chest discomfort

[prismpower]

Hello I don't know if anybody remembers me but I posted here a few months ago about having bronchitis really bad and the anxiety it caused me.

Well... its Aug 4 and my chest is STILL uncomfortable, almost constantly. It's hell and I hate it. I don't really want to go to the dr.'s again so I've been avoiding it and I can't really afford the tests anyway.

I do not cough up mucus or anything. I don't even cough all that often, just normally when I do. I will clear my throat a lot and my chest feels like... inflammed and just weird. It's not a pain usually, just a weird discomfort. Drs said before that its acid reflux/GERD. I have been doing everything I can think of to control it. I take my medications, I eat pretty healthy, I try to exercise (maybe not as much as I should.... it seems to feel the best after a good hard workout) And I'm losing even more weight. I have come so far, I should feel good but instead... I'm miserable. Ironically, I was happier when I was 50 pounds heavier and much more out of shape lol.

The flu I got really bad nine months ago seems to have permanently damaged my chest in a way. Sometimes I get extra paranoid and think that I have some type of chest cancer... and I read somewhere even benign tumors can cause problems if they are large enough. And so I think its that but I don't really know yet. It doesn't even feel like heartburn most of the time, just.... a strange discomfort. It's so weird and ****** up. I hate the way it makes me feel. I try not to focus on it....I already got a tube stuck down there once and they said I was fine, just inflammation that can be managed by better lifestyle choices and pepcid AC. So I take that sometimes. And it's always worse at night and in the morning.

also ... it comes and goes in stages. It feels weird and ****** up sometimes like something is blocked in there or something (like tons of inflammation or something)... and then it will somehow magically pass away and I can feel myself breathing again. Then I start calming down and I feel better. And then I'm happier for a short while until it comes back. Its also like my esophagus will pinch and tense up too tightly. It feels almost like a problem with the esophagus or bronchial tubes still and not really heart. I doubt its my heart, I've had lots of EKGs and they always turn out fine and my blood pressure is always in a healthy range, just a little high sometimes from being nervous around ppl but they know that.

anyway the anxiety and doom and gloom is way worse than anything else, even if I had stage IV cancer I would just be forced to deal with it. Anyway, thanks so much for listening! I feel broken, but not dead yet.

 

[Cameron12345]

We’re all broken believe me lol. Anyways thinking about it can cause the symptoms to be worse. Telling you to not think about it is like telling an animal to talk it’s not gonna happen lol. I recommend engaging in activities that occupy you mind so you don’t think too much about it. If it is inflammation from acid reflux I would recommend Prilosec it’s great. I would also recommend eating more creamy foods. Stay away from spice, that will cause a lot of problems if you have acid reflux. Also eat slow, don’t eat fast that will upset your stomach. They also say the stomach is the second brain so if you’re stomach is irritated you are most likely going to be anxious. Anytime I eat something that doesn’t set well I will have an anxiety attack.

 

[prismpower]

@Cameron12345

Thank you for the reply. I already do take Prilosec every day. I was fine most of the day but in the evening it started again and hasn't gone away since and it's now 4 AM. I am miserable. I took a pepcid AC at night as well.

I never heard the creamy thing before I'll have to try it. I did not have the healthiest dinner.... so I am thinking that's it but often it's there even if I eat really healthy. I go to the dr again on Monday.... I will see what he says.

I am a fast eater. It's a bad habit. I will try to force myself to slow down.

 

[TDS74]

Hello I don't know if anybody remembers me but I posted here a few months ago about having bronchitis really bad and the anxiety it caused me.

Well... its Aug 4 and my chest is STILL uncomfortable, almost constantly. It's hell and I hate it. I don't really want to go to the dr.'s again so I've been avoiding it and I can't really afford the tests anyway.

I do not cough up mucus or anything. I don't even cough all that often, just normally when I do. I will clear my throat a lot and my chest feels like... inflammed and just weird. It's not a pain usually, just a weird discomfort. Drs said before that its acid reflux/GERD. I have been doing everything I can think of to control it. I take my medications, I eat pretty healthy, I try to exercise (maybe not as much as I should.... it seems to feel the best after a good hard workout) And I'm losing even more weight. I have come so far, I should feel good but instead... I'm miserable. Ironically, I was happier when I was 50 pounds heavier and much more out of shape lol.

The flu I got really bad nine months ago seems to have permanently damaged my chest in a way. Sometimes I get extra paranoid and think that I have some type of chest cancer... and I read somewhere even benign tumors can cause problems if they are large enough. And so I think its that but I don't really know yet. It doesn't even feel like heartburn most of the time, just.... a strange discomfort. It's so weird and ****** up. I hate the way it makes me feel. I try not to focus on it....I already got a tube stuck down there once and they said I was fine, just inflammation that can be managed by better lifestyle choices and pepcid AC. So I take that sometimes. And it's always worse at night and in the morning.

also ... it comes and goes in stages. It feels weird and ****** up sometimes like something is blocked in there or something (like tons of inflammation or something)... and then it will somehow magically pass away and I can feel myself breathing again. Then I start calming down and I feel better. And then I'm happier for a short while until it comes back. Its also like my esophagus will pinch and tense up too tightly. It feels almost like a problem with the esophagus or bronchial tubes still and not really heart. I doubt its my heart, I've had lots of EKGs and they always turn out fine and my blood pressure is always in a healthy range, just a little high sometimes from being nervous around ppl but they know that.

anyway the anxiety and doom and gloom is way worse than anything else, even if I had stage IV cancer I would just be forced to deal with it. Anyway, thanks so much for listening! I feel broken, but not dead yet.

I'm so sorry you're feeling this way! If you can try to get a follow up appointment soon, it really does sound like your anxiety is getting the best of you!! Hope you feel better soon. I'm in that room and gloom state myself. It's very hard , I know!!

@Cameron12345

Thank you for the reply. I already do take Prilosec every day. I was fine most of the day but in the evening it started again and hasn't gone away since and it's now 4 AM. I am miserable. I took a pepcid AC at night as well.

I never heard the creamy thing before I'll have to try it. I did not have the healthiest dinner.... so I am thinking that's it but often it's there even if I eat really healthy. I go to the dr again on Monday.... I will see what he says.

I am a fast eater. It's a bad habit. I will try to force myself to slow down.

Let us know how you make out at the Doc's!

 

[prismpower]

Thank you for the support and kindness @TDS74

Well the dr ordered a chest x-ray which I took the next day. I was a little annoyed the facility I went to didn't take x-rays so I could just get it done right there but still... I got the x-ray and yay, everything turned out fine!

If I want to bother with it, I can also get another scope test thing down my chest but I got that done before two years ago and they didn't find anything then and I doubt they will now... if it keeps going on I might but I'd rather save the money. We will see.

But now I think it might just be anxiety (I don't like that word 'just' because as you all know- anxiety is HORRID.)

I practiced deep breathing exercises in the car today. It took awhile but eventually I noticed my chest got better.

When I am anxious, something physically feels like its there deep inside, like this red inflammed irritation. When I feel better its there a lot less.. so I think it might be stress related? Medical drs. never really have been able to find a problem. However I am so sensitive to it. The sensation is WEIRD and just hard to explain... and frightens me. But I am gaining control over it. Deep breaths really help. Its been going on for so long I think my brain might have convinced my body something is there when it's not. =/

I am under a lot of psychological stress, but when most ppl look at me- they think i have a good life, even an easy one. That just isn't true- I feel tormented and emotionally in hell for many hours a day. Just thinking of these horrible and depressingly serious things. I try to distract myself with lighthearted tv shows and comedy clips and things like that but sometimes, nothing works and I just drive myself in a bit of a tizzy. I need a lot of reassurance from others that I am okay, that I am not dying. Well I wish I wasnt so insecure but if I work at it my confidence should improve over time.

Thank you for listening.