Ongoing Chest Pain

Posted by kttormoen @kttormoen, Oct 17, 2018

A week ago, I woke up at night from chest pain. It was pretty intense and I thought it was heartburn. I took Tums, which always help, but they didn't help. The next day I went to my doctor. She did an EKG and it was normal. She prescribed Omeprazole for GERD. Even after days of taking it, I do not feel better. My chest pain is constant. It's minor but it moves around. For example, it is in the middle of my chest right now but has been on the left side and then the right side today as well. My cholesterol is normal, I am a 28 year old female, I am not overweight, and there is not history of heart issues in my family.

Sometimes I feel like my heart is fluttering. I've also been very tired and a bit dizzy. I am not sure if part of the cause of my symptoms is anxiety, but anxiety attacks don't typically last for days on end. I have a hard time focusing on anything lately because of my symptoms. I feel shaky too.

Please help me. I am not sure what is going on and I feel like my doctor doesn't think it's a big deal.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

Being a 28 year old female with no family history

REPLY

Being a 28 year old woman with no family history of heart disease the chances of your chest pains being heart related would be very rare. Chest pain can come from many other causes. The fluttering is probably ectopic heart beats either pvcs or pacs and probably caused by your anxiety over the chest pain and nothing to worry about if it is. However it is always best to get check out just in case and it will help ease your anxiety. You might see about getting a stress test or echo stress test. I doubt any doctor is going to do a invasive procedure like a angiogram at your age and probability of having heart disease. Hope this helps.

REPLY
@loved1

Hi I am so sorry to hear you are going through this. I went through a similar scenario for several years I had sharp chest pains and then would pass out. Every time I went in and had all the blood work EKG, treadmill test, echo cardiogram... Everything always looked great. I don't want to scare you but last year I had a cardiac arrest. They finally did an angiogram. I had a 90% Block in my LAD, the Widow Maker. After 28 minutes of CPR I was miraculously saved. I was a healthy 48 year old, nonsmoker, exercise regularly and didn't fit the description of a person with heart disease. It is very important for you to be your own advocate! Let them know what YOU want done. If the doctor you have won't listen, find another. Doctor's do what they are taught and if you are atypical, they won't find the problem. If you are suffering, they have an obligation to find out what is going on with you. Good luck and stay strong. 🙏

Jump to this post

Hello Loved1. Thanks for sharing your story. I'm wondering if you had a CT of the coronary arteries as part of your work up prior to your cardiac event. You mentioned an EKG, treadmill and echo which were normal but did they do a CT scan of your coronary arteries. I only ask because I just had one and they assured me that despited my cardiac symptoms my arteries were clear on this test.

REPLY

I can't remember for sure if they did the CT. I think so but I could be wrong. My memory is not very good since SCA. My older brother got checked after my episode and everything looked good but then he had another test for calcium levels (I'm not sure of the name of that test) and they were high so that's how they found out he may have had a block and they did an angiogram and he did. I'm not trying to scare anyone out there but I do think it's important to be your own advocate and even if you're a young female, things happen. I was in great health. Never smoked, hardly drank, watched what I ate, exercised and very type B personality. Heart disease is not just an older, white male problem.

REPLY

Your situation is completely different from loved1. She was upper 40s you are 28. She has family history you do not. If you had a ct calcium scan and it was fine it is unlikely you have any significant blockage. I think you are reading her story and scaring yourself but you are comparing apples to oranges. If you haven’t talked to a cardiologist you need to to ease your mind.

REPLY
@loved1

I can't remember for sure if they did the CT. I think so but I could be wrong. My memory is not very good since SCA. My older brother got checked after my episode and everything looked good but then he had another test for calcium levels (I'm not sure of the name of that test) and they were high so that's how they found out he may have had a block and they did an angiogram and he did. I'm not trying to scare anyone out there but I do think it's important to be your own advocate and even if you're a young female, things happen. I was in great health. Never smoked, hardly drank, watched what I ate, exercised and very type B personality. Heart disease is not just an older, white male problem.

Jump to this post

@loved1 Do you have discomfort in your back right across from your heart? At one time I did I believe in chiropractic so discussed this with him .He told me that all our nerves come from our spine and sure enough that was it after he released the nerves from the muscle I got relieve this was my experience .

REPLY

If you haven't had a heart cath, I would ask your doctor why. I had chest pain and back pain on and off for a long time. Every EKG, stress test and Echo I had always showed I was fine. Finally, a heart cath showed six blockages, three that were over 80%. I'am just one of these people who have problems with heart disease even on the strongest blood thinners. I even went for a second opinion a couple months ago and that doctor wanted to do another cath. He found two more (one 80% and one 90%) blockages. Don't be afraid to ask why a cath hasn't been done. That test could save your life. Unstable Angina could be another cause of your problems. Also, the fluttering you feel could be a sign of A-Fib)

REPLY
@racerjon

If you haven't had a heart cath, I would ask your doctor why. I had chest pain and back pain on and off for a long time. Every EKG, stress test and Echo I had always showed I was fine. Finally, a heart cath showed six blockages, three that were over 80%. I'am just one of these people who have problems with heart disease even on the strongest blood thinners. I even went for a second opinion a couple months ago and that doctor wanted to do another cath. He found two more (one 80% and one 90%) blockages. Don't be afraid to ask why a cath hasn't been done. That test could save your life. Unstable Angina could be another cause of your problems. Also, the fluttering you feel could be a sign of A-Fib)

Jump to this post

Agree with Racerjon!

REPLY
@racerjon

If you haven't had a heart cath, I would ask your doctor why. I had chest pain and back pain on and off for a long time. Every EKG, stress test and Echo I had always showed I was fine. Finally, a heart cath showed six blockages, three that were over 80%. I'am just one of these people who have problems with heart disease even on the strongest blood thinners. I even went for a second opinion a couple months ago and that doctor wanted to do another cath. He found two more (one 80% and one 90%) blockages. Don't be afraid to ask why a cath hasn't been done. That test could save your life. Unstable Angina could be another cause of your problems. Also, the fluttering you feel could be a sign of A-Fib)

Jump to this post

Like the previous correspondent, I had chest and back pain, as well as abdominal pain (severe). Blood work was normal, EKG good, stress test and echo also normal; however, when another cardiologist came on the case and get a cath, it showed three significant blockages in three arteries. Within a few days I was transferred to the nearest hospital where a heart surgeon was on staff, he concurred with the findings of the last dr I had seen and promptly ordered surgery. Please do your homework, find another cardiologist in your area and get at least one, if not two, other opinions.

REPLY

@kotterman Go to a cardiologist ,with blockages you will need surgery to feel better 23 yrs ago my family Dr sent me to cardiologist ,after stress test ,echo he sent me right into hospital for catheterization ,showed 3blockages so had a triple by pass .Dont full around with what your experiencing .

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.