constant chest pressure

[cjcklark]

I have constant chest pressure and left arm pain. Sometimes chest pain left arm numbness. Some jaw pain also panic attacks I think can't catch my breath and heart races. My hands and feet seem to be or at least feel cold most of the time now. I notice this mostly when sleeping it wakes me and when relaxing. when I do some exercise or somthing taxing it doesnt seem to be a problem unless I start worrying about how I feel.I am constantly worrying about these symptoms. In the past month I have had 5-6 ecg's a nuclear stress test blood work and ehco plus X rays all of which are good. I have seen a cardiologist he looked at all my results and says every thing is fine. He said he will do a angioscopy If it will put my mind at ease. Should I have this done or see a pshcyologist. Is this just anxiety I am very worried about having this test. If possible could you list some differences in symptoms of a heart attack (or warning sighns that one is coming) and a panic attack. I am 29 years old with no family history of heart problems. Dont know my cholesterol you think they would have checked this. I have done the atkins diet three maybe four times in the last year or two 6 weeks was the longes run I had on it with some cheating on it.

thanks for any help

Chris

[CCF-M.D.-KE]

Dear Chris,

Sorry to hear about your chest discomfort.
You are 29 years old with no cardiac risk factors and are experiencing atypical chest discomfort. Based on your age and lack of risk factors you are in a low risk category. Moreover,  your normal electrocardiogram, nuclear test and echocardiogram are more reassuring. It is very unlikely that you have blockages in the heart arteries. I have not read anything in your history that indicates  you need a heart catheterization. A left heart catheterization does have some risks and I would therefore urge you to discuss this further with your cardiologist.

Thanks for your question,


CCF-MD-KE

[Sarah Puglisi]

I am not a doctor and so have much less to offer. I am a 23 year teacher of Elementary kids. I do offer you this. 12 years ago after a difficult birth my heart rate and rhythm abruptly changed. Over the course of seeking answers because I was a woman and "nervous" I was advised that I was fine and generally as I kept seeking info. told to go into therapy. Doing that with the very best each woman I saw endorsed my health care might well be the issue. And why? Well they don't know too much about talking to you, listening, helping restore life to balance they operate in a next, next, next system. Sometimes you are lucky if they recall you and often you are darn lucky if they listen to even half of what you say. This said I went on to have a syrnix, esophagel hemorrage, emergency hysterectomy that was botched followed by peritonitis the surgeon de4nied, but thru the last year and a half my heart started to have nore issues and I had "spells" -weakness ect. I kept getting a cursory EKG and a pat on my head and sent on my way. Now I should say along the way I started to think I might be having spasms in my arteries as it made sense to me. And it fir my particular family history. Recently an angiogram comfirmed this. Why we have this seems to mystify doctors and I can see why-very few really deal in that area other than to feel they are somehow judging from on high. Anyway that is just my take based on quite a good deal of experience. I had chest pressure for a long time, and anxiety. But gosh knows if you have anxiety you can be written off. I actually was hospitalized with peritonitis in an ER one day after this preachy doctor I'd seen to follow up on severe tummy pain suggested it was an anxiety attack. You know why I get anxiety? Foir one thing because several times the medical profession almost missed something or did miss it and it cause me to be nearly killed, second reason I know when something is wrong and like any person want to be respected for that and third because when the heart goes too fast anxiety is produced. So too with angina if what I read is true. These guys like clear cut illness. Too bad with forums such as these it  is more than abundantly clear clear-cut isn't how it occurs. You can get an angio like I did and now I know and a doctor can "know" when I say I have problems I have problems. It got me a different med. and due to lack of phycician time or communication I can't really ask much. Life is faily stressful in this world. we've had terrorism, a war, loads of things on TV not to mention in trying to lead complex lives in which we are constantly reminded without money we are going to be in a serious fix. These things in combination destroy health. I took on too much with family, babies, teaching, caring. I can pay $5000 and let someone tell me that and how important it is to care for yourself, do things you enjoy ect. But life demands a great deal of us. I am trying to take a little time to work on these spasms. Not that you have that but with reading and thought you might figure it out. Over the years I figured out quite a bit diagnosising even a syrnix ahead of the doctor. I suspect tho that chest pressure for years for me was the esophagitis that need something like Prilosec or Aciphex that went unlooked at until it bust forth and I was put in the hospital nearly gone. Over years these things in combination no doubt turned into my present issue. I should not have worked full time thru it all, but you sure never had a doctor inquire about that. Good luck.