Am I having heart trouble or just a strained muscle?

  Hopefully you can help me.  I had my gallbladder removed in January.  I am still experiencing some stomach problems, but my real concern is the pain I get around my heart.  It is always on my left side, sometimes I can feel pressure on my shoulder blade.  It is usually dull or throbbing and sometimes my left arm will feel a bit numb or have a tingle.  A few times I have had pain in my fingers.  I had an ekg, a chest x-ray and a cat scan with a iodine contrast, all showed fine results.  Sometimes I can even feel it when I take a deep breath.  Sometimes when I raise my left arm to blowdry my hair, my arm feels week.  Could this be a strained chest muscle?  Heartburn or what?  This stopped for a short time, but now it is back.  What could be the problem?  Thanks!

[CCF CARDIO MD APS]

Dear Lisa,
Firstly you must know that this forum is not for diagnosis and treatment, rather
it is a medical information forum to better inform those patients and loved ones
with specific cardiac conditions.  As for your discomfort, it does not sound
cardiac in origin, and maybe it would help you to know that the nerves that supply
the organs of the chest (heart, shoulder and chest muscle, and lungs) and the
upper abdominal organs are all intermixed. This leads to some confusion for
patients and physicians in sorting out where exactly the problem is.  An example
is this, pain in the shoulder could indicate a problem with the heart, the shoulder,
the diaphragm, the stomach, and or the gallbladder!  
Now in order that you understand how to keep your heart healthy and in check I will
tell you that you should eat well balanced meals, exercise regularly, stop smoking if
you do so at all, and have your cholesterol checked.  Women who are postmenopausal are
at just as much risk as a man for heart disease and should have regular check ups including
a stress test. Good Luck, and please discuss these issues with  your physicians.
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).