OT? Need Some Sound Advice From You All | Arthritis Information

Okay........in light of all the talk about heart conditions and heart disease, I've been poking around online a bit and reading about symptoms etc etc etc.

I have *always* (Since my freshman year of high school) had this nagging feeling that I need to get my heart checked out. It litterally just *popped* into my head one day. I can't explain it.

Then, when I was running with the gym class, I started getting this HORRIFIC pain my left shoulder, it was pulsing down the front of my shoulder and into my elbow. It felt like someone was driving nails down my veins. I told my gym teacher and she said it was muscle strain. I told my mom, she said it was muscle strain. I told my doctor, he said it was muscle strain. It still happens if I run or get myself out of breath in anyway.

My junior year of highschool I had what the docs said was a panic attack. However, I don't recall being paniced AT ALL until I was sitting in the ER hooked up to an EKG machine. They had called my mom from the school because while sitting in the middle of grading some papers I had the most horrific chest pains, and they were all on left and down my arm. The EKG was fine and they couldn't find anything wrong with me. It took about 2 hours for the pain to stop.

Justin has been witness to me stopping periodically and clutching my chest. I always tell him it feels HORRIBLE and I often have to hold my breath until it passes. It's always on the left. *always* It feels like my heart stops, but I know it doesnt.

My BP is always fine when I'm at the doctor.

When I'm stressed, I can see and feel the blood pulsing in my neck - on the left side.

Seeing my pattern here? LoL

So my question is this - am I insane or being a hypochonriac if I bring this up to my PCP? And if I do, how do I make it clear to her that I'm not *just* being paraniod, but that this has been a gut feeling since I was probably 13.

Or do YOU think I'm crazy??

I really appreciate this. The thing that got me to finally post this and ask, is that I get the webMD mailer thingy, and so I plodded over to their site and the FIRST story they have is about "7 pains you shouldn't ignore" and their biggest section was on chest pains, and my GOD do I ever fit into that section when I get these pains. They said that people with heart problems talk about severe pressure, and will put their hand over their chest and say it feels like an elephant is sitting on them. Well yeah, been there.....so that kinda scared me. I don't want to be a statistic......

Oh oh, and this may be TMI for the guys....

A lot of times, when I get the pains, it also travels through my left breast. Never both, just that one. Like I said, everything is contained to my left side. So it'll feel like someone has a knife right through my nipple into my heart.

I have done self exams, and there is nothing that sticks out to me, and I have had my doc do them as well. Sooooooo dunno there......but just some extra info.

arriscolwell2008-02-21 20:25:02i hope you get this checked out i would be worried to if all of that happened to me

out of the blue, ask your pcp there are no stupid questions remember even thou they

don't act like it they work for you make them set and listen to you. just a thoght

i hope you get feeling better have a nice evening going on.

You know your body better than anyone and if you sre feeling tike it is something serious, then you need to explore further!

About 20 years ago, I had been feeling my heart beat CONSTANTLY. It beat like a percolator. (that's an old-fashioned coffee pot, for you younguns) It didn't race, but just had a real weird beat and I felt each and every one! This went on for months. I told the docs, they put me on the ekg machine for about 1 minute and nothing showed up. I knew it wouldn't because when they did the ekg's I wasn't feeling the weird beat. Then, one day I had an appt and it was going crazy! I told the doc and they finally caught it on an ekg!

I have been taking inderal twice a day since then and it keeps it under control most of the time.

So don't let them tell you it's just a strain, without checking it out somehow!

Please keep me posted!

Much love, Nini

Snow, you know, I already have reffered pain from my neck. So I did consider that. I just don't know where this one would be coming from.

The nerve in my neck pinches and causes some NASTY NASTY stuff in my shoulder blade.....oddly enough, on my left side. Hmmmm could be connected!!!

I like the idea of just laying out the symptoms and going "so what do you think" And going from there. Makes me feel a little less crazy.

I really appreciate the responses. :)

I really like the idea of a 24 hour EKG. An abnormal heart beat can be so many things. Yes, it could be stress (but skip that part to the MD, ok?) but it could be anything else. There are also gastro issues that can sort of 'back up' and feel like it effects the heart. Maybe you need a whole body look over, checking the heart, the gastro and the neurological.

Hugs,

pip

Yup yup, I forgot to mention that Pippy.

I *used to* have some wicked heartburn. However, now I don't have any. Thanks to figuring out my triggers and probiotics. Heehe

But I did use to think it was that, but it would always make me go "hmm" that it really was JUST on my left side. KWIM?

Get it checked out. I had a heart murmur until I was 4, I believe.

I get this thing in the left side of my chest... like my heart is jumping around in there, but then it does not feel like my heart because I get shallow breathing and it only happens when I am hurting bad. It really feels like it is my lung... because after I start breathing normal again I cough.
My mommy a couple of years back thought she was having a stroke or heart attack, her left arm hurt, but turned out it was really bad acid reflux.Yep, that thought goes through my mind a lot June Bug. I just don't have a good way to tell the difference.

I had such horrible heart burn and reflux a while ago, but I have nailed so much of it SO well now, that I wouldn't expect it to be the cause. Not that it can't be, I understand that. KWIM?

FIL has heart problems, he was thinking he was needing to be cathed again because he was having the same symptoms, but they were not responding to him taking his nitro. So, he went to heart dr and they told him it was acid reflux. Ah, and that is the kind of "sound advice" I knew I'd get from y'all. :)

*hugs*

Darlin, go see a cardiologist~ ASAP!!

I think, the person, who knows our body best is ourselves.

I've been bipolar since a child, yet, it took over 30 yrs, to finally finally find someone who

Knew what was wrong w/ me. I'd been in therapy for over 10 yrs, had great therapists..

but I always knew that even tho, I had Depression, somethi

ng was missing..

I finally got therapists, who were both bipolar and could recognize the signs..

I may one of the few people who were thrilled, to find out i was "Mentally Ill"

LOL Rolmao..

I was deaf, very hard of hearing since a kid, and no one figured that out until i was 18?

WTF... so go to a different DR.... make an appt, w/ the SPecialist and keep going until you find a diagnosis, that feels right.. go w/ your gut!!

Good luck~ and thats scary!!!... so asap, ok?

not that i'm bossy or anything.. :P lol

ps~ green is for healing..

Whispered2008-02-22 01:49:13Arliss - I totally relate and you have described one of my horrendous pain episodes I go through every so often. I have twice been to the ER with these chest pains/shooting down the arm, the whole thing. Have been thoroughly evaluated twice by a cardiologist. I have confirmed sinus tach from wearing the 24-hour halter monitor, but that was decades ago and was attributed to my thyroid. The MDs could find nothing wrong with my heart with the tests they chose to run and I was told it was stress and to deal with it. However, I think what is causing mine is inflammation of the lining of the chest cavity, which I understand is common for us - every part of us inflames at some point if you are in the severe/moderate stage. And I HATE IT when my heart just suddenly turns over. Only once has a trained medical personnel caught that with a stethescope - it was a nurse. She jumped back and said NOT GOOD. Then I was cleared and told to stop faking my symptoms to get drugs. Good luck. Hi Katie

As everyone has said - have it checked it out. It may be referred pain and not heart-related, but best to know. I have referred pain in both my shoulder blade and chest area, so I know how you feel. Who would have thought my neck could cause such pain, especially when my neck doesn't even hurt. Diagnosis for me was stenosis and disc bulges, but exercise and traction is making a difference.

Take care

Cathy

Katie,

I've had a pinched nerve in my neck with referred pain in my shoulder, but I never had pain in my breast area, so I really don't think it could be that unless maybe you have multiple nerves that are pinched? I don't know.

My mom takes medication for an irregular heartbeat and she describes her symptoms like you, but again, she didn't say anything about pain in the breast area.

I agree with everryone else. Something is definitely wrong. You should let your doctor know.

Katie I would DEFINITLY go see a cardiologist. Even if it is nothing, at least you went in and a dr said that its nothing to worry about. With everything going on w/ my grandfather it has made everyone in the family step back a bit and reassess what they are doing healthwise. PLease please go see a dr.

I have had that same pain in my breast that you are talking about......hmmm

Katie...if Justin had told you this senerio what would you do? I know you....you would haul his happy a** into the docs and have him describe what is going on in detail.

WEll, if it would be that important for Justin than it is that important for you...GET TO THE DOC & start with the GP and get referrals!

Ditto ditto ditto ditto.....LOL Shelly. I know, I know.

I'm going to do a bit more on the acid reflux front, and see if I notice any changes. Maybe I'm a pessimist but I don' think this current infection is going to go away with this round of antibiotics, so I'll be back at the doctors by the 1st of the month. So I'll ask then.

The referred pain from my neck is WILD today, even on my meds. I have all kinds of strange sensations and pains in my left shoulder blade. Today will be VERY busy at work, so that's only going to make it worse. It will be VERY interesting to see if I have the chest pain today. So far this week, I've escaped with out it!
Yes, yes, yes! Get it checked out. The fact that you're a young female sometimes makes doctors too likely to ignore something that could be seriously wrong. When my daughter was a teenager, she wore a heart monitor for a couple of days to try and determine the cause of her occasional chest pain. The test was normal, thank God, and no cause was ever found for the pain, which eventually stopped, but the point is, the doctor took it seriously enough to get it properly tested and your doctor should too. Push if you have to.

Please keep us posted on what you learn.