Long post desperate for some advice

[LouAnne 5]

My daily symptoms

Tight chest comes & goes 
Heart palps 
Tight throat comes & goes 
Quick spasm/ in chest & Lose breathe feeling & quick spasm in throat Happens many times a day. 
Pounding heart  
Tight throat 
Tight feeling in stomach & throat after eating 
Shock feelings in chest 
Feel like my heart thuds 
Emotional & angry 

  
All started with a pounding heart.. Tightness around stomach area. Feeling like I couldn't breathe I convinced myself something was wrong with my heart. Went to the ER they did a ecg sent me home said all was ok this was over a year ago now 
Started a tablet for anxiety cilipram & on night two got a shock feeling in chest & a rush. Went to the hospital they did blood pressure, oxygen levels were 100% blood pressure fine.. was told it was anxiety. Day 3 got a feeling of muscle spasm in chest several times, took third tablet & felt several spasms in throat & chest several one after the other tightness in throat felt like I couldn't breathe. Ambulance was called Was put on monitor & all normal.. I made them do another heart trace & all normal.. Still felt these spasms in throat near collar bone, rush of adrelin through body after they happened. This went on for weeks, saw doctor they said it was anxiety, saw my GP he did blood pressure listened to my heart all ok.. blood pressure ok... went back to the hospital they did another ECG & they said it was normal & I was experiencing stress to the body & anxiety. Stopped medication after 3 days, still experienced these feelings in chest & throat, saw GP again got bloods done all clear, listened to heart again. Since then been getting these feelings in chest & throat a quick spasm feeling & quick lose my breath feeling in throat this happens many times a day. Everytime it happens I get bad panic. Saw cardiologist in dec 2014 Had holter monitor, ecg & ultrasound all came back normal. About 5 months ago had another Ecg and was put on heart monitor for an hour, hospital sent me home again.  This has taken over my life & scares me to tears daily. All started end of October 2014.. When I try to fall asleep or relax I get a weird feeling like a rush in stomach & chest, I live in constant fear everyday & so emotional this has been going everyday/night for a year & a half now, including panic attacks, dizziness, headaches, mood swings, electrical zaps in chest, tight feeling in stomach, throat & diaphragm after eating too  I'm at my wits end with this I'm terrified of Meds so I can't take them either. Has anyone had any of these symptoms that last day & night I'm literally terrified of my own body day & night & im convinced I have heart issues. I've seen a phycologist he says I have GAD health anxiety general anxiety & panic attacks I'm just finding it hard to except that this is not some serious illness & im going insane 

 

 

[Gilly 1086]

Hi LouAnne

I'm so sorry to hear you are going through all this. Rest assured the doctors have checked you out and you ARE OK. Anxiety and panic can do a real number on you but I assure you, those symptoms are 100% stress/anxiety. I've been there, I've had those same symptoms. The digestive system can be badly affected, it can cause so much distress. You don't have to take medication, you can get better without it, I don't take them. You need to try and relax your mind and body the best way you can, right now you're a ball of anxious tension and that is causing these symptoms. Once you let go of the fear and accept anxiety is doing this, then the symptoms will subside, the fear something bad is wrong is feeding it all and keeping it going.

Eat small amounts but often, drink plenty of water, keep a diary of your symptoms and test results to reassure yourself < that one helped me a lot

 

[LouAnne 5]

Thank you so much for your reply. I will take your advice. It's so reassuring to know that someone else has felt this way before too, can I ask another did you get symptoms everyday though? Mine seem to be worse at night, but I can even get them when I'm out & my mind is occupied also that's the part I don't get even when my mind is busy I will get these symptoms. 

[Gilly 1086]

Yeah, every day and always worsens at night. The symptoms are real, just the root cause is anxiety. That's why you get them whilst occupied and busy. I hear what you are saying, some symptoms will go away when your mind is busy, but thats not the case with all of them. We become so hypersensitive, all it takes is a bit of indigestion, extra stress, hormonal adrenaline surge, all kinds of what seems to be normal body sensations, but it sets us off. It becomes a warped habit. Anxiety and stress cause production of excess stomach acid, and believe me that can cause a whole world of hurt. I read something a long time ago that now I can truly believe, one of the most common visits to the ER is a suspected heart attack that turned out to be bad indigestion or gastritis (inflamed tummy lining)

Relax your mind, relax and look after your tummy and you will start to feel a lot better

[LouAnne 5]

It's kind of got to the point where I'm expecting it to happen daily now & fear it happening I know this is the worst thing to do but the fear just won't ease off, as soon as I get all the scary chest symptoms, the zaps the palps, pounding heart, the spasm feelings in my throat I instantly go into panic mode now & im so jumpy & on edge all the time. I've read a few other posts on here that say try to except it for what it is just anxiety but my brain instantly thinks heart issues as soon as I feel anything, it's sort of like I've trained myself to think that way now. :/ it's all so frustrating & draining at times 

[Gilly 1086]

I know, it really is one of the hardest things to ever experience. It takes time to recover from a heightened state. You will get there, it does get easier after a while, just it's very hard to be patient when you feel so bad. There are things you can do to help it along. Try and get regular sleep, avoid fatty, spicy foods. Cut out caffeine, try chamomile tea before bed, or as much as you like really. Epsom salts are awesome, a natural source of magnesium and minerals that are great for the nervous system and relaxation. I have epsom salt baths 2-3 times a week (2 cups in a bath) Gentle exercise, is also one of the best things you can do. 

[LouAnne 5]

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to me Gilly you've been a great help.