chest pain

[samlam]

I just turned 16 and for more than 6 months now I've been having chest pain. It happens when I'm resting and it can last from anywhere from a few seconds to 30 minutes. Sometimes it's a sharp pain but other times it's dull or it feels like my chest is really tight. I also feel like I can't get enough air sometimes and I get out of breath easily. Sometimes I get this weird feeling and I can feel my heart beating in my throat and I can't breathe when it happens. My left arm sometimes gets tingly and when my chest hurts, the pain shoots down my arm. I also get pain shooting up into my shoulder, neck and jaw. I've been to 5 different doctors and none of them can figure out what's causing the pain. It happens way too often to be indigestion and I'm pretty sure it's not panic attacks. One of the doctors even suggested to me that I'm making this up. I really just want to know if anyone has any ideas about what this could be. Sometimes it hurts so bad I can't think about anything else and it scares me that no one can find out what's wrong.

[UnSeCuRedLiFe]

hello my dear, again here...
i just get back from the doctors today, they done another ECG test, and this time they have found that its a really anxiety, another thing, my doc said, the time u feel like ur heart beating in ur throught u have to count how many time u feel it per minute, if its 12 or more, be aware that something is wrong with your heart! My ECG shows that i have like 2-3 and no more for a few minutes and then again same, so this is not harmful, but should be look after. Anxiety its a very dificult to treat, unfortunately, its all in ur mind, and yeah, the gentelmen above saying that he has stress in the past, but all appear only now, that the typical anxiety action. It can appear even aften 5or more years from the previous stress. One more thing can help it, some easy exsersize and walking also try not to think of that and it will go slowly... my beating is getting better now, i feel much better then before. Thanks to God and all of u, now i know im not alone.Remember, its ALL IN YOUR MIND!!!!! u think like u are not stressed but in the same time something is worrying you, plz relax, try to take nice warm bath, candles, evenings with a friends, get a boyfriend if u dont have one and maybe one more, try acupuncture, its the best method to get reed of stress...
send me back and tell me how u feel..... my next appoitment for ECG coming again next week, but my doc says , im better, much better then before...:)

[samlam]

I just wanted to say thank you all for the comments and thanks for the support.
I'm going back to the doctor soon, so I'm going to ask him about anxiety and panick attacks and how I can help it.
The more I think about it the more I think it's not anything at all but there's always this little voice in the back of my mind wondering if maybe it is something.
I have a sister who has pulmonary hypertension. She's 17 and was diagnosed Sep. 2006. I don't think I have it but I just want a real, for sure answer to make sure that nothing is and that it's just stress.

[justmeplus3]

I feel for you...I am in the same boat...2 different cardiologists--one says abnormal stress test, one says everything okay. One says have heart cath done..one says I have MVP and PVCs and no need for heart cath. Primary physician keeps leaning towards serious reflux or maybe residual bile /stones from previous gallbladder surgery years ago. I have been given nitro and it minimally helps. I have two kids and I am scared all the time. This has been going on with some regularity since Dec. I have been told to try xanex--in case anxiety--which I would have been thrilled for it to be (I have a 4 month old, new family stressful..things but have had much worse stress in prior years...which makes you think why now? )--but it didn't help. I feel for you...its scary and I pray things will get better.

[UnSeCuRedLiFe]

Hello there,im 22, my name is Ana, i live in UK, i have the same problems as u for a couple of weeks now, its umbelievble seems like i was reading about myself here. yeah, i have done ECG and so on, the doc says its all RIGHT!!! im always streesed aver that, i feel my heart beating, like i have just swollowed it,im very scared, coz nobody  knows what is it,and everybody just saying that its only an anxiety; but sometimes, i realized when i dont think about this my heart is beating normal,but if only i think where the pain gone, its there again and some pain in my chest also there. I believe its something with nerves, This age between 16-25 its too stressfull for us. Try not to think about it, i will try to, i was also doing so many exersizes to for get it, swimming and so on,but it didt help, i feel my heart every day. I dont believe its something wrong, i dont wanna belive, its all in ur mind, trust me.Its all stress, Stress can kill us one day, JUst keep it up, and try to forget, u will see, the pain will go, but the other question is, how to forget it and never remeber it back.............................tk cre...

[BaByGaBe]

I know you probably heard this so many times, but it sounds like anxiety. Anxiety/ panic attacks will make you think that there is pain, and some pains are closely associated with anxiety. My boyfriend who is 26 has had anxiety since he was 12, and he gets numb arms, fingers, and legs, chest pains on the bottom of his breast close to the middle of his chest where the heart is, and he sweats, get nervous, has tension headaches, stuffy nose, you name it. The sooner he tries to get his mind off the pain he thinks is there, it actually does go away. You are only 16, so why would you be having a heart attack or any heart problems unless you were born with them? I really believe that it just may be anxiety. Check with a good cardiologist, and if that still does not reveal the source of your problems, then try to see a psychiatrist. What is your daily food regimen and do you exercise at all? Do you eat fast food often? Please let me know. Good Luck, and try not to think so much that it is serious.

[samlam]

I had an EKG done. I've also had an echocardiogram done and I had to wear a holter monitor.
My mom was really concerned at first but now when I tell her about the pain she just tells me to relax and not think about it. She thinks I'm just really stressed out or something but I'm not any more stressed than normal.
I can also feel my heart beating when I lay down and I was just wondering if that was normal or not.
Thanks for your suggestions. :)

[Lynnehs]

I'm not a doctor, so I can't diagnose you, but I can give you suggestions on where to start.

Have you had an EKG? It sounds like heart attacks, although there are other possibilities. You need to understand that doctors are horrible at diagnosis. You should watch "House" on tv sometime. It's a real eye-opener.

It's actually VERY common for doctors not to believe patients when they don't know what's wrong. They just don't like admitting they don't know something, but there are some good ones out there. You just have to keep changing doctors till one is willing to keep at it and not give up till they find an answer.

Please go to heart specialist and insist on a full workup. You might also want to talk to a neurologist (brain specialist) in case you're having seizures or some other brain trouble and not heart trouble.

Also, do you live in the North east US or in Missouri or parts of Kansas that border Missouri? Have you been camping in the past year? If so, you might want to ask about Lyme disease because that can cause any number of weird symptoms although it's less likely unless you have fatigue, muscle aches, daytime sleepiness, that sort of thing.

Are your parents emotionally supportive in all this? If so, you should get them involved in helping you find the right doctor or doctors. Good luck!