Chronic chest pain: How do you manage anxiety and cardiac issues?

@babyblues262 where does one go for that?

Your outlook on life sounds like depression talking.
If so, depression, can cause and even mimic many physical symptoms that largely arise from the brain, not the body.
I have experienced depression on and off my whole life which spurned a multitude of physical complaints, none of which were able to be diagnosed. I’ve come to the realization (along with my doctors) that this is psychogenic pain – essentially neuropathies within the body that that unfortunately replicate whatwe are all afraid of such as heart, disease, cancer, etc.
I hope you can find some relief.

I have chronic stable angina. I am taking 3 meds for it…Ranexa, Imdur and Metoprolol. Been doing the 3 for 5 years now…scary at first but now just a part of life. Metoprolol also helps with anxiety…I use Nitro tabs when I have breakthrough angina. I head to the ER when 3 tabs don’t do the trick.

Hang in there and take some deep breaths. I hope you find someone willing to help. Anxiety makes angina worse… Keep the faith and try to stay in the present. To find the present, look around and take in the sights. When you see that there is not any threat…then you are in the present, a gift.

All the best to you and hugs!

My history includes a CABG and then a stent when a graft failed a year later. It has been a year since the stent. I'm 68, male and was in generally strong condition when all this started. I lost 40 pounds along the way and still haven't regained the physical conditioning. The weight I can live without.

I also spend a lot of time worrying about chest pains. I have them almost constantly and the only explanation I've been given is that I have a lot of scar tissue and hence chest pains. It is scary, particularly because I also have routine shortness of breath and light headedness. I'm hoping these are side effects of medication and they don't impact my daily functions. The worst episodes over the past year seem to be anxiety related and I've recently started EMDR therapy. I think the EMDR process has real potential as it forces a deep dive into the traumas that are at the root of the anxiety issues. It seems more helpful than traditional talk therapy, which didn't do a lot of real good for me.

Best of luck and thanks for the post.

I sincerely hope things improve greatly for you.

I have a very strong fear of death I also have anxiety and I found out that I have a heart blockage of 50% lad

I have experienced chest pain as well. My cardiologist feels it is either small vessel disease or heart spasms. He put me on Isosorbide. I take 30mg daily and it has helped the frequency of the pain. I still have at least 2 to 3 episodes a month on average, but I just take nitro under the tongue for these. They can be extremely painful and scary, but they are manageable. Hope this helps.

This is one reason why I don't retire. Now, work occupies a lot of my thoughts. I don't want to think 'what if' all the time. I also use the Calm app which I find very helpful, have started going to a therapist to talk about my fear (not pronounced) of dying, and now take sleeping pills after a lifetime of having no problem sleeping. I also swim 3 times a week religiously for good exercise and do my best to eat mindfully. That means cutting out the bored/anxious eating (turn to fruits for that, not sweets) and do not eat after 7 p.m.

I will say this. My father died of a heart attack at age 70 in seconds and I always thought I'd follow in his footsteps. If it happens, it happens and I will barely be aware of it. So be it. I will say this. I do not want to die in the NYC subway system which I take pretty often. Let's hope I'm granted that one wish. I want to be cremated and have half my ashes placed with my wife's on a shelf at beautiful Greenwood Cemetery.

The other half I'd like cast to the winds. Where? I told my wife. Put them wherever you see the face of God.

So I have thought about this 🙂

I have almost the same story - almost 6 years of angina. I notice stress really increases breakthrough angina (dealing with my mother’s dementia and other health issues). Ranexa and Imdur take the edge off, but Metoprolol is a godsend. I am still exercising but have slowed down to accommodate the heart. My mindfulness training…radical acceptance.

Going for a Cardiac MRI at NIH in June. Cardiologist checking the flow… I always hope for best…goes for all of us. 🙏🫀♥️

Be good to yourself and hugs!

Just by admitting you have a strong fear of death to others is a big step. Most people won’t admit it . But all of us fear the unknown ,and death is the ultimate unknown I’m 73 broke my neck last July major surgery Now dealing with every rhythm problem known to man . HBP , sleep apnea , just to mention a few depression anxiety since I was a kid. Take 9 pills a day One a day I give my fears time to roll around in my head then get busy with my day I find lots a “things “ to do Walking, bike riding walking our dog cooking my wife still works And organizing my pills Haha I wish you ☮️ Peace