Heart Attack - vs- Panic Attacks (CONSTANT ATTACKS)

[muzikman3161]

July 2, 2007

I am a 45 year old who suffers from panic and anxiety attacks for the last several years. But these attacks have gotten worse and worse over the last several months due to my personal situation (unemployed, adopting a baby, lawsuit, selling my house). To say I am under pressure is an understatement.

I had not had a full blown panic attack since March but 3 weeks ago (June 10) I had the worse chest pain I had had in the last 20 years. The pain went from my outside left rid all the way into the middle of my chest. I couldn't breathe for a few seconds and the pain was VERY sharp. It stopped after several seconds but my heart was pounding.

Since that date the pains have been coming more and more frequently and closer together. Where as before they would happen every few months, now they seem to happen every day. This morning I had another bad one. While food shopping I got a sharp pain in my left chest that went again to the middle of my chest. Again, trouble breathing and the pain last for a few minutes. It is now 3 1/2 hours since that happened and there is still discomfort and pain in those same areas

Last week I went to St Francis Heart Hospital in Nassau County, NY (one of the best heart hospitals in the area). They gave me a battery of tests, echo, EKG, a stress test before and after my echo test, blood tests, chest x-rays, etc. ALL tests came back negative. They told me that the only other thing they could do is an angiogram to test for any blockage but this is risky. For the record, this is my second ECK in 2 weeks. I also had some test to determine blood flow in my caryatid arteries and heart - again, all negative.

As I said, I am 45 years old, my blood pressure is about 110/85, and my cholesterol level is 112. I do not have any history of heart trouble in my family (my dad left us when I was 1 year old so I have no idea about his history although I know he is still alive). I do not smoke cigarettes but do smoke one cigar per day when the weather is good. Never did drugs and drink about one glass of red wine per day.

My fear is that there is something very wrong with me and the doctors are missing it, even though I went to four hospitals and they all told me the same thing. I know panic attacks happen at anytime for no apparent reason. What concerns me is that they are now happening almost every day, the pain is getting worse and the pain seems to stay with me more than just a few minutes. It seems to last for hours at a time (like today).

Any advice, suggestions, contacts, etc. that you can provide would be VERY appreciative.

Thanks,
Ben
muzikman3161@yahoo.com

[Unregistered]

Drink a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of cayenne pepper whenever you feel one coming on.

[New MKE User]

About 10 month ago, I had a similar thing happen, where I was getting almost daily panic attacks that lasted for hours each time. i was 28 at the time... also very healthy, no risk factors, etc. I also went to the hospital several times and received the same kinds of tests as you did. All were negative.

For me-- what worked was going on Lexapro for 6 months. 10 mg a day for 2 months, then 5 mg a day for 2 months, then 2.5 mg a day (half a 5mg pill) for 1 month. I have been off of it for 4 months and (knock on wood) have not had any panic attacks since. Also- had no withdrawl symptoms, no issues with lexapro, no weight gain, no sexual side effects, nothing. I just mention that since on this site there are many people that will tell you that they had bad effects of other anti-anxiety or anti-depressents.
PS. I took Xanax for 1 week (before being put on lexapro) and that was horrible... literally was only taking half a pill each night and it would make me pass out for 10 hours... I could not function taking it, since I do not have time to sleep for 10 hours each day. In addition, I was foggy and half dazed even when awake. it is very, very strong (or at least it was for me). lexapro is an anti-depressent (that is used for anti-anxiety as well). I have never had depression, but this med worked better for me than Xanax which is an actual anti-anxiety.

[Dxd]

July 2, 2007

I am a 45 year old who suffers from panic and anxiety attacks for the last several years. But these attacks have gotten worse and worse over the last several months due to my personal situation (unemployed, adopting a baby, lawsuit, selling my house). To say I am under pressure is an understatement.

I had not had a full blown panic attack since March but 3 weeks ago (June 10) I had the worse chest pain I had had in the last 20 years. The pain went from my outside left rid all the way into the middle of my chest. I couldn't breathe for a few seconds and the pain was VERY sharp. It stopped after several seconds but my heart was pounding.

Since that date the pains have been coming more and more frequently and closer together. Where as before they would happen every few months, now they seem to happen every day. This morning I had another bad one. While food shopping I got a sharp pain in my left chest that went again to the middle of my chest. Again, trouble breathing and the pain last for a few minutes. It is now 3 1/2 hours since that happened and there is still discomfort and pain in those same areas

Last week I went to St Francis Heart Hospital in Nassau County, NY (one of the best heart hospitals in the area). They gave me a battery of tests, echo, EKG, a stress test before and after my echo test, blood tests, chest x-rays, etc. ALL tests came back negative. They told me that the only other thing they could do is an angiogram to test for any blockage but this is risky. For the record, this is my second ECK in 2 weeks. I also had some test to determine blood flow in my caryatid arteries and heart - again, all negative.

As I said, I am 45 years old, my blood pressure is about 110/85, and my cholesterol level is 112. I do not have any history of heart trouble in my family (my dad left us when I was 1 year old so I have no idea about his history although I know he is still alive). I do not smoke cigarettes but do smoke one cigar per day when the weather is good. Never did drugs and drink about one glass of red wine per day.

My fear is that there is something very wrong with me and the doctors are missing it, even though I went to four hospitals and they all told me the same thing. I know panic attacks happen at anytime for no apparent reason. What concerns me is that they are now happening almost every day, the pain is getting worse and the pain seems to stay with me more than just a few minutes. It seems to last for hours at a time (like today).

My suggestion is to find out what your family's history is. Then start digging in that direction.

It may be anxiety, but it may be something else which the stress has brought on. I would especially look into autoimmune disorders because they're brought on by stressors.

I have similar chest pain and had it for years. I was diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks. That's been used as a "catch-all" when they can't find anything else wrong with you.

What it turned out to be was hypothyroidism. My type is an autoimmune disease. Here I was suffering needlessly for 30 plus years. There is also hyperthyroidism and it can cause chest pain too. It's autoimmune too.

Don't take a simple excuse if you feel this is something more serious. You know your body better than your doctors do.

And when you do get diagnosed, don't rely on your doctors to know what's happening. They don't always get it. They almost killed me with under treatment and I'm not out of the woods yet.

[Eatafruit78]

Get treated with NAET
Read a bit about the real diseases: Central Nervous System Dysfunction

http://www.healthy.net/scr/Article.asp?Id=982&xcntr=1

[darla88]

July 2, 2007

I am a 45 year old who suffers from panic and anxiety attacks for the last several years. But these attacks have gotten worse and worse over the last several months due to my personal situation (unemployed, adopting a baby, lawsuit, selling my house). To say I am under pressure is an understatement.

I had not had a full blown panic attack since March but 3 weeks ago (June 10) I had the worse chest pain I had had in the last 20 years. The pain went from my outside left rid all the way into the middle of my chest. I couldn't breathe for a few seconds and the pain was VERY sharp. It stopped after several seconds but my heart was pounding.

Since that date the pains have been coming more and more frequently and closer together. Where as before they would happen every few months, now they seem to happen every day. This morning I had another bad one. While food shopping I got a sharp pain in my left chest that went again to the middle of my chest. Again, trouble breathing and the pain last for a few minutes. It is now 3 1/2 hours since that happened and there is still discomfort and pain in those same areas

Last week I went to St Francis Heart Hospital in Nassau County, NY (one of the best heart hospitals in the area). They gave me a battery of tests, echo, EKG, a stress test before and after my echo test, blood tests, chest x-rays, etc. ALL tests came back negative. They told me that the only other thing they could do is an angiogram to test for any blockage but this is risky. For the record, this is my second ECK in 2 weeks. I also had some test to determine blood flow in my caryatid arteries and heart - again, all negative.

As I said, I am 45 years old, my blood pressure is about 110/85, and my cholesterol level is 112. I do not have any history of heart trouble in my family (my dad left us when I was 1 year old so I have no idea about his history although I know he is still alive). I do not smoke cigarettes but do smoke one cigar per day when the weather is good. Never did drugs and drink about one glass of red wine per day.

My fear is that there is something very wrong with me and the doctors are missing it, even though I went to four hospitals and they all told me the same thing. I know panic attacks happen at anytime for no apparent reason. What concerns me is that they are now happening almost every day, the pain is getting worse and the pain seems to stay with me more than just a few minutes. It seems to last for hours at a time (like today).

Any advice, suggestions, contacts, etc. that you can provide would be VERY appreciative.

Thanks,
Ben
muzikman3161@yahoo.com

I also have suffered with panic disorder like you have. I can tell you the more you concentrate on dying and heart attacks the more you will suffer with panic and the symptoms that go with panic. You have had multiple tests done on your heart and they have come up negative. I would definately address the stress you are having in your life because that seems to be your trigger. I only say this because I did the same thing you did and it left my life paralized. I couldn't work, sleep, or enjoy anything. At my worst point in my life, I was so convinced the doctors were misdiagnosing my symptoms, I literally parked my car out in the emergency room parking lot so if I were to have a heart attack someone would find me. I finally looked at what I had become and what fear had reduced me to and I said this is enough. If I am going to die, my last days on earth will not be in a parking lot. I started to pray for help. I asked God to take my fears and hold them for me because I was losing my mind. At that moment when I finally trusted someone, the panic stopped. I went for seven years with no panic at all. I will tell you that panic will follow you the rest of your life but it is managable. Find out what your fears are and meet them face to face.

[Unregistered]

See about getting on anti-anxiety medication. If it doesn't help ask if you can rule out panic attacks.

[Unregistered]

Don't do this.

This can cause tremendous heart burn is some people. Which in turn can make it much harder to determine if another illness is going on, and what is causing the original pain you took the cayenne for.

It is best to not treat chest pain with a home remedy like this; at least until you get all the possible causes of chest pain ruled out.

Read the pages on the website about self diagnosis and self treating. Unless you can see the patient yourself in person; it is best not to prescribe a home remedy to that person.

Drink a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of cayenne pepper whenever you feel one coming on.

[Unregistered]

Please read this link (both of you):

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/diagnosis/self.htm

Home remedies like Cayenne Pepper for severe chest pain ("worst ever" Kind of chest pain) that is getting worse over time are a bad idea.

It is a safer thing to get checked out fully by doctors when you have severe chest pain, then to follow an idea like this that you are given over the internet.

Such advice like taking CP for severe chest pain; like the link says above to do can lead to disasterous consequences. Even death.

Don't follow the advice that other person gave you (below). You could end up sicker.

Drink a cup of hot water with a teaspoon of cayenne pepper whenever you feel one coming on.

[davbrow4]

hey
my names dave and im olny 14 but have been having panic attacks for about 6 months maybe. they started off really bad but im doing much better, i havent had a panic attack until today, about 15 mins ago actually,
before i used to worry about my symtoms so much. I still do but not so much, I still think theres something wrong with me. I have dissy spells were i cant focus, then i panic again.
The thing that really annoys me is i love mountain biking so much, i ride most days. i feel out of breath sometimes but i no thats normal! Its just the problem is; i find it really hard to walk up stairs, i no that sounds strange but i walk up 2 flight of steps and my heart is pounding my legs are tingling and im out of breath (usally starting to panic beacause of my symtoms too) 20 seconds later i'll be feeling fine again. I just dont understand i i can ride all day without feeling anything like that but one flight of stairs leaves me puffing and panting!
i was just wondering has anyone felt the same sorts of things?
(sorry this is so long by the way)
also sometimes i get a pressing feeling inmy chest it literally feels like someones poking a finger at my chest, ive never hear of anyone describe the symtom before at its the main reason i have panic attacks, if i have this feeling in my chest my body sort of jumps and i panic. the proding sort of feeling lasts between half a second to 20 seconds it feels like (this is probly more like 10 seconds but seems like forever). I get this symtom anywhere anytime, its usally when im worryied or anxious though, but it doesnt have to be.
has any one experianced the same sorts of things as me, it would be nice to hear im not alone,
Thanks alot