by kat82 » 15 Sep 2025, 09:45 - Anxiety.jpg (31.32 KiB) Viewed 234 times
For more than four years, I have walked a journey that I would not wish for anybody. A journey of pain, fear, and endless questions without answers. My story is about chest pain, but not the normal type many people get when they cough or after a long run. Mine is different. It is deep, sharp, and it comes with an attack that feels like death knocking at my door.
It all started with sudden pain on the right side of my chest. I will never forget that day. At first, I thought maybe it was something small, like an ulcer, gas or muscle strain. But when the pain grew stronger until I fainted. I was rushed to the hospital, a few tests ran and given generic medication that are known to treat ulcer patients. I began visiting hospitals and sometimes would find myself admitted because of fainting. From small clinics to big referral hospitals like Mulago, I have gone everywhere in search of an answer.
When the pain attacks come, my body changes. I feel like my chest is burning, and breathing becomes very hard. Sweat runs all over my body, I begin shivering, and sometimes I collapse. In that moment, I feel like I am taking my last breath. Family and friends around me also get scared because they see me fighting for my life.
Doctors have done almost every test you can think of. I have done ECG and ECHO heart checks. Both showed that my heart is working normal. I did endoscopy to check if my stomach had ulcers or any mass, but the results came out clear. Chest X-rays showed nothing. Blood tests, scans, and many others also gave the same story, everything is fine.
But deep inside me, I knew everything was not fine. Because how can I be fine when I live in constant fear of chest pain that throws me on the ground?
The hardest part was moving from one hospital to another, only to hear the same words: “You are okay.” At some point, I began asking myself, “Is it all in my head?” But no, the pain was too real. The attacks were too painful to imagine.
After many hospital visits, doctors began to suspect that maybe the problem was not in my chest organs, but in my mind. Panic attacks. Anxiety. Stress. These were new words to me. I never thought mental health could bring such strong physical pain. But as time passed, I started believing them, because no test could prove otherwise.
Now, I am living on anti-anxiety drugs. Alprazolam and bisoprolol have become part of my life. These drugs calm me down when the attacks come or when I suspect it is going to happen. They are not a full solution, but at least they give me breathing space. I also try to avoid situations that increase stress, because I have learnt that when my mind is calm, my chest also feels better.
Living with chest pain has changed my life in many ways. First, I have learnt to appreciate every day I wake up. Before, I used to take life for granted, moving through Kampala city like any other person, thinking tomorrow is sure. But after collapsing many times and almost feeling like I am dying, I now know that life is fragile.
Second, I have learnt that not every sickness shows in tests. Many people believe that once doctors say “you are fine,” then the problem is finished. But sometimes, the human body hides battles that machines cannot see. I am a living example of that.
Third, I have become more prayerful. The truth is, many nights I sleep with fear, not sure if I will wake up. But I thank the Almighty God that every morning, I still rise. Without faith, I think I would have already given up. My trust in God gives me strength to continue.
For those who may be going through the same problem, my advice is simple. Do not give up. Do not think you are alone. Many people suffer from chest pain that has no clear cause. Visit hospitals, do the tests, but also pay attention to your mental health. Sometimes what we feel in the body is pushed by stress, anxiety, or hidden trauma.
I also encourage people to speak openly about such issues. In Uganda, many still believe that mental health is not serious. They think it is a weakness or something to be ignored. But if you do not take it serious, it can destroy you silently. I have suffered more from people saying “You are pretending” or “It is just in your head” than from the tests themselves.
Even with this pain, I keep hope alive. I believe one day I will wake up and live without tablets. One day, the fear of collapsing in the middle of the road in Kampala will leave me. One day, I will look back at this struggle and smile, knowing it shaped me into a stronger person.
For now, I live carefully. I take my medicine. I pray. I share my story to encourage others. Because maybe my journey can give someone else the courage to fight another day.
In the end, chest pain has been the worst chapter of my life, but it has also taught me that survival is not about having a perfect body. Survival is about having hope, faith, and strength to face tomorrow. And for that, I thank the Almighty that I am still alive.
