Chest Pains

[troloff]

I'm a 23 year old male (5'10" and 150 lbs) and I have been having chest pains now for a while. Off and on for a year. For about 4 months it has been daily but this last month it has been getting worse and worse. Since I don't have insurance I was stupid and tried to self diagnose myself. I got the pain to stop for 2 or 3 weeks but it came back of course. I then tried seeing a free clinic doctor who just listened to my heart w/ a stethoscope and said I'm healthy. I'm now trying to get on a medical assistance program in my state. But this last Thursday I had the worst episode ever and I want to try and get some advice...

Okay so the pain is generally not a sharp pain, although sometimes it is. The best way I can describe it is like a throbbing pain. Sometimes its just a slight discomfort though. It doesn't last long at all but it happens every day at least 5 times a day now. Sometimes it will be one throb or discomfort, sometimes it's upto 5 or more throbs or discomforts. The pain is normally on the left side and sometimes I feel as though I can feel a weird sensation or discomfort in my left leg/foot at the same time. 1 out of 10 times or so I can feel the pain or discomfort in the right side of my chest, and rarely I will feel discomfort in my right leg/foot when this happens similar to sometimes when it happens in the left. When the pain is on the right side it isn't as bad as the left. If I am physically active, the pain will not happen it seems, but it will bother me while sitting or laying down in bed though. I don't have shortness of breath, or don't feel pain or discomfort anywhere else like my neck, shoulders, arms, or hands. I do have lightheadedness sometimes when I am sitting down for awhile and suddenly stand up, fatigue, and lots of muscle spasms, especially in my legs.

When I went to the free clinic my blood pressure was a low 80/60 and my heart rate was 80 bpm.

The worst episode that I mentioned earlier was pretty scary. I was taking a nap and all of a sudden I had like 9 throbbing pains that were worse then normal, (wouldn't say stabbing) on the left side of my chest, and each throb I could also feel discomfort in my left foot.

I'm to frugal for my own good. The main reason I haven't got checked up is I don't want to spend a bunch of money and have the docs find nothing.

Anyone have an idea of what this might be? If I go in to see a cardiologist, should I ask for a certain test or tests first? I would like to do this the most economical way possible, but that probably is impossible. I fear I won't be accepted for medical assistance because of my condition. I feel very depressed and helpless right now.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Horsegal]

I'm 25 years old and I have been experiencing chest pain on and off for about a year now. I got really scared because my heart would feel like it was beating funny and I couldn't breathe real well. They put me through 2 stress tests, one was a nuclear stress test. 2 echocardiograms and about 8 EKGS and 10,000 later I still don't have a clue what is wrong with me. I still have these episodes but now I've learned to deal. I'm not telling you not to go to the Dr. but sometimes its just up to the good Lord to correct things. Good Luck!

[troloff]

Right now I'm taking Swansons "Super Cayenne"; 2 pills, 3 times a day that contains 450 mg of Cayenne Pepper (100,000 H.U.), 200 mg of Ginger Root, 200 mg Hawthorn Berry, and 50 mg of Lecithin Granules. I have also just dramatically changed my diet. I read the book pH miracle and right now I am eating a whole cucumber every day, spinach, and other greens and veges. I am getting hardly any sugar and drinking lots of purified water. It's quite tough for me to get 8 hours of sleep as I am taking summer classes and working.

I did get word today that I was excepted for assistance, but I have to go in for a physical. I hope they can help me.

To ireneo: I thought that my problem was an iron deficiency, so I started taking 65 mg of Iron every day, and after a week or so it went away, but it then came back. I stopped taking the iron after the pain subsided for a week, then I started taking it again after the pain came back but it didn't totally go away again. I finished taking the bottle of Iron and decided that wasn't the problem since I still was getting pain. That was like 5 months ago or so.

[ireneo]

I'm curious. You said you got the pain to stop for 2 or 3 weeks but then it came back. What did you do that seemed to help? As for the throbbing discomfort - you may be having some PVC's. Also you said they seem to ease up when you exercise and that's a pretty common experience for folks with PVC's. Going to the doctor when you feel normal won't help. They need to "catch" the throbbing times on an EKG to see if it's your heart vs. an odd muscle spasm some place.

[viennaustria]

devices
  
I wish for an edit button.

[viennaustria]

I understand your dilemma. If you were in Canada, we have fee healthcare included all the tests and devises, would say go to the ER....but I say don't. You should get Insurance first. In he meantime the best you can do is master your life style up to perfection. 8 hours of sleep. No smoke. No stress. Meditate on good things. Must eat heart friendly diet Have enough .exercise, including deep breathing. You might get better. If not go to have the tests right after you have the Insurance. I would not go before.
Good luck, let us know