Chest pain & pain in left leg

[jerisaurus]

I am a 24 year old female who is relatively healthy despite being overweight.  For about the past 6 months or so I have been having chest pain ranging from mild to bad.  It can happen on either side of my chest, not necessarily where my heart is and sometimes a lot higher than my heart.  It is sometimes a dull, aching pain.  Other times it's more of a sharp, stabbing pain. Occasionally one or both arms will also have a throbbing pain as well.  It seems to happen mostly at night (not always, though) and when I am sitting or laying down.  If I get up and walk around it usually helps a lot. I tend to have a lot of anxiety about things like this so a lot of times I can work myself up into a frenzy and make the pain that much worse.  I went to the ER twice a few months ago thinking I was having a heart attack, only to be told the first time that it was pleurisy and the second that it is GERD.  I did take (prescription) Prevacid for a while but it did not help the chest pain at all.  I went back to my regular doctor and he gave me Xanax for the anxiety and decided it might be fibromyalgia and I was sent to a rheumatologist.  The rheumatologist diagnosed me with xyphoidalgia, but I do not necessarily agree with that.  The Xanax is helpful when I am having episodes that are exceptionally bad.  It does calm me down and thus relieve some of the discomfort. I have had an echocardiogram (everything was fine, excepting a leaky valve that I have), a D-dimer has been done, I've had all other blood tests, EKGs, my blood pressure is fine (but slightly low), etc. and everything has been fine. Now, the last couple weeks I have been experiencing a throbbing pain in my left leg when I am lying down at night.  It is extremely painful at times.  I do have some varicose veins in both legs, though I'm not sure that's related as they are totally nonpainful.  Now, could the leg and chest pain be related?  And if so is it indicative of any kind of cardiovascular problem?  I realize all the tests I've had done point to there being absolutely nothing wrong with my heart, but I have incredible anxiety about it and no one seems to know what my chest pain means.

[Tryntoquitholly]

Also just tested for Lyme disease. No results back yet.

[saulmafikeng]

Hi. Jerisaurus. I have symptoms that are almost identical to yours. Did u ever get a definite diagnoses. I have done MRI several ECGs, many blood tests, but still no definite diagnoses. I never smoke, very light drinker and weight ok. Saul (south africa)

[Tryntoquitholly]

I have the exact same symptoms as well and had all tests , blood work ect. I'm scheduled for a echo cardiogram with contrast June 7th. My doctor just finally ordered a MRI for lumbar also. Cause I do have sciatica and bulging discs but no recent MRI of lumbar. So I'm hoping after these tests it will determine what is wrong with all this pain. I wake up almost in tears from pain in hips lower back and middle back. And this chest pain is concerning. Good luck to you.I'm a long time smoker also.

[cindy707]

My two cents is the vericose veins in the legs may definately be the issue w. the leg problems and have you given any thought at all to a sciatic nerve problem here?  As you have heart one hundred times before the smoking isn't helping you at all and causes our arteries to dilate which in turn could def. cause pains in the chest region...just a couple of thoughts but i would look up sciatic nerve symptoms and see if they match up for some of this...it could be something so simple as your sleep pattern, that you haven't turned your mattress on your bed in six months which we are all supposed to do...could be the alignment of your body during sleep, pillows, repetition motions w. specific parts of your body...i know i would be doing process of elimination if it were me if i didn't get a definate answer nstead of running place to place to place and that would stress anyone out...good luck w. this and we are all here as your sounding board if you need us....

[jerisaurus]

Well, I don't necessarily not trust the xiphoidalgia diagnosis it's just that that wouldn't really explain all of my symptoms.  The pain does go down into my arms at times (along with the legs, but the leg pain at least has mostly calmed down now) so it is not just specific to the chest.  Also, the chest pains go to the far left, all the way to the side and even sometimes to the far right.

I have not had my spine checked so I think that is probably something I should do now.  Thank you so much for the suggestion!

[jrbon]

With all the test that you had, I will rule out the heart, also the fact that pain is worst in bed or sitting it suggest to me a rheumatic or skeletal problem.

Has your spine been checked up? This can relate leg and chest pain.

Why you do not trust your diagnose?

Jesus

[jerisaurus]

Does anyone have any suggestions?  The leg pain has pretty much went away but the chest pain persists so the leg pain was obviously not related.  The chest pain has been going on for so long now that I guess in some ways I'm getting used to it but it is still really frightening for me.  It is really affecting my quality of life and making every day miserable.  I'm scared to be alone because I'm afraid I will have a heart attack and not be able to call for help.  

[jerisaurus]

Oh and I should have mentioned I am also a smoker and have been for about 7 years.