please help explain- pain in left side of chest

okay, for a while now I have been having a tightness on the left side of my chest that sometimes moves down on to my left arm.  I get short of breath and lightheaded sometimes. Sometimes my heart skips a beat or "flip flops". I have been to the doctor several times and the hospital. They said I'm fine.  I go running every other day and I never have chest pain while I'm running or after, its always when I'm just doing nothing, like watching TV or talking to someone and I'll just start feeling like this. I've had blood work, EKGs, tilt table test, stress test and an ECHO test. All come back fine but I still have these symptoms.  I'm always worried.  I have no idea what it could be. Any suggestions would be great. Thank you.

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

It sounds like you have had all the right tests to re assure you that you don't have anything dangerous.  They I read what you are writing above is that you don't have symptoms until you sit down and have time to think.  That is often the picture of someone with anxiety and anxiety related chest pain.  We don't understand the pathophysiology of why this happens but it is common.  The best we can usually say is that you have non cardiac chest pain.

This is particularly common in anxious people, people with anxiety disorders, and people under a lot of stress.  It might be worth seeing your doctor about anxiety medications.  

I hope this helps.

[Heize]

so you don't think I should worry when I'm just standing there and suddenly my heart starts to flip flop? or I just randomly get short of breath and light headed?