23yr. old diabetic w/chest pain!

[Sue-W__0]

  Hi,
  I've been so frustrated for a year now.  Just over a year ago, I gave birth to a 10lb 16oz baby boy.  Two months later I began to have chest pain and sensations of not being able to breathe. I went to my family doctor who thought it could be gastro, had an upper GI series done and found nothing.  Then I went to my diabetes specialist who asked me a few questions like whether or not the pain woke me a night, how long it lasts etc..  She thought it was "probably" nerve damage due to diabetes. So, she prescribed Amitriptilyn (sp?).  After about a week the pain slowly began to diminish.  I was happy and felt good again.  Then, a few months later I began getting stabbing pains in the back of my head, My family doctor once again paid it no mind, just said it was nothing.  I came to my own conclusion that it too was probably nerve pain. Then in late November I got headaches so bad and found out I had an infection in my sinuses, I was given anti-biotics and felt better.Then about 2 months ago, the chest pain slowly began to reveal itself once again.  I also began having pain in my neck, down my arm and a heavy pressure in my chest.  I went to the ER and got an ECG and they said I was fine and sent me home.  2 nights later it happened again, so I went to a different (less chaotic) hospital where they performed another ECG, they had my previous one from the other hospital faxed to them and the ER Dr. said that he found a slight difference in the T wave indicating that "perhaps" something was going on the first night that wasn't anymore the second night.  He decided to keep me over night to monitor my heart. The next day a Cardiologist sent me home and said it was nothing.  2 nights later it all happened again!!! I was really afraid so my fiance called an ambulance (we have no car) and in the abulance I had a heart rate of as high as 170.  I think personally it went that high due to the stress of the whole situation. That night the same ER doc found something so slight again and decided to admit me for further testing.  I had blood work done that showed no enzymes, wore a monitor for four days and finally a stress test.  The Dr. said the results of everything were fine and the slight differences could have been caused by something so little a slight movement during the ECG.  He sent me home with a holter that I had to wear for 48 hours which I am awaiting the results.
  This was all a huge scare for me but even to this day the chest pains persist.  Now I find that I often have pressure in my head and chest upon standing quickly and sometimes out of the blue.  I also have mild asthma...could that be a factor?  Could it be that it is nerve damage and maybe my dosage needs to be increased? Or do you think it's possible that there could be something they are missing???
  Thanks for reading this loooooong message. Any ideas would be appreciated.
  Sue
  P.S. My resting heart rate is usually around 90 bpm......tachycardia???

[CCF CARDIO MD APS]

Dear Sue,
Tachycardia is any rhythm >100 beats per minute.  The rate of 170 bpm is concerning for
an underlying rhythm problem but that as you say is being investigated as yet and you are
right that it may have come from all the stress, although rates this high are unlikely to
be due solely to stress.  The fact that you 'passed' your stress test is a good sign and this
makes it very unlikely that your symptoms in your chest are due to your heart.  An unatural rhythm
of your heart could potentially produce the symptoms too, but again the holter monitor will most likely
show this, just make sure you record in the diary when you get symptoms so that they can be correlated
with the rhythm on the holter monitor.  Do not be scared as it seems they are doing all the right investigations
given your symptoms, just never stop seeking help for new and or unbearable symptoms.  If your thyroid function
has not been tested, it should.  Good Luck.  Information provided in the heart forum is intended for general
medical informational purposes only, actual diagnosis and treatment can only be made by your physician(s).