stupid question

[vonnhelsing]

I know this is such a typical hypochondriac question but if I had bad chest tightness, shortness of breath, felt unwell and sweaty for about an hour and feel fine now then could it potentially be a heart problem or is this something else?

Mind you, I had eaten 3 slices of very cheesy pizza and some chips like half an hour prior to the sudden chest pains. But I dont always want to blame it on eating and possible gas issues.

TMI coming up

I really think theres something amiss. .
I had an apple in the morning and then went to the toilet and did a 'number 2' and what followed was intense nausea, ice cold hands and stomach pains.

After eating lunch I felt fine, slight heart palpitations.

And now this issue after eating the pizza's.

Any opinions??

[vonnhelsing]

Anyone? I was at the hospital last week I really dont want to go again. I get embarassed going there ..

[jessed03]

Hey

Obviously I can't replace the advice of a physician, but I'm not seeing too much there that wouldn't/couldn't be anxiety related.

There are no obvious warning signs there for anything serious, given you've had some testing a few weeks ago.

[SSMommy]

Hey there! So I know in our messages we have discussed your PE. I KNOW your current doctor said its minor but mind you mine said mine was well.... And it was actually very very serious. It's probably that it contributed directly to my heart problems (SVT). MANY of your posts ring really close to home. I honestly would insist on a CT scan or MRI done with pectus protocol so that you can know if the PE is causing any compression. If that doctor won't order the test, find one that will. You will not know until you can see inside. They do it on inhalation and escalation. Doctors that don't specialize in it are highly uneducated on it even though it doesn't take much more than common sense to know that if there isn't enough space it could affect your hearts ability to pump properly.

[SSMommy]

SVT can cause the descriptions you've mentioned in this and your symptoms post with bms and racing heart. That said soooo can anxiety. That said... Mine was severe and I am here...and stronger than I was because of the experience. Have they ever done a chest X-ray on an ER visit? If so, see if you can get a copy....mine was apparent on that and should have been apparent to any doctor looking at it. Also, something I've become very used to asking for... A copy of every single test they do on me.

Have you ever tried eliminating foods like gluten or dairy? I've been gluten free for almost two years now because before they figured out was actually going on, they thought I might be celiac and put me on a diet to eliminate gluten. The test was negative but in the meantime I felt so much better that I just stuck with it. If you have IBS, you might be sensitive to a specific type of food.

[SSMommy]

I meant exhalation by the way... Stupid auto correct. Inhalation and exhalation

[jessed03]

Sounds worthwhile getting that checked out. The so called 'minor', niggling stuff can cause some anxiety symptoms, and others too.

Have you tried a diet change? If you do have digestion problems, it's worth trying to get to the bottom of... Most of the time it's nothing, but acidic issues, food intolerance, sensitivities, poor digestion, low levels of good bacteria, they can all cause lots of issues, including anxiety.

Sounds like SSMummys got your back. Always nice to meet a fellow gluten free'r too :D

[vonnhelsing]

SSmommy, is your PE visible though?
Ive checked with a bunch of my friends and colleagues at work and my chest looks the same as everyone elses.. we couldnt see any difference...

And also my symptoms come and go and for some reason I can always predict when theyre going to happen.
Wouldnt symptoms be persistent if it was a more serious form of PE?

Ive had multiple chest xrays done and i had a CT scan done of my chest in 2009 where they found nothing and the doctor said I have costochondritis.

Last week I had an echocardiogram which was slightly abnormal in which he noticed that my heart was being slightly compressed.
Ive had 2 echocardiograms prior to this one, in 2012 and one in 2013.

I also did the stress exercise test thing on the treadmill, doc was happy with it.
Also done a holter monitor in 2012.. picked up one premature heartbeat. Was prescribed a mild beta blocker but stopped taking them.

I just dont know what else to tell them. They keep sending me home.

[vonnhelsing]

I am just constantly anxious and stressed. 24 hours a day it never stops. I have not stopped thinking that I have a heart problem for 6 continuous years.
Im slowly losing it

[vonnhelsing]

Ive never taken anxiety medication apart from a few weeks of taking valium back in 2009 and a few months of beta blockers in 2012
Havent been to a therapist since 2009.
Been battling this on my own for so long im a completely different person now.
Pain is part of my life. Its so natural now. I havent had a single pain free day in years

[jessed03]

Have you considered therapy again? You know what's causing a big problem for you (heart fears), you've gotta get stuck into tackling that VH! Theray is usually the most efficient way.

[SSMommy]

When did you stop taking the beta blocker? Yes mine was noticeable. I guess the question I have though is... What is causing the compression that they saw?

[SSMommy]

And did the beta blocker help when you were on it?

[vonnhelsing]

I remember taking them and feeling very tired and heavy..
I dont remember exactly but I guess they must have helped cause I stopped taking them when I ran out and never went back to get more..
Gona make an appointment with a gastrointestinal doctor and a orthopedic doctor to check my insides and my rib cage..
Once thats all clear (hopefully) then im definitely going to find a psychologist. Cant keep going on like this. I need answers and perhaps some closure.