Hi there,

Looking for some information on what options are available.

To give some background I’ve been having health issues as of late, and being tested for some things (that are relatively scary). But regardless my doctor is pretty certain this is all anxiety caused.

I was originally prescribed prozac, but with my medical issues I started experiences random shooting nerve pain (so likely I’m having something neurological). Regardless, they switched me to Cymbalta. Which was *awful* for me. My anxiety skyrocketed, my health anxiety was unparalleled, I have now been convinced I have ALS, which is scary af. But also I was always shaking, trembly, tired yet also restless. Regardless I stopped the Cymbalta.

I may go back to prozac as I wasn’t on it long enough to really know if it worked.

However, the problem I’m having, which is why I went to the doctors first, is I’m having periods of shortness of breath and heart pain (or left chest not sure it’s heart) that last for a few hours, where I get hyperaware of my breathing, and get shortness of breath. During this I get on and off stabbing pain in my left chest, and consistent “hugging” feeling there. Sometimes it also gets tender to touch. I noticed it’s worse when I lay on my left side in bed.

At this point I don’t know if it’s anxiety/panic or a physical disease. The tenderness and sharp pains cause me to think it’s not *just* anxiety, regardless anxiety makes it worse. So it’s likely a combo.

I’ve noticed it comes when I drink coffee, get little sleep, or have a night of heavy drinking (not an alcoholic but just those occasional nights drinking w friends for a special occasion). The drinking is worst, as it will cause this feeling to happen days in a row.

At the end of the day I’m wondering and looking for a realtime solution to this. I don’t want to take a daily medication to deal with the side effects, but something I can take when I feel this coming on to help. As in when I feel it starting, I can take something to help my breathing and chest tightness on the spot. Rather than an every morning type of thing.

Is there anything out there like this?

Edit: I’d like to add that I’m 27 years old, and have had anxiety for years, but has never manifested into physical symptoms such as this. This started about 4 months ago or so. I also wouldn’t consider these periods of uncomfortableness “panic attacks” as there’s no triggering event to cause anxiety. I’ve drank coffee for years and casually drank as well. I defInitely don’t want to give up coffee as I love it.