chest pain since pregnancy

when i fell pregnant i started to develope tachycardia . i had a holter monitor put on that said my heart rate was 170bpm sinus rythem dr said was due to pregnancy than i started to develope a squeezing feeling in my chest dr said was pregnancy baby must be pressing on a organ when i delieved my baby i had a chest pain on top chest and sholder blades  i ignored it but started to get bothered by it cause left arm feels the same as my chest so had nucular stress test showed nothing just said shortPR interval my blood presure is high dr said 170/95  im getting new symptoms more often with rest and walking around im getting left arm numbness and so often i wake up with it i get hot flushes feel sick really weak and tachycardia on walking around and when resting noticed 40bpm while i was at hospital watching the monitor im 28 turning 29 family history of heart disease they say im too young but my cosin died heart attack 27 the only thing is had all tests done show nothing but havent had angiogram what do i do this is runing my life i am out of breath can hardly do house work and be a mum i have 4 kids.

[shell1925]

I am also a 29 yo female that has been experiencing "heart related" symptoms since I was pregnant in 2006.  My son was delivered via c-section in August 2006 because he was lodged underneath my ribcage.  He is now 20 months old and I suffer everyday with left arm discomfort, shoulder pain and upper chest pressure with jaw pain.  Since my son was born I have had numerous EKG's, echoes, stress echoes, and even a nuclear stress test and they all have come back normal.  Lately the arm discomfort seems to be there more and more, and the chest pressure seems to be around more ofen also.  I was diagnosed last July with a hiatal hernia with GERD and I'm told my symptoms are probably related to this.  I just had another stress echo about 3 weeks with no problems.  I go to my GI doctor on Tuesday and I am hoping he can shed some light on this.  I am really scared and I don't know where to turn.  My chest pressure will sometimes last 4-5 hours and I keep thinking "is this going to be the one".  I was just in the ER in March and everything turned out fine.  I can definetly relate to you!!!  I want to have another child but I am so afraid that something is going to happen to either me or the baby.  If I ever find out what is wrong I will definetly let you know!

Shell

[fairybells]

thanku . yes its a very scary thing having chest pain. im just curiouse did you have this while you where pregnant. i do know gerd dose mimic a heart attack  do you get hot sweats feeling weak ? cause that would rule out gerd . anyway sweetheart best of luck would luv to know how it turns out fairyxx

[shell1925]

I did have this while I was pregnant, well the chest pains not the arm pains.  The arm pains came on when my son was about 5-6 months old.  They thought at first it was related to the way I was holding him.  It wasn't until about 3 months ago they started taking my left arm pains seriously.  I am actually going tomorrow for a CT scan of my chest/neck to r/o problems with my subclavian vein.  

I do not get hot sweats or a feeling of weakness with my chest pressure.  My chest pressure starts below the sternum and works it way up into my upper chest, straight across to my shoulders and into my neck.  It is just scary because these symptoms are similar to both GERD and a heart attack.

What all tests have you had?  I am on my 3rd cardiologist since my son was born, eventually I do have to start believing one of them, but I just keep thinking what if they are missing something?  Wishing you lots of luck and we have to get to the bottom of this!

Shell

[fairybells]

yes i can totally understand your concern  as your heart is your main organ and it is scary when you have children who depend on you. i have had holter monitor test ecg echocardiogram stress test and sestamibi is like a nucluar test . i dont have heart burnand i know its not panic attacks cause heartrate only goes up with when im moving and when i sit back down it goes right down and this all occured at same time but symptoms have gotton worse since had baby like when was  pregnant was just a sqeezing pain now since had my baby it goes into my arm back and im feeling out of breath. i want to get an angiogram done because this is more accurate than the stress testing. im just so worried about it cause i dont want to end up having a heartattack. fairy

[shell1925]

I never had any "heartburn" either.  I was 1st sent to the GI doc last July after I was in the hospital for 4 days for having a presyncope episode in the shower.  The GI doc did an endoscopy and that's when they found the hiatal hernia and the ulcers in my esophagus.  He thinks it is related to the pregnancy but I am just wondering now that it has been 20 months and I am still not getting better.

I'm also the same way, my heart rate jumps up when I stand and goes back to normal when I sit.  The only thing I have noticed is that it is worse when I carry my son up the steps.  I told my cardio doc about it and he suggested maybe I was out of shape.  Obviously he never chased around a toddler....lol.  I am not overweight, but I do smoke a 1/4 pack a day.  I have been trying to quit, but with buying a house and everything else going on it is stressful 24/7 around here.

How old is your baby?  What type of delivery did you have?  My son was lodged under my ribcage so I had a c-section after 22 hours of labor.  I wonder if maybe it is related to that?  Who knows anymore....I am just so sick of being bounced around from dr. to dr, from test to test.  I hope between tomorrow and Tuesday I can get some definitve answers!  I wish you all the best!

Shell

[fairybells]

i know what you mean its hell . see gerd dosent make heart go up i think you should see another doctor you could have both . have you had holter monitor test to see how your heart rate is going? and you know the stress tests are about 85% accurate and if heart rate goes fast to quickly it is pointless . how often do you get your chest pain? im notcing im waking up all the time with left arm numbness . my baby is 2 months now how old is yours?i had normal delivery. i hope you get answers . im seeing a cardiologist tomorow so heres hopeing . all the best fairy

[fairybells]

hey just wondering have you had a echocardiogram done?

[shell1925]

How are you doing today?  Did you go to the cardiologist yet?  My son is 20 months old already!!  Enjoy the little one, they really do grow up so fast.

I know the GERD won't cause my heart rate to go up but I do have a hiatal hernia which I think might be pushing on my vagus nerve which does control your heart rate.  

I am going to copy and paste all my symptoms, tests, and diagnoses I have received.  Look them over and let me know what you think.  I wish you lots of luck today!!

Symptoms:
*Chest pressure (starts below sternum and goes up and across shoulders)
*Lower jaw pain/left sided jaw pain at the joint
*Left arm pain (mostly in upper arm area but sometimes can be felt all the way to the fingers)
*Left arm swelling with distended veins
*Dizziness
*Headaches
*Left side facial numbness
*Abdominal tenderness when pressed in both LUQ/RUQ
*Leg fatigue/pain
*Pins and needles sensation in fingertips
*Cold sensation in fingers
*Joint pain in wrists, fingers, toes, and knees
*Carpal tunnel pain in right wrist (I am LEFT-handed)
*Back pain
*Neck pain
*Diarrhea (3x a day at least, sometimes RIGHT AFTER I eat)
*Awaken every night because EXTREME pins and needles sensations in both arms/shoulders

Tests: (All have been performed in the last 18 months)
*Numerous EKG's
*A few chest x-rays
*X-rays of jaw
*2 echo's
*2 Stress echo's
*Nuclear stress test
*Tilt-table test
*EMG
*EEG
*2 chest CT's (w/ and w/o contrast)
*Abdominal CT (w/ and w/o contrast)
*Head CT (w/o contrast)
*MRI of head
*MRA of head
*Total body bone scan
*2 abdominal ultrasounds
*HIDA scan
*Endoscopy
*Colonoscopy
*SO much bloodwork

Diagnoses:
*Inflammed gallbladder (removed Sept. 2007)
*Hiatal hernia/GERD
*Vasovagal syncope (no test confirmed this)
*TSH levels always borderline for hyperthyroidism (not being treated)
*Tested positive once for Lupus anticoagulant (tested 3 times)

[fairybells]

wow you poor thing all this testing  whats this testing you had to explane for heart going fast and also explane your heart rate to me . i seen cardiologist today and he was such a jerk he will not give me a angiogram his sending me because i begged and pleaded for a ct angio have you had this done? he said will not do angiogram because im too young . when i read other stories of girls my age having heart disease . ive been so upset today im terified of thinking about heart attacks  i just wish they would just give me a angiogram. get back to me and let me know . im glad im not alone in this. fairy

[shell1925]

I have not had a ct angiogram done, I'm guessing this would be the same thing as the new 64-slice ct scan that is supposedly as good as a heart cath but without all the risks.  I would like to go and have one done but my cardio believes that I am not any imminent danger of a heart attack so I am left to pursue all other options before we will discuss any further testing on the heart...hence my long lists of other tests!

I wore a holter monitor twice, and my diagnosis was sinus tachycardia with some PVC's which are completely benign.  I am not concerned as much about my heart rate, because I can attribute that to anxiety but I just want to find the cause of my arm pain, right now that is my main concern.  I went yesterday for a CT scan of my chest and neck along with x-rays of my ribs to see if maybe something is compressing my subclavian vein.

I don't know about you but I am tired of jumping from doctor to doctor and test to test.  I am hoping maybe my GI doc can lead me in the right direction.  I will keep you posted when I get home!!  Thinking of you!

Shell

[fairybells]

idont think we have that in australia the 64 slice ct scan i am very tied  of going to doctors myself and all these tests i just wish i knew what was wrong with me it really does scare me  when i get chest pain and left arm  its freaky. anyway just got home and am really tied so will talk soon. fairyxx

[shell1925]

I went to the GI doc and he thinks "some" of my symptoms could be related to my hernia and GERD, but he also thinks I should go back to the cardiologist and have more testing done since my left arm is swelling.  I got the results back of my CT scan and it is unremarkable....basically no problems in chest, neck or ribs.  Go back to PCP on Monday now.  I have to go for a 24 hr pH monitoring test Tuesday and a repeat endoscopy on the 27th.  At this point I just want to know what it is so that they can make it STOP!!!  I do believe the chest pressure and choking sensation is related to the hernia/GERD because since I have upped the Protonix I haven't experienced it, except when I wake up in the morning.  The left arm pain and weakness is getting unbearable though.  I just want it all to end so that I can go back to normal.  I go to my OB/GYN on Friday for my yearly and my PCP says it wouldn't hurt to bring everything up to her and get her opinion of the situation.  3 dr. appts. this week and 2 next week.....when will it end!

Shell

[fairybells]

i know its horrible tthe scariest thing is not knowing . i dont think mine is related to gerd as my heart goes really fast everyday i feel exhausted just doing house work where i have to lay down i feel weak sick i also get numbness in my left arm allways waking up with it and when get chest pains my left arm hurts . i feel like im a 102 and only 28 this is really scary.i just wish they could fix it cause i feel like im getting worse and worse.i was reading that gerd can cause left arm pain. are you getting the hernia fixed. let me know how doctors appointments go .ive got my test on tuesday the ct scan im getting not as good as angiogramme. best of luck fairy