Hey, everyone! I hope this helps...

raperm said:

So I really started reading about anxiety last year. Kept having frankly scary symptoms I didn’t understand.

It started with an odd chest pain, tingling in my fingers, feeling agitated and “amped up”, nauseous, and fatigued all at once. I went to the doctor. Had an EKG because I was afraid it was my heart. See, the chest pain was what was first and it worries me. It didn’t get worse if I exercised...in fact it got better.

I had a stress test and passed with flying colors. But you know how it goes; you worry they missed something, or are just wrong.

So it continues, always starting with that pain. And that makes me anxious. I’ll even wake up with it, heart racing, sweating, nervous, afraid, vaguely sick, etc.

My doc says I have costochindritis and that’s where the pain comes from. Fair enough. But like always, when it comes on I worry the doc is wrong and that this time it’s my heart. And it’s always worse when I travel or so far from potential help, you know? Like when I fly, if I have it I think “oh yeah, heart attack on a plane. Great.”

Is any of this sounding familiar? Does anxiety about an anxiety symptom cause anxiety attacks?

Thanks for letting me join! I don’t have anyone else to talk to about this.

Click to expand...

Hiya Raperm, and a very warm welcome here to our friendly community. I had to look up 'costochondritis' because I had never heard of it before. It sounds quite painful and I wonder if a dose of Naproxen might help to bring down the swelling.

So if exercising makes it feel better then try to do some every day which may just keep the swelling down. Yes, having anxiety about anxiety symptoms can cause attacks. It is a vicious circle really.

Never, ever worry about harassing your doctor. That is what they are there for. If you don't want to keep visiting him, you can always telephone and tell the receptionist what you are feeling. I know they are not doctors, but they do have a little know-how and would be able to tell you if you should go in for an appointment.

When you find an anxiety attack coming on, take a deep breath and hold it in. When we get anxious, we breath shallow and so our heart has to pump faster to get air around our body. The fastest way to help it ease is to take a deep breath and hold it in. Then let it out slowly. This won't stop the attack from happening but it will ease it quickly.

You can also ask your doctor for some safe travel meds when you are going to fly. You won't have a heart attack so I do hope you continue to travel.

Let us know how you get on.