Scary heart symptoms

[yix]

So for the past week I've been getting these scary chest, upper back and shoulder/arm pains along with heart palpitations and occasionally clills and shortness of breath, I think I have angina, but my doctor did an ECG and that came back normal. My blood pressure is also normal. She told me I'm fine and that no further tests are needed. She said it's most likely just stress and anxiety causing these symptoms.

I'm terrified, because it doesn't feel like anxiety chest pain. And most articles online say that the chest pain happens only during panic attacks which I don't experience.

I trust my doctor but I can't help but worry something is actually wrong with my heart.

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[bin_tenn]

Yes, I experience this often. No, chest pain due to anxiety is absolutely *not* exclusive to panic attacks. Stress and anxiety create a lot of tension, which leads to chest pain. The muscles in/around the chest are very tense, pulling in all directions. On top of that, anxiety also often comes with hyperventilation, even if it's not the stereotypical "absolutely can't breathe" sensation, which also creates chest pain/tightness.

Please do trust your doctor and try to forget about it. Look up and practice some good deep breathing exercises. I can't count the number of times I've thought "wow, this shortness of breath and chest tightness feel nothing like anxiety", and then I do some good deep breathing and I feel great.

 

[yix]

Yes, I experience this often. No, chest pain due to anxiety is absolutely *not* exclusive to panic attacks. Stress and anxiety create a lot of tension, which leads to chest pain. The muscles in/around the chest are very tense, pulling in all directions. On top of that, anxiety also often comes with hyperventilation, even if it's not the stereotypical "absolutely can't breathe" sensation, which also creates chest pain/tightness.

Please do trust your doctor and try to forget about it. Look up and practice some good deep breathing exercises. I can't count the number of times I've thought "wow, this shortness of breath and chest tightness feel nothing like anxiety", and then I do some good deep breathing and I feel great.

Thank you so much for your reply
For me the pain lasts for hours though and it's not really tightness but more like dull pain and it spreads to the back and shoulders which worries me the most. I've had anxiety chest pain before and it was more like short sharp jabs that would go away quickly. This is not like that. I'm afraid the doctor might have missed something..

I fear it's angina and my veins are clogged. Especially since it's gotten better since taking aspirin. I'm overweight and have slightly high cholesterol. It fits. I am currently in the process of losing weight though and have lost 30 pounds so far. I went from 220 to 190 since last October.

Also, this morning I woke up to an anxiety attack, just that adrenaline feeling in the stomach and my heart rate was really high so that scared me. I'm gonna call the doctor again tomorrow probably, maybe get on some meds for my anxiety.

 

[bin_tenn]

Eh, it happens! Chest pain, like any other anxiety symptom, is not always consistent. It can and does change. Anxiety doesn't have a specific set or presentation of symptoms, they will vary depending on a number of factors.

By all means, if you feel something is genuinely wrong, don't hesitate to seek medical attention. I'm not here to persuade you otherwise. My point is simply that, although it may really feel wrong, that doesn't mean it is. Not at all.

For what it's worth, I've felt these same sensations many times. It can last minutes, hours, or even days. I'm not overweight, but I do have some wonkiness with cholesterol. It runs in the family, early heart disease does - LDL is elevated, HDL is low. I've also had an episode of afib before, but subsequent tests turned out fine.

I hope you find relief soon. Hang in there, and try not to stress it too much.

 

[yix]

Thank you so much, I'll try not to focus on it.