I mentioned before that about 2 weeks after my hubby died, I had been rushing around sorting things out and at the same time grieving and feeling very emotional and as soon as I sat down I had an episode of chest pains and pain into my throat slightly too. I am a very anxious person anyway and put this down to grief and anxiety.
That was about a year ago and last week I had a similar experience although not exactly the same. I had been for my 2nd jab 3 days before this and had been extremely anxious about going out. Been finding it difficult to go out on my own, away from the village. My brother took me and although I took valium I was okay. Then the next 3 days I just didn’t stop, I was so busy. Housework, gardening, walking the dogs etc. Then almost the same thing happened and I sat down after being very busy and suddenly had upper back pain (as though someone had punched me) and then a pain which went into my jaw and up into the front of my head, giving me a headache. It only lasted for about 5-6 minutes. I wasn’t breathless or dizzy and felt quite calm strangely enough.
I’m afraid I avoid the doctors as much as I can and the surgery has now moved even further away so you cannot get there by bus and I don’t drive.
I am not overweight, I have never smoked, I walk every day and I eat reasonably healthy. Although since my husband died have had more ready meals. I have now cut out ready meals and saturated fats/salt as much as I can. I am drinking 3 cups of green tea a day and having porridge for breakfast. Which are all supposed to lower cholesterol. (Dr. said back in 2017 that I had very slightly high cholesterol).
I am wondering if the huge grief which I am still feeling greatly, coupled with the anxiety has caused this to happen. Could it be Broken Heart Syndrome I wonder.
I feel okay in myself but just a bit concerned.
Has anyone suffered with this? I have been reading up on it and they say it is possible it can happen twice.
Hi Country Girl, please go and see your Doctor, it may be nothing serious but it needs checking out, they would want to see you with symptoms like you describe, I know it’s difficult at the moment, but please please make an appointment and go, sending love Jude xx
Hi Country Girl, please see your GP or present yourself to A and E. I think they would agree it would be worthwhile giving you an ECG just to rule any problem out. It certainly won’t do you any harm and if all is ok, you’ve lost nothing. Anxiety can certainly cause this but I’m not a doctor, just an experienced nurse and I’d feel a lot better if you just had a check over? Please try not to worry, get someone you trust to take you. Good luck x
Hi and sorry for the delay in replying.
Thank you both for your concern. I this happens again I will go to A & E. I do seem to remember this happening once before I think it was about 2 or 3 years ago and I had really bad upper back pain and into the throat slightly. I was fine afterwards and I am wondering if this is probably causes by stress/anxiety/tight muscles. I know my shoulders are always up to my ears!! Things have been so stressful this past year and I had been very anxious about going for my jab.
I wouldn’t think it would heart related as I was not breathless or dizzy and not really any chest pain.
Thanks again, promise I will go if it happens again xx
Hi,
I am actually expecting to die from this as soon as my life starts to “slow” down. I have had a terrible 18 months and the last 5 are very bad but I am caring for MIL alone since my wife died in March and if not for her I wouldn’t even get out of bed. I figure if I relax too much I will in fact collapse and that will be that. I’m okay if it happens because if God took her he can take me too.
Hi Country Girl, I started a thread “Broken” Heart, (on General Chat) after I experienced exactly what you describe. My loss was not a spouse, but still a “partner.” I lost my beloved younger Sister, suddenly and traumatically, before my eyes. She was more than a sibling, we were best friends, confidants and life long soul mates. I was always the healthy and strong one in the family, but all that changed after she died. This past year I developed cardiac symptoms so severe, I was sure I was having a heart attack. I was not afraid to die, but just prayed it would be swift. When I was still here and so were the symptoms, I reluctantly relented to medical care. I went through a battery of tests and extensive blood work. The found a “Leaky Heart Valve” (I could have told them my heart was weeping.) The stress of grief surely triggered my symptoms. I still get short of breath, and am constantly tired. Grief depletes our immune system, and fighting our feelings every day (in order to function) leaves us drained & exhausted. I do not expect to return to the strong, energetic," can do it all" person I was when I had my sweet Sister with me. That girl died along with my little Sister in the hospital room, on that tragic night. I concur that you should follow up with your GP, just to be sure. I avoid doctors as well, but I was even having trouble working, and staying busy has always been my therapy, so I forced myself to go. Take care of yourself, and keep us posted “Broken Heart Syndrome” really does exist. XxxSister2
I went to GP today only to be put in to see the nurse who said she could not do any checks. I explained that I have lost my husband following a road traffic accident - thought these would have been on my notes as initially had a good number of sicknotes before giving up work. She checked my BP which apparently was normal. In one weeks time I am hoping to scatter my husband’s ashes with our kids. Tonight sat and tried to pick out songs to (try) and play on the beach but just left myself sobbing. The stress has also had an effect on me. I too had no health worries until shortly after my husband died. This life is just so unbearable. without my husband.
I’m in a similar situation I lost my sister she was 50 last year since then I’ve had alsorts of health issues. I’ve had every test going nothing shows up. My heart rate is, erratic, I can’t sleep, my blood pressure soares, today I had a ecg and some tests, all were normal. I’m tired all the time, exhausted, I can’t be bothered doing anything but I try. The Dr says I’m suffering from anxiety.
I’m makeing myself ill with the greif and trauma of watching my sister pass from a brain tumour. I feel stuck in a nightmare of flashbacks and tears, and over welming pain.
Hi john9, I’m so sad for your loss, I understand your pain and how all consuming it is. Sometimes it feels unbearable doesn’t it? Are you getting any support from district nurses or anyone to help you with your MIL? It must be so hard when you’re grieving so much yourself. I’m hoping that you find the strength to carry on but please, just see if there’s anyone who can help you with the practical care? X
Hi there, I am sorry you are going through this. Are you having to take any meds for the leaky heart valve? Only I have been more aware of my heart beating, if that makes sense. Sort of getting some palpitations at times. I wondered if you are taking meds as I don’t really want to go down that route if I can help it. At the end of the day they are toxic and always have side effects. I know I take valium but this is very occasionally only when I need too.
I don’t seem to get any shortness of breath but noticing when I get that anxious, butterflies feeling (usually thinking about my hubby or something I’ve got to do) I seem to get (not always) a fluttering in my heart, which I didn’t get before. I wonder if I have the leaky heart valve. I am not feeling particularly tired and I do do a lot in the garden etc. Will probably end up being checked out. It’s so difficult when you don’t drive and have to ask people to take you. My brother has been so good but I don’t want to have to keep asking him.
Broken Hearts
I wonder if anyone has noticed the Grief Recovery Method on the Internet. It seems to directly address our broken hearts. Created by John W. James who lost his baby son. Look up his introductory video on line and videos of people who have experienced this method. In the u.k. there are many people (all have had grief) who are trained to support and help you through it.
I found it on the Internet a few weeks ago.
It has given me hope and I am very keen on doing this. I have had councilling which has fallen short of really helping me.
Will it help? I don’t know, what do you think? I certainly think it is worth looking into and letting sharers know it’s there.
I have delayed grief and many health and anxiety issues caused by my grief. I recognise most symptoms that you are all sharing, heart, breathing etc. I take pills intermittently if I have to go out, and to calm me. The world does not look safe. I lost my voice entirely for a period of time.
I am so sorry for everyone’s loss.
Hi Country Girl, To answer your questions, no thankfully I was not put on any thing put a cholesterol lowering medication (lowest dose, as a preventative measure) Like you, I am very reluctant to take medications. My Leaky Heart Valve is mild, and right now, they just want to watch it. I will need periodic exams & tests (and I dread going to doctors) I still believe it would be worth it for you to at least get checked. Grief takes it’s toll, and can deplete us over time. I have heard so many accounts of people becoming ill, often for the first time, after a major loss. Grief is an assault to the system, so no surprise we feel as we do. Take care, and thank you for posting. Xxx
Hi CarolAn,
Thank you for the information. So sorry about your loss. I understand delayed grief. I got worse in the 2nd year after my beloved Sister’s death, and I am not much better into the 3rd year, The body knows what we try to hide from the world. Grief finds a way to surface, and in many cases that is in physical symptoms. Yes, anything that might help us, is certainly worth a try. Take care. Xxx
thanks CarolAn I will also look into this. I was convinced I was having heart problems too as I started getting exactly the symptoms my husband had before he suddenly died if an unexpected heart attack. That is pain between the shoulder blades.
Also I get racing heart, chest pain, my heartbeat monitoring fitbit watch regularly says it can’t get a reading or I get a super high heartbeat ( normally resting is 63 bpm but it can go to 150 when anxious). the doctor sent me for tests but all they did was weight, blood pressure, bloods. Not that I care that much but just to say I also feel like my heart is physically broken too and this is real. I’ve also read some things on the Internet that backup what people are saying in this thread.
Just been getting a few palpitations the last couple of days. Although I wondering if I am more aware of heart thumping if you see what I mean! I have had palpitations in the past on the odd occasion but they would only last a few seconds and my heart would go very fast then. These I have had the last couple of days seem to start after lunch and really go on for hours so perhaps they are not palpitations.
I read on the web that that you can get what’s called a bounding pulse where you are more aware of your thumping heart.
I walk the dogs every day and this does not bring it on and this morning I have been fine - walked uphill to the local shop and I don’t even get out of breath.
I have been taking the Superdrug sleep aid tablets but not every night and when I do take it I only take half a tablet. I read up on the side effects and apparently although not common can cause palpitations or irregular heartbeat so I am going to stop taking them. I also have only de- caf tea/coffee and never have any energy drinks or anything like that.
I will see how it goes and if it carries on will get checked out - ugh! I hate doctors and hospitals and had enough when my hubby was ill. I have been okay today though so far so fingers crossed it’s just anxiety.
Take care xx
Hi Sister2, Thanks for your reply and telling me about your delayed grief. I am so sorry your sister died.
Your remarks about the body knowing what we try and hide from the world is so true, and the physical symptoms have been so numerous in me, like the other sharers on this site. So difficult to ascertain what is anxiety and what is physical or both. So often the panic sets in in the middle of the night and I am busy looking at the Internet to see whether I am about to die or if its an anxiety attack. I hate anything medical because of my past experience with terrible loss.
I have given more information to fleurDeLis re Grief Recovery Method - I think it looks hopeful.
