Hello everyone, I am new to the forum and
would like to post a quick story on my
situation and maybe a doctor or someone
with relative experience can give me some
encouraging advice. I am 24/male. If you
dont want to read the history the back
pain part is in the last 2 paragraphs.
First off about 2 1/2 years ago now I
started getting these terrible pains in my
chest that would double me over crying. I
am no small guy and I have a pretty high
pain tolerance or so my wife and friends
tell me. Well, I was driving the first
time and went to the E.R. and they said it
was probly just heartburn. The med's they
prescribed were no help. The pain kept
coming and getting worse and worse.
Finally after the third visit to the E.R.
they did an ultra sound and found that I
hundreds of small gallstones and sent me
to surgery a few days later to have it
removed. After that I had alot of relief
although I would still get small amounts
of pressure in my chest every once in
awhile which I told the surgeon later on
but he said it may be normal.
Well, 4 months later I went to Florida for
vacation with my wife, mom, and moms
boyfriend. Had a great time til we got a
phone called said that my cousin was
killed in a car wreck. I hadnt been real
close to him but it still hurts. Then
another stressful thing happened(to make a
long story short my little sisters(17 at
the time) boyfriend who is a pathological
liar was starting family drama). I was
upset of course but made it through the
rest of the week dreading going back home.
Two days after I got home I was driving to
a friends house about 13 miles away and
BAM, panic attack hit me. It felt like my
blood was on fire(which I guess someone
would call a hot flash) heart racing and
of course the chest pressure. Anyways,
went to counseling, started paxil and was
off work for about a month because of my
fear of driving and having another panic
attack. After the month I went back to
work and seemed to be ok for about 2 years
til now.
About a month ago I started noticing this
off and on pain or discomfort on the side
of my spine between my shoulder blades. As
soon as this pain started I would seem to
wrap around to my chest and feel almost
like a cramp. I would stand up and put my
arms over my head for about a minute or
two and deep breath and it would go away.
I noticed this everyday for about 2 weeks
then one morning at work it came on and it
wouldnt stop. I freaked out and had a
panic attack and went home from work all
shooking up. I have been going to therapy
on a different med as my doctor suggested
it was just panic but I strongly believe
that the problem is a pinched nerve along
my spine acting as a trigger to panic. My
chiropractor mentioned a Sympathetic and
Pera Sympathetic nerve along the spine
which "can" trigger anxiety. It seems that
looking back on previous attacks I always
noticed that there was a discomfort in the
same spot in my back right before I had a
panic attack. I reported this to my doctor
and he set me up for an MRI next Tuesday.
That is my story so far. I am hear hoping
that maybe a doctor or someone has seen
this before and tell me Im not crazy or
just wishful thinking. When I went to the
chiropractor the first time he said my
back was inflamed around the spine where I
still feel this discomfort. I am trying so
hard to get over these feelings and I am
so hopeful right now that this can be
fixed.
Thanks for any input in advance
