Can anxiety make you feel like you are having a heart attack?

[anonxc]

I've suffered with anxiety for years and years and my anxiety is mainly health related, recently I was prescribed medication I should not have been given by an out of hours gp. The medications interacted and I had stomach pain and palpitations, I went a&e and they checked me over said I'm not struggling to speak, I don't sound out of breath, my oxygen and observation levels are good so I can go home, they didn't think an ECG was necessary as they didn't believe I was having a heart attack but since leaving I've just had shoulder pain, palpitations, chest tightness all the symptoms of one. I'm not sure if it's anxiety that is causing it or if there is actually something wrong. I don't really want to go and sit in a&e for another 6 hours but I am just a nervous wreck honestly. (I have put in a complaint about the out of hours gp who prescribed it even when I told them I was taking medication that interacted with it)

Well yes it can.
But if there is any doubt at all I think getting checked again would be sensible.

I was only checked over on Wednesday and they told me I was ok, I was still experiencing these symptoms then but it's the fact they didn't do an ECG I think it's playing on my anxiety

Get it checked. It will be anxiety, but the reassurance will be worthwhile

I agree with Holibobs, if you get checked and have an ECG , if it is anxiety as it almost certainly is, then at least you will then be able to relax.

It does sound like a panic attack. Anxiety can definitely have these symptoms. I know I have had these in the past.
I really hope you feel better soon.

Thank you, I do believe it is, I've had this for a few days and certain parts of the day I am in bits with worry, I feel like an ECG is the only thing that's going to give me clarity to help snap out of it. This is all because of what happened with the doctor prescribing the wrong meds this is when it all started once I found out :/

Panic attacks really do feel like you have heart problems - have you seen your GP about anxiety problems, antidepressants and beta blockers if you're getting palpitations

Yes, I've tried anti depressants/anxiety medication but it makes me have cardiac symptoms ironically enough, palpitations; chest pain etc so was ordered to stop them, I literally have every symptom of a heart attack my shoulders are both painful and my arms, but I do a 12 hour shift on a laptop all day so I imagine that is where the pain is stemming from

Yes panic attacks feel exactly like this.

If you took something on Wednesday and got checked over that day and were ok then, then I’d imagine whatever it was 3 days ago is safely out of your system now.

Obv best to get these things checked out but if youve been stressing it could well just be that.

I’ve thought I was about to collapse and die in the spot. All stress related. I was fine.

I was in A & E a few days ago after suffering palpitations for 3 days solid and other symptoms that could have been a heart attack. They had me through in 5 mins and all the tests. I'm surprised the triage didn't do you an ECG in A and E. They gave me an SDEC card in case it comes back but said it was most likely stress. It was one thing less to worry about but I'm now on day 7 of palpitations and aware my anxiety is through the roof. (specific life reasons for being anxious right now).

You can self-refer for talking therapy on the NHS. I've already had one brief phone chat and am expecting another contact next week.
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/

When I had symptoms like this (palpitations, what felt like missed beats and cardiac arrhythmia) my GP sent me straight to the cardiac ward for an ECG, because he asked whether I was stressed and I said (truthfully), no. CG was fine, GP said my life sounded insanely stressful to him, and prescribed beta-blockers as an experiment. It took me a good decade to recognise retrospectively that my life had indeed been very stressful then, I was just unable to acknowledge it to myself.

But yes, it was terrifying. Once I knew there was nothing physically wrong,, it was much less frightening. And the beta-blockers helped.

I am in bits with worry, I feel like an ECG is the only thing that's going to give me clarity to help snap out of it.

Another vote for you to get some therapy if you possibly can. Health anxiety is debilitating especially since it can be endless. Even if you had an ECG, your mind could throw up more tricks about 'what if'

I really hope you get some help to get away from this terrible burden.

I thought there was something wrong with my heart for years and my concerns were routinely dismissed. However after I managed to see my GP at the right time (when in atrial fibrillation) and got referred to cardiology, they told me I’d probably had a heart attack in the past. I had got into the habit - because reassured by the doctor - of thinking I was having panic attacks.

They should have done an ECG just in case

I'm wondering whether it was because my main complaint was the stomach pain, after I reacted to the medication I had horrific stomach pain and diarrhoea (sorry tmi) but I did mention about the tightness aswell in my chest, he just said there was no need and when I mentioned that 111 said I should have an ecg and he basically said they scaremonger a lot (not in those words) but basically

Have you had many ECGs in your life, OP?

I think I've had a few in the past few years but not loads! Maybe around 3

Well, if you’ve had three in recent years and all show a healthy heart, and you and your GP know you suffer from acute health anxiety, presumably that’s why you weren’t sent for one this time? I mean, they’re not going to send you for a needless procedure if all the indications suggest you’re physically fine, apart from the wrong meds’ effects.

I'm not sure to be honest, it was a&e not my GP who didn't do one, I was sent to a&e by 111 due to the interaction

I think so too but I think it's just the anxiety and worry of it all and all these odd symptoms I'm having 😭 I do suffer with very bad health anxiety, I'm also a lot more panicky which is making me think the worst as I don't usually panic like this with my anxiety

So you've had three. And you want another one because you think it'll calm you down. But it won't, because the three you've already had haven't convinced you that your heart is normal.
You need therapy for health anxiety, not another ECG.

I agree. They can’t keep sending you for procedures to calm your anxiety, OP. You need to figure out how to manage it via therapy.

I mean, they’re not going to send you for a needless procedure if all the indications suggest you’re physically fine, apart from the wrong meds’ effects.

Exactly. No point wasting the hospital's time and resources.

That's why I don't want to go, deep down I know it's probably ok, i was just worried that I am having symptoms of a heart attack and that's making my symptoms worse and more prominent I think :/