What could this be?

[Victoria]

I have tried for months to get on and finally did.  Thanks for your great service

              I am a 34 y/o female, w/three young sons.  I have suffered from pvc's and chest and arm pain for a few years now..  I have seen your posts regarding a certain amount of chest discomfort with pvs's but nothing about arm pain. Normal?  Could I have arm pain, and the pvc's just be reactionary to the pain?  I have had two echo-stress tests within one year, all normal, Holtor, normal, with a couple of 'funny beats.'Nothing of concern. Sometimes during the night, I feel my heart race in my throat and I get tingles down to my toes, anything to worry about?  My cardio assures me my heart is okay and the pain is not coming from my heart.  any other avenues you can think of?  thanks so much, I suffer all day with this.  Today my upper chest near my esophogus feels like a muscle is actually moving underneath it, not pain, but almost like something is moving under my skin.  Help!  thanks so much!!!

[Lauren]

Mary, i could hardly believe my eyes reading about your 'something moving around' sensation.  14 years ago, at 9mo pregnant, i reached under my car seat and apparently put too much pressure on my diaphragm. I felt a hot pain just under my left rib cage. My ob/gym said i pulled a muscle. i thought so too but ever since then i have felt a very weird 'movement' there if i laugh too hard, take a sudden deep breath, or bend over with tight jeans on. My dr says its a diaphragmatic hernia and nothing to be concerned about. (i also got an inguinal hernia and surgury for that one) Now, my pvc's and pac's which i've had at least 10 years have suddenly gotten much worse, along with occasional sharp chest pains (like spasms-under left ribcage) and when the pvc's are bad, i get 'throataches'. (the ventricle beats when the valve in the heart is closed, so the blood goes backwards in the vein up the neck). of course, the anxiety produced by these odd things make it all much worse.  My dr thinks every ailment known to womankind is either hormones or anxiety. You have to do the research yourself. I've had echocardiogram, holter monitor, bloodwork- I'm healthy! but had over 300 pvc, pac in 24 hours. Cut out caffiene, try to relax. If anyone knows anything more about the hernia and how it relates- please let me know.  I am(dr. is) assuming it is a hernia, it has never been 'seen' or checked into further. Does anyone know what if any type of test could detect a hernia in that area? and what to do about it? ps-i stopped feeling the movement about the same time the pvs got worse

[Gordon]

To Mary (message from 12/16)

Sounds like you have a lot on your plate...Some friendly advise:
divest yourself of your husband as soon as practicle. He's clearly bad for your health (not to mention a threat to it..)
Your other issues may be easier to manage and work through from that point forward. You need to tackle your worst problem first (and it's not your heart) although it's a lot easier said than done, I understand...My sister has been working on getting her husband out of her life for over a year. Work on it and better days will be in store for you (and your heart). Good luck.

[Mary]

Hi! I am 37 years old (with 2 kids) and have been suffering from tachycardia since 18 years old-well maybe since I was born. I never really sought serious treatment until I was about 24 yrs old. My fast heartbeat did not really bother me so much until I was about 30 yrs old. I had this funny sensations, tingling fingers and toes, lightheadedness, etc. I sometimes feel like I was going to die. Though my cardiologist insists this is tachycardia, I'd say it's more of a panic disorder. I went to a therapist and she helped me understand why I have anxieties. Knowing the disorder, I kind of managed the tingling sensations, feeling of dying, etc. I still have the fast heart beat (100-117) but my heart is fine-went through EP Study, had echo, stress test,etc... My doctor is thinking of performing an ablation on me, but I doubt he could cure my fast heart beat until my anxieties go away -that is resolving my spirituality, get over with my brother's death, forgive my mother and my uncle, forget my traumatic past, get rid of my husband (he is a drug addict and an alcoholic and he treats me bad)

[Lisa C.]

Wow! When I read your last sentence about "feeling something moving around" I was surprised.  I also suffer from PVC's, although now I really don't "suffer", I mostly "ignore"!  I used to get that sensation of something moving around too, mine came from about an inch behind my sternum, midway vertically.  Mine actually felt like some sort of valve trying to open and close.  It was very hard to describe.  When it would happen numerous times in rapid succession, I would get tachycardic.  My regular doctor said it sounded like maybe the opening of the stomach (can't remember what it's called) having trouble closing.  I went to a cardiologist but of course he said "maybe I pulled a muscle, got scared, and had a panic attack", then he sent me on my way!  My regular doctor then put me on Zantac (he thought the valve thing I felt might be reflux), and the funny "moving around" sensation stopped after a month, and my PVC's have reduced dramatically.  I guess what I'm saying is that PVC's are a real pain, but possible they are just a symptom of another problem.  And that other problem, may be something you hardly notice.  So visit a GI doc, you never know! Good luck!

[Christopher Cotter]

Well, I guess I am one of the many with the pseudo heart problem, sounds the same as all of ya put together. I am into alternative medicine BIG TIME now. And here are some things to try. (i wish the whole world knew about this stuff). See a naturopath. Less expensive, more results. Magnesium, and a good supp. protocol including hawthorne berries. Also, quit having all those tests and ER visits. Stop worrying. This stuff only gets worse with anxiety. Also, the most important thing i did was to see a chiropractor that specializes in applied kinesiology. Sometimes there can be nerves in your back and neck that are being pinched (The same nerves that are stimulated during a heart problem) That can produce a neurological mimicking of heart symptoms. I know, its happened to me for six years. Im not knocking the good ol` MD`s because they really help alot of people, but sometimes they tend to only focus on their specialty rather than the whole person. I hope you can benefit from this. Also, check out "Eat right 4 your type" by D`Adamo. Good stuff. E-mail me at ***@****

[sarah]

I feel better already after reading these messages. About three weeks ago I started getting chest pains, palpatations, a sudden jumping heart beat(like when something gives you a shock),shortness of breath, pain, numbness and pins and needles in my arm, lightheadedness. Ive been too scared to go to the doctor incase I was really ill, but it seems there are lots of other causes and not nessasarily a heart attack!. I have recently moved house and changed jobs and this has caused me to feel very stressed, so maybe its just that. But I will make an appointment with the doctor now.

[Mike in Boston]

Hi, I just read your story on the Heart forum. For the last 5 years I have been bothered by the same thing as you( kinda). It all started with a little chest pain then one night while trying to get to sleep I felt my heart skip a few beats and it scared me to death. I drove to the ER and they did blood work and a stress test and some x-rays and the DR's told me i had a Hiatal Hernia. I was relieved but still had some doubts. Over the next 3 years I went to the ER like 8 more times had a Echocardiogram, 3 more stress tests, Holter monitor, at least 10 EKG's and the Dr's still tell me there is nothing wrong with my Heart. Sometimes im sure im having a heart attack, my heart races and skips I cant catch my breath and like you I use to run and lift weights but when my heart skipped one time while running I just quit scared that my running was hurting my heart. It really bothers me at night. I cant think of 2 nights i have slept all night ever since this all started. They put me on a beta blocker also but my heart rate was already slow so they took me off after that didn't stop my heart palpation's and pain. I have found myself trying everything from taking aspirin to trying to drink a few beers before bed just to make this all go away but it's always there. Some weeks I don't feel it at all but it always comes back. I think about this every day of my life and like you it scares me to death. So your not alone:) One thing I can tell you is that my Doctor told me " If its your heart its the longest heart attack in history( 5 years)" Take care-------Mike in Boston( 781-273-2373)

[lisa]

I am 34 years old also!  I have 2 children and I feel very similiar to you.  I have irregular beating of the heart many times I feel this when I lay down to go to sleep.  It does happen other times as well.  Email me maybe we can chat more about this.
***@****  Good luck and feel better.

[John C-H]

Mary

When my kids were younger I carried them around alot, and occasionally overexerted my arm muscles.  That could be your problem also with the arm pain.  As for the PVC's, I started having them about 6 months ago, so severe I could hardly function.  As with you, my EC MD gave me all the tests and my heart is sound.  Through various posts on this site, I learned about magnesium and it's possible positive effect on PVC's.  I tried taking a calcium/magnesium supplement, about 1/3 daily allowance of magnesium and it helped some.  I then added another 2/3 allowance of straight magnesium and my PVC's have nearly vanished.  It is like a new lease on life.  My EC MD is not convinced magnesium helps, but if you read the many messages here about the positive effects, there must be something to it.  I never get chest pain anymore either.  I am back to drinking coffee, (was it ever tough staying off coffee), with NO bad effects, and I can also drink alcohol without going into severe PVC's.  

[Victoria]

             Thanks for the wonderful support everyone.  It is very debilitating and sometimes very hard to get motivated when these can be so crippling.  I try not to think about them and drink and rest well, sans chocolate and coffee.

[Brent]

hey mary,
I know what ya going thru, i have pains in the arms and my chest all day long . they come and go depending on how stressed out i am that day. anyways, my stress tests came back fine as well, it seems i have pad (panic anxiety discorder) you might have the same, so don't be scared. all i can say is do alot research as I did, and it will help ease your mind. there are sites with others telling their symptoms and experiences around. anxiety symptoms..god, there are so many ..tingling in ya fingers or toes?...anxiety..pains in ya chest?..anxiety...short of breath..feeling of dooom...nausia, light headness..weakness ya arms and shoulders, there are too many to post, stress can cause alot of these.

anyways mary

my email is ***@****, and maybe ya can ask me anything that might help you,  take care hon

     Brent

[Dr. Erik]

Dear Mary:

I am 32 years old and have suffered from pvc's since I was 18. I have always gotten arm pain in both arms, but mostly in my left arm. I have had weird sensations throughout my body with the pvc's. I too get tingling in various parts of my body. Sometimes when I'm in bed I'll get strange tingling feelings throughout my body. All my cardiac tests have been normal. I have been told by doctors that these sensations are probably related to anxiety which I also have. I take Paxil and xanax which help the anxiety and the pvc's.

[dande4]

HI Mary: I am also 34 with two kids,,,and are they active!!! I also suffer from pvc, pac and tachycardia and occasionally a few early beats in a row. I think when I am really stressed or everything has built up the pvc or pacs start. Then when I go to sleep it seems the adrenaline is still running and just when I doze off I suddenly wake up feeling like I either stopped breathing or a funny wave has gone over me and it can feel wierd from my head to my toes, for a few seconds. I know a few fast beats can make you feel like that also. I know sometimes it is so hard to believe that everything is normal when you feel these not normal feelings!!! Hope you feel better soon!

[Cleveland Clinic, MD]

Dear Mary,
Glad you finally got to post.  I can imagine that 3 little boys are enough by themselves to give one chest pain!  I haven't heard anyone complain about arm pain with PVCs before but you may get several posts from others with similar symptoms.  It sound like you have had a pretty good cardiac work-up with negative results so I would look into other options such as rheumatological or GI causes.  A good internist should be able to steer you in the right direction.