Annoying Sensation

[neil1975]

Hi Everyone,

Most of my anxiety is related to my heart and chest. I have had various checks. Been the A & E and to see a cardiologist and they have ruled out any heart problem. The only thing they could find was inflammation of the cartlidge in between my ribs, a condition called costochondritis and possible Tachycardia.

One of the most annoying symptoms I get which is difficult to explain and it often happens when I am in bed about to nod off is I feel like I have stopped breathing or am being smothered. I don't get any pain in my chest as such but have what I can only describe as an empty feeling.
It makes me jolt up sometimes. Sometimes it even has me make a panic striken moan because it has me that frightened. It's a strange sensation, it feels like 'impending doom'. Occasionaly if I am out walking I get it too and I have to steady myself before continuing.

Does anybody else get this?

Thanks

Neil

[peter34uk]

I think ur fine mate.

You wouldnt be Neil from koptalk would you?

[neil1975]

Hi Peter,

No mate that's not me. Are you from Liverpool yourself?

Neil

[peter34uk]

nah ipswich mate.

Im too suffering with health anxiety related to my chest. COnstant adrenaline, palpitations & constantly checking my pulse rate!! :(

Whats specific about urs matey???

[richard sharp]

hi guys
i have the same problems and am on a cocktale of meds to help. mine started with blood pressure. i take 7 different tablets a day and i also keep checking my pulse to see if its quickened or sometimes when it seems to miss a beat. it all started when my eldest son went in to work on a saturday 10 years ago to make me a bookcase. the machine he was using kicked back and he lost half his hand.
the doc says its something to do with the electrical impulses in my heart and its nothing to worry about. hes says its a bit like a car thats done 60000 miles, its been used but its good for many more.

[jill]

Hi Neil,

Ohh how do I explain this, I'm terrible at explaining things LOL

My daughter suffered pa,s anxiety from a very early age (3 years) she explained to me this type of feeling on many occations. I NEVER new what she ment, just tried hard to comfort her.

Many, many, years later. I suffered pa's, high anxiety, hence, me joining this great site, we are both doing well.

Now, back to trying to explain, when you suffer anxiety, you have alot of levels, 10 being full blown panic, 0 being normal, and all the rest in between are high or lower levels of anxiety. I do believe now, that when my daughter suffered with this type of symptom, she was noticing every little thing going on with her body, sooo when she was trying to sleep, she noticted the way her mind shut her body down, getting it ready for sleep. The mind has a certain way it shuts your body down, ready for sleep.

What YOU are noticing is, the shutting down mode, we all do it evertime we go to sleep, but when you have anxiety, you notice it, do you know what I mean.

**about to nod off is I feel like I have stopped breathing or am being smothered**

the feeling of you stopping breathing is, your breathing slows down when we sleep, Your noticing this, so you think, ohhh sh*t, I may stop breathing, your mind is full of anxiety AND anxiety needs are fear to survive, so are fear fuel this and makes us feel worse.

the feeling of being smothered, is the fact that your breathing is slowing down and all your body is relaxing. You have never noticed in the passed but at the mo, because of your anxiety, your mind will think all negative and come up with the most negative thing it can think of.

The feeling of 'impending doom' this can be with panic, or a high level of anxiety.

The fact that you have had it while out walking sounds to me, like your having a high anxiety attack, getting the feeling you can't breath, this is the time to use the breathing Technique, there are lots of info and threads on this.

In the past I had the jolt up symptom, again for me, this was me being high on anxiety and noticing my body getting ready for sleep.

Not sure if any of this makes any sense to you LOL but knowing your not alone helps, I know its dame hard for you right now, but please try to reasure yourself with positive self talk, tell yourself its Mrs anxiety playing with you.

I know that for my daughter is was DEFO an anxiety symptom, she has not had this in a long time.

You take care

LOVE JILLXX

[neil1975]

Hi Jill,

Thanks for the information it does help and makes sense. I think the fact that I am more or less constantly looking introvertly to myself has made me more sensatised to any little thing happening to my body. It's that fear of fear chestnut.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Richard,

Sorry to hear about your son. I can certainly appreciate why that would make you suffer anxiety. The skipped beats and palpataions seems to be normal in healthy individuals from what i've read providing your heart is structualy sound and often go unnoticed by most people. Unfortunately we who are anxious about our hearts seem to listen in to every beat and worry about every twinge. Wish I could just eliminate the fear.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Peter,

My anxiety is almost totally focussed around the heart/ lungs. I get heightened awareness of my heartbeat when I am resting. It seems to be a regular beat. Sometimes a soreness or pressure over my heart which could be my chest wall and occasional breathlessness or more accurately a feeling of not being able to get a full lung of air. I have mild asthma too and as I mentioned before I have got inflammation of the chest wall cartlidge which doesn't seem to want to clear up and my sternum cracks when I stretch my chest. These certainley don't help. Did you have a look in to going on Beta Blockers by the way?

Take Care All,

Neil