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Heart, chest, and head problems. Are they related?
I'm at my wits end. I'm a 21 year old female that has never had any major health problems, save an iron deficiency that is being treated with vitamin supplements. I have always been extremely athletic and now I can barely walk up the stairs in my building without getting dizzy.
Slowly over the past three to four months I have had the symptoms of several different things come
up and have not gone away. It started with feeling lightheaded after I exercised- the same exercises I've been doing for years. My heart would race and not calm down to its usual rate for at least a half hour. Then even if I wasn't exercising I would get these periods of rapid heart rate. Sometime so bad that you could see my veins pulsing and my chest beating. I went to a specialist and they said there was nothing wrong.
Not long after these periods started happening did I start getting random heart palpitations. Where for a second or two I could feel my heart seize and then pump once or twice very hard. I went to a different specialist and they said it wasn't anything to worry about and to keep exercising and keep my heart strong. They did mention my blood pressure was abnormally high, but they figured it was nerves from being at the doctors.
I did what they said and continued on my normal exercise program, but my breathing symptoms became so bad that even just walking was making my heart race and my breaths shallow. In December I developed a cough. I could feel mucus down in my chest, but my coughs weren't loosening it up because they weren't very strong. Went to the doctor and they said it was pneumonia. They gave me antibiotics, but I can still feel a whirling sensation in my chest. When I lay down to sleep it's the worst. Now just recently I've been getting headaches originating in the back of my head. Was told it's a tension headache, but its originating around a lump that's I've had since I was a kid back in 4th grade. I was then told the lump was nothing to worry about (they didn't do any tests). The pain is becoming extreme along with dizziness, fatigue and sleeplessness as well.
They symptoms don't seem connected at all to me, but I can't ignore how I feel my body deteriorating (or seemingly so) or how these symptoms all popped up in such a short amount of time. I'm getting turned away people telling me it's stress or now "all in my head". It's its an anxiety disorder..I would like to know. Not that I'm crazy.
Could this be something neurological from my lump or something else? Is there a test I should have right off the bat to see if this is all originating from somewhere or if none of this is connected at all? Thanks ahead of time.
Slowly over the past three to four months I have had the symptoms of several different things come
up and have not gone away. It started with feeling lightheaded after I exercised- the same exercises I've been doing for years. My heart would race and not calm down to its usual rate for at least a half hour. Then even if I wasn't exercising I would get these periods of rapid heart rate. Sometime so bad that you could see my veins pulsing and my chest beating. I went to a specialist and they said there was nothing wrong.
Not long after these periods started happening did I start getting random heart palpitations. Where for a second or two I could feel my heart seize and then pump once or twice very hard. I went to a different specialist and they said it wasn't anything to worry about and to keep exercising and keep my heart strong. They did mention my blood pressure was abnormally high, but they figured it was nerves from being at the doctors.
I did what they said and continued on my normal exercise program, but my breathing symptoms became so bad that even just walking was making my heart race and my breaths shallow. In December I developed a cough. I could feel mucus down in my chest, but my coughs weren't loosening it up because they weren't very strong. Went to the doctor and they said it was pneumonia. They gave me antibiotics, but I can still feel a whirling sensation in my chest. When I lay down to sleep it's the worst. Now just recently I've been getting headaches originating in the back of my head. Was told it's a tension headache, but its originating around a lump that's I've had since I was a kid back in 4th grade. I was then told the lump was nothing to worry about (they didn't do any tests). The pain is becoming extreme along with dizziness, fatigue and sleeplessness as well.
They symptoms don't seem connected at all to me, but I can't ignore how I feel my body deteriorating (or seemingly so) or how these symptoms all popped up in such a short amount of time. I'm getting turned away people telling me it's stress or now "all in my head". It's its an anxiety disorder..I would like to know. Not that I'm crazy.
Could this be something neurological from my lump or something else? Is there a test I should have right off the bat to see if this is all originating from somewhere or if none of this is connected at all? Thanks ahead of time.
Hi have somewhat of a similar problem and I am more worried about the lump you are speaking of. Has it ever grown in size or has it just stayed the same size since you were a child? Where is the lump exactly? What does the lump feel like?
I have been having chest pains for a while now and they have become more frequent. As of late I have had episodes where the pain went into my left shoulder and up my neck and another episode where my family doctor sent me to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack because my heart rate was at 120bpm, my BP was 120/96 and I was breathless. Once I got to the ER I became very dizzy and almost passed out. My arm then became tingly and numb and then turned blue.
I know this is worrisome and it helps to talk about it, but you need to find answers. If your doctor is not listening to you you need to find a new one.
Hope you get to the bottom of it.
Good luck!
I have been having chest pains for a while now and they have become more frequent. As of late I have had episodes where the pain went into my left shoulder and up my neck and another episode where my family doctor sent me to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack because my heart rate was at 120bpm, my BP was 120/96 and I was breathless. Once I got to the ER I became very dizzy and almost passed out. My arm then became tingly and numb and then turned blue.
I know this is worrisome and it helps to talk about it, but you need to find answers. If your doctor is not listening to you you need to find a new one.
Hope you get to the bottom of it.
Good luck!
Sounds like stress to me. There is a book you should buy it will probably put your mind at ease it is called Attacking Anxiety. My friend had bad anxiety and her dr. told her to purchase it, she use to have severe dizzy spells, heart palpitations lightheadedness, and kept herself keyed up over the above mentioned things. I remember her always saying she was in fear she would get dizzy if she left her house she soon became a prisoner in her own home. THIS BOOK REALLY SAVED HER, TRY IT!!
Good luck!
Good luck!
Hello!
something I haven't seen mentioned here was the possibility of heart valve problems...it would cause all the symptoms you have described, including the "whirling sensation" in your chest...Did you ever have a strep infection,scarlet fever, mononucleosis, or rheumatic fever as a child?...I'm not sure how docs check for them other than listen for heart murmurs, but I'd imagine, with your symptoms, they'd be able to hear it with a regular stethoscope or be able to see it by using an ultrasound...Good luck...Hope this isn't it...
something I haven't seen mentioned here was the possibility of heart valve problems...it would cause all the symptoms you have described, including the "whirling sensation" in your chest...Did you ever have a strep infection,scarlet fever, mononucleosis, or rheumatic fever as a child?...I'm not sure how docs check for them other than listen for heart murmurs, but I'd imagine, with your symptoms, they'd be able to hear it with a regular stethoscope or be able to see it by using an ultrasound...Good luck...Hope this isn't it...
Are you feeling upbeat about anything? Are you looking forward to things with your normal vigour, are you enjoying things like you normally do?
Depression (anxiety is a symptom really) can lead to it being very hard to get up in the morning. You do everything really really slowly. I always found I felt like c.r.a.p. after daytime naps.
Now it mightn't be depression at all but if things are affecting your everyday enjoyment of life you should consider talking to the doctor about whether it could be.
I don't think the lump on your head is related at all. Keep doing exercise, it is the best treatment of all. Try to ignore the dizziness, it could be fluid in your ear or anxiety causes this symptom. If you actually ever faint see your doctor straight away.
Be kind to yourself.
Depression (anxiety is a symptom really) can lead to it being very hard to get up in the morning. You do everything really really slowly. I always found I felt like c.r.a.p. after daytime naps.
Now it mightn't be depression at all but if things are affecting your everyday enjoyment of life you should consider talking to the doctor about whether it could be.
I don't think the lump on your head is related at all. Keep doing exercise, it is the best treatment of all. Try to ignore the dizziness, it could be fluid in your ear or anxiety causes this symptom. If you actually ever faint see your doctor straight away.
Be kind to yourself.
I haven't lost my appetite at all, still eating the same as I always have. Weight has been the same pretty much- I may have lost a little muscle considering going for my dance classes leaves me next to passing out. I've been going to sleep actually a lot earlier than I usually do and I do wake up sometimes in the middle of the night, but I just thought that was because my bed is pretty much like sleeping on a rock. I have an incredibly hard time waking up in the morning though- I don't know why. Stomach is fine and I only get shaky when I haven't eaten in a long time. Thanks for your insight!
Well, all the symptoms you have mentioned are consistant with anxiety (well apart from the pneumonia). Of course it could be something strange but it could also be anxiety.
The heart palps are likely to be PVCs or PACs and are generally benign. The racing heart and breathlessness are very common with anxiety.
I know that's not what you want to hear but anxiety is very common so most doctors go for the odds.
Are you sleeping ok? Eating ok? weight stable? Some other clues that it is anxiety are weight loss, apetite loss, waking early, tummy upsets, a shaky feeling.
Anxiety is not bad news really as it is very treatable.
Good luck.
The heart palps are likely to be PVCs or PACs and are generally benign. The racing heart and breathlessness are very common with anxiety.
I know that's not what you want to hear but anxiety is very common so most doctors go for the odds.
Are you sleeping ok? Eating ok? weight stable? Some other clues that it is anxiety are weight loss, apetite loss, waking early, tummy upsets, a shaky feeling.
Anxiety is not bad news really as it is very treatable.
Good luck.
Just going to bump this up one last time to see if anyone has any suggestions or thoughts. Thanks.
Thanks a lot for the back up. It is nice to know that you're not the only one frustrated from similar things. Getting turned away from so many people is incredibly frustrating. Stay safe.
I have symptoms simular to yours im male,20 years old and have also been to tons of doctors. They always say theres nothin wrong with me, though it feels like there is. I get dizzy and light headed, heart races...even chest pains and muscle spasms sometimes. They always tell me everything checks out. I dont know what it is.....All i can say is i went from being a 18 Y/O dirt bike racer...to a 19 year old dirt bike racer......to a 19 and a half year old feeling like **** all the time. and thats where it pretty much stands at 20 lol. Thats how it all started with me...i was out riding and next thing i thought i was about to die so i rode home and called my mom (she dont live to far from me) and she talked me into going to the ER. They Put me on beta blockers to keep my heart rate down..told me the rythems didnt look dangerous and sent me on my way. And every doctor i'v seen says its just stress and i need to pretty much take things with a grain of salt and move on. Then my cardiologist (which was more like a shrink from the sound of him) went on about the snowball effect of anxiety and such. The whole time all i could do was listen and try to keep quiet even though i was about ready to pull my hair out and tell him how i have no, and have never had any issues with anxiety. In fact i thrive on speed and adrenalin. But all said and done im in the same boat as you. Im just a young person the needs to relax. Anyway...i dont really know if this story helps you at all but i figured i'd at least let you know your not the only one. Love and peace
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