I'm a 21 year old female and I've had trouble with my nerves and anxiety ever since I can remember. I've built up a lot of confidence over the years and apart from the odd panic attack my physical symptoms haven't been too bad. Recently, I was experiencing shooting pains in my chest and because I'm such a worrier, I thought I was going to die and I had the worst panic attack of my life - my chest was tight for nearly 12 hours after and I didn't sleep all night. I called 111 at 3am because I was that scared. My breathing was fast and shallow, it felt like I couldn't get enough air in and my heart was pounding and I had palpitations on and off so I thought I was having a heart attack. I went to see my GP the next morning and he sounded my chest and apart from a small crackling in my one lung, I was fine but he gave me some anti biotics because I had a slight temperature and he reckoned I might have a chest infection on the way. Anyway, I finished the anti-biotics course. Since then, I have been overly focused on my breathing and heartbeat - it's getting to the stage where my chest feels tight mostly all day and I have to 'manually' breathe but I try to ignore it. The problem comes when I'm trying to fall asleep - some nights are okay but last night, for example, every single time my body started to relax into a sleep, THUD, my heart would drop out of my chest and I have to take deep breaths to calm down - it's almost like as I'm dropping off I forget to breathe. It gets to the point where I am THAT tired I want to cry. Then the other symptoms some too - constantly needing a wee, dry mouth, feeling sweaty but cold etc. Eventually I drop of around 1-2am but even then it's not a deep sleep, it's more like REM sleep where I'm dreaming but I feel like I'm always aware of my surroundings. I'm getting really frustrated now - I just want to feel normal again! I am going back to the doctor's on Monday and hopefully he will rule out anything other than anxiety and give me some muscle relaxants or something? What does everyone think - bad anxiety? Sleep disorder? I'm at the end of my tether but I can be a bit of a hypochondriac!
I think anxiety has got a grip. Maybe something going on in your life which you are subconsciously worrying about and it is manifesting during your sleep hours. Try and relax before retiring and don't overthink what is happening I am sure its nothing serious. Anxiety is horrible and hard to live with. We are brave souls that suffer from it and remind yourself that you are strong and will battle on with support and reassurance. Take care and chin up.
I think so too! Thank you for the reassurance 
Hey Jessica, you sound very much like me hun. My anxiety started when I was 25 with a bad bout of Flu. I had difficulty breathing and wound up on Antibiotics and an Oxygen mask. since then I have developed Health Anxiety which is always based on my ability to breath. As soon as I get a cold coming on the panic starts with all the associated symptoms.
What I can say is that the banging heart is very much self induced. You are lying expecting to feel your heart and the more you do or don't feel it the more you worry about it. That produces insulin, increased levels of which make your body click into fight or flight mode, hence PANIC!
I can strongly recommend avoiding drug treatment if possible, and asking your doctor to get you some relaxation therapy. I can also strongly recommend lots of exercise. This makes you feel better, will show you that your lungs and heart are actually okay and will help you sleep.
Hope you feel better soon.......
Thank you peebee99 I have been exercising loads the last few weeks as I am working on toning up for a holiday to Florida in April! It makes me feel amazing but then once I'm all relaxed and in bed the anxiety kicks back in. Like you said, this reassures me that I'm okay health-wise because otherwise I wouldn't be able to run or do Zumba etc.
Hi J,
I had the same chest pain and ended up in ER. Things to check, 1)Gerd 2)mitral valve prolapse. If you look up MVP you'll notice that this comes with chest pain, anxiety, depression etc. but the bottom line is that our central nerious system is unbalanced. Our job is to get it balanced again. I had this when I was your age and by diet, exercise and vitiamins it went away for 40yrs and now its back because I burned out my body again. Now I take atavan for the panic attacks and a anti depressent because I'm not going to try to muscle through it like I did when I was a kid. I need my quality of life. My insurance company would not pay for the ultra sound on my heart so I found a private dianostic company on-line who gave it to me for $100. I have a minor MVP but it was caused by stress. Ultimately, its our nervious system. My goal is to me on drugs for 6month's, cut all sugar, caffenine (stimulates the nervious system) eat low carb high proteins, veggies and vitamans and SLEEP. Then Im going to go off drugs slowly. This is just my experience, I hope it helps.
Hi hon!
I'm sorry the anxiety is scaring you. I have had anxiety for over 20 years. Best you can do is see a therapist. Also- seek out an anxiety group- this helped me more than anything.
I learned that although we all had different symptoms we were all scared. Mostly afraid of taking a medication that will make us feel normal. I can tell you more about this if its an issue for you.
First what you are feeling is totally normal. 1. Anticipatory anxiety. 2. You are on hyper alert. 1. Is feeling nervous about anything you normally don't feel. Actually waiting for the next pain or symptom. 2. You may feel things that are actually there but normally you could not feel but because you are on hyper alert you feel it all.
This is all very common. Once you learn more about anxiety you may feel it come on- but you know what it is exactly and you can do something as simple as breathing or meditating to make it go away.
By learning about anxiety does not mean research the Internet for every pain or symptom you feel. Just look into and research anxiety.
Anxiety is like hot water- when you turn it off to cool it a little more has to come out to stop completely. So it may not end instantly but in the matter of seconds it will go away.
You are not strange you will not go crazy.
Best I've done when feeling one come on is: take deep cleansing breaths. Breathe in through your nose. Concentrate on holding it maybe 3 seconds. Breathe out the negative
Out through your mouth. Repeat this at least seven times.
On your smart phone find (free) apps for "Guided Meditation." They have them specifically for an ietymor to relax.
Mostly always remember that while having a panic attack nothing has ever gotten worse. You didn't have a heart attack. You are alive and well. You will learn to maintain your stress levels and she you feel overly stressed and anxiety coming on- you will breathe it away. Good luck on this confusing journey that is actually helping your body let negativity out. hugs and kisses 😘💋
Hi Jessica, Im having a particularily bad one right now as im typing. Exact symptoms that you speak of, I have. Mine began in 2005, the height of The Sopranos, so i called them "Tony Soprano Attacks" Im 38 now and they come in cycles usually once a year they last for a week to two weeks each night. They went away for almost 3 years straight. Now theyyyyrrreee baaaaack!
The "dropping" feeling of the heart is brutal. Its the "black hole" moment where everything goes "wooosh". The moment at the top of the roller coaster as it drops, thats the spike it feels like. But its not a good feeling when you dont want it and the heart is like deciding to take a rest, dance a little, vacation.
The "neck gonna explode" feeling. Sometimes it even feels like it pumps left, then pums right, like "pushing" is the only word i can think of for it(jesus christ did that sound sexual) cement slow sluggish pumping feeling, like the heart is struggling each beat. And the tightening of my pecs like hooks dugin 3 on each side pulling as im hangin in some Jigsaw trap.
When the heart starts doin that "whupwhipwhip" and then bam bam bam like its the alien chestburster tryin to crack out of the sternum. Oh yess. The horror. And then they vanish. I think, heheheheh yes I think theyre gone. Later on laydown to hit the hay, and just when I im slipping off into deep sleep......WHAM BAMBAMBAMABAM!!!! "weeeee'reeee baaaaack! You thought you were going to escape us? We own your souuuul!" Say the demon voices in my chest.
Go to the doctor, does checks, blood test, "all good nothin wrong. Just anxiety attacks. Youll make it try not to stress yourself out so much." K doc
its beating violently now lol my whole body is flushing. Pain bad in chest and neck
So yea youre not alone
Gluck to u jessica and others. Thanks for posting this ill update when it goes away
Live update, wow. I layed down in ved on my side left arm bent up hand under pillow lightly, knees lighly touching, breathed nice n neatly closed eyes, and the feeling came where you "know that its gone for now" like gone for the day till next night. Then hair at the very top of ny head starts tingling and i get this incredible light floaty like im floating in water sooo good. And so happy its gone now! Then after 5-10 min of this "buzz" the aftermath. Sore chest, sore heart, and headache. Like my brain was hurted. This still feels great though!
For those wondering it feels like the inside of my sternum was bruised. And deeper yet, it feels like my heart is tired and layin there like me after my nervous system messed the poor guy up demon posession style. This cant be good for our hearts long run, and i actually feel sorry for the thing, wierd huh? I will try colonzepn whatever. Guy said it stops the attack right after it starts so that will save my heart all the abuse it would get if i dont take the medication. Ya 2 hours straight of that is not good him. Anyways, gnite thanks again
Ive been having the some similar symptoms too, although recently for 3 days i havent been able to speak, i want i speak in my mind and i force myself to speak but words wont come out( super frustrating) im think that i suffer from anxiety and drepression, those two kinda by themselves explain my symptoms except the speech one, altough a doctor could probably be able too. Now one other problem is my mother her first guess for this condition that i was having she said demon possession, im pretty sure i suffer from anxiety and hearing my mom telling me i have a demon thats eventually going to control fully...
Thank you so much for your reply. I hope you're right I just wanna feel normal again.
I didnt mean to reply here. I'm sorry!
In a very weird way, I'm almost relieved to hear your story Jessica. I'm exactly the same as you, like exactly the same. I bother 111, consistently worrying I'm having a heart attack or something. My physical symptoms have got far worse too. I like to describe it as Active and Passive anxiety.
Active Anxiety - is the daily worry and thinking. Actively worrying about things, overthinking and panicking about little everyday occurrences and being trapped in your own mind.
Passive Anxiety - the subconscious anxiety that triggers physical symptoms and you begin to worry that you're physically unwell. You're not actively worrying about anything, but passively you are and it causes real symptoms.
I think believing that it really is, just anxiety and that you're not actually dying at all, and you're completely healthy is the first step in the right direction.
The fact you're still here all this time later, is proof enough that you haven't got something serious going on, as these symptoms such as heart attack or lung failure, would have resulted in serious problems already.
Glad to hear I'm not alone, let's just keep going
Ben
Hi Courtney,
Hoping you see this, I like you was and is such a worrier about everthing, and I had my very first panic attack when I was 21, out dancing ( drinking a little lol ) freinds took me to the hospital for I was sure I was having a heart attack for I did have Rhuematic Fever as a child, so this was the big or so I thought .... I had another full blown , heart racing, sweating, shacking, all and every symptom of panic disorder, when married and tiny children, I was 32 , finally went to talk with someone and was put temporarily on meds and counseling, and many attacks later but better understanding , I had less and less and for years NOT a one.... I'd lie if I said I am still not a worrier, I am a chronic worrier, it just doesn't affect me as it did ..... what I want you to know, this awful beast ruined so many events, trips etc. and I don't want you to waste these wonderful years of your life..... live it !!!!! You are fine, and you will be fine..... I am now 68 and I would give ANYTHING to go back and know that I would have made it this long and nothing ever happened. I am still healthy, even my heart is doing fine..... Please don't worry about your health, you will waste time Courtney that you will never get back..... If you still have problems, see a psyhciatrist , honestly, they help, not an MD, they just haven't a clue ..... when it comes to this.
Good Luck, long and Happy Life pretty girl
Hi Jessica,
I am having the exact same systems currently that you described some time ago. Can you tell me if it got better and what you did that helped it go away?
Thank you,
Hi Jessica
I have only just seen ths post but have been suffering all of those same symptoms. I didn't think anyone else would hve that dropped heart sensation. Ihope you got through it ok?
I am 25, I had my first anxiety attack about 3 years ago. Both my parents have the same problem but they choose to treat it with cannabis. You name the symptom I've had it. Recently, I've been getting dizzy spells but they come and go throughout the day. I check my BP about once a week and that's fine. I don't agree with any of medications and their horrific side effects. I recently started a drug called "Hydroxyzine." It's alot like Valium but without the addictive properties. I take that and Valerian Root at night before bed. I also take boxing classes twice a week. This really helps with all of the symptoms I've been experiencing and promoting more restful sleep. A good diet is also key but I still love my sugar and caffeine in moderation. Supplements and excerise are a must for me.
Hi I’m just replying to you recent subject about the drop feeling in chest I’ve suffered from anxiety for many years and this is a new symptom of mine .its awful when you get this what does this actually feel like to you when it happens mine comes out of the blue.kind regards
Hi I have just seen your post regarding anxiety I suffered anxiety for a very long time and just got it really bad again due to loss of job do you ever get the drop feeling in chest that’s the only symptom what bothers me as it’s the worst symptom.kind regards