Chest pain right before period

[Rae68]

I am a 38 year old female. After having my 2nd child, 4 years ago, I started keeping track of heart papitations/chest pain that I was having. It seemed to be 1-2 weeks before I started my period. I had an ultrasound/stress test 2 years ago and everything came out fine. However, I am still having these chest pains and sometimes shortness of breath (especially when I workout).
I am not one to go to the doctor often, so I am hoping this is nothing serious. Is there anything I should be looking in to or should I not worry since the ultrasound came back fine 2 years ago?
According to the charts, I am 20lbs overweight; however I do work out 3 times a week (cardio and weight training).
HELP! ...

[blondie313]

I am 44 and have been getting PVCs for 5 years about 2 weeks out from my cycle with an occasional few thrown into the mix at other times. Saw a cardiologist who did a full workup, normal heart just skipped beats due to hormone fluctuations. She told me this is VERY common, it won't stop your heart...many people get them but few are aware of them because some people are just more conscious of changes in their bodies. I decided to take a beta blocker, Atenolol, low does of 25 mg a day, it helps keep adrenaline from spiking, lower BP and pulse, does NOT make me tired, just keeps me from getting a lot. I cut out caffiene and work out just as hard as ever...the more you exercise my doc told me that of course a stronger heart muscle and even though mine is ok, more exercise may lessen them as well. Anxiety when you worry about them just makes things worse, try coughing to get your heart in a normal rhythm if they get too crazy...just a few times...go do something physical...most of these are felt at rest when you are really aware of them.

[ladonna525]

stay hydrated and take magnesium helps the heart pain

[cooeybec]

I have exactly the same problem.  I'm a 41 year old female, and the discomfort started about 2 years ago.  The discomfort is always on my left side, upper chest area.  Sometimes it's a burning sensation; sometimes it's just an ache; sometimes it radiates along my shoulder and arm.  It took me a while to realize that it is linked to my menstral cycle.  The discomfort starts a few days before my period and lasts until a few days after it ends.   My OBGYN said it's a pinched nerve; my MD did an EKG and that came out fine.    I'm not sure who to turn to.  I'm glad to hear that others are experiencing the same thing!     I suspect that it has something to do with hormones affecting my blood flow.

[Rosemary349]

I don't get chest pain but i notice that my pulse rate at rest goes up 2 weeks before my period.  I tend to notice irregular beats once my period has started.

I'm also aware that my anxiety levels reach a fever pitch a week before my period.  The week after my period has started is the only time i feel normal  :-(  

I've told the doctor as i wonder whether it's not good for the heart to have all these hormone fluctuations ......so i've decided that 2 weeks before my period i'm going to take Agnus Castus and see if it helps blanace the hormones and relieve me of all these weird symptoms.

Others might want to try agnus castus but of course check that it's ok for you to take it and that it doesn't interact badly with any medicenes that you might be taking.

[Mina2010]

I heard is caused by perimenopause which can start 10-15 years before menopause.  Something to do with your hormones and especially during ovulation when you try to ovulate but your body is having difficulty so your hormones keep rising.

I'm 29 and have heart pain / heart vibrations and palpitation during ovulation and about a week before period, I also have something which feels like there is air around the heart, once my period starts the palpitations gets relieved.  I have Aortic insufficiency on a Mild degree.  

I took Magnesium, which helped when my Magnesium levels were too low from a unbalanced diet, but have found that when you take Magnesium supplements and you have enough Magnesium in your diet the heart problem gets worse.

One tip, stay away from Carbonated drinks, they deplete your Magnesium.  And look up other things you consume regulary like coffee which also depletes normal Magnesium levels.  Diuretics is not a good idea, they also deplete Magnesium.

[Rackhael83]

I am pretty healthy 25yo female who has been experiencing the same symptoms prior to and during most every period since my first at age 15. I have asked quite a few doctors about these symptoms and have had many reactions from chest x-rays (although not while experiencing symptoms) to "oh you're a mystery" to "if it gets worse let us know." I have since found an article on Pericarditis and wondered if thats what I could be experiencing and if it is ever a case where it is related to menstruation.
My symptoms have been occurring 1-2 weeks before and a few days into my period. I experience pain when I lay on my back or on my side, and it subsides when I lay on my stomach. Its a somewhat sharp pain on the upper left side in my chest which seems to radiate to the upper left side of my back in a fairly localized area. It is more painful the deeper I breath.
I have also recently (within the last 2 months) started taking birth control and have noticed that I experience the pain, no longer prior to my period but right when I start my period after beginning the sugar pills.