Chest Pain - Heart Attack Scare at 25

Hello everyone.

I guess I'm posting this as a way to put my mind at ease as well as get opinions or even see if anyone has had similar issues.

For the past month or so, I have been having slight chest pain on my right side. It's not constant. It's like a sharp pain that'll last for a few seconds and sometimes 30 minutes apart and sometimes it's back to back.

I noticed I don't feel it when I first wake up or any time during the night. And as far as I've noticed so far, I don't feel it when I'm exerting any kind of energy like walking quickly or when I go to the gym (which wasn't often until last week).

On a Friday, I was within the last 30 minutes of work and my left arm went completely numb and I freaked out a bit and since it was after 8, I drove myself to the hospital because I'm top of the pain, the arm going numb scared me.

After waiting over 2 hours in the ER with my arm numb and shaking and my heart hurting every few seconds, they finally took me back and did and EKG, a chest X-ray, and a blood test (I can't remember what it was called but it was to test for blood clots).

All of the tests they did came back perfectly fine. The doctor said the only thing that was off was my heart rate was a little high, but I was having an anxiety attack when they took it. He said he thinks it's just my anxiety (I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder about 5 years ago).

So I went home and felt a little better, but the thing that still scares me is in the 5 years I've been on and off of anxiety medications, I've never had chest pain. At this point in time, I'm out of school and all I'm doing is working. I'm quite worried about finances, but not to the point where I can feel my anxiety heightened. But I'm still feeling chest pain.

My sister comforted me a bit by saying she's done the same thing before and even gone to the ER twice because of the same exact thing, but she fortunately isn't diabetic like I am. And I mentioned being diabetic to the doctor as well. Blood sugar was fine, kidneys are great, cholesterol is fine.

The more I feel the pain, the more I worry, and of course if it is anxiety, the more I worry, the more I'll feel the pain.

I really don't know what to think.

Is the pain truly your right side?

Because your heart is more on the left.

Anxiety can cause chest pain. My husband has been in the ER a few times in the past for anxiety that he thought was a heart attack. With medication he is perfectly fine and no longer has those issues.

Sorry, I meant left side. If it were my right I wouldn't worry about it as much.

It definitely feels like a heart pain.

Do you drink energy drinks or coffee? Red Bull, Monster, etc?

No, I don't drink any energy drinks and I rarely drink coffee.

You're okay. The doctors did the right thing in giving you blood work and and EKG. If there was any underlying conditions, or serious concerns with your heart, they would have found it.

Don't dismiss the blood work and EKG as nothing, it is actually too very important tests in being able to find any kind of serious conditions that might later on give you issues.

You are okay.

You are 25, that is a good thing. You have a young and strong heart.

What you are describing is anxiety and it's extremely common. Anxiety can give symptoms that can make you worry, but it's worry and nothing serious.

You cannot have a heart attack from an anxiety attack. It doesn't work that way. In order to have a heart issue like that, you would have to first have an underlying heart condition or disease. The way they would find out if you had any underlying heart condition or disease is if they do blood work and EKG.

You had both and you are fine.

Anxiety can raise your heart rate but it is not dangerous. Your heart is strong and at 25 is very healthy. You've got no worries.

Anxiety can feel scary at times but it won't hurt you, okay?

The things that will help lessen anxiety is staying away from caffeine, getting enough sleep, staying away from alcohol or drugs, eating right, getting proper exercise and just generally taking care of yourself.

You can also see a therapist to help teach you ways to cope better and relaxation techniques. Sometimes even talking to a therapist once a week and getting all your worries out can help.

And lastly, medication can also help if you feel you need a bit more help. Many take antidepressants for anxiety issues and find that it lowers the anxiety quite a bit.

Try not to worry. You're young and healthy by the sounds of it.

Absolutely bloodwork and EKG are very important tests. When I was having severe severe pain in my jaw which they didn't know was Neuralgia at the time they did bloodwork to determine if I was having a heart attack or had a heart attack.

After waiting over 2 hours in the ER with my arm numb and shaking and my heart hurting every few seconds, they finally took me back and did and EKG, a chest X-ray, and a blood test (I can't remember what it was called but it was to test for blood clots).

 

All of the tests they did came back perfectly fine. The doctor said the only thing that was off was my heart rate was a little high, but I was having an anxiety attack when they took it. He said he thinks it's just my anxiety (I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder about 5 years ago)..

I would trust what the doctors said. They did all the appropriate tests. All came out clear. It does sound like anxiety and I have heard that anxiety can indeed cause chest pain. You've had tests done. All negative. You're okay.

Follow up with your GP!

ER is to confirm that you are safe in that moment, ie you're not having a heart attack and good to go home. It might be anxiety, or might be something else. Make an appointment with your GP, they can review the blood work they did and may want to send you for more tests. It's their job to follow up, figure out what's going on and helping you find a solution.

Yes, it's always good to do a follow up with your GP to make doubly sure. But if your GP again tells you he thinks you are fine, then trust in that.

You can also bring up the topic of possibly starting an antidepressant if you feel comfortable doing so.

Hello everyone.

 

I guess I'm posting this as a way to put my mind at ease as well as get opinions or even see if anyone has had similar issues.

 

For the past month or so, I have been having slight chest pain on my right side. It's not constant. It's like a sharp pain that'll last for a few seconds and sometimes 30 minutes apart and sometimes it's back to back.

 

I noticed I don't feel it when I first wake up or any time during the night. And as far as I've noticed so far, I don't feel it when I'm exerting any kind of energy like walking quickly or when I go to the gym (which wasn't often until last week).

 

On a Friday, I was within the last 30 minutes of work and my left arm went completely numb and I freaked out a bit and since it was after 8, I drove myself to the hospital because I'm top of the pain, the arm going numb scared me.

 

After waiting over 2 hours in the ER with my arm numb and shaking and my heart hurting every few seconds, they finally took me back and did and EKG, a chest X-ray, and a blood test (I can't remember what it was called but it was to test for blood clots).

 

All of the tests they did came back perfectly fine. The doctor said the only thing that was off was my heart rate was a little high, but I was having an anxiety attack when they took it. He said he thinks it's just my anxiety (I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder about 5 years ago).

 

So I went home and felt a little better, but the thing that still scares me is in the 5 years I've been on and off of anxiety medications, I've never had chest pain. At this point in time, I'm out of school and all I'm doing is working. I'm quite worried about finances, but not to the point where I can feel my anxiety heightened. But I'm still feeling chest pain.

 

My sister comforted me a bit by saying she's done the same thing before and even gone to the ER twice because of the same exact thing, but she fortunately isn't diabetic like I am. And I mentioned being diabetic to the doctor as well. Blood sugar was fine, kidneys are great, cholesterol is fine.

 

The more I feel the pain, the more I worry, and of course if it is anxiety, the more I worry, the more I'll feel the pain.

 

I really don't know what to think.

What medicines are you taking for your diabetes? What you are describing sounds like a side effect of Metformin.

"...but not to the point where I can feel my anxiety heightened."

That's what you think consciously. I stood up in front of my middle-school science class once to read a report, and I had to sit down or I would've fallen over—deep down in my mind I guess I panicked. But I wasn't consciously nervous. I knew everyone in class, and I really didn't care what they thought about me and all that. Subconsciously perhaps it was the opposite. Anxiety can change in time, and I think that's what you're dealing with now. I'd personally do everythign I could to get into a psychiatrist's office.

You may not feel the anxiety emotionally, but your body is responding to it. Consider practicing a technique called 'square breathing'. You can look it up. It's smart to learn and practice it while you're NOT in pain, because then you can use it to slow your heart rate whenever you need to.

Breathe in to the count of 4

Hold to the count of 4

Breathe out to the count of 4

Hold to the count of 4

Focus on the breathing and see how long you can extend each count. The slower you can do this 'square' and longer you can extend the time you do it, the lower your heart rate will become.

Most people suffer from anxiety, but there is a lot of ways to avoid this..