Breast Pain Sets Off Panic

[Tanner40]

Doing okay this morning for my second day alone. My partner left yesterday for three weeks to go out of town to take care of her Mother. Of course this usually kicks off my anxiety, but I handled the last two weeks alone great. That was over a month ago.

My irrational thoughts gave me quite a little panic attack yesterday. I was at work and had three or four short, sharp pains in the left breast. Of course, I immediately thought heart attack. The pain would just last a couple of seconds and go away. Then it would come back a minute later for another few seconds. The minute I thought "heart attack", I had a warm feeling that spread from the top of my chest all the way up my throat and my breathing became shallow and quick.

It took me a bit but I managed to use CBT to control my irrational thoughts and calm myself down until I was able to rationally think that this is just a panic attack, caused by anxiety and my own faulty thinking.

Once I took an advil at home, the pain didn't happen again. This morning, it is the residual anticipatory anxiety that is the worst. It's as if I'm sitting here ever vigilant, alert to any twinge in my chest. Just waiting for it to happen again.

Atbthis rate, it's going to be a long two weeks and I really need to practice my breathing exercises and be talking back to my irrational thoughts. I know what to do here. I just have to do it. Thanks for listening to my morning rant.

[SarahH]

It's ok to moan :D...we all do it

sarah

[Fishmanpa]

The point is, you recognized what was happening and did something about it. that's light years ahead of where you were 6 months ago!

Positive thoughts

[Tanner40]

Thanks Sarah and Fishmanpa. I did recognize it and I am light years ahead of six months ago for sure. I still hate those little niggling thoughts of "what if". Ugh...

[Fishmanpa]

Regardless of anxiety or not, everyone has "what if" thoughts. It's how we deal with them that makes the difference. I never had "scanxiety" until recently and never had to deal with "what ifs" the way I have to now. I use many of the same tools you do.

I posted on another thread about what "normal" is. I believe its more about adapting to the "new normal". Normal is relative to the individual and it's still my opinion it changes as life changes.

You're doing well. Point is you know how to deal with the "what ifs" now ;)

Positive thoughts

[TelBoy]

Hi Tanner

I get *exactly* what you get... the pain in my chest, and then afterwards it feels like a warm pressure on my chest going up to my throat... DREADFUL isn't it:scared15: I have been the hospital in ambulances about 5 times with that thinking that I am on my way out, but after blood tests, chest Xrays, ECG heart monitors etc they say that I am fine!! which is good, but on the other hand what IS it that actually makes us feel like this?
But rest assure, you now know that you are NOT alone:scared15::)

[TooMuchToLiveFor]

Hey Tanner….good job working through everything! You are going to do great these next few weeks. Keep a battle plan and your arsenal ready to go….and stand tall knowing you rocked it last time your partner had to go out of town!

[Tanner40]

TelBoy, it's definitely not fun but it is purely anxiety related. CBT has helped me quite a bit. When these types of things happen now, I try my best to calm down and find the irrational thought process that is going on. Then I replace that irrational thought with a rational one. Writing it all down helps me to do this.
A great book has helped me also, Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway.

Give it a go.

---------- Post added at 21:17 ---------- Previous post was at 21:16 ----------

Too Much, I've missed hearing you say, you rocked it. Guess what? I have rocked it this time. Yeah me.