Is This Anxiety ??

Mental health
1

Hello everyone

I guess it'd be best to start at the beginning when everything went downhill for me.

I'm a 19 year old male and I use to be a smoker until the beginning of this year when I quit cold turkey. I did so because I had a frightening smokers cough and became worried about lung cancer. As the cough continued I became more and more anxious and stressed, I was worried that I had major health issues and I was dying but in just 2 weeks my cough settled and went away but was replaced by a even worst symptom... Chest pain. This was very scary as i would try to google symptoms (still do daily) to figure out what was causing this just like I did with my cough. And I did get answers.. Heart attacks and the big one was angina or heart disease which I can tell anyone all about it now because I googled it so much. The chest pain was persistent and came day after day (still does) multiple times. It doesbt matter what I'm doing, walking, sitting around, standing you name it.

I went to my Dr and he at first thought it was acid reflux but its not because I only have the chest pain symptom. So when I started getting arm pain I was really scared of CAD (heart disease).

With the arms it started in my fingers, a painful burn that's felt on the inside.. Its kinda like a tightness. Then it appeared in my arms and now I feel it a lot in my left arm. But my Dr has confirmed it isn't a heart problem, he gave me a few tests, blood checks and told me its anxiety and now I need to see a psychiatrist. But I'm still convinced its my heart.

See the thing is anxiety has always been apart of my life, I suffer terrible social anxiety which makes me overly shy and anxious in social situations. The physical symptom I get from SA is sweaty palms and ever since I've been scared of heart problems my palms have been sweaty which doesn't help but I never have experienced pain like this before.

Everyday is a living hell for me now, I wake up and I know I'm going to feel pressure in my left arm or chest and I know I'm going to check my pulse and feel my heart beating normally as it should. I cry because I can't escape this awful nightmare of constant pain.

I guess in summary I'd like to know if this does sound like anxiety or health anxiety and not a heart issue. It'd be a massive relief if someone out there goes through or went through the same thing I am and can at least share their story with me.

I should mention that the pain I feel does not radiate or has a central point. It just appears randomly in different places in my arm (mostly left) hands, fingers and chest. It feels like a dullish ache or tight pressure, not very painful just a sudden ache like someone poking one or two fingers hard into skin.

Thankyou all for reading and please if you can tell me anything that would be highly appreciated

2

I think it's a good anxiety to have if you get me because smoking is very bad and it's good your anxiety has stopped that because smoking is bad for you!

I think like you said your doctor gave you blood tests and my dad has heart problems including angina and they found his via blood tests, and when you go into accident and emergency with chest pains they will ALWAYS do blood tests, so for the doctor to say they haven't found anything is a very good sign.

It definitely does sound like anxiety, when my anxiety is bad i get chest pains and a VILE ache in my left arm going down into my fingers and my fingers will go fuzzy and tingly, but each time this happens I panic and go straight to A+E and each time they have never found anything and when I calm down it goes, but I notice it always happens when I have anxiety.

I also suffer from acid reflux, and although I suffer a few symptoms of that, you can have it and literally get one symptom, when it first started and I got diagnosed I literally just had nausea all the time, So I think both acid reflux and anxiety are both part and parcel with what you are going through, I think it's safe to rule out heart problems, this is the biggest killer known so I don't think a doctor would tell you you are fine if you are really not haha

How long does this arm pain last?

3

Hi Livelife

Thanks for the feed back you dont have any idea how much relief it gives me to know that I'm not the only one who suffers from chest pain due to anxiety. I to have noticed the pain happens after thinking about heart disease or any heart problem for that matter.. Sometimes its random but it'll feel stronger after thinking about my problem.

Well its hard to explain really, sort of a rush of a painful tingle sometimes light but if I worry it can be more of a burning sting or pressure, exactly like my chest pains. My arms aren't tender or sore but if I worry my arms will hurt in small spots anywhere in my arm or hands (fingers too) and I'll occasionally get sweaty palms for no reason. Which I had with my social anxiety and still do today but this general anxiety or fear must make me sweat randomly, or like the pain it may be a symptom that follows a fearful thoughts.

But I think your right its not my heart, very unlikely at my age and I don't get pains when I'm working hard, lifting heavy things or walking up a steep hill... Which if I did have a heart problem would be affecting me

4

Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms with anxiety seriously

I have health anxiety BAD sand even I know my chest pains are caused by anxiety and I even have a big family history of heart disease so if anyone was going to be nervous it would be me but in that situation it's definitely anxiety

Arm pain with heart disease travels down the whole of the left arm and shoulder and on the jaw, it's a really dull ache feeling and lasts normally 10 minutes to an hour

People who have had heart attacks said it wasn't a normal pain like they admitted them self to hospital because it was so bad and obviously yours hasn't been that bad so don't even worry!

It's always good to check heart complains out because like I said they're common but with the age factor it's highly unlikely!!

But it's like we say if you spot a bump go see the doctor even though 9/10 it's nothing serious at all

Yeah hot flashes night sweats and sweaty palms are VERY common anxiety problems I get sweaty palms a lot even now because I'm talking about it, and I really only get the hot flushes when I'm in full panic mode

Yeah exactly always keep an eye on chest pains heart attacks are normally felt with a dull ache right squeezing feeling, but it's very highly unlikely