Anyone Else Have Terrible Squeezing/Tightness in the Chest?

[[So...]]

Hey guys, as I said in previous posts I have hit a severe wave again at 11 months off.  Currently holding my antidepressants at low doses.  The aka has calmed down a little again but I have a severe squeezing/tightness around my heart.  This was actually my first symptom 2 years ago while tapering klonopin the first time and I know it is related to the benzo.

 

It almost feels like someone has a vice grip around my heart and is just squeezing, I am also having PVCs and heavy beating.  I had a stress test the first time this happened and nothing is wrong so no worries there.  I should also add this tightness feels different than the aka pressure I get in my spine when that acts up.

 

I wouldn't even be so worried about this but it is mainly happening when I lay down so I can't get comfortable in bed at all.  It seems like all my symptoms like to torture me in different ways so I never get to relax.  I swear when this is all over I am just laying in bed with my husband for a year straight, can't wait to be able to take a deep breath and take it easy again. It's been a damn long road.

Much love to all of you ❤️  were all so incredibly strong and I'm sure nothing will possibly phase us after this.

 

[[be...]]

Yes. My chest squeezes especially when I sleep or when I walk outside. I worried that it might be a cadiac arrest. 

[[So...]]

It is not cardiac arrest if you are feeling the same thing I am, I had it checked out multiple times.  It sure does feel like it but it's just weird benzo crap.

[[ro...]]

I have this exactly 

[[So...]]

I am so sorry @[ro...] it's horrible but I am glad to know I'm not alone.  Is it worse when you're laying down?

[[ro...]]

11 minutes ago, [[S...] said:

I am so sorry @[ro...] it's horrible but I am glad to know I'm not alone.  Is it worse when you're laying down?

It feels like there is a vice up through the top of my ribs squeezing the bottom of my heart. It’s so terrible and bizarre. It’s worse when sitting the most, but it’s there when lying as well. I often feel pressure over my heart as well when laying down. I didn’t have this symptom earlier on. I’m 22 months post ct. I’ve probably had it the last 6/7 months. Been to the cardiologist. All clear. So many other terrible symptoms as well. Just crazy.

[[So...]]

 @[ro...] yes it will all calm down for you tho, I see a lot of good things happening for people in their second to third year, that's when I'm hoping I can heal.  This feeling has been on and off for me as well.

[[Cr...]]

Quote

My own heart symptoms were pretty scary. It’s one thing to have burning skin and tingles, but its quite another to have your heart act up. It’s a primal reaction to feel anxious when our hearts aren’t doing what they should be doing—beating rhythmically with ease and at a normal pace. I experienced a handful of heart symptoms in benzo withdrawal. The two most disturbing were the feeling of something pinching my heart (man, the pain was bad!) and the crazy skipped beats. My heart stumbled around at times ao much that I got lightheaded. It often felt as if a caged gorilla was trying to get out of my chest. I didn’t like the tachycardia I often got, but I personally wasn’t as concerned about it as I was the pain and weird, wild arrhythmias. For a long time, I couldn’t sleep on my left side—too much pain and pressure in my chest. I also had a squeezing sensation around my chest, as well as pain in my ribs and sternum.

From Jennifer Leigh.

As long as everyone does their due dilligence and rules out any heart issues, then there is no danger. While very uncomfortable, it is also a symptom that you will need to learn to 'coexist' with until fully recovered.

Apparently Jen took beta blockers to help but I imagine that helped more with tachycardia and fast heartrate more than tightness. A muscle relaxer could potentially help if the diaphragm and other muscles are a source, but some members have issues taking them. MRs like Soma and Baclofen affect Gaba receptors so they should be avoided.

[[he...]]

Hi @[So...],

I've had lots of squeezing pressure all over my body through this journey but especially in my chest and throat. I have also had a ridiculous number of PACs, occasional PVCs, and occasional SVTs. The heart involvement can be brutal, but we have to remind ourselves, if there is nothing wrong with our hearts (definitely get it checked out to make sure), that we're fine. I've always been prone to PACs and SVTs but not to the degree that I've had them during this. It was actually the first symptom I had that signaled something was wrong, but since this whole thing started with an actual heart event, it seemed like it was me and not the drug.

I'm happy to report the palpitations have gotten sooo much better over the last couple of months (I'm 13 months off), and the squeezing is pretty rare as well these days. My only real symptoms left are a fuzzy/floaty head (my worst symptom on this journey), a very tired/fatigued sensation in my eyes, occasional headaches, and occasional very-short periods of burning arms (very mild).

This will get better for you too!

[[he...]]

Oh, and I would avoid any drugs unless a cardiologist/electrophysiologist is adamant you take them because of a real heart condition that is actually life-threatening. Beta blockers, including the best tolerated—propranolol, have been known to work well for some but cause issues for others and can be hard for some to taper when no longer needed.

I took a calcium-channel blocker (very different than a beta blocker) prescribed by my electrophysiologist because the palpitations were so uncomfortable and were scaring me, but that class of drugs works like grapefruit and increased the amount of benzo in my blood. I believe it made the benzo injury much more severe and complicated my taper and recovery. Once I was off the benzo and no longer worried about the effect of that drug, I stopped taking it and had no issues. It was something I thought I had to have, but it was not worth it. I also took a beta blocker (atenolol) in my 20s, and it made me feel so exhausted all the time. I took it for 10 years, and it never dawned on me that entire time that I felt so crappy because of that drug. That should've been my first red flag that drugs can really cause ongoing issues, but it wasn't, and years later I ended up on clonazepam without any thought of what it could do. Now I know.

[[So...]]

@[Cr...] hey, thank you for your wonderful advice as usual I do not want to get on a drug for this and frankly, when i was on propanolol it didn't help this, ugh.  It's just something that comes and goes for me in waves it seems.. I really wouldn't even mind if not for the fact it makes it near impossible for me to relax/sleep.  

 

I mainly just wanted to see if others had this symptom.. not sure why but sometimes I feel out on a ship in the middle of the ocean 😆  I think the pressure is way more bothersome than the beating, honestly.  

 

Benzo wd is such a cruel mistress, just when you think you're out of the worst all your acute symptoms come crashing back in!!

[[So...]]

@[he...] yes this was my first symptom as well- too bad I didn't connect it to the benzo until I was kind of already, excuse my language, screwed.  I actually had a stress test and echo done when it started and I am all clear!!

 

I think the tightness/pressure bothers me more than the beating.  The last few days I'm finding it morphing from my chest to back to head.  Ugh.  It just makes it super uncomfortable to lay down and rest.  

 

Omg I am so happy you have done so much healing in 13 months, congrats to you!! Hopefully I can join ya there soon, I am 11 months in 3 days but mine was CT

 

I was having a lot of relief from this for eh, maybe 3 months, but it all came rushing in hard again about a month ago.  I love the windows- hate the waves.  

 

Yes I am avoiding adding any drugs as much as possible- this doesn't bother me enough to need a drug and I have another symptom that is way worse anyways when it is bad.  I did tolerate beta blockers well when I was on them last year, but I had the same experience as you they made me super depressed and lethargic.  

 

Isnt it crazy when you finally put all the pieces together?! I had a hell of a time in my teenage years bcuz of drugs and was just told I'm mentally ill.  Well, the "mental illness" never was bad until the drugs.. so.  Feels bad to realize i have spent almost half of my life now ill when it could have all been avoided, but I'm happy I figured this out in my 20s and hopefully, can get out of this mess finally, painful as it may be.  cant wait to finally meet myself off of drugs.  

We can't beat ourselves up, we had no way of figuring any of this out until it got bad enough for us to frantically search about it on the internet.  Wish we could get more awareness out there, but there are so many forces working against that.

 

Hugs and I hope you are able to explore this new you with not many symptoms and enjoy your relief 😊 

[[be...]]

I get it everyday especially in the morning

[[fa...]]

That is also pretty common from ssri.  You might check Www.survivingantidepressants.org people post about that there.  The tapering could be triggering that symptom to return

[[So...]]

Oh thanks so much!! Did not know that @[fa...]  cant get myself wrapped up in another forum, think I will lose my mind.  I did check them out before.  I usually am not even on here much except in bad waves or to message friends.

 

It's been a long story even aside from the benzo, but I was put on a lot of drugs in rehab told they were not dangerous, rapid tapered all my drugs in the beginning without knowing better about ADs (everyone told me they were easier to get off of than benzos)/wanting to get pregnant.. all hell broke lose and i researched online.  Then held for a good 6 months on the ADs and started a micro taper.

 

I think now I will hold for a gooooood while, felt that i had to taper to get rid of my akathisia but i was having windows from just tapering slow, so now i think this brain needs a break and not even a micro taper.  The issue was i had no idea in the beginning if i was having adverse reactions or withdrawal bcuz of the rehab doing so many things, but now I am sure my issue has been withdrawal.

 

Havent really rocked the boat in about a year but i am obviously still super sensitive.  been holding for a month now already and things are calming down a bit ☺️.

 

Thank you for letting me know!! It's been a big crap storm of the perfect disaster in a way but I have hope 🙏 

Edited June 15 by [So...]

[[Kr...]]

10 hours ago, [[S...] said:

cant get myself wrapped up in another forum, think I will lose my mind. 

Me too, totally agree.

[[So...]]

@[Kr...] yesh i was driving myself insane last year and making bad choices out of desperstion and bad advice on forums (not saying this one) so now I really will only hang out here when I need advice 🙂