Is My Chest Pain Heart-related?

In my opinion, your chest pain is likely due to anxiety. This, believe me, is a very real medical condition. Have you tried any antianxiety meds like xanax or ativan?

I hope that you get to feeling better.

Nurse hettie,

thank you for your reply.

I have taken lexapro, which helped with my anxiety, but did not make the chest pain go away. Do you think I need more specific anxiety medication. I think lexapro is used more for depression.

I stress about the chest pain all day -- could I be making myself have the chest-pain since I think about it constantly? Like it could be just a tiny twinge and I think about it so much I turn it into something bigger? And if i'm not feeling particularly anxious that day, can the chest-pain still be considered anxiety-related?

Your response will be greatly appreciated!! I am determined to stop obsessing, but it's hard when you feel this pain, know it's there, but have no idea what is causing it or how to get rid of it.

You're the best!

Dianna

Nurse hettie,

thank you for your reply.

I have taken lexapro, which helped with my anxiety, but did not make the chest pain go away. Do you think I need more specific anxiety medication. I think lexapro is used more for depression.

I stress about the chest pain all day -- could I be making myself have the chest-pain since I think about it constantly? Like it could be just a tiny twinge and I think about it so much I turn it into something bigger? And if i'm not feeling particularly anxious that day, can the chest-pain still be considered anxiety-related?

Your response will be greatly appreciated!! I am determined to stop obsessing, but it's hard when you feel this pain, know it's there, but have no idea what is causing it or how to get rid of it.

You're the best!

Dianna

I hope that I can help.....

You are right about lexapro being an antidepressant. It does not sound as though, based on what you have described, you need this med. Or at least, not this med alone.

In my opinion, you might benefit from antianxiety meds (ativan...Xanax). I am a cardiac nurse. Based on your symptoms, they do not sound cardiac related or the result of malfunctioning within your gi tract. Have you seen a psychiatrist? If I were you, I would go this route. If the symptoms persist, then continue to have things evaluated. Sometimes, despite labs and test results, physical problems still exist. However, anxiety/panic attacks can present with simliar symtpoms.

Best of luck to you....
Heather

Heather,

i'm sorry I keep bugging you, but since you are a cardiac nurse, I feel like you can give me the specific information I need!

1 -- can anxiety chest pain mimic actual heart attack chest pain, like the squeezing, tightness that you feel?

2 -- can you have true heart-related chest pain for long periods of time (in my case, 1 1/2 years) and not have a heart attack?

3 -- how rare (if you know) is it for a 30 year old female (nonsmoker, maybe 10 pounds over weight -- i'm 5'4" and 140 lbs.) to have a heart attack?

4 -- and finally, if a stress test a year ago shows no problems, would it be safe to assume that if I took another one, I would still be fine? I mean, how long would it take to build up problems in your arteries?

I was having a really bad weekend with squeezing chest pain that scared me and I was in tears. Not because of pain because it didn't really hurt, but because I was afraid I was going to die. I've had this pain for so long and don't know why it's happening and it is so frustrating!

I am seriously considering a psychiatrist. If I could get a handle on my anxiety/hypochondria, maybe all of this would go away.

Dianna

Hello -
i read your request for assistance and remembered my own story of having pericarditis a few years ago. Let me explain. I was a 30 year old woman. I had chest pains for about 6 months - sometimes a dull ache and sometimes sharp pains, sometimes burning pains, and sometimes a sqeezing pain. There was pain radiating at times up into my neck and into my left arm. My doctors said it was stress. I started to get a little nervous about this as each month saw no improvement in these symptoms - as I should! Hello... This is my heart speaking! I had been a strong athlete since 5 years old and could hike 20 miles in day, I was no pushover physically and certainly not a complainer after years pf physical training.

Well after 6 months, I woke up one morning and I knew something was wrong - really wrong. Something was worse. I went to the first doctor and he did a stress test and said everything was fine and suggested I needed psychiatric help. Please this was physical pain, not a mental condition! I left realizing this person was not taking me seriously. I called a few other cardiologists who wanted to put me on their waiting lists for 2 weeks - I was too young to be having anything serious going they told me over the phone.

After 5 days of this treatment, I decided I was going to be seen either thru an appt or the emergency room - somebody was going to take this seriously! I must say that this took a lot of courage on my side - to become so clear that I was going to get help no matter that everyone around me was not taking me seriously. This was a big lesson and breakthru for me. So I demanded to be seen by a doctor at the hospital. Lucky for me this particular doctor was trained to hear this very particular "rubbing sound" that the heart makes when you have pericarditis. It seems the other doctor missed this.

I later became friends with a cardiologist who told me cardiologists do not take women seriously - particularly young women. That he has heard horror story after horror story of seeing women suffer as a result of this. Many of his women clients have seen 6- 8 cardiologist before they see him to get an accurate diagnosis. They tell them they are depressed or have an anxiety disorder etc. And know, a doctors inability to diagnose does not equal your mental imbalance! You must be firm in this and really know yourself in this way! I knew this was not a mental issue. I have even gone back to the original doctor and demanded that his mental diagnosis be removed from my record as this is not his area of expertise. Legally this is my right and he did. I commend you for continuing your efforts to find an answer!

Please check the internet for pericarditis info. This may be your issue. I am not a doctor and would not pretend to be able to diagnose, but would at least advise you to do this. I just could not bear watching another fellow woman not being taken seriously, I had to write to you! And remember that many many people associated with the medical profession are being indoctrinated day in and day out with this idea that women are not to be taken seriously. It is not their fault - they are living this daily to the point they don't recognize it. They do not witness the private lives of these people. Thay want to help and often do, but it is up to each of us to take ourselves seriously to the point we find the help we need no matter how many doctors we have to see to get it. Keep searching...You will find your answer if you do not give up! Good luck!

Thank you, jademists! I will definitely look into this! It is very frustrating that no one will take me seriously. I know it's not usual for someone my age to have heart problems, but that does not mean I don't. Hopefully, I can get this straightened out, and soon!! I feel miserable from fear and i'm just sick of it now!

Dianna