Anxiety and Stress Forum - left arm pain and tightness in chest with weakness


left arm pain and tightness in chest with weakness

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Rahuldravid79

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Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Posts: 3

left arm pain and tightness in chest with weakness Posted: 01-12-08 11:53am


Hi,im a 32 year old male not yet married abt to get married in a month, im new to the site, and I think I have been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks for about 2 year and 1/2. I have been to the a numerous amount of times and everything seems to be okay. I have all the known symptoms from specially left arm pain not that much but I am feeling some kind of uneasyness pain only in left arm, that too only after reading it as a sympton for heart attack, some kind of pain or uneasyness or tightness pain on the left side of the jaw too, and also neck pain,everytime with chest pain tightness specially left side and center of the chest and also it also spreads to left arm, hot flashes, lightheadness, dizziness, I feel weakness but basically I am not..I wanted to be too active, and also no one feels that I am 32 year old guy, and also stomach tightness, etc. There isnt a day that goes by that I dont at least get one of the above named sympotms. This really is a horrible condition and I wouldnt even wish it upon my worst enemy. I always live in fear of having some type of heart problem, and it truly sucks. I underwent all kinds of tests related to stomach (Endoscopy, ultrasound) , specially Heart (Echo cardiogram, Stress test, CT scan of heart and even Angiogram) and also had colonoscopy too, but every thing is normal not even minor problems. almost all I had visited doctors some 40 times last year bcos of the above mentioned reasons and only to know why i am that kind of problems. Even now also I am feeing the same kind of ighness at the center of my chest. but doubts are like that after going all the tests also. I donno where I have to go. Can anyone say what are those and why I am getting... Thanks a bunch for the support

Rahuldravid79

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Joined: 12 Jan 2008
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Hello Posted: 01-16-08 08:00am


any suggessions???

worry_wart

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Joined: 20 Jan 2008
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Scary symptoms Posted: 01-20-08 23:26pm


Hi Rahuldravid, I too have many of the same symptoms you mention. I've had semi-regular occerences of panic attacks for the past 10 yrs (i'm 29), with increasing frequency during stressful periods. The attacks present themselves in different ways, always health related symptoms. I'll feel chest tightness or sharp but short pains in chest, arms, legs, head. Sometimes I feel like there is a tight band going around the back of my head applying pressure. Lately i've felt as though i'm short of breadth, as though my breath's aren't as deep as they should be. The symptoms vary so much. After dealing with this for so long, the best way I can describe it is that my nervous system is always on high alert. And when I feel a sensation anywhere in body which is slightly different than "normal", the nervous system sets off the alarm and my body goes into panic and defense mode. I'll take a small benign sensation and think it must be the beginning symptoms of a heart attack or aneurysm or something else. In the past the symptoms persist for a month or so, unfortunately the most recent spurt has been going steady for about 9 months, and has finally driven me to discuss the problem w/ my doc. Doc prescribed citalopram, which i've just begun to take (no sign of relief yet). Hopefully i won't be on this for long term, shooting for 6-9 months to get me through a somewhat stressful period. In the past when i've felt like i had the problem under control, i was able to realize what was happening shortly after the attack started and convince myself that it was indeed a panic attack. I'd breathe slow/deep and concentrate on the sensation that was triggering the problem. Then try to rationalize that the sensation was most likely harmless. This mechanism hasn't been working lately, but hopefully the medicine will help get a handle on it as I'm reluctant to take it. We'll see. In any case, reading about the experiences of others seems to help deal, hope it does the same for you!

Rahuldravid79

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Joined: 12 Jan 2008
Posts: 3

Posted: 01-21-08 17:49pm


Hello Wart, Thanks for you response, will wait for some more responses. And also I am just going to doctors is to make sure that this is something not related to heart and its not life threatning. If a doctor says it confidently then we will be the kings of this world. No one can stop us. One more thing no one in my friends circle beleaves that I am 32. They think I am just 25...means wht I wanted to say is that active I will be. When ever as you said that if you feel any slight difference than normal, tht's it. My heart beat will raise like any thing. Now I am in a situation that each and every sec I will be thinking of that only and worried a lot abt that, specially this left arm pain and chest tightness.....will panic or anxiety makes these kind of symptons or its only bcos we like that. And also I am sure that its not related to heart and its only a panic symptoms, and which we have every sec. so I have decided to be happy and not to worry abt any thing. But XANAX gives relaxation for me, and I don't want to be dependent on medicines. Because of this I a missing a lot in my life, no parties no out goings nothing, I will be worried a lot, thinking that If I do this activity, I amy get pain or some thing else. But when I am in good mood then I can do it very very easily. One thing to observe here is ... if there is any physical problem then we can't do it, but we are confident to do it one time and not the other means is its psycological problem....and I won't prefer medicines for those...we will try to make the things to be under control..we can do that Wart. And I am just trying to be cool and active. Thanks again for ur response...your words have filled some confidence in me. All the best Wart Cheers Rahul

jpv

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Joined: 02 Feb 2008
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Posted: 02-02-08 15:18pm


Hi Rahuldravid, First of all, your definitely not alone. Like the previous person who replied, I too am 29 years old and have been going thru almost all of the same things that you have. I can't even begin to recall how many doctors visit's and tests I've had in the past three years. All of my symptoms started a few years back. I had just quit smoking and was getting ready to change jobs and move to a new state. Looking back now, I can't believe how stressful the whole event was for me. But that started a series of events that eventually snowballed. I would go from one symptom to another, each time I had a test that completely ruled out any problems and then within a day or two that symptom would be gone and replaced with something new. And of course this new symptom required seeing another specialist for more tests. Every little sensation that I feel I think is the end for me. And its very scary to travel because I feel uncomfortable to be away from my comfort zone. Throughout these past few years I've really begun to understand how powerful stress and anxiety are. I think alot of people don't really understand the magnitude of anxiety and how debilitating it can make you. My suggestions? Do whatever you can to reduce stress in your life and everyday try to convince yourself that your not dying. My doctor tried prescribe me zoloft, but like you I didn't want to be dependant on a medication forever. Exercise is very important too. For a while I was scared to go the gym, and then one day I just said enough is enough, I'm going to the gym and if I die from it then oh well. Well, I made it through and I felt much more confident afterwards. It was like reinforcement that I'm healthy because I was able to work out. Good luck, its certainly not easy.

paranoidandroid

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Joined: 02 May 2008
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I can relate Posted: 05-02-08 13:50pm


I am a 30 year old male and have many of the same symptoms you have described. Constant tightness in the left chest, and some tingling sensations in the left arm for the past 8 years. I have had a stress test and EKG about 5 years ago, colonoscopy, mid-section MRI, and I am thinking about have some more recent tests done. Nothing has been found, and the doctors always tell me I am ok. I recently had a blood test done, and they found the H pilori bacteria which he said is possibly an ulcer. I have not medicated this yet. Anyway the tightness in the chest is the most bothersome and I typically drink alchohol to medicate it, which i know is not good. I am an occasional smoker for the past ten years. Any suggestions?

John1234565

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Joined: 03 May 2008
Posts: 1

Posted: 05-03-08 23:56pm


WOW!!!! Sorry guys I don't mean that in a bad way I'm just glad I found people who are going through. Well its safe to say im the youngest lol im only 21 and have had these symptoms for about a year now with tonight probably being my worst its happened to me three times to day alone with each one getting worst and worst. I almost started thinking I was having a heart attack or maybe strokes however it doesn't seem to be that was I hope someone can post more helps/cures for this that would be great. I don't drink, and I don't do drugs. I do smoke though is it better if I stop or should I keep going till I get this thing under control as I do want to quit. Anyways thanks all im glad to see im not going crazy

foodstampz

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Joined: 28 May 2008
Posts: 2

Posted: 05-28-08 02:35am


Hello, wow i also surprised to find you guys on here, i find it odd because im 29 also, and were all in a similar age range. I must admit i feel like a live and lived a more extreme lifestyle, ive partied at raves all over the world , stayed up on drugs for years like meth,coke, special k, weed, and since i gave up on all those party drugs , i started drinking beer and sometimes hard liquor in excess, so im a so called alcoholic now, even tough i don't feel its that bad, i drink beer about 3 or 4 times a week and on the weekends, and usually drink more than a six pack. I used to be a pro skateboarder and very athletic, but since becoming a dad, i stopped being as active and gained weight and don't know how to get rid of it. After all of this though, according to the doctors ive seen im in good health. I feel i need to go to a new cardiologist. I have slowed down on the drinking and quit smoking more than a year ago. I have been to the emergency room at least 3 times this year already (2008) and multiple times in the past 3 years with what i think is some kind of heart palpitations and pain, tight clenching in my arm and shortness of breath, its scary stuff. I feel like i am going to have a sudden attack of the heart, but once i get in the hospital bed and calm down and ave a monitor attached to me, i feel at ease and the doctor finds nothing wrong, but anxiety attacks or light palpitations. I get theese attacks often also, not everyday , but its odd, its usually in a stressful situation, but i wont lie, i also feel these weird chugging on my left arm and tightening hand and chest pains , even when im all alone, just watching t.v. , now that im writing about it, im realizing that i need to make some serious life changes, i love the advice i read on here about just going out and exercising and not caring if you die or not.. thats actually a good way to look at it, because this fear of dying might be advancing the attacks. I think health is very important, i love to indulge and enjoy my quality beer and great food, but i really just want to control these pains and feeling of heart disease thats non existent. So if it more psychological than actual heart problems, than we probably could help each other out on this board. I am going to see a new doctor soon , and i will let you guys know the results... hope theres no biased views on my party lifestyle, i know what ive done was stupid, but people do change. And this problem were having could be more than doctors know right now. Thanks for listening.. peace. ! charlie. javascript:emoticon('') yes javascript:emoticon('') Shocked

foodstampz

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Joined: 28 May 2008
Posts: 2

Posted: 05-28-08 02:41am


btw , i found this topic when i looked it up in google tonight, because i was feeeling the arm pains, and they seem to have gone away for now. !

adamneal98

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Joined: 28 May 2008
Posts: 1

Posted: 05-28-08 19:42pm


Hey everyone, Just wanted to say that I know what most of you are going thru. In the past 6 months I've had 3 EKG's done and I'm perfectly fine according to the doctor's. I've had sharp chest pains, tightness in the chest, my left arm and left shoulder blade aches, sometimes my left arm goes numb, I've felt dizzy and lightheaded almost every day for the past month or so. I'm about 95% sure that it's all due to anxiety. Everytime I've had these episodes I've thought for sure I was having a heart attack. I've had 3extreme panic attacks in the past year and I know the feeling. I mean it pretty much cripples you mentally and physically. I had times that I didn't have the energy to get out of bed or roll up into a ball and die. I'm 28 years old and I've been married for a year now. I didn't have this problem while I was single. LOL. I blame my wife. No really. I've noticed I get on the edge mostly with work and trying to fit too much into one day when I really don't have enough time. Most people will say to try to slow down but it's hard to do that in such a fast paced world these days. I've taken Lorezapam and it works really well. Only downfall to it, is that it's habit forming. Right now I'm taking Buspirone. It seems to help with the anxiety but my head is splitting wide open and makes me feel tired and dizzy all the time. I figure I'll take the bottle I have and see how it goes. I've also been reading this material buy this Charles Linden guy. It's called the Linden Method. He was supposedly suffering from 100's of panic attacks per week and he's still alive and kicking so that give me some hope and some of the things he points out really helps with the anxiety and panic attacks.

cmatni

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Joined: 08 Jun 2008
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same here Posted: 06-08-08 23:58pm


Hello, I am 30 years old and Iv been experiencing panic attacks for 2 years, it is a horrible feeling, I came to canada its been 2 years, very hard to adapt I was working 7 days a week to go marry all pressure, country and culture change, living alone working hard, then I went to the emergency room, for panic attack, after that it has been 2 weeks that I did not sleep well, I had some small panic attacks but what is happeneing with me now is some tighteness in my left hand palm some pain the fingers sometimes in the thumb sometimes in the index of the left hand, some weird sensation in the throat and tightness in the oesophage and when I eat its like they stock in the center of my chest, and every little sensation weird smell throat it would generate an attack and I am confused is it an attack or some serious illness like MS or.. and since than I am not enjoying my time, but i am not letting fear get me I would continue what i do but with the fear, like my work sent me to california best weather best ambiance and I cannot enjoy it because i am oversensitive to my body and I feel great tightness in the center of the chest stomach and oesophage great tightness, So anyone had the same symptoms ???? hang on there folks after reading this i am releifed,

leftarmpain

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Joined: 18 Jul 2008
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GUYS I FELL YOUR ARM PAIN Posted: 07-18-08 22:19pm


26 yr male long long time POT smoker and my wife has been wanting me to stop forever now when I smoke I have the exact symptoms as all of you guys....Have you all on here smoked POT for an extended period of time in your life? I am glad I came on here before going to the ER because I'm sure I just saved myself tons of cash. I will still go get an EKG on Monday morning but at least for the weekend I feel good that I am not the only one with this issue. I just had full bloodwork done 2 months ago (before this started) and the doc said everything was all good (except slightly High Cholesterol) so I cut out the BS sleep well my fellow panic attackers at least we know we are not dying...now that calls for a LOL CMAN