Heart fear... who struggles with it, too?
Hi HotRod,
Try and stop the pseudo doctor sleuthing on the Internet. I've been there, and all it did was make me more uptight. I try to have plenty of distractions around me when I'm feeling tense. For instance, this morning I wasn't feeling too well, and was slowly moving toward that anxiety stage. I have a copy of "It's A Wonderful Life" on my laptop. I put that on for about ten minutes and completely forgot was I was thinking about prior. I also have a list of positive affirmations that I read from. If I have to read them a hundred times until that anxious feeling goes away, that's what I do.
Good luck,
Woodbridge
Try and stop the pseudo doctor sleuthing on the Internet. I've been there, and all it did was make me more uptight. I try to have plenty of distractions around me when I'm feeling tense. For instance, this morning I wasn't feeling too well, and was slowly moving toward that anxiety stage. I have a copy of "It's A Wonderful Life" on my laptop. I put that on for about ten minutes and completely forgot was I was thinking about prior. I also have a list of positive affirmations that I read from. If I have to read them a hundred times until that anxious feeling goes away, that's what I do.
Good luck,
Woodbridge
Want and Woodbridge,
Thank you both for your advice and input. It helps so much to know that I am not the only one out there struggling with this.
Want, just like you it just takes a suggestion, doesn't it?? Then the old mind latches on and before you know it, wow, those DO feel like chest pains, don't they? Yes, our minds are scary powerful, aren't they? Guess that is the good news, too, though. I know that when I get that power behind something that I WANT to do there is no stopping me.
Woodbridge,
Yes, affirmations work pretty good for me, too. I guess sometimes because I don't WANT to have to use them, I subconsciously move away from them. Also, I only use them when I am "in trouble" so I've grown to associate them with bad things. Usually, if I can make it through a morning then I'm okay.
Thanks to you both!
Thank you both for your advice and input. It helps so much to know that I am not the only one out there struggling with this.
Want, just like you it just takes a suggestion, doesn't it?? Then the old mind latches on and before you know it, wow, those DO feel like chest pains, don't they? Yes, our minds are scary powerful, aren't they? Guess that is the good news, too, though. I know that when I get that power behind something that I WANT to do there is no stopping me.
Woodbridge,
Yes, affirmations work pretty good for me, too. I guess sometimes because I don't WANT to have to use them, I subconsciously move away from them. Also, I only use them when I am "in trouble" so I've grown to associate them with bad things. Usually, if I can make it through a morning then I'm okay.
Thanks to you both!
I have been 99.9% fine for a long time now, like months to a year. Suddenly I'm a wreck... and the worst part is the palpatations. They hit me out of nowhere. Even though I know they won't hurt me, they scare me, and then I'm always looking for some other sign of a heart attack. A little twinge here, a little pain there, am I starting to sweat, feel nautious, go numb anywhere?
Trust me, we all go through this and it sucks. I try using all the skills I've learned over the past 5 years that I've been going through this and still I find myself back at square one. It's so frustrating!
Hot Rod, I'm just curious... what research did you do that you found that helped you to know you weren't having heart attacks? Everything I have found makes it seem like it's nearly impossible to distinguish between a heart attack and a panic attack.
Even though I'm having a tough time myself, I can tell you that the relaxation tapes really do help a lot. I even downloaded some other relaxation and guided meditation tracks, and I put them all on a cd that I listen to at night.
Maybe it's just me, but I always feel like when this resurfaces and hits me like this, it's because God is pulling me closer to him, because when I feel this way I draw towards him.
Trust me, we all go through this and it sucks. I try using all the skills I've learned over the past 5 years that I've been going through this and still I find myself back at square one. It's so frustrating!
Hot Rod, I'm just curious... what research did you do that you found that helped you to know you weren't having heart attacks? Everything I have found makes it seem like it's nearly impossible to distinguish between a heart attack and a panic attack.
Even though I'm having a tough time myself, I can tell you that the relaxation tapes really do help a lot. I even downloaded some other relaxation and guided meditation tracks, and I put them all on a cd that I listen to at night.
Maybe it's just me, but I always feel like when this resurfaces and hits me like this, it's because God is pulling me closer to him, because when I feel this way I draw towards him.
Sandina,
This stuff sucks SUCKS SUCKS, doesn't it? Then I get all mad and disgusted with myself that my stupid brain just won't GET IT! Hello, depression and crappy self esteem.
Here is what I found on multiple sites that helped me see that palpitations were not a heartattack.
Oh, and here is your number one, HUGE differentiation between a heart attack and panic attack: PAIN and lots of it. I've had lots of panic attacks and while I sure did feel like I was dying and my heart pounded out of my chest, it has never, ever hurt. And I don't mean twinges.... sure had twinges but a twinge to a heart attack is like the peep of a bird to a jet plane. If you are having a heart attack it's going to hurt... like hell. This is straight from folks that have actually had one.
Sure you will find some info that will say that womens heart problems don't present with classic substernal chest pain with radiation to jaw and left arm. But they ALL were accompanied by shortness of breath. And I don't mean a little deep breathing but gasping, I'm drowing kind of shortness of breath.
Everything I read said that PVC's or palpitations were very common and that unless you had a whole bunch together, they were no cause for concern. And I don't mean several over the space of a day, I mean back to back to back.
Oh, and just today, I went in to my doc for a follow up on my costochondritis and I asked him a million questions again about the pain. He surprised me and shared that he has actually had a heart attack and has had open heart surgery and then told me that cardiac pain was nothing like I was having. If you are like me, I have twinges, or just short little "zzzzzts" of pain. Cardiac pain lasts several minutes and will leave you clammy, cold, nauseous and SHORT OF BREATH. And, here is what really helped me... it will almost always ONLY happen under exertion. And I mean more than just walking around. I NEVER have either palpitations or pain under exertion. Huh, only when I am sitting around or just working when perhaps the old mind doesn't have enough to distract it.
Today was the best doctors vist I've had in a loooong time!
I really hope this helped. I'm to a place where the skipped beats don't bother me anymore... but the sharp chest pain sure did. One other thing... I used to get way freaked on the palpitations, but don't anymore. That tells me that I can get past this. I got past that fear, and my food fears, and my certainty that I had cancer... I will get past this too! I plan to paint this docs face in my mind and next time anxiety tries to freak me out over this chest pain I'm just going to flash that and tell it, "Go sell that crap somewhere else" lol
This stuff sucks SUCKS SUCKS, doesn't it? Then I get all mad and disgusted with myself that my stupid brain just won't GET IT! Hello, depression and crappy self esteem.
Here is what I found on multiple sites that helped me see that palpitations were not a heartattack.
Oh, and here is your number one, HUGE differentiation between a heart attack and panic attack: PAIN and lots of it. I've had lots of panic attacks and while I sure did feel like I was dying and my heart pounded out of my chest, it has never, ever hurt. And I don't mean twinges.... sure had twinges but a twinge to a heart attack is like the peep of a bird to a jet plane. If you are having a heart attack it's going to hurt... like hell. This is straight from folks that have actually had one.
Sure you will find some info that will say that womens heart problems don't present with classic substernal chest pain with radiation to jaw and left arm. But they ALL were accompanied by shortness of breath. And I don't mean a little deep breathing but gasping, I'm drowing kind of shortness of breath.
Everything I read said that PVC's or palpitations were very common and that unless you had a whole bunch together, they were no cause for concern. And I don't mean several over the space of a day, I mean back to back to back.
Oh, and just today, I went in to my doc for a follow up on my costochondritis and I asked him a million questions again about the pain. He surprised me and shared that he has actually had a heart attack and has had open heart surgery and then told me that cardiac pain was nothing like I was having. If you are like me, I have twinges, or just short little "zzzzzts" of pain. Cardiac pain lasts several minutes and will leave you clammy, cold, nauseous and SHORT OF BREATH. And, here is what really helped me... it will almost always ONLY happen under exertion. And I mean more than just walking around. I NEVER have either palpitations or pain under exertion. Huh, only when I am sitting around or just working when perhaps the old mind doesn't have enough to distract it.
Today was the best doctors vist I've had in a loooong time!
I really hope this helped. I'm to a place where the skipped beats don't bother me anymore... but the sharp chest pain sure did. One other thing... I used to get way freaked on the palpitations, but don't anymore. That tells me that I can get past this. I got past that fear, and my food fears, and my certainty that I had cancer... I will get past this too! I plan to paint this docs face in my mind and next time anxiety tries to freak me out over this chest pain I'm just going to flash that and tell it, "Go sell that crap somewhere else" lol
Hot Rod,
Thank you SO MUCH for that! Today my palps were really strong and frequent, and some back to back, so just to be on the safe side I'm sure I'll get checked out, but you made me feel so much better about the heart attack stuff. It actually made me remember one of the first times I asked my old doctor about if I was having a heart attack, and he asked me "Did it feel like an elephant was sitting on your chest? No? Then you're okay."
But you know how it is... you get info like that and you're good for a few months and then WHAMMO! - something triggers your paranoia about it and there you go again.
Glad your doc was so informative and reassuring! And thanks again.
Sandina
Thank you SO MUCH for that! Today my palps were really strong and frequent, and some back to back, so just to be on the safe side I'm sure I'll get checked out, but you made me feel so much better about the heart attack stuff. It actually made me remember one of the first times I asked my old doctor about if I was having a heart attack, and he asked me "Did it feel like an elephant was sitting on your chest? No? Then you're okay."
But you know how it is... you get info like that and you're good for a few months and then WHAMMO! - something triggers your paranoia about it and there you go again.
Glad your doc was so informative and reassuring! And thanks again.
Sandina
Hot Rod,
It is absolutely incredible you had to go through such a raw deal with that misdiagnosis. Sorry about that.
I too went through all the cardiac worries and EVERY type of cardiac test except for cardiac catheterization. My father several years ago died 4 months after a heart attack but he was in his 70s. It was determined I also have costochondritis. Ironically I have been getting a lot of it the past week. I have these Salonpas pain patches that work. If it really hurts like one day last week I used Icy Hot rub.
Most of the time I just remind myself of the negative results to all the doctor and ER tests. And also that I am not experiencing genuine cardiac symptoms. But I still get a little scared.
You're not alone.
It is absolutely incredible you had to go through such a raw deal with that misdiagnosis. Sorry about that.
I too went through all the cardiac worries and EVERY type of cardiac test except for cardiac catheterization. My father several years ago died 4 months after a heart attack but he was in his 70s. It was determined I also have costochondritis. Ironically I have been getting a lot of it the past week. I have these Salonpas pain patches that work. If it really hurts like one day last week I used Icy Hot rub.
Most of the time I just remind myself of the negative results to all the doctor and ER tests. And also that I am not experiencing genuine cardiac symptoms. But I still get a little scared.
You're not alone.
Sandina,
If anything I said helped, then awesome! One other thing to remember is: anxiety always makes them worse. Kind of kick in the pants to think that we are exacerbating our own hell, isn't it? I've come to learn that sometimes I'm just not going to find a reason for them. I used to drive myself crazy trying to figure it out... was it exercise? hormones? low oxygen? Oh, one other thing that I read said that if you are having them, cough. It kind of shocks your heart back into a normal rhythm and, its a great distraction from them! lol
Charlie,
Did you read Melissa's story? Egad that poor girl REALLY went through the ringer. I am ready to put this particular fear behind me and I think we yesterdays reassurance that I will be able to. Already I feel so much better about it. I, too, use Icy Hot. Been using BenGay (pew!) twice daily for it but doc recommended something called Myoflex. So, I'll try that, too. Unfortunately he also said this could last months. sigh... Guess I'd better get used to them, huh? lol Thanks for your posts.
If anything I said helped, then awesome! One other thing to remember is: anxiety always makes them worse. Kind of kick in the pants to think that we are exacerbating our own hell, isn't it? I've come to learn that sometimes I'm just not going to find a reason for them. I used to drive myself crazy trying to figure it out... was it exercise? hormones? low oxygen? Oh, one other thing that I read said that if you are having them, cough. It kind of shocks your heart back into a normal rhythm and, its a great distraction from them! lol
Charlie,
Did you read Melissa's story? Egad that poor girl REALLY went through the ringer. I am ready to put this particular fear behind me and I think we yesterdays reassurance that I will be able to. Already I feel so much better about it. I, too, use Icy Hot. Been using BenGay (pew!) twice daily for it but doc recommended something called Myoflex. So, I'll try that, too. Unfortunately he also said this could last months. sigh... Guess I'd better get used to them, huh? lol Thanks for your posts.
I have a struggle with this too. I mostly fear dying young, which is "retarded". I shouldn't think that way. I'll be 30 in February and have had issues with anxiety since early 2003. I take Prozac (40 mg) and Benicar (for blood pressure). Every little palpitation, pain, itch...I think "oh God it's the end!!!" I love coming to these forums when I feel like this, because it makes me feel better knowing that I'm not CRAZY...I think Stresscenter for such great support.