Give me your opinion on this matter?Its weird and it has bothered me for 3 years.I fgure it cant be heart?
About three years ago I started waking up in middle of night and trying to catch my breath.I started having chest pains below my breast bone and around my heart.I went to doctor and he did gastrology test.Nothing.It continued around times that were stressful like arguing with co workers or other things.I went to hospital two times.They checked my xray and gall bladder nothing.Last year they checked my heart with stress test and the dye exam.Nothing!!!Well im relieved it isnt my heart but I cant figure it out.I have been on everything from nexium to prilosec.I just started taking blood pressure pills because it has gone up since this started.My symptoms include sweaty hands,heavy feeling around breast bone and chest, pain in lower back, light headed……could this be a panic attack.Ive seen 3 doctors so far and nothing.
March 12th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Panic attacks often mimic heart attacks. That's why they can be so darn scary. But it's better to go to the hospital just to be sure. They would rather see you there with a panic attack than to have you second-guess and be wrong. Are you male or female? Often doctors don't take female symptoms as seriously because they think only men get heart disease. If you wake up in the middle of the night trying to catch your breath, you may have sleep apnea. That's when you stop breathing for several seconds and up to a minute. This can cause heart problems. So talk to your doctor about testing at a sleep clinic. (Do you snore?? That often accompanies sleep apnea.) I know it's frustrating to go to the doctor so often and to find nothing wrong. To learn more about panic attacks, go to the link below. You can also do a search on sleep apnea. If you think it could be panic attacks, there are medications you can take to control them… the SSRI class of medications. Talk to your doctor, or better, to a psychiatrist. That's a medical doctor with special training in emotional issues. They can diagnose conditions and prescribe appropriate medications. Good luck. You will be fine.
March 12th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Sleep apnea
March 12th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Could be anxiety attacks. Do you have sleep apnea? Have you been checked for that?
March 12th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
dont drink caffeine or eat sugar before bed.
March 12th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
see a psycatric ,it may be cardic nerosis.that is your inner mind gives you the stmptomes of heart attack or angina.i had the same thing after a wrong diagnosis by an ignorant doctor.i was cured this way.my psycatric told me:listen you are dying several times every day.run when you get the next pain,if you are really sick,you will die and get eternal rest.if you are not,then nothing is wrong with yuo,stop thinking of it.i did it,i didnt die,i repeated it manytimes and still aliva after 26 years of the advice.now,dont do it unless you have thoruogh medical check ups.good luck.
March 12th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
well nuthing has happned for three years so i think u will be ok
March 12th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
You might be having a panic attack, or possible sleep apnea. Keep trying doctors, medicine is sometime trial and error.
March 12th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
recheck the heart; better safe than sorry
March 12th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
It sounds like sleep apnea
March 12th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
it could also be from stress even though u don't feel stressed it could be that was what was wrong with my husband very similar symptoms and they put him on an anti depressant and has been fine since hope this helps good luck to u
March 12th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
It sounds a lot like panic attacks.Could also be sleep apnea. Try sleeping on your stomach.
March 12th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Sounds like it could be
March 12th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
yes … you are suffering from panic attacks. you need to see a specialist in that field.
March 12th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
If you are waking up in the middle of the night and trying to catch your breath it could be sleep apnea. Next time you go to the doctor you should ask them about it just to be sure.
March 12th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
And the gallbladder checked out fine? No "sludge", even? I had the same symptoms, and I had major gallstones that required surgery. If it's been awhile, see if they can run another ultrasound on your gallbladder. It can build up and intensify over time. They didn't diagnose me for almost a year, which really sucked because it lasped over 2 pregnancies, and that in itself complicated matters. And they did every test in the BOOK on me, and by "they" I mean the 6 different doctors that I was passed around to. I know that fear when that pain hits and it feels like a heart attack. Best of luck.
March 12th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
it is a good thing to make sure that your heart is OK.was it a cardiac cath. you did?if not go for it,and i guess you need an admission to a hospital to do you a holter monitor,which is a heart rhythm like EKG but for 24 hours, just to check that you don't have what doctors call arrhythmia,or disturbance in the hear normal rhythm.excluding stomach and esophagus problems really helps.some rare cases could cause this, like a spasm(tightening) in the coronary arteries(which feed the heart) but this thing usually happens to women more than men.my last option could be a panic attack…..but this is the last on my list,and i usually diagnose it after making sure that everything else is OK…..so don't convince yourself that it is a panic attack only.my recommendation is to check with a 4th and a 5th doctor until you get somewhere,cause it could be very tricky….and you don't need answers from an amateur forum.good luck.
March 12th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
better see specialists
March 12th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Yes, these are panic attacks. Sometimes they can minunderstood as a heart attack by the person having them. My aunt has the same exact thing word for word and symptom by symptom. I also have this as well. Goto your family doctor and ask him/her about taking "Clonidine". It is used for a couple of things. One, it can be used to treat high blood pressure/hypertention. Two, it is also used in patients with ADHD, Panick attacks, Depression. Check it out im sure it will work for you.
March 12th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
It sounds like panic attacks…i get the same way..when i get really stressed my heart goes 100 miles an hour,and i feel like i cant breathe..and out of control..among other things. Im surprised the doctors havent mentioned panic attacks if they considered that……..but when this happens,try taking very deep slow breaths,and think of something nice….or go for a walk or something,to clear your mind. If it persists,go back to the doctors and MAKE them do more tests ok..good luck. I found and listed a site here that might help you with some infomation.
March 12th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
You probably have OSA, Obstructive Sleep Apnea like I have had my whole life.When you enter deeper sleep modes of level 4 or 5 (REM), some part of your throat becomes blocked, probably on an inhale cycle. My problem is that my tongue is too large for the smallish sized jaw line that I have so the back of my tongue seals against the back of my throat.What happens next is my lungs suck the acid out of my stomach and this acid tears up my estophagus. Looking down my throat through a borescope inserted in my nose will show all of the classic signs of GERD, Gastro Reflux Disorder. Ulcerated vocal cords, and an ulceraded estaphgus mean that I have frequent chest pains that are similar to heart related pains.But I do not "leak" acid during the day or when I am awake. The barrium test and Xrays prove that. The acid only comes out at night.There are several treatments for OSA but the most important first step if locating the best doctor specializing in it in your area. My doctor is in Atlanta and he is among the top 3 in the USA. Perhaps you should call them and ask if they can refer you to somneone near you for a full evaluation. Usually this involves an office visit and an overnight sleep study in a sleep lab.Here is my doctor's website: http://www.advancedentpc.com/meet-staff….Good luck!PS Left untreated, severe OSA can cause a real heart attack!