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.

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@jakedduck1

@trenee1973
My friend was always complaining of chest pains but all the tests were normal. It turned out to be costochondritis.
Take care,
Jake

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Did your friend also have shortness of breath and trouble taking a deep breath?

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@helena4000

Did your friend also have shortness of breath and trouble taking a deep breath?

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@trenee1973
She claimed to but she was a hypochondriac too so who knows for sure. Costochondritis can cause shortness of breath and difficulty of deep breaths is reasonable because of the pain.
Jake

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I actually thought about that. I started taking Nexium to see if it’s an acid reflux thing. Yesterday I had the constant feeling that I had a bunch of air bubbles and extreme pressure in my chest. At the end of the day, I also took Gaviscon and it seemed to mostly go away. We’ll see if anything changes permenately once the Nexium kicks in. I still have a bit of pain on the left side and my resting heart rate last night was at 58, so I also need to keep an eye on that too. One of these days I hope to figure this out.

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Does this sound like a strained chest muscle: For the past 4 weeks Ive had a pressing/pinching pain in one small spot on my chest. It doesn’t hurt more when I press on that spot. It’s on my right side, 2 inches from my sternum, and 5 inches below my collarbone. Pain is a dull gnawing pinch. It stops throbbing when I lay down and it doesn’t hurt immediately upon waking. Usually after about 2 hours of going about my day, I begin to feel it, and it intensifies throughout the day. Cardio exertion (riding an exercise bike) does not make it worse. Taking deep breaths does not hurt. Laughing/coughing/sneezing does not hurt. Aleve and Advil relieves the pain. Ice and heating pad help too. I have no shortness of breath, and no chronic cough or fever. Full blood panel and Dimmer (blood clot test) came back normal/fine. I feel fine besides the terrible fear of this chronic chest pinch. Prior to getting the pain I was quite active - taking workout classes with planks and pushups, tricep dips. I had also been lifting the spa cover at my house without help. Could I have strained a pec muscle? I’m terrified it’s a tumor that’s pressing on a nerve.

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@ajg76

Does this sound like a strained chest muscle: For the past 4 weeks Ive had a pressing/pinching pain in one small spot on my chest. It doesn’t hurt more when I press on that spot. It’s on my right side, 2 inches from my sternum, and 5 inches below my collarbone. Pain is a dull gnawing pinch. It stops throbbing when I lay down and it doesn’t hurt immediately upon waking. Usually after about 2 hours of going about my day, I begin to feel it, and it intensifies throughout the day. Cardio exertion (riding an exercise bike) does not make it worse. Taking deep breaths does not hurt. Laughing/coughing/sneezing does not hurt. Aleve and Advil relieves the pain. Ice and heating pad help too. I have no shortness of breath, and no chronic cough or fever. Full blood panel and Dimmer (blood clot test) came back normal/fine. I feel fine besides the terrible fear of this chronic chest pinch. Prior to getting the pain I was quite active - taking workout classes with planks and pushups, tricep dips. I had also been lifting the spa cover at my house without help. Could I have strained a pec muscle? I’m terrified it’s a tumor that’s pressing on a nerve.

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Did they do an x-ray?

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@helena4000

Did they do an x-ray?

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Not yet. When I went to see my GP doctor last week, I told him all the symptoms (it was a morning appnt so I wasn’t having the pain at that moment). He listened to my chest with stethoscope and said it was totally clear. He didn’t feel I needed an X-ray or CT scan. When I called his office later, I asked for one to just settle my fears, and he decided to do the blood tests. He also knows Im a bit inclined to having health anxiety - and that my workouts are intense. Overall, he is a pretty attentive doctor and tends to lean on the side of doing a test “just in case” so I assumed I must not be exhibiting dangerous signs. I’m 42 years old, and he’s been my GP for 18 years. I’m thinking of going to see a chiropractor just bc I think the chiro will do the chest X-ray

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@loved1

For three weeks before the cardiac arrest I had pain that felt like it was in my lungs and kind of moved around. I took Tums and then Prilosec. After 3 weeks I decided I would go to the hospital and get checked but I never made it. the only reason I waited so long that time was because every other time I went they said I was fine.
The blockage was caused by cholesterol buildup AKA heart disease.
My father had a heart attack in his late 50's from a 80% Block in an artery. He was healthy also. since my cardiac arrest my older brother has gotten checked and he had an 80% Block in one of his arteries with no symptoms.Has the doctor told you what he thinks the chest pains are from?

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I feel very sorry for you Loved1. I'am still going through this today. I don't go the the hospital anymore because I'm tired of being told they can't find anything wrong. I told my cardiologist the last time I saw him that this chest pain and trouble breathing use to be frustrating. It is beyond that anymore. I have had thirty-eight heart caths. I have fifteen stents, a pacemaker and had 5 angioplasty's. I know I have unstable angina and that is a problem. But this chest pain is ridiculous to the point I' am ready to just give up.

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Hello im gabby, 24 year old female & i have been experiencing chest pains(left side) for at least 2 years now. Ive gone to my drs MANY times, had test done, stress test with a cardiologist, X rays, Ct scan, EKG, pretty much every test that could be done & theyve told me my heart is as healthy as can be. Every time i go to my drs its like she doesnt know what to tell me anymore on whats causing my pain but im honestly so over it😞 this pain comes & goes EVERY DAY feels like a sharp/ pressure kinda pain i can be doing nothing & it will hurt randomly. Sometimes in the bottom of my chest like right under my breast or just on the left side. If anyone is going thru the same or has any idea what this can be PLEASE reach out i just dont know what to do anymore this pain ia taking over my life!!!

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Hi @gabbys24 and welcome to Connect. You may have noticed I moved your post to this existing discussion on chest pain with normal tests so that you can connect with others with similar experiences. Simply click VIEW & REPLY in your email notification to find your post.

I wanted to introduce you to fellow Connect members @lioness @racerjon @ajg76 and @loved1 as they may be able to offer you support.

Back to you @gabbys24, did anything out of the ordinary happen to you prior to when the pain first started?

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@ethanmcconkey

Hi @gabbys24 and welcome to Connect. You may have noticed I moved your post to this existing discussion on chest pain with normal tests so that you can connect with others with similar experiences. Simply click VIEW & REPLY in your email notification to find your post.

I wanted to introduce you to fellow Connect members @lioness @racerjon @ajg76 and @loved1 as they may be able to offer you support.

Back to you @gabbys24, did anything out of the ordinary happen to you prior to when the pain first started?

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Hello, thank you for your response... & no not that i can remember but i forgot to mention , years ago when i was like maybe 10 years old i felt this pain for the very first time & it was horrible, it was the middle of the night & i didnt want to tell anyone so i tried sleeping it off but it hurt soo much the whole night till the next day i felt better & i never got that pain ever again till recently 2 years ago. Ive gone to the Er several times in those 2 years because the pain wasnt going away & it felt like i was having a heart attack🙁 the pain doesnt last too long maybe like a couple seconds but i get it daily every hour almost....

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