Chest sensations

[Bebelle]

I'm 45 yr old female,have been aware of flutters since 20 yrs.  I haven't exercised regularly in 5 yrs or so, occas. walks presently. In Dec, palps. became much more frequent & noticeable,(feels like fluttering/recently more like quiverring, also more vigorous sensations like shaking water off of hands, (all epecially in a particular horizontal position, with my upper body elevated a bit). If I sit up or stand, I don't feel them.  I feel itching in center of chest frequently.  Also in Dec. had an episode, left arm pain/discomfort, strange pulsing sensation in back, chest pain/discomfort. I was frightened by it but it went away. Saw family dr. a week or so later, EKG looked ok in his office. A few days later, chest discomfort like something heavy on chest- not exactly pain, so I saw a cardiologist, wore 30 day monitor (looping type to catch onset of symptoms). Dr. said I'm having some extra beats. Did an EKG Stress test too, which he said was "fine". Didn't have an episode similar to the heavy feeling or left arm/chest pain/back pain while on monitor or during EKG Stress Test.  I'm also having sharp pricking feelings left of center chest, deep beneath breast.  At times, I simultaneously feel a sticking sensation in the exact position on my back. Do I need any other tests(besides EKG stress test & monitor)to rule out a problem. Is it appropriate to ask for a copy of my detailed monitor record?  Have gained 12-15 lbs in the last yr., some puffiness in face, ankles. Currently dieting to lose 30 lbs. I've never been heavier, & always lower body wgt. but now upper body. Thanks!!

[Cleveland Clinic]

Bebelle,

Its dificult to really diagnose you over the internet. It really sounds like you are having palpitations, which are often caused by the 'extra beats' your physician was referring to. The details of these beats would be readily available in your medical records of your monitor. Any of your medical records are readily or should readily be available to you and there is nothing wrong with reviewing them personally. Regulations require your health care providers to make them accessible to you within a reasoable amount of time upon your request.

With palpitations I usually order an echo. Overall, youve had a reasonable evaluation. More invasive test to evaluate your coronary arteries include a catheterization or cardiac CT. If your symptoms persist your phsician may choose one of these test.

good luck

[veryanxious]

Hi,

I am a 33 male, been suffering from pvc's pacs past year pretty badly. Active, otherwise healthy. Had stress test last year, echo....results normal.
Recently wore an event monitor and got alot of pvcs and pacs but was still diagnoised as benign.

I keep going back to the cardio for this and at times i feel stupid, but a new symptom has occured.

Now, at night i get very sharp concentrated chest pains in the left center of my chest. The pain usually lasts a second or two, or the length of the sensation of an irregular beat, but does not coincide with any irregualr beat i can feel. The other night when i was getting them i held my finger at my carotid pulse and DID feel like the heart beat harder as the pain occured. It is always very concentrated in this spot and sometimes shoots quickly up to my neck.
I have NO DOUBT this is my heart, but if i go back to the cardio, he will probably give me another monitor, then i have to hope it happens. I thought it might be some form of angina but it doesnt match the usually symptoms. Does anyone have a clue as to what this could be?
Thanks for any feedback

[simply_sal]

Hi all.

I'm a 29 year old female with two young children who I idolise.

I've been having ectopic heart beats now for around two years though over the last six months, I've been getting around 80 - 90 ectopics each and every single day.

I'm with you all regarding the fear!!!! Every single time I get one I go into 'panic mode' even if its just for that brief second or two - regardless of what everyone says, its very difficult not to.

What I find extremely upsetting is that within myself, I feel that there is a serious problem and not enough people around me are taking this seriously enough!!!  My family who I turn to for reassurances etc etc tell me that its my panic that causes the ectopic beats.  Its very difficult to persuade anyone that its actually the ectopic beats that cause the panic and that if I were to never ever have another ectopic again, that would be the end of the panic!!! Its so frustrating.

I also get bouts where it would appear that I 'cannot get a full breath'.........I don't know whether I then overbreathe which in turn makes the symtoms worse but wonders if anyone else gets quite a few of those???????

For the first 18 months, I was coping relatively well with these skipped, missed, extra beats but for last six months, Ive found it extremely difficult to cope with.

When I'm driving my car on my own with my two young children in the back of the car, I worry about the 'what if's'.....I had a run of around 3 ectopic beats whilst driving the car with children in the back and naturally I panicked.

Some doctors I speak with say ectopic beats are quite simply to be ignored........other doctors say that if you get a run of them, then to call for an ambulance....a lot of contradictory information floating around......and peeps wonder why we worry about them???????

I do get pain in my chest from time to time - not usually heaviness, more of a sharp pain immediately under my left breast, can radiate to my jaw.....its definately caused a 'disruption' in my life - Im wondering how you all manage - do any of you have any tips on relaxation techniques when the panic hits?????????

[ladyann1]

I'm so sad that no one has answered your plea for help since you posted on 3/10. These forums have been very comforting to me with my recent heart and anxiety problems. Every time my heart skips a beat or has an extra one I panic also. I also get woozy, can't say its dizzyness as I don't loose my balance I just have to be careful and look downward a lot. I also get the feeling like I am short of breathe at times. I feel cold from time to time as well. Heart related stuff just isn't fun and I'm sure my anxiety level is very high. I won't drive myself to work this week as my last attck was while I was driving and I was so scared. Dizzy and hot with cold clamy palms of my hands. I was seen in ER and they said everything was fine but I have asked my husband to drive me to work this week at least until after my stress echo on Thursday. I think if they tell me it is ok I will have less anxiety. I loved my xanax but Dr. won't give it to me again says its habit forming so I am trying to wing it without anything and its darn hard. Good luck to you.

[debv]

I to have these symptoms.I also have problems with indigestion.Sometimes I feel like I need to burp but can't,and I feel like I can't breath.So,I start to panic and that is when I get pvc's ,shaky,and cold.It's a scary feeling,especially when your driving.

[ladyann1]

Yes when these symptoms hit and your behind the wheel it is really scary. I know just what you mean about not being able to burp. Today I have had a good day, the first time in ages. It is like having a new lease on life. Do you take any medications for your PVC's. I think the Atenolol is what has given me a lot of these side effects. Good luck. I have two more days until my stress echo and I will feel better if i get a good report from that. I don't like heart related feelings, guess you could call me a scardy cat.

[xcntrymom]

veryanxious and simply sal:  I am new to the world of cardiac concerns.  Some of your symptoms are similar to what I have just experienced.  I have had intermittent high BP for a while but have not treated it.  Earlier this week I experienced on and off pain in my chest, pretty much under my left breast, that was sharp, sometimes squeezing, and radiating over left shoulder.  It began in the evening and slowed during the middle of the night and then was there in the AM a bit more pronounced.  Episodes lasted from a couple of seconds to a minute.  I called my PCP and was sent to the ER for evaluation. After EKGs, holter monitoring, bloodwork, and stress test.  Everything looks ok.  I have started with 50mg Atenelol 1X daily to deal with the BP.  So far ok, but it's only been 3days. The posts about Atenelol have me quite worried though.  Hope you are doing better.

[tickertock]

Hope you continue to feel better. I have been atenolol for over 2 and half years.I have also taken it in the pass for over 2 years. anywhere from 50mg to 100mg daily. I am fortunate not to have any of the side effects listed from the drug, the only one being nightmares. Some respond to one beta blocker better than other betas, some get side effects , some don't. I'm not a doctor but it is my understanding that over all beta blockers are very safe medications and have been one of the only line drugs that have proven to reduce the mortality rates in persons with cardiovascular disease.Good luck and hope you continue to feel better.

[Tampa Lady]

I sympathize with everyone writing on this forum. I posted my first comments a few days ago on a different section.

Some days you feel like you have beat the dreaded "chest pain/discomfort" other days it's back and you are sure it's the big one. There are days, not many when I do get slight palpatations. Just one more thing to add to the discomfort.

As I said in my last writing. I had an angiogram a year ago. My cardiologist said my heart and arteries are perfect. Although my chest pain/discomfort did not go away, I felt it was managable and something I was just going to have to live with. Of course after hearing on the news that the angiogram is not the "gold test" for women like men, I feel like I have since been living under a false sense of security and back to square one. I also have a hiatal hernia, which my gastro Dr. does not believe is causing the chest discomfort.  

It is amazing how much you will read and listen to when it comes to chest pain. I will be going back to see my cardiologist in hopes that he will be able to shed some light on my problem.

[pinkberries17]

Well I don't know yet if I'm paranoid or if it's stress like my family all seems to say. I seem to have panic attacks.. every night. For a few years I've had weird heart beats (not really extra beats, like randomly I'll feel like my heart is struggling to make beats, but when I feel my pulse, it feels fine but I can feel my heart tighten... ) I have never felt any pain. But I'll lay down and constantly think about my heartbeat and feel it... and check my pulse constantly and freak out if I can't feel it right away. I've cut out caffine from my diet and been eating banana's like they're going out of style. I'm 21 years old... I'd like to consider myself healthy 5'4 and 140lbs and I excerise. I try to sleep but I have panic attacks thinking my heart is going to fail and annoyed by feeling my heart beat on a constant basis. I've even had panic attacks in class where I'll feel the need to stand up and pace back and fourth and just feel my heart beat. I can't afford docters but I'm seriously considering just going to the ER and having them run tests because I hate this every single night... I can't sleep beacuse of it. I'll get light headed/dizzy as well and can't stop moving (in example it's 130 now and I've had at least 4 or 5 panic attacks over this tonight and can't seem to keep myself calm i.e. leg won't stop bouncing)  I checked my blood pressure and it seems normal (seems to average 120/80) and a good pulse rate of about 65bpm. I hate it when it feels like it's taking deep beats and I can feel my heartbeat throughout my body.

[tahoemom]

Pinkberries, I am so sorry you are feeling anxious, and hope things have improved since you posted.  I am older than you, 42, and have been having arryhthmia on and off for 20 years.  Lately, it has been quite troublesome, and I feel an enormous amount of anxiety, which makes things worse.  I have had 24-hour holter, 2-week event monitor, and echocardiogram, and my cardiologist tries to reassure me that other than the arryhthmia, my heart is healthy.  This isn't always so easy to believe!  I wish you had access to health care.  Do you live near a university teaching hospital?  They often offer the best bet for uninsured or underinsured patients.

I find that I have to make a very conscious effort to relax when I begin to get anxious and feel my heart literally beating out of my chest, and then the PVCs get worse, too.  Fatigue makes mine worse, too.  I lie down and practice deep breathing, relaxing a different part of my body.  I do some yoga stretches.  I play with my kids.  I watch something funny on television, I listen to music with headphones, and sometimes a short walk helps, too.  

I hope you can get to a doctor or the ER and also find a relaxation technique that works for you.  Good luck!  You will be fine!

[DCTCDCTC]

Hello,
I have also had palpations over the past couple weeks. It feels like my heart is beating an extra beat or skipping a beat. I have been dizzy for a couple of months and seen an ENT and neurologist. I had and MRI of the brain, inner ear testing, EEG, and blood tests. They were all normal. Now I am worried that I might have a heart condition. I have also experienced shortness of breath during little exercise that normaly doesn't occur. This could be because of my asthma, but I am not sure. I dont think it is anxiety because my symptoms have been pretty much constant. I was wandering, do any of you know if blood tests indicate heart conditions?
thanks, DCTCDCTC