tired. this is personal but even masturbating isnt possible nemore.. i dont know why.. I got some more tests and such as well they did find a couple of white spots or leasions on my brain . they ordered a mri,and a echo .. also they r going to make me wear a 24hr holter monitor. I suppose all this will come back negative.. and it will be my anxiety.but i cannot escape the thought of something else being wrong. i have circulatory problems or so it seems .shortness of breathe.trouble sleeping.And now because of malnutrition and lack of sleep which i cannot help . i feel that the mono is making a slow come back. Well neways this chest pain stinks. is there anything out there for anxiety that wont bring me down as much or make me feel sick like the paxil did. If anyone else has related problems please let me know
Posted by coxygrrl on December 17, 2003, at 20:47:47
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by LANE on November 28, 2003, at 19:33:58
Lane, how did your MRI and echo come back?
Posted by John Sandy on December 18, 2003, at 18:09:56
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by carolee on November 7, 2003, at 7:41:11
I am a 21 year old male- recently I started having tightness in my chest, shortness of breath, and some numbness in my left arm. I used to smoke pot all the time since high school and never had any bad experiences, then last winter, I noticed my heart racing, extreme anxiety and the feeling that I was going to die.
The next day I felt fine, I smoked a few more times and the same feelings persisted, to varying degrees, it was always a very bad experience, but I would never feel any ill effects the next day. I stop smoking pot for about 6 months. Then last month I tried it again: this was the worst experience of my life. My heart was racing, and it felt like my chest was burning, or something burning in my lungs, I had the shakes or what I think might have even been a mild seizure and I was sure that my heart stopped once that night and at one point I felt a very sharp pain in the upper left part of my chest, like something was bursting.
It was much worse than my previous experiences, I didn't sleep for about 2 days because I was too scared I would die during the night because of my heart stopping. I eventually noticed that unlike the other bad experiences, the feelings did not go away, instead, my chest felt very tight, and my left arm would occassionaly feel numb.
I went to the Emergency room that night, they did an ECG and monitored my heart rate, but they didn't think anything was wrong, if only, Acid reflux. I then went to my doctor and had bloodwork, ECG and X-rays done- all were normal. I don't feel anything like I used to before this experience, when I play sports, I can't exert myself at all, I have to stop because I start feeling my pulse racing and I will have difficulty breathing. I continuously monitor my pulse, and often cannot fall asleep at night for fear of a heart attack. I am also very jumpy and even though the doctor has found nothing wrong with me, I still feel a tightness in my chest and acid reflux pills have not helped at all.
From what I've read on this board, it seems that my symptoms are consistent with anxiety attacks- specifically one brought on by drugs- are there any treatments- does anything help?
Posted by D03 on December 31, 2003, at 7:36:55
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by John Sandy on December 18, 2003, at 18:09:56
I am 31 and have suffered from anxiety my whole life. I just didn't know what it was until about 2 years ago. Like most others I have made many trips to both the emergency room and my PCP had all the ekg's etc done and all came back normal. It wasn't until 2 years ago when I had my first full fledge panic attack that my Dr. gave me ativan for the anxiety and she wanted me to take paxil for depression. The paxil only made the anxiety worse so I didn't continue using it.
I started to do holistic things like, Reikki, Quantum Healing, Bach Flowers (Rescue Remedy) these all worked but only for a while. Lately my anxiety has gotten alot worse. I've had the dull chest pains for a month now every day I have them all day long. The only time I dont' have them is when my mind is truely occupied w/something else. My anxiety started up the week before thanksgiving and has never fully gone away since then. xmas day I had a full fledge panic attack while I was cooking.
I too like so many am under a huge amount of stress, I'm the youngest of 7 kids and the only one that takes care of my mom (she has memory loss and it's only getting worse by the month) my full fledge panic attacks & depression started 3 years ago after my dad died.
Because the holistic things aren't working anymore (I think they would if I didn't have to stress of my mom 24/7) I am going to go to my Dr this week to request to be put on Zoloft. I have two nieces on this as well as a few friends and they all swear by it. They all had the same anxiety symptoms that i have as well. I'm hoping this will help. Since my dads death I have changed I'm not the person I used to be. I used to love going out all the time to coffee shops, shoping, movies etc. Now I stay in all the time and only go out to go food shopping or to take my dog on a few walks a day. I used to be a really organised person too. I really can't stand the person I've become. I think mine is anxiety and panic and possible some depression.
I know sometimes bed time for me is tough too as thats the time of day your are just laying in bed letting your mind wander and sometimes the slighest pain will start freaking you out.
Sometimes somethign as simple as getting sick w/a sinus infection has made my anxiety go into full gear. Since my dads death I can not go into any hospitals w/out literally passing out.
I'm glad I found this site as well I think having someone else to talk to about this helps. I know my neighbor has anxiety and we used to help talk eachother out of it or help calm eachother down, now that she is on Zoloft she doesn't get anxiety anymore, neither do my nieces who take zoloft have the anxiety anymore as well. So i'm hoping my Dr will put me on this. I have never been one who likes to take any medications but as of late I think taking a pill a day is better then living the way i have been the last 2 years and especially these last 2 months.
Wish me luck at the Dr's I'm hoping she can see me today.
Posted by antigua on December 31, 2003, at 10:00:54
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by D03 on December 31, 2003, at 7:36:55
Good luck w/your doctor. Just be honest and tell him/her exactly how you feel. There are things that can help!
antigua
Posted by pedr on January 2, 2004, at 4:25:54
In reply to Re: Chest pains and panic disorder, posted by D03 on December 31, 2003, at 7:36:55
I am 31 and have suffered from anxiety my whole life. I just didn't know what it was until about 2 years ago.
- I'm sorry to hear that John. I suffered for 5 years without knowing and that was bad enough. I felt as though I'd been robbed of those years in some ways. The best way to look at it is that at least you now know and can do something about it.I started to do holistic things like, Reikki, Quantum Healing, Bach Flowers (Rescue Remedy) these all worked but only for a while.
- I too tried many holisitic solutions to no avail.I've had the dull chest pains for a month now every day I have them all day long.
- yep they're pretty grim. I used to get shooting pains up the left side of my neck and around the back of my left ear!!! Not pleasant.
I'm the youngest of 7 kids and the only one that takes care of my mom (she has memory loss and it's only getting worse by the month) my full fledge panic attacks & depression started 3 years ago after my dad died.
- sounds like you've had a tough time John. You certainly have a good heart though!
Because the holistic things aren't working anymore (I think they would if I didn't have to stress of my mom 24/7) I am going to go to my Dr this week to request to be put on Zoloft. I have two nieces on this as well as a few friends and they all swear by it. They all had the same anxiety symptoms that i have as well. I'm hoping this will help.
- be aware that YMMV (your mileage may vary). This is a much-used phrase on these boards that encapsulates the rather unfortunate fact that you can never predict how much an anti-depressant will help you. Take 100 people with the same diagnosis. Put them all on drug X and wait a few months. 10% will feel much better, 30% a bit better, 30% the same, 10% a bit worse and 20% bloody awful. The thing is that no expert on this planet can predict which bracket that someone will fall into. This means that it's usually a case of "guesstimating" which drugs to try. Be prepared to try more than one before you find one that helps you. It took me 5 dreadful experiences to find a drug that only partially helped.Also please be aware that anti-anx and anti-D meds are often remedial. If/when you stop taking the med and your thought patterns and beliefs are the same as before, evidence shows that you have a good chance of regressing back to depression/anx. Consider therapy, esp. CBT and REBT (more on that below). Changing your beliefs and thought patterns is necessary to avoid regression in most cases.
I used to be a really organised person too. I really can't stand the person I've become.
- please be careful here John. You're not being terribly fair on yourself. Imagine a friend of yours going through what you've gone through and becoming depressed as a result. Would you say "I can't stand him" because he's changed and become less organised and outgoing? Unlikely. For better or for worse, you're a human like the rest of us =0) And that means you'll mess up, get things wrong, get ill (depression is an illness) and other daft stuff. Try very hard not to put yourself down - it's not fair and it certainly won't help your recovery from depression and anxiety.
I know sometimes bed time for me is tough too as thats the time of day your are just laying in bed letting your mind wander and sometimes the slighest pain will start freaking you out. Sometimes somethign as simple as getting sick w/a sinus infection has made my anxiety go into full gear. Since my dads death I can not go into any hospitals w/out literally passing out.
- Blimey that's some serious anxiety you have there. I'm not going to go all evangelical but I should mention a form of CBT that's really helped me. It's called REBT and I found it far more useful than vanilla CBT and it's been the only thing that's really helped me in my struggle against depression. Feel free to ask me for more details, I'd be happy to help.
I'm glad I found this site as well I think having someone else to talk to about this helps.
- it's the best anx/dep site on the net IMHO! Good on you for finding it.I know my neighbor has anxiety and we used to help talk eachother out of it or help calm eachother down, now that she is on Zoloft she doesn't get anxiety anymore, neither do my nieces who take zoloft have the anxiety anymore as well. So i'm hoping my Dr will put me on this. I have never been one who likes to take any medications but as of late I think taking a pill a day is better then living the way i have been the last 2 years and especially these last 2 months.
- you're approach spot on IMHO. Meds should be avoided if possible but when things are really really grim, it's certainly worth a go.Wish me luck at the Dr's I'm hoping she can see me today.
- good luck!!! All the best & feel free to ask about REBT.
HTH,
pedr
Posted by utacutie on January 5, 2004, at 23:38:06
In reply to Re: Left and right side..pains anxiety..??? » coxygrrl, posted by KimberlyDi on October 31, 2003, at 16:13:16
I'm very glad I found this. Last night I woke up with pain on the left side of my chest and feeling sort of dizzy. I sort of have the pain now too :( I am only 21 so I doubt it would be a heart attack (of course the worst came to mind) I'm under a lot of stress being in nursing school. I think I'm turning into a hypochondriac. I even got out my stethoscope and listened to my heart, which sounded fine. I guess I just need to relax. Any suggestions?
Posted by LynneDa on January 6, 2004, at 14:40:25
In reply to Re: Left and right side..pains anxiety..???, posted by utacutie on January 5, 2004, at 23:38:06
Hi and welcome to the Board!
Relaxing is a good idea! Are you on any medication? Many times anxiety will manifest itself in physical pains. And many people do describe them as what they think a heart attack may be like! Being a nursing student is a plus/minus right now as in "a little knowledge is dangerous" :-). I'm sure part of your interest in nursing stems from your interest in the goings-on in your own body. Having it checked out by your physician is a good, calming first step. Although you have medical knowledge, you don't always want to diagnose yourself!
Nursing school is very stressful, but as a nurse recruiter for my company I will say THANK YOU for wanting to go into this challenging and very rewarding field! Hang in there and realize you're going to be stressed for a couple of years and then it will ease up. Keep the end goal in sight!!!
~ Lynne
Posted by utacutie on January 6, 2004, at 20:51:13
In reply to Re: Left and right side..pains anxiety..???, posted by LynneDa on January 6, 2004, at 14:40:25
Thanks! The only meds I am on include Allegra, birth control and Prevacid (which I stopped taking about 1 month ago) I am always worrying about every little thing..I never used to be like this! If the pains happen again I will definitely have them checked out. I have my nursing school orientation in the morning and the next week off before school so I'm going to do everything possibe to relax!!! Thanks for your help and I will keep you posted!
Erin
>
> Relaxing is a good idea! Are you on any medication? Many times anxiety will manifest itself in physical pains. And many people do describe them as what they think a heart attack may be like! Being a nursing student is a plus/minus right now as in "a little knowledge is dangerous" :-). I'm sure part of your interest in nursing stems from your interest in the goings-on in your own body. Having it checked out by your physician is a good, calming first step. Although you have medical knowledge, you don't always want to diagnose yourself!
>
> Nursing school is very stressful, but as a nurse recruiter for my company I will say THANK YOU for wanting to go into this challenging and very rewarding field! Hang in there and realize you're going to be stressed for a couple of years and then it will ease up. Keep the end goal in sight!!!
> ~ Lynne
Posted by edzome on April 7, 2005, at 18:15:28
In reply to Re: Left and right side..pains anxiety..???, posted by TombLove on November 3, 2003, at 14:10:42
wow...I've been to the doctor at least three times about this dull ache inside my upper left chest, under my shoulder. I've had numerous EKGs and had two stress tests and all have been normal. I had a stress test just three months ago and it went fine. The more I concentrate on the pain the more I obsess over it. Over the last week I have had it almost continuously and associated it to the severe cold I just recovered from (or an oncoming heart attack). The thing is, that it sort of goes away when I stretch out. It's almost like a tensed up muscle. I will wake up in the middle of the night in a panic, short of breath, and the pain is usually throbbing. The doctors have told me it is a muscle pull, but I never would have thought it was related to anxiety. I do suffer from anxiety attacks from time to time, but I can control them for the most part. I have been rather depressed throughout the winter and I think this may be the result. That along with the fact that I gained 20 pounds and look awful. Another symptom I get is quick palpitations that take my breath away. They last no longer than 5 seconds, but have concerned me...I went to the doctor about those and was hooked up to a heart monitor that I wore for 24 hours and it showed nothing. UGH! The mind is a very powerful thing. This site opened my eyes to that alternative. Oh ya, ibuprofen seems to give a temporary fix, but I need a permanent fix. I think I will talk to the doc about alternative treatments. Thanks.
> My pain seems to be deep inside, beneath my left shoulder. It is definitely stess related. Sometimes it gets so bad I have to cry out. Lorazapam helps.
Posted by babygirl25 on June 4, 2007, at 18:20:21
In reply to Re: Left side..pains anxiety..???, posted by cookie0876 on November 6, 2003, at 21:55:39
I know what you are going through and what everyone on here is going through. I am a 25 year old female, whom has always been healthy and no problems with anxiety or panic. It started back in February, when I woke up out of a sound sleep and couldn't catch my breath. My heart started to beat rapidly and I thought that I was going to pass out from hyperventilating. I got so scared that I called 911. During my hospital visit, everything came back fine. My EKG, chest x-ray, and blood work were all normal. I didn't understand what happened, but I could of swore that I was having a heart-attack or something. Ever since then, I have had attacks after attacks. I have been to the hospital a few times in the past couple of months and to my primary doctor. So far, thy keep saying panic/anxiety. It's hard because I don't know where it's coming from or where it came from. I have been on some meds, such as Lexapro, Xanax, Ativan, and Celexa. I get pains in my right through my chest into the back, and all up my neck in the back. It starts to drive me crazy. I just wish it would all go away so I could feel normal again. I got off the Lexapro and Celexa, because I didn't like the sexual side effect it has. So, right now I am just on Xanax 1mg. and have an appointment for a psychologist. I definitely know how it feels when night time comes around, because I have more symptoms, and I believe that it is just me being scared, thinking that I am going to die in my sleep. I am soooooo scared. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, short of breath. Like I can't catch my breath for a second or I feel like I stopped breathing for a second. I hope that it is from the anxiety/ panic attacks. Does anyone go through that? I hope it helps me out. I'm sure that the hospital and doctors are getting fed up with me by now. It is so good knowing that I'm not the only one out there going through this. Good luck to everyone and thanks for listening.
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