Chest pain

Hello.
Greetings to everyone on this forum... both to those facing similar struggles and to
those who (whom I value greatly) go out of their way to help.
To explain my situation:

Toward the end of 2004, I dealt with several traumas regarding both my job and
my family. Since New Year's, I have been experiencing chest pain on the
left side, positioned quite high—I'd say about 10 cm above the center. This pain
is continuous and accompanied by tachycardia, with my heart rate hitting around 100 bpm. I had an EKG done which
was normal, and my blood work was fine as well.
Often, right before this pain sets in, my mood drops and I feel terrible...
lethargic and listless. I wonder if anyone else has these same symptoms and whether
I should continue with more medical checkups.

I am 33 years old, and I believe I've lost about 33 pounds over the last two years. The pain
shifts when I change my body position. I spend 8 hours at my computer and don't move much...
My blood work is normal, but when I was last
at the doctor, my blood pressure was 150/100 and my pulse was 100 bpm. One thing that
happens frequently (like this morning, for instance) is waking up at 4 AM due to intense panic
out of nowhere (it hurts... and there is a heavy pounding in my chest that eventually
subsides), and then I just can't fall back asleep. This is the second time this
pain (and the panic) has surfaced since the New Year.

I saw a cardiologist in April 2005 and underwent an
echocardiogram.
They found some slight thickening in the anterior pericardium without any major issues,
followed by a discrete thickening of the pulmonary artery at 1.2, where the range is 0.6
to 0.9.
The doctor suggested I check my blood levels and see if perhaps a bad tooth or something
could be causing it. She said the pulmonary artery likely won't
cause major problems, but I should monitor it frequently.

Here are the results:

M-mode dimensions
Found / Normal

Ao root diam 3.4 (2.2 - 3.6)
LA dimension 3.6 (2.7 - 4.0)
RVDd: 2.4 (1.9-3.
IVSd: 1.3 (0.6-1.1)
LVPWd: 0.8 (0.5-1.3)
LVIDd: 5.0 (3.5-5.6)
LVIDs: 2.8 (2.1-3.
EF 81%
_________________________________
Doppler findings
Cardiac flow velocity m/sec
Mitral flow 0.5 (0.6 - 1.3)
Tricuspid flow 0.6 (0.3-0.7)
Pulmonary Artery 1.0;1.2 (0.6-0.9)
Aorta 1.1 (1.0-1.7)

What worries me now:
At the end of July, I went on vacation... After the trip (about a 5-hour drive), this pain
returned again... and it has lasted for a month now. It isn't an intensely sharp
pain, just a nagging discomfort that often makes my whole body tremble, making it hard
to sleep, and it brings on feelings of fear.

Can you please help me?
p.s. Helix seems to work well, and I take Persen occasionally too.

I totally get that sense of desperation and the sheer uncertainty you’re dealing with, especially when you can't put a finger on what's actually wrong. It’s tempting to want to just pinpoint the exact issue and fix it immediately. But look, in cases like this—where your physical health seems fine (I mean, everyone has those days where some random organ decides to act up for no reason)—you really have to dig into what’s actually bothering your mind. Anxiety and panic attacks can be purely psychological. Has there been a major shift in your life lately? Are you actually happy with how things are going? What kind of stressors are hitting you? Where is this fear actually coming from? Did someone close to you recently fall ill? Are you terrified of being abandoned? Or maybe you're struggling to admit something to yourself or someone else? And so on... There’s a whole list of questions, but eventually, you'll hit on the answer, resolve it, and find some peace.

I’d strongly suggest sitting down for a chat with a psychoanalyst or a psychiatrist.

And for heaven's sake, don't go popping pills for no reason. When an attack hits, don't let the fear take the wheel; instead, tell yourself you're strong enough to push through whatever this is. Just give yourself a little pep talk.

Anyway, that's my two cents...

Thanks for the advice.
I think I need to do some mental training and work on myself a bit. Maybe practicing Tai Chi or yoga could help... maybe?

Hey there!

It’s pretty clear from your intro that you're dealing with a lot of mental health struggles right now.
Your results fall within the normal range, which means we can't pin down a specific diagnosis just yet.
I'd suggest some light physical activity, maybe taking Apaurin 5 mg once a day—but please, only do that alongside your current medications! Let me know how you're feeling.

A few days ago during my workout... after about 15 minutes, I started feeling this pain. It isn't intense, but it's pretty unpleasant—sort of like a burning sensation. After a five-minute break, I decided to push through and finish the session, and the pain eventually subsided. The exact location is between my sternum and my left elbow. It doesn't radiate at all; it stays right in that spot. Occasionally, even when I'm just sitting still, I start sweating and feel like I might pass out... it goes away after about five minutes, but I'm left feeling extremely uneasy and anxious.
The trainer at the gym suggested it might just be muscle strain... is that actually possible?
Thanks
ps. Can you take Helix (Xanax) along with Apaurin?

To be honest....
I don't get much physical activity at work.... that's just how my job is... sitting in an office staring at a monitor all day... it's pretty bad...

Best regards,

How long have you been on Helix, and what dose are you currently taking?
Are you a smoker, and how did your CBC (complete blood count) look?

What you’re describing sounds exactly like panic attacks, which have unfortunately become a staple of the modern American lifestyle. In principle, they aren't something that can be cured easily—some might even say it's nearly impossible to eliminate them entirely. However, there is absolutely no reason to despair or spiral into a deeper depression because of this. It is vital that you consult with a reputable psychiatrist as soon as possible to discuss a plan; if left unaddressed, these attacks tend to increase in both frequency and intensity, eventually making medications like Prozac a necessity. Changing one's lifestyle habits is notoriously difficult because they are conditioned by a multitude of different factors, each being a specific priority for the individual. While it is well-documented that physical activity improves mood and can reduce the frequency of panic attacks and depressive episodes, exercise alone isn't enough for a full recovery. Therapies for these types of conditions often last for years in most cases, yet they are highly effective and allow one to live a very high-quality life. Fortunately, we now have medications designed for long-term management—even lifelong if necessary—that aim to minimize harm to the body (such as Fluval or Edronax). Helix (Xanax) is quite effective, but it shouldn't be used frequently as it does carry a risk of dependency. It is best utilized for immediate relief during a panic attack or to settle a racing heart, typically working within about 10 minutes. However, if you are consistently using long-term antidepressants like Fluval or Edronax, you likely won't need Helix anymore, or perhaps only very, very rarely. I would suggest avoiding things like Apaurin or Normabel, as they aren't necessary alongside the aforementioned therapies and significantly increase the risk of addiction. If you happen to struggle with sleep, a doctor might prescribe Sanval, which is an excellent option for insomnia; unlike Normabel, it doesn't leave you feeling groggy the next morning. Please keep in mind, I am not speaking as a physician here, but rather as a fellow patient with six years of experience navigating this exact condition. I truly wish you the best of luck in overcoming this, and please feel free to reach out via the forum if you have any more questions. Best regards,

I really appreciate how honest you're being... it means a lot.
The thing I wanted to ask is whether I should go back to the cardiologist and go through those same tests again—EKG, stress test, all that kind of stuff.
My blood work came back fine.

To be honest, I think I might be getting hooked on Helix... my whole body starts trembling before bed unless I take at least half of my daily dose.
Does anyone know what I could use instead of HELIX, or how to go about switching?

Best regards...

There really is no need to see a cardiologist or run any specific blood panels. Perhaps a quick thyroid check wouldn't hurt, though I find it quite unlikely that would be the culprit here. In my own experience, I went through all those tests and everything came back perfectly fine. Regarding how to deal with your Helix dependency, you truly ought to have a serious conversation with your psychiatrist; however, I suspect that once you begin an appropriate regimen of long-term antidepressants—which only a psychiatrist can prescribe—that "hunger" for Helix should gradually subside. I am not certain what your current daily dosage looks like, but if you are taking more than 0.75mg (which would be three 0.25mg tablets), then things are moving in the wrong direction. That was actually the highest dose ever prescribed to me at the start of my treatment, and I remained at that level for quite some time until my long-term antidepressants finally began to take effect, which usually takes about 20 to 30 days from the initial dose. Once they do, you can work with your doctor to taper off the Helix entirely, but please keep in mind that you should always carry some Helix with you wherever you go, simply because you never know when a panic attack might resurface. Having it on hand provides a certain psychological sense of security. Many people feel a sense of shame regarding visiting a psychiatrist and tend to deny their anxieties by attributing them to other causes, often ending up on various heavy-duty antidepressants that turn them into "zombies," and ultimately landing on actual psychoactive drugs. You really shouldn't feel any embarrassment about seeing a specialist; you will almost certainly run into plenty of famous faces in the waiting room. It is high time you make that appointment, especially since you are still in the early stages of this journey. Try to reintegrate into a normal life without fear while you still have the chance. I know exactly how these feelings feel, and that is why I urge you to take that step...

Way to go, Moki!

Kudos to you all...

My thanks to YOU

Hi everyone,

I haven’t slept a wink for two nights now. I’ve never had health issues before, but here
we are. For the past two days, I’ve been feeling this tightness in my chest and I can't quite put my finger on it.
I went to see a doctor yesterday; they ran an EKG and everything came back normal. One doctor walked over and
basically told me, "You're young, you'll be fine." Then another one comes along and mentions some muscle tension? When I asked for clarification, she just brushed it off as nothing and gave me an injection.
That actually helped a lot; I felt fine all day until I tried to lie down. The pain
is hard to describe—it’s a localized pressure right in the center that hurts when I touch it.
Has anyone dealt with this before? I’ve spent hours spiraling through Google searches and found that
poor posture from sitting at a desk all day could cause chest tightness, or maybe it's just strain from hitting the gym recently. Still, my mind keeps jumping to the worst-case scenarios and the panic is keeping me wide awake. I really need some insight.

I actually figured out the answer myself... you’re spending way too much time hunched over a computer, and your spine has completely lost its natural shape.

When you stay stuck in that specific posture—where your mid-back is constantly rounded forward—your chest muscles are basically under constant tension, pulling your shoulders inward. Meanwhile, the muscles meant to pull your spine back upright? They’ve just gone lazy and stopped doing their job entirely.

Honestly, hitting the weights probably just irritated the whole situation even more. If you're going to keep lifting, do yourself a favor: drop the heavy weight and stop trying to ego-lift. Focus on your form instead. You really need to shift your priority toward strengthening your back and legs rather than obsessing over chest day and biceps.

Your best bet would be some corrective exercises, maybe something along the lines of the Eric Richardson3 method, and for heaven's sake, get away from the desk more often.

Thanks for the input. I spent the entire day at the ER getting poked and prodded—heart, bloodwork, urine, lungs—everything seems fine on paper, except my lung capacity is low. I’m struggling to catch my breath and feel like I'm suffocating. They prescribed me Ontril 2 mg, half a pill three times a day 😕 and told me to follow up after a course of these. As for my back pain, nobody thinks that’s the culprit; they haven't even referred me to a specialist because all the doctors insist everything is perfectly normal. But my chest won't stop aching and this constant oxygen deprivation is making it impossible to sleep. I'm losing my mind here. My dad thinks it's just a common cold, but can you really struggle to breathe like this from a simple cold? My temperature is normal and I'm not coughing, and the labs look great aside from that lung capacity issue. I even felt nauseous enough to throw up today; I could barely finish a bagel. I'm 19.