[Shining]

The stupidity of this is beyond anything I can comprehend.

First, I thought I was having stroke and went to ER 6 times.......finally had MRI with contrast and without contrast..........NOTHING. Those ridiculous symptoms went away.

Then, I just went to the ER 2 more times this past week because I swear to God, now I am having a heart attack. I have tachycardia going on every other day.....and my heart continually has palpatations. The first ER visit was on Thursday of last week - they said my EKG has changed and needed to stay overnight. Well, I couldn't because I had an appt. the next day that I had to go to. So, that visit scared me. Then yesterday, I went to ER again. Tachycardia, chest pains, arm pains, hand numb. They did EKG......dr. sat and talked with me because nothing comes up on EKG or in blood work. That is the 4th time I have been to that ER in 4 months. He put on my release paperwork - fast heart beat - anxiety problems.

Today, I have been having chest pains (stabbing heart pains), arm pain, hand goes numb - have been trying to tell myself WTF - this is nothing - do not go to ER.............but I just keep feeling like it is something. The heart palpations are not going away at all. They keep going on and on all day long. I am going nuts and feel like I need to go to the ER again.

My mind tells me - ok - if it is anxiety deal with it........then my other mind says OMG you are dying go to ER. This has become so pathetic the running to ER that I know the damn doctors works schedules..........I have never had this problem in my life.....this all started in June and then went away and began again in August.........I don't know WTH is going on..........

[wotchermuggle]

You should probably go to your family doctor and have a physical done or more extensive heart tests.

[Rainstorm1981]

I am so sorry you're going through this. I have been going through the same thing as you! Mine started in April. I went to the ER with intense chest pain, left arm and neck pain and shortness of breath. It felt like I was having painful spasms in my heart. They diagnosed me with costochondritis. My EKG and blood work were also normal except my heart rate. It was 160 there. My normal resting heart rate is about 115. They don't know why but don't seem too concerned. My chest and arm pain haven't went away and now I have pain between my shoulder blades. It is so scary to have to be worried about your heart non-stop. I have also visited my primary care doctor and he told me he's sure my heart is ok and doesn't know what my chest pain is from. So frustrating!!
Just wanted to let you know you're not alone. I hope the pain goes away for you!

[Shining]

I hope you feel better also Rainstorm. It is the scariest feeling in the world. I refrained from rushing to ER again. I would feel dumb anyway. I would have to drive to another state at this point after all the ER visits in the past 4 months. Hopefully we both feel better soon. After 8 EKG, CT scan, MRI, blood work and chest x-rays - if I kick over with a heart attack I am going to be pissed off at 3 hospitals.

[Disorder7]

Been there and done that so many times. All the tests come back normal. Even with health insurance, that little habit gets expensive quickly.

I've been told it's possible that sometimes I may be experiencing GERD or some form of acid reflux. But more than likely it's anxiety.

Numbness is a common symptom of anxiety. I read it's because when you're anxious blood rushes from other parts of your body to the heart as you prepare for "fight or flight".
But numbness can also happen if you have a herniated disc or something like that, too.

Basically, it sounds like pure panic to me. But you might have something, non-life threatening, going on.

[thickntired]

Have you checked that your meds don't interact? I just got over a huge bout of anxiety and mainly anger. I was taking blood pressure meds and spiking so high my Dr told me to just go to the nearest ER because I'm a stroke risk. Stress and other emotional or mental problems compromise our health to a huge degree.

[Shining]

Disorder7 - I think it is anxiety. I never had anxiety in my life but I have had so many tests and nothing comes up. It does get very expensive......I just want to go back to my normal self.

[Shining]

I don't take any meds. Literally this just came upon me. I really think it is stress. I have 2 masters and a PhD - I am a teacher. Every job that hires me rifts me before I can get tenured because I am too expensive. I got rift this last school year and now I couldn't find someone to hire me. School ended on June 12 - by June 20th, I was having chest pains - that is when all this goofiness started for me. It went away until Aug. 4th. Chest Pains again - ER visit. A few days later it was stroke like symptoms......6 more ER visits in 3 weeks there after. When I got the MRI of head - all the stroke symptoms went away when they said nothing is wrong with me. Went 1 week with nothing going on - feeling better.......suddenly this past week my heart started hurting again. I can't even imagine anything is wrong with it because I have had probably 7 ekg's, about 8 or 9 times of blood work, and also 3 heart xrays. The last Dr. I went to listened to me and he said it is probably stress. Now though - it's in my head that I am not having a stroke so it must be a heart attack......I almost went to ER again last night......I controlled myself though. I don't even have veins anymore that they can find because they have been abused so much in 3 weeks. When I went this past Sunday - the nurse blew 4 veins.......and then finally got one after digging........

Originally Posted by thickntired

Have you checked that your meds don't interact? I just got over a huge bout of anxiety and mainly anger. I was taking blood pressure meds and spiking so high my Dr told me to just go to the nearest ER because I'm a stroke risk. Stress and other emotional or mental problems compromise our health to a huge degree.

[Nobodyandnothing]

Wow. I am so sorry. Can you get a referral to a pdoc or therapist? The pdoc might be able to treat the anxiety, or the therapist may be able to share some calming techniques.

my insurance copayment whenever I go to the ER but I am not admitted to the hospital is $400. So I just can't go to the ER anymore.

[Shining]

I do have a pdoc. I got him 3 weeks ago when I started my 9 million ER trips. He thought I was having a stroke also - he made the symptoms worse by telling me that and then I ended up overnight in the Hospital. I was given a script for ativan by the ER doc. I took 1 and it put me into SVT and I ended up back at the hospital and they had to stop it - went on for almost 5 hours. Was in ER for 2 hours before they could get it to stop. I am embarrassed to go back to my pdoc. I probably need to find a new one.

Originally Posted by Nobodyandnothing

Wow. I am so sorry. Can you get a referral to a pdoc or therapist? The pdoc might be able to treat the anxiety, or the therapist may be able to share some calming techniques.

my insurance copayment whenever I go to the ER but I am not admitted to the hospital is $400. So I just can't go to the ER anymore.

[Disorder7]

Have you tried antacids when you're having chest pains? If they help, it will let you know the pain could be related to GERD or high stomach acid. That causes awful, stabbing chest pain. My pain would radiate to my jaw, so I went to the ER several times certain I was having a heart attack.

Also, gallbladder problems can cause pain in the middle of the chest, and can cause pain all the way into your back and shoulder pain.

If there is absolutely, nothing physically wrong with you, you might need to consider medication. I take 10 mg of Prozac and it pretty much prevents panic attacks.

[Shining]

Well, I was prescribed Allegra D and Zantac by the ER dr....along with the ativan. I did that for the first couple of days after that ER visit - but it wasn't making a difference so I stopped. Maybe I will try the zantac again without the Allegra D.

I am not very good with drugs. I get motion sickness very easily...the only thing I take on a daily basis is a daily vitamin and 2 81 mg aspirin (my pd told me to take it when he thought I was having a stroke - I am still taking it and I don't know why - but if I am having heart issues - guess taking the aspirin is still beneficial then).

The Ativan though sent me right back to the hospital. I felt like I was stoned too. I was trying to tell them I took Ativan and they kept asking me what drugs I took. They thought I took some serious drug that is how much the Ativan screwed me up.

Originally Posted by Disorder7

Have you tried antacids when you're having chest pains? If they help, it will let you know the pain could be related to GERD or high stomach acid. That causes awful, stabbing chest pain. My pain would radiate to my jaw, so I went to the ER several times certain I was having a heart attack.

Also, gallbladder problems can cause pain in the middle of the chest, and can cause pain all the way into your back and shoulder pain.

If there is absolutely, nothing physically wrong with you, you might need to consider medication. I take 10 mg of Prozac and it pretty much prevents panic attacks.

[Travelinglady]

I honestly think you would need to try those meds a bit longer (a week or more before giving up on them). Have you been to your regular doc lately to have a complete physical? I think that might rule out a lot of things and maybe help you to feel less anxious.

[Shining]

I did go to my personal doctor. He is the one who set me into near panic by telling me I was having TIA's and needed an MRI. I ended up in hospital a few days later and stayed the night for the MRI in the morning. The reason for the hospital visit was the Ativan. It gave me SVT - superventricular tachycardia. My BP was super high and my pulse was 240 or so. They took my BP and I was grabbed by the hand and brought into a room, about 8 ER staff were in there - I was naked in a second and I didn't take off one piece of clothing and hooked up to everything. It took the ER dr. 2 hours to calm my heart down - I almost had to get the shock to restart but since it was the Ativan doing it to me she waited and tried other stuff on me first...then it finally stopped. I lay in ER for another 2 hours because my heart never started to beat normally even after 2 IV to clear out the Ativan from my body. Then we discussed stroke stuff and was admitted for the MRI. That all came up negative though and the next day my heart was finally beating right and I went home.

At this point I am just really embarrassed for all the ER visits.

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

I honestly think you would need to try those meds a bit longer (a week or more before giving up on them). Have you been to your regular doc lately to have a complete physical? I think that might rule out a lot of things and maybe help you to feel less anxious.

[unjollyrodger]

I am sorry for your problems. I have been running to the ER now for over 6 years. I know what it is like. I know its just panic but my brain says, "what if it isnt panic this time". So i goto the er and sure enough it is nothing.

[thickntired]

I have always had a blood pressure monitor in my house.

[Disorder7]

I don't know how accurate it is, but I was told by one doctor that your blood pressure can be normal while you're having a heart attack. That scared the hell out of me, of course.

Then I read about "silent heart attacks" which scared me even more.

But like so many people here, I've had numerous EKGs, a heart sonogram, multiple blood tests to check for heart muscle damage.....it's all normal. I can relate to this thread very well. Lol

[Shining]

That is what happens to me unjollyrodger. My common sense says it is nothing.....my panicky mind says it's heart attack - go to ER. I am so embarassed by all the ER visits that the last time I went - I literally told them I feel like an a-hole. They were very kind and comforting - said it is better to be safe than sorry. They actually had 2 ER doctors working with me to figure out what the issue is. When I was getting ready to leave - the one ER dr. said you aren't crazy......and I said to the other one - what is going to happen is I really will be having a heart attack or stroke and probably end up dying at home because I will think I am just having anxiety. He told me no, if you do not feel like something is right and you feel uncomfortable with whatever is going on with your body - come back. He said it is not a problem. At least they didn't treat me as a head case and rush me out of there. They took time and talked to me and they really tried to figure out what was going on.

Originally Posted by unjollyrodger

I am sorry for your problems. I have been running to the ER now for over 6 years. I know what it is like. I know its just panic but my brain says, "what if it isnt panic this time". So i goto the er and sure enough it is nothing.

[Disorder7]

I called an ambulance once when I was sure I was about to perish. It looked enough like a heart attack to the paramedics that they were preparing nitroglycerin for me. But the EKG was reading normal, blood oxygen normal...when they learned I had a history of panic attacks they knew what it was. They still carried me to the ER on a stretcher, but it felt like their attitudes had changed. It was as if they felt like they should have been taking me to a psych ward instead.

[Shining]

Isn't it terrible. haha.

I had 2 doctors yell at me. One was the neurologist thinking I was drug seeking and one was and ER dr. who basically dismissed me. He said tell me your symptoms I said I have numbness around the .....he cut me off and said there is no such thing as numbness, tell me your symptoms again. I said my eyelid and side of my face is...ummm...numb. He screamed if you say numb again I am walking out of here...try again one more time. I said ok, I have pressure...blah blah blah. He said I can't help you here - this is a primary doctor problem not mine. Then he told me to smoke some weed and maybe the symptoms will go away. Their attitudes do change with some of the doctors when they think it is anxiety. Another ER doctor I told my face was numb...blah blah blah....he listened and actually cared.

I almost called an ambulance once also when I thought it was heart attack. But my common sense said how will you get home if you go in ambulance? haha so drove myself.

Crazy all of it.

Originally Posted by Disorder7

I called an ambulance once when I was sure I was about to perish. It looked enough like a heart attack to the paramedics that they were preparing nitroglycerin for me. But the EKG was reading normal, blood oxygen normal...when they learned I had a history of panic attacks they knew what it was. They still carried me to the ER on a stretcher, but it felt like their attitudes had changed. It was as if they felt like they should have been taking me to a psych ward instead.

[Disorder7]

That was mean! That doctor knew what you meant by numbness!!!!!! Sheesh.

They look at you oddly when they find out you have an anxiety disorder, but when I tell them I'm bipolar, some of them look nervous!
I swear, one nurse took two steps backwards like I might leap off the table and take flight. Lol.

Sometimes, you just have to laugh about it.

[Shining]

Oh, he knew what I meant - he was just being a jerk because before he even walked in there he was thinking anxiety. Screw him.

Well, as long as we get a good chuckle about some of this......all is good.

I am tempted to write a book about my experiences with this. I have only been having issues since June. I never had anything like this before that. So, my heart really goes out to those who have lived with it for a long time and who have other health issues on top of it all. It was terrifying for me for several weeks. I couldn't even swallow on several days. I thought my air was going to get cut off - then throw all those other symptoms I was getting on top of it all. Thankfully most of my symptoms have gone away now. I still am getting the tachycardia and feelings of heart attack - but the stroke symptoms, numbness, light headedness and stuff went away after I spent the night in the hospital. So, hopefully I am heading towards healing here.

Originally Posted by Disorder7

That was mean! That doctor knew what you meant by numbness!!!!!! Sheesh.

They look at you oddly when they find out you have an anxiety disorder, but when I tell them I'm bipolar, some of them look nervous!
I swear, one nurse took two steps backwards like I might leap off the table and take flight. Lol.

Sometimes, you just have to laugh about it.

[TheatreKid]

I have a lot of health anxiety and I worry that sometimes since both my pdoc and my GP know this, some day I'll have a health problem and they won't listen to me.

I was on lithium for a while and started to experience kidney problems. That's when my most recent health anxiety started. They took me off the lithium and sent me to a specialist. The tests came back abnormal for a while, and they gave me a copy of the very last time they did it, and a couple things were flagged but the nephrologist said there was no problem. Then, my endocrinologist discovered my blood pressure has been high for more than a year, so the nephrologist put me on blood pressure meds at age 30.

I have had the fast heart, light headedness, numb arm too, and it's always gone away. Anxiety I guess, but I'm always afraid for the one time it won't be.

While I was having the kidney problems I kept getting lithium toxic. I ended up at the ER twice for it, and the ER doc said I'd done the right thing bringing myself in, but my pdoc and GP think I overreacted. They won't investigate the fast heart/light headedness/numbness because they don't want to "overmedicalize" me.

In any case, my blood pressure at least returned to normal on the medication.

[Disorder7]

Shining, I've had the same swallowing problem before, too.
You said you were a teacher. I taught middle school for ten years. I'm sure that's what happened to my sanity. Lol. I can't teach anymore. I'm not old enough to retire, but I can't handle the stress.

TheatreKid, that's awful about the lithium. I've always been afraid of the side effects and too afraid to take it.
You're right, at least your blood pressure stabilized.

[Shining]

Theatrekid,

The last ER dr. I saw - I said I am going to die oneday at home because I won't come here because I am the boy who cried wolf now. He said no, if your body is uncomfortable with what is going on - come back. He basically said it is better to cry wolf then fall down dead. So, if you feel the need to go back - who cares what your other dr.'s say.

Originally Posted by TheatreKid

I have a lot of health anxiety and I worry that sometimes since both my pdoc and my GP know this, some day I'll have a health problem and they won't listen to me.

I was on lithium for a while and started to experience kidney problems. That's when my most recent health anxiety started. They took me off the lithium and sent me to a specialist. The tests came back abnormal for a while, and they gave me a copy of the very last time they did it, and a couple things were flagged but the nephrologist said there was no problem. Then, my endocrinologist discovered my blood pressure has been high for more than a year, so the nephrologist put me on blood pressure meds at age 30.

I have had the fast heart, light headedness, numb arm too, and it's always gone away. Anxiety I guess, but I'm always afraid for the one time it won't be.

While I was having the kidney problems I kept getting lithium toxic. I ended up at the ER twice for it, and the ER doc said I'd done the right thing bringing myself in, but my pdoc and GP think I overreacted. They won't investigate the fast heart/light headedness/numbness because they don't want to "overmedicalize" me.

In any case, my blood pressure at least returned to normal on the medication.