Obsessive thoughts of heart attack/disease - breat soreness

CTmomOf3 · Post by **CTmomOf3** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:38 am

Can anyone relate:
Im 43 and in good health except for a little high bp (due to my anxiety) and slightlyy elevated cholesteral (240). Doc put me on meds for both so I dont get heart disease when I get older. Well thats all I needed to hear - heart disease Since September, at my last physical and blood test results, I have not been able to shake the feeling that I am dying of heart disease. In fact, just last month, I finally couldnt take it anylonger and called my doc to refer me to a cardiologist. he said he was in the business of re-assuring so I went. My cardiolgist put me on a treadmill stress test and stressed my heart to 110% of capacity and everything was perfect. I told him of these little "finger poke" feeling i get the upper part of my breast - and he didnt seem to acknowledge it was antything. I do have dense breasts and a couple of cysts - so logically, I think it is breast related, but my obsessive thoughts are saying its heart related - does anyone have the same physical symptoms in thier breast? Am I crazy - will this stop? whaat should i do???

Mistybloo2 · Post by **Mistybloo2** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 3:41 am

I can soo relate to your fear of a heart attack/disease scares. It has been my number #1 fear for about a year now. I dont have any heart disease, but like you I do have elevated cholesterol. That is not my main issue. I have been diagnosed with Costrochondritus, which is a fancy name for chronic chest wall/breast bone pain. It often radiates to my breast and causes phantom pains in the tissues. They are very bearable and not always present. Its just that when I do get chest pains, I automatically assume I am about to have a heart attack, especially since I get occassional palpitations due to my stress or pms, etc.

You are not alone with this issue. I think the fear is worse than the actual symptoms!

I have been doing better every day by sticking with the program (tape#3 has really helped me) and praying and reading God's word. My all time favorite scripture that I have been holding onto is Psalm 121 verse 7 "The Lord will keep me from ALL harm, He will watch over my life. The Lord will watch over my coming and going, both now and forever more"

This really helps me alleviate those fears of having a heart attack or dying suddenly of an illness.

I hope this helps you too

You and I will be fine, just our anxiety rearing its ugly head

Misty

Dixie1980x · Post by **Dixie1980x** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:56 am

I have obsessed about this issue too. The program has helped a lot with the obsessions and trying not to pay attention to physical symptoms. Did you know you can take fish oil (make sure it is a good grade) for high cholesterol and there are other alternatives out there for high blood pressure as well (just a suggestion.)

CTmomOf3 · Post by **CTmomOf3** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:23 am

Thank you both and I have been doing tremendously in getting my chol down - i do take lipitor, but have changed my eating habits dramatically - in additional to the Good Days vitamins, I take an additional Omega -3 Fish OIl - exc. source for heart health - I get more than my daily allowence of fiber and no sat or trans fats. In addition - no caffeine, soda, salt, choc etc and at least 3x wk excercise. I will be 100 and wondering when that heart attack will strike LOL
Now I dont want to get too healthy and outlive everyone becuz i also fear being alone!! What double edge sword - Those are my only fears/obessions. I cant imagine the lives of some on here with so many phobias and fears - if those people can get thru, so can I~~

Lilly_Light · Post by **Lilly_Light** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 5:50 pm

Hi,

I actually just returned from an ER visit. I went in because I was worried that I might be having heart problems. I had been diagnosed with Pericarditis about 2 years ago, and the symptoms I have been having are very similar.

In the ER, they ran various tests, including an EKG, blood tests (lipids, glucose, etc.), 2 chest x-rays, and a urine analysis. Very thorough (which I was very happy about

), and all of the results came back normal and in the very healthy range. The doctor who was attending to me came back beaming, telling me that I was very healthy. She also was a bit puzzled by my dx 2 years ago, as this was not Pericarditis. She suggested that I try to get this dx wiped from my med. records because it might have an adverse effect on my med. insurance in the future (note: when I recieved the dx of Pericarditis 2 years ago, all they did was an EKG, found it to be normal, and did no other tests which is not the proper procedure if Pericarditis is suspected).

Anyway, like CTmomof3 and Misty have mentioned, I also have breast bone/collar bone tenderness, as well as muscle tightness across my collar bone/left shoulder. Even though my good health has been confirmed (and I take many vitamins/minerals and I'm a gym rat anyway

), I'm still worried about my heart. In fact, I started thinking of it, just a few minutes ago, as a balloon that might burst (AHHH!). It was a passing thought, but it made me shiver and feel "icky."

It's just really hard for me to shake my worries about my heart even though I have proof that I'm just fine, such as that I haven't been ill in eons, and I am able to do so many things. I'm also such a worrier that I wish that I could have actually seen my x-rays. I was given copies of my lab results, so that helps me to put things in perspective. Still, there is that hypochondriac part of me that continues to worry slightly...and it doesn't help that my grandmother died from complications of an aortic aneurism recently.

I'm beginning to feel better as I write this, so perhaps it's all starting to sync in

, though I'm sure that I will worry about my health until I'm 100, too ;-P

Lilly_Light (aka Vitaminaholic Hypochondriac)

wifeandmom · Post by **wifeandmom** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:53 pm

I can really relate to your symptoms and fears. I started having left breast pain, and then it became chest pain. At first I worried about breast cancer, and then I started to worry about my heart. I went to the doctor and described my breif sharp pains in the left breast. I also told him my upper left chest was hurting and it seemed to move in to my right chest a bit. I also said my left shoulder was aching some. He asked me a lot of questions and said it did not sound heart related at all. He thought it was muscle related, maybe an injury from lifting weights or a pinched nerve. He took a chest x-ray just in case, but said all appeared to be normal. He suggested that a Chiropractic adjustment might help. So I have had 2 adjsutments and one massage so far. They seem to help some, but I am still having all the symptoms. I had the massage last night and it helped me a lot because I could feel how all the muscles are connected and why one muscle being strained or pinched can affect many muscles in the body. Most of my pain happens when I slouch or when I move. I have no risk factors at all for heart problems, and yet the pain continues. I get random pains and/or burning sensations in my left breast, left shoulder, left arm, left armpit, left upper chest, middle chest, and right upper chest (less often on the right armpit amd right shoulder). I also have a lot of muscle tightness and discomfort in both my shoulder blades. I keep wondering how one muscle injury could spread so far, but then the massage did show how they are all related and connected to one another. I know that my stress and panic must be making it worse and I can't stand the way I feel. So I just started this program. I am hoping it will help me, but I am still wondering if I should demand more tests from doctor so that I would have more piece of mind. I have to see him tomorrow about a separate issue, so I am going to re-explain my problem and see what he says.

farmchick · Post by **farmchick** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:26 am

Hi Everyone,
I had the same "finger poke" sensations as well and thought of the heart/breast illnesses (and any other I might have read or heard about) as well. For me as soon as I began to deal with my anxiety, it left. I related my fears to my doctor. He gave me a physical and studied what I eat and how much I exercise and said I was in excellent shape--NO NEED TO WORRY. Did that work? NO! I really had to start writing my positives in the notebook to realize what I was doing to myself and how often doom thoughts of illness barraged my brain. I did this to myself.

Know you are not alone in this fear, but know you need to write them down with a postive. For example: What's that funny little feeling in my breast? Maybe a tumor is beginning to grow?
Postive: This is just anxiety. I know I am healthy since I just had the checkup. What is really bothering me?
Journaling and writing postive counter thoughts about these types of issues has been so helpful to me. I wish you well!
Peace to you on THIS precious present day!

Charlie Brown · Post by **Charlie Brown** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:34 pm

CTmomOf3

I too have had anxiety about having a heart attack. Here was my victory message.

<A HREF="http://bbs.stresscenter.com/eve/forums/ ... 7181076293" TARGET=_blank>http://bbs.stresscenter.com/eve/forums/ ... 1076293</A>

I too have costrochrondritis and have had my fair share of ER "cameos"

because of it.

It is good you went for the stress test. It is also good you improved your diet. If the drs are telling you everything is ok, perhaps you could tackle this as an anxiety issue.

I will be 100 and wondering when that heart attack will strike

Best regards.

CTmomOf3 · Post by **CTmomOf3** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 3:30 pm

Now I just heard on the news that having anxiety increases the risk of a heart attack. All the more reason to get this anxiety behind us ALL