4 months...no diagnosis...scared!

[talylor]

In January of this year I was put on Macrobid and Metrogel for a 5 day course for a UTI infection. Within days I developed tinitus, shooting eye pain, severe pain on left chest,shoulder, arm down to wrist, soreness under left breast/rib cage area, and a feeling of not being able to catch a deep breath (left sided strain). I started to get these SCARY feelings in my throat and upper chest. They last only 1-5 seconds and then they're gone, with no lingering effect other than they terrify me. I called the pharmacist and they told me to stop the meds (at that point I did).

All went away in two weeks except the follwing:  

- Wake up feeling ok then left sided soreness kicks in remains all day. Gets worse with movement sometimes (showering/blow drying hair) but not walking, etc.

- Can't catch a deep breath. Left side feels strained.  

- Spasms on left side. I dont know if its a heartbeat or not. They are deep and feel like they are right over the heart/within the breast. Every few seconds some days and other days nothing. Almost feels like my heart is being squeezed. Last 1-5 seconds. Pulse seems irregular at times.

-"Stomach pit"/squeeze type feelings in the middle and left of the chest. Sometimes when I get them I feel them in the gut too. Again Last 1-5 seconds.

-Same thing happens in throat/neck. Left side, right side, in the middle, in the nape. Again Last 1-5 seconds.

- Voice hoarse/strained (left side)

- Days with alot of gas pockets "popping".

I never know what's going to bring these feelings on. I have had several just typing this. They happen at rest, out of the blue, BUT I also notice they happen sometimes if I bend over, go from sitting to standing, exertion, catch a deep breath. Sometimes a yawn, laughing, singing or talking for a long time brings the throat feelings on. I don't know what to do. These things literally stop me in my tracks and I think THIS IS IT. They are that strong. I am afraid to eat certain foods. Afraid to exercise.

Tests so far:
My GP -1/25 EKG. Normal. Said maybe I was sensitive to palpitation, or anxious. Gave me Xanax (which I refused to take).
Internist ON 1/30 EKG again. Normal.
2/14  chest xray, normal.
Cardiologist - 2/20 EKG again, normal.Echocardiogram, normal.
3/14 - EKG stress for about 6 minutes. Normal. PFT test, normal.
Blood Work (from internist not exactly sure what he ran but said he ruled out Lyme, RA, etc...)
4/6 - Chest CT Scan - normal.
4/12 - PFT again. Normal
4/13 - Barium Swallow. Normal

I was put on Prevacid 3 wks ago. Referred me to a gastroenterologist, hence the barium. Came back normal.  I don't know if the prevacid is working cause although the feelings havent been as strong, as often, I'm still getting them. Whether I eat or not. At rest or not. I did notice on two occasions I got strong ones after drinking tea or eating chocolate but thats it. Can it still be gastro related? Should I go back to my cardio? I don't know what to do.

[Hudson]

Hi Talylor, i can feel your anxiety and am sorry I can't be of more help. Don't be afraid of the Xanax he prescribed for you. You can start with just half a tablet and see how it affects you. I have taken Xanax before...in fact I always take it before I fly on a plane as I get myself pretty worked up. lol. As long as it is taken for a short time and in the right dosage, its effects are fairly mild. It will just take the edge off for you and make you calmer so you can decide what you want to do next.

I really hope you find an answer soon. Please keep us posted.

Hudson

[talylor]

Hello Hudson. Again, thanks for all your responses. No, I am not anemic. Had that checked. Had all the bloodwork ran. At least, any bloodwork they think could explain my symptoms.

I have had several again today. They have been on the left side of the neck/throat and in my left chest. My left side feels strained and soar as usual. I am completely at a lost as to how to explain it and what doctor can help me. My Cardio and GP tell me heartpain usually doesnt present this way. My gastro wont see him until, as he said "I calm down". All I am on is Prevacid and all that seemed to help was the constant voice strain and hoarseness. I think today I will get the Xanax prescription filled but, honestly, I am worried to take it, cause what if whatever is wrong that hasn't been diagnoses yet, counteracts with it? See...THIS is the anxiety kicking in. I know I am suffering from it NOW. Of course I am...after 4 months. So I am willing to try these meds to calm me down. BUT I KNOW its not anxiety causing the main problems.

My sister works for and ENT specialist and she is looking into laryn(something) spasms. Can't recall the right name for it. He was the first one I saw for these symptoms. He said me to my GP (internist), who sent me to a cardio, who sent me to a pulmonary, who sent me to my GP who sent me to the gastro who sent me right back to my GP. My sister told him everything going on and he said he will see me again and look into some throat/gastro causes for me.

Even so...the heart is in the back of the mind.

[Hudson]

Hi again, i don't mean to sound like a brokern record, but are you sure you are not anemic? Anemia can cause shortness of breathe and a feeling of tightness n the chest as there are not enough red blood cells carrying oxygen to your heart. I had this a year ago and also was convicned I was having heart problems. I started on iron supplements and they symptoms subsided.

Hudson

[talylor]

Hello ozark. Yes I do check my pulse. When I get not so stong ones...my pulse is normal. Sometimes I feel a single strong heartbeat here and there but I am pretty much between 75-85 normally. I am 65-75 in the mornings when I wake up. I never have these feelings late at night, or while sleeping (at least not that I am aware of), or in the early morning. They ALWAYS come during the day or early evening. Yesterday, the ones I had prior to going to the gastroenterologist happened around 4:30. Just getting out of my car and walking to his office. It came in the throat, not in the pit, but above it, like a tight pressure, sometimes even feels like something is moving, not a spasm type movement but a "wave" type movement. I know because I was visibly upset when he saw me, he wrote it all off as anxiety, which in a way I dont blame him but I was anxious because of what just happened not the other way around.

When I get strong ones...my pulse is not too much higher sometimes. Othee times it is like 100-110 but I think it's because when the strong ones come I get emotional and it takes me some time to calm down. My pulse goes back to normal in minutes.

I truly hope it is something gastro related and my GP will call the doctor from yesterday and have him examine me more thoroughly. But I can't help but be scared that maybe it is heart related after all. Maybe something is constricting or pumping wrong and it causes this throat pressure?  Because I seem to get them alot when changing position in any way, or any throat exertion (ex: taking deep breaths, yawning, etc..) You know when you try to catch a deep breath and you can feel it catch in your throat?....thats sort of like what these things feel like at times...just 100 times stronger and that is no exagerration. But i get them at rest too. And the chest ones I tend to get at rest. But my doc says all the tests I have had would have shown some type of red flag. He probably will agree to the heart monitor now though. At least I am hoping because I truly can't go on like this.

[ozark]

do you know how to check your pulse on your wrist?  when your not having these episodes, check your pulse to see how regular it is then when you are having an episode check your pulse and see if it's regular or irregular....this could let you know if it's due to an arrythmia....sometimes it's so fast you may not notice them but continue to try.........do you get these when  you go to bed and trying to sleep?  anxiety will increase them and when you go to sleep your heart rate slows and may produce this feeling.  be your own investigator and hopefully your dr will do the monitor and put your mind at ease.
good luck

[Hudson]

Hi, of course you are not mental. But anxiety can cause a whole host of symptoms in and of itself. It can't hurt to try what he prescribed. (What did he prescribe?) And see if you notice any improvement at all. The symptoms themselves are now making you anxious and that becomes a cycle.

Hudson