tearing in chest and heart doing flip flops.

[LauraRi78]

I am 31 year old female. Recently I have been having a mild tearing feeling on the left side of my chest above my heart and it slightly radiates up to my left shoulder. This has been happening about maybe 3 or 4 times a week. It happens in the morning and in the evening, when i am at rest. Well last night about 9:30 I dozed off on the sofa. I woke up about 10:00 pm and my heart felt like it was doing flip flops in my chest. I went and laid down in my bed and took deep breathes and it stopped. I did not feel the tearing sensation then it just seemed like my heart was flipping. This morning my chest on the left side has that tearing feeling again. I am only 31 years old. I am a smoker. I exercise frequently, 30 mins 5 days minimum. I dont feel these sensations during exercise, only during rest. Also many digestive problems recently, I am scheduled for colonoscopy and endoscopy 25th of feb. Would anyone shed a little light. Is there anything I should be concerned about. I kinda feel like I have to many new symptoms. Am I losing my mind.

[LauraRi78]

Thanks Jerry,
My BP last week at gastro was 122/64 and my heart rate was 74. I had not even considered stress and strain, but I have been finding myself waking up on the left side. . My family all have healthy hearts. I will mention it to my primary but I wont make a special appointment. Thanks for the reply. Yes I am working on quitting. I detest smoking but yet I have done it for 19 years. I started young, and have failed many times with quitting but I know I will get it. Thanks for the encouragement.

[Jerry_NJ]

The tearing part sounds more like a physical strain that the heart to me.  Just a guess, but think about it.... I can get a shore shoulder that I think comes from sleeping on my left side too long.  I'm a long way over 31, and not female, so my experience may not map well.  In any case, sounds physical stress/strain to me.

The heart beat is something that may have been caused by any number of things and if it doesn't recur I'd just forget about it.

The above said, check you resing pulse:  is it below 100 bpm?  and  is it regular?  Also, what is you blood pressure?

As for smoking, yoiu know the drill.  I smoked for about 25 years before quiting, so I know it is possible to quit and I know the benefits are huge, notwithstanding I have heart problems anyway.  At least the smoking isn't adding to my problems any more.

Good luck,