Heart - random tightness lower left chest / breast

Posted by jmendoza1 @jmendoza1, Dec 3, 2023

Hi,

I am 41 yrs old, fit and healthy but could be slightly over my BMI. I work hard and play hard with a young daughter and pets.

A few months ago I felt my left side of chest cramp / tightnened up. I could breath with no issues but felt like a cramp. I went to see the doctor but I was cleared after doing vital check. He put it down to potentially stress, reflux / indigestion or a muscular strain from the way I was seated at work. The issue went away.

3 days ago I started to feel some slight tightening in my left side of the chest again on the side and lower left of the peck. The tightening was on and off but gradually increased on the Friday. I went to see another doctor who did the vital test again, but nothing would pop up and all is fine. I get my blood test results tomorrow.

I don’t have trouble breathing and a run three times a week. I used to ultra run but stopped 3 years ago due to back issues. I’ve been working long hours the last 6 weeks due to a new job, trying to win work and securing my first project. Also had issues over the last 5 months trying to get equity out of my old firm, but recently (last Thursday) got confirmation they would pay it back.

I don’t smoke and drink a glass or three of wine or beer 3 times a week. There is not record of heat disease in my family apart from grand father who died of a heart attack when mum was 4 yrs old so we don’t have any exact medical records to know if it was a heart attack.

Subject to my blood test results, what other test or checks should I look at?

My body seems like it has started to fall apart once I reached 40!

TIA

Cheers

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jrae | @jrae | Dec 12, 2023

I had a heart attack out of the blue myself, thinking I was in fair health. As far as I know there is no heart disease in my family either. My attack felt like a few slight pains that went away on the left side also that's why I dismissed it. Then one day I was having a meeting online and it felt like a rubber band was squeezing my torso. The pain was not unbearable but it became constant. I ended up in emergency surgery due to a heart attack. After talking to my doctors and doing research I found out that many people don't have any symptoms at all before a heart attack. I don't know what's going on in your case, but I would definitely keep an eye on it and if that little pain starts happening more often or becomes even a little bit stronger I would go back to the doctor ASAP. Because I waited instead of going to the ER right away I ended up with alot of damage to my heart.

jmendoza1 | @jmendoza1 | Dec 12, 2023

In reply to @jrae "I had a heart attack out of the blue myself, thinking I was in fair health...." + (show)

Thanks. Sounds very similar - the doctor was saying it’s most likely muscular since it is the left side of the chest.

I got a second opinion and the other Dr said all vitals looked fine, but referred me to a specialist who has sent me for a CT for precautionary check. He didn’t think there was anything urgent but would like to baseline my health so I can start monitoring going forward.

Hopefully results are fine and I can focus on getting fit again. Work and change in jobs has taken its toll the last few yrs - on top of COVID and child 🙂

toano | @toano | Jan 1 8:18pm

I literally just found this connect.mayoclinic and signed up just to respond to you -- what you describe is EXACTLY what I was experiencing -- a little squeeze here, a little there, two weeks went by and I wound up in the ER w/BP at 200/95 and on the verge of a heart attack. Fortunately, superb emergency medical professionals kept me from having a full blown heart attack, and now trying to identify the source(s) since the heart cath showed no blockages/irregularities. I hope you are doing well.

jmendoza1 | @jmendoza1 | Jan 1 9:05pm

I’m all good. I went to see a cardiologist and did all the relevant testing. Results came back fine. No blockages and apparently I have a resting heart rate of an athlete. He believes it is just muscular issue around the rib cage. Unsure what caused it and I haven’t had a similar issue of late. I just need to watch my cholesterol level as it has increased but apart from that I am in great condition. It was better to be safe than sorry.

200/95! That’s pretty scary! How did you recover and are you conducting any further checks?

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