What does it feel like? Am I having it?

[neagle392]

I'm struggling to determine exactly what angina feels like. Last year right around this time, I started having fairly bad heart rhythm issues. I have always had single PVC's, but these came out of nowhere and we're two different rhythm problems. Sometimes it would be regular pace, but off beat (felt like PVC's but back to back repeatedly). And sometimes I would have racing episodes where my heart rate would jump to 170+ bpm after having a PVC.

After a bunch if hospital visits, multiple holter monitors etc, it never happened while on a monitor (aside from single PVC's which doctors weren't worried about). I was prescribed Cardizem which I took for a few months and then stopped. What ended up helping me was increasing my potassium levels in my diet. I now have far fewer bad episodes and even fewer regular PVC's.

But I have some chest pains that have not been diagnosed. The hospital and doctors never seem worried because of my physical shape and age. I'm only 28 and 170 pounds at 6ft tall. I'm not a candidate for heart disease and I feel like they immediately dismiss my claims based on my physical shape.

I have these random chest pains. They don't seem to be related to physical activity. I can run on the treadmill or be very active at work (walking 5-10 miles a day) without issues. The pains always seem to be random. But I'm not sure if it's angina. They are almost never long. They usually last a few seconds or even less. Just a quick stabbing pain. Not really a crushing pain. No pain in the arms, neck or shoulder during these quick "jabs". They are usually off to the left center. Like above my left nipple 2-3 inches. Although it "feels" deep inside (not like muscle related).

It just seems totally random. Sometimes it does seem to move further to the left even more, but usually it's right around the same area. Sometimes I got days to weeks with no instances, and sometimes it happens frequently all day. I can't seem to pinpoint a trigger. I have had it a few times where it seems like it gets worse with breathing, and sometimes where it seems totally unrelated to breathing.

Is this what angina feels like? I keep reading that it should feel like a mini-heart attack or a crushing/squeezing sensation. I picture the pain being more constant and for longer than just a second or two?

I'm tires of doctors and hospital visits because they don't seem to want to do much based on my physical shape. I have had a bunch of EKG's (never during the pain though). And ones stress test/echo (last year) that came back fine.

[neagle392]

Also, lately I seem to have more of these in the morning after waking up. Not super painful, but mildly annoying and enough to make me worrisome