Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 1 Location: Minnesota, United States
Anxiety or heart condition Posted: 07-09-08 23:11pm
Hello,
I'm 22 years old and I'm currently a first
year medical student and I'm learning
about all the diseases, not to mention
being stressed out and I think I'm either
becoming a hypochondriac or anxiety ridden
or I am developing a heart condition due
to stress.
Sometimes I get "stabbing" sensations in
my heart and lately I've been feeling
light headed and dizzy and sometimes my
heart feels like it's arrhythmic and a lot
of the time I can feel blood pulsing
through my heart.
I used to get full blown anxiety attacks
in college during finals when I had
caffiene and ever since then, my anxiety
has been manifesting itself in different
forms or I have a chronic illness that is
uncovering itself when I'm stressed. I
didn't think anything was wrong until I
have had these stabbing pains.
And right now we are learning about
cardiac pathology and the hypertophy of
cardiac muscle fibers and it's freaking me
out. I moved to the midwest and I haven't
been sleeping regularly and I'm constantly
studying and I'm learning about all these
health problems. I just want to go get a
stress test done to know once and for all
if all my symptoms are really just in my
head. I know that anxiety can cause
manifestations of pain but I would like to
know if I am ok.
What should I do?
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Georgia59
Moderator
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 5557 Location: Along the Mississippi, USA
Thanks: 90
Thanked:32
Posted: 07-10-08 15:16pm
First of all, I remember when I took my
first abnormal psychology course and
thought that I had every disorder in the
book, and everyone I knew did too
(especially my husband lol) so I know how
you feel.
But if you are having legitimate cardiac
symptoms, it will only help to get a
checkup.
If your checkup comes out clean, address
your anxiety!! Obviously med school is a
really tough time for everyone. It's a
good thing to start figuring out your own
personal coping methods, because it will
likely only get more difficult.
Good luck!
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emma601
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Jul 2008 Posts: 17 Location: ,
i have them Posted: 07-13-08 15:08pm
hiya, i just wana tell you i have really
bad pains in my heart, i was told i have
panic attacks which i can belive cause all
my symptoms match, i was once taken to
hospital because one day i felt as though
i was having a heart attact, they did an
ecg and i was ok. now im worrying cause i
find it hard to breath, if you are worried
go to the hosptal and ask for an ecg, it
made me feel better to find out my heart
is ok, i was released from panic attacks
for a few days then i started worrying
again cause i find it hard to breath, but
iworry and build myself into a panic. just
wanted to tell ya there's plenty of us
that feel the same lovey
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stormon31
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 6 Location: UK, N/ireland
hospitals and doc are for nothing Posted: 07-16-08 17:25pm
I have been suffering since jan this year
from chest pains and panic attacks alot, I
went to my gp when I was felling ill and
he just pamed me off with diasepam, a doc
has only 10 mins to spend with you and he
cant hear enough of what way your feeling,
A@E just want to ship you out ASAP so thay
can get another person in to meet their
target on the NHS, the only people that
can help you and have helped me is a
shrink, they have loads of time to to hear
what way you are feeling and can give you
the right drugs to help you, I went from
10 tablets a day which none of them were
the right ones to help me, now im on 3
aday which are the right ones and i feel a
hell lot better now, thanks to the mental
health docs and nurses who got my life
back, I hope this info is of help to all
of you that are suffers.
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Fairy Godmother
Supporter
Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 1486 Location: , Georgia USA
Thanks: 80
Thanked:110
Hi There Posted: 07-16-08 18:06pm
You are a first year med
student...........go see your doctor. If
this does have something to do with your
heart, you have caught it in time.....
When it comes to words like stabbing pain
and heart...........hello. Its ALWAYS
better to be safe than sorry. Given you
are only 22, I am hoping and praying its
only anxiety because of all the stress put
upon you, but young people, children and
babies develop heart problems. Please keep
us posted!
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Sweig337
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Jul 2008 Posts: 2
good advice Posted: 07-24-08 03:12am
stormon31
I will have to give that shrink thing a
shot. I hate docs especially when they say
not a thing is wrong and give you 20
XANAX. PIA ='s anxiety.
Trisha911
How you holding up?
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hev53
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Jul 2008 Posts: 8
Thanks: 1
Thanked:1
Check it out Posted: 07-24-08 13:50pm
I honestly think your problems are anxiety
related, its amazing what the mind can do
to us. And you are focussing on that
specific area in your studies at the
moment.
Cardiac pain very rarely comes and goes.
Its vice like and feels as if someone is
sitting on your chest. Once it starts it
usually reaches a crescendo. But as has
been said you can never be too careful so
get it checked.
Anxiety can cause so many symptoms and in
particular the ones you mention. The best
thing you can do when you get these is
exercise, but get your heart checked
first!
Read about the 'fight or flight' aspects
of panic attacks.
Hope you feel better soon.
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Sweig337
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Jul 2008 Posts: 2
Posted: 07-24-08 17:30pm
I have noticed that working out helps A
LOT. The stress needs to go somewhere and
instead of letting it build up into an
attack you gotta get rid of it by
excersizing a bit. See the Doc/shrink
first of course.
Oh and no alcohol, caffeine, nicotine,
fast food...those are major triggers. For
me at least.
g'luck
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Sassyann
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 1
Is it stress or what? Posted: 07-27-08 20:53pm
Ok my mom has had lots of stress in the
last little while I dont know how she has
held it together this long but she has
recently had some symptoms that is worring
me. She has a tightning in her chest and
she feels really tired all of the sudden.
Finds it hard to breath and has some
numbness in her left arm. Kinda has a
tingling sensation as well. What do you
think this could be? I am concerned this
may be a direct effect of the stress she
has been going through? Is this symptoms
of stress related problems or anxiety
attacks. What do yall think?
