About 5 months back I went in after having my first panic attack ever (shortly after experiencing EXTREME heaviness in my chest every day about a month prior). I went to the ER MANY times after this as I've never experienced anything like it before, and they continued to reassure me countless times after tests, x-ray's, so on and so forth, that there was nothing wrong with my heart or anything else, and so they prescribed me anti-anxiety medication (which I have yet to take because the initial stages of the medicine cause severe anxiety and when I tried it I immediately went back to the ER again). Ever since this occurred I've experienced rather nonsevere arm and shoulder discomfort/pain, chest pain, back pain, and jaw discomfort most days if not every day.
Things have MODERATELY cleared up in the past month or so (still not taking the anti anxiety medication as I feel that's not causing the pain, because the pain will come on even when I'm not thinking about it), only experiencing mainly slight chest and jaw discomfort above all else. But a few days ago after eating a relatively unhealthy meal, my right arm was sent into severe pain unlike anything I've felt before whilst just sitting still. It wasn't accompanied by much other than a faintness in my chest. Since then I've experienced severe pain in my left shoulder, very similar to the pain I had felt in my right arm a couple days before, every time I try to eat the slightest meal or even drink water. I woke up this morning after fasting most of the day before due to this, tried eating some toast, and the pain in my armpit and left shoulder was unlike anything I've felt before.
I reconsidered going back to the hospital to get checked up since I haven't been back in in so many months, but because I haven't been taking my anti anxiety medication, they don't believe anything is wrong with me and that it is anxiety, and that I should try taking it for a prolonged period of time before anything else.
I just don't know what to do, and I'm more scared than anything that this is more severe than even I think it is. Does anyone have/had experience with these symptoms before/currently, and did you ever figure out what the cause is/was?
Hi @tlowrey, You may have noticed that I moved your message to this active discussion called "Left shoulder pain after eating or drinking." I did this so you can connect with other members talking about the same pain in shoulder/arm and armpit after eating as you are. Click VIEW & REPLY to scroll through past posts from members like @astaingegerdm @fourof5zs @marianna1968jt @jparks2006 @marlaxyz @cim37343 and many others.
TLowrey, do you keep a journal of what you eat and when to see if it is related to certain foods, activities or time of day? You also mention discomfort in your jaw. Is that a new symptom?