Heart Pounding and Difficult Breathing

[Strait]

I am trying to find out what could be wrong with me.  Here are my symptoms:  With no prior occurances, one night my heart started pounding hard when I layed down to sleep at night.  I had difficulty sleeping because it was pounding so hard.  My heart rate was normal (60s).  The pounding caused me to feel like I wasn't getting enough oxygen.  This first episode lasted for 2 days and gradually got better.  The second and third episodes came 1 and 2 weeks later respectively at night when I layed down.  They were more severe and continued for 3 - 4 days each.  At this point the pounding is continual.  At various times my chest is heavy and tight and I have mild chest pain.  My breathing has been labored especially if I am outside in the heat and humidity.  I am a 37 year old female with type 1 diabetes.  I am 5' 3" and weigh 120 lbs.  I have had diabetes for 10 years.  My most recent glycohemoglobin was 8.1 which is the worst it has ever been.  My colestrol is 107 and my blood pressure is usually in the low/normal range.....it has never been high.  My doctor has done chest x-rays and an EKG and tested my thyroid.  Everything has checked out ok.  Any suggestions?  Could I have a virus that attacks the heart?

[janne]

Not to worry you, but to let you know that I had a heart attack 2 months ago.  I am a female, 39 years old, I am (was) a smoker, but had absolutely no other risk factors.  My symptoms were very similar to yours (but I dismissed them at first as being stress, gas, etc.) other than I didn't have the pounding heart.  Had I gone in sooner, the blockage may have been found and saved me from having a heart attack.  On the other hand, had I gone in sooner and my ecg shown a false negative, the cardiologist said himself that he probably would have sent me home because it is not "common" for a woman of our age to have a heart attack.
You also have the diabetic risk factor and a pounding heart that I didn't have, which is all the more reason to get checked out again. I wouldn't leave it if I were you. You have nothing to lose to get it checked out, but a whole lot to lose if you ignore what could be a serious problem.
Good luck.
Jann

[Cleveland Clinic]

Strait,

Your symptoms are very concerning for myocardial ischemia. Given your multiple risk factors for coronary disease including longstanding diabetes, I think you should be evaluated in a helth care setting.

The new onset of chest symptoms in a patient with risk factors should not be taken lightly. It would not be that convienent, ecg and some blood work as well as some type of further risk identification.

Especially concerning in you is your escalation of symptoms. Once you are evaluated for life threatening causes of your symptoms, other evaluation can take place.

Ill be glad to help more once you undergo evaluation.