Heart racing, dizziness, tightness

[Bobby6979]

I am a 31 yr old male, working on a ship in Indonesia.  3 nights ago at dinner, my heart started racing and I got dizzy, no chest pain.  Then, I had been out of breath going up stairs and a few times a day, the left side of my chest gets tight...one time there was a sharp pain for less than a second.  I had the medic onboard take my blood pressure (130/80) and pulse.  He also put me on a 12 point ECG.  Everything was fine.  Now I'm feeling great, except that I keep getting a tightness in the left side of my chest with occasional discomfort.  I went back to him to have him check my lungs.  He says I am worrying about nothing.  I was wondering if anyone thinks I have anything to worry about.  I am on the ship until Christmas, so going to the doctor is not an option for another two weeks.

[kenkeith]

QUOTE:I am a 31 yr old male, working on a ship in Indonesia.  3 nights ago at dinner, my heart started racing and I got dizzy, no chest pain.  Then, I had been out of breath going up stairs and a few times a day, the left side of my chest gets tight.

Hi Bobby,

You should be evaluated by a doctor.  Your symptoms could be related to a heart disorder, and often there is no symptoms until there is heart failure (symptoms would be shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle fatigue, etc, any one of the symtoms or all)...happened to me. Also, even when the symptoms go away, that doesn't rule any heart problem.

Thanks for your question, and if you have any further questions or comments you are welcome to respond.  Take care, Ken

[cindy707]

Sorry you are going thru this out at sea...that would be worrisome for any of us i think.  When you say tightness of your L chest that sort of leaves us open to interpetation.  The heart sits dead center of your chest, between the nipple lines and very slightly to the left and would be in most cases the size of your left fist.  Is that the area you are speaking of or further over and higher or lower?  If you are concerned about having a heart attack as i always say there is nothing on this earth that looks like a male having a heart attack.  Their pallor in most cases can best be described as grey, you sweat profusely, yes there is intermittent chest pain that may come and go however along w. that comes pain in the jaw area and into the L arm in most cases, then theres the dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, and feeling like all of the air was let out of your balloon and many times unconsciousness...there are a couple of things here Bobby...if you do not have a hx of heart disease, no one in your famly at age 50- or younger has had a heart attack the odds are probably w. you on this one.  The other thing i would suggest is if you are very concerned go back to the medic and get his/her okay to take a plain aspirin every day until your ship docks and only if you can tolerate taking a simple aspirin just as a safety precaution.  I mean absolutely anything can get your heart racing especially what you put into your body...there are specific things that you can do to minimize that part of it...the rules of engagement are:  knock out caffeine and that does not just mean coffee..it means iced tea, sodas with coloring in them, hot chocolate, this means the big no no is no energy drinks, no drinks w. gatorade type of product in them and if the ship has you on salt peter as they call it the medic would know to eliminate that because it could set off an electrolyte imbalance which can set of a racing heart, limit your sugar intake,  definately no red wine, no chocolates, definately stay hydrated w plain water not flavored water because dehydration really sets off these  episodes, limit your stress levels and make sure that you get a full nite of sleep.  I know it seems like alot but those are the rules of engagement for a lifestyle change that limits your exposure to a racing heart.  The issue w. your heart and the quick sharp pain believe it or not may not even be related but no one can rule that out but a doc or the paramedic on the ship thru his/her own testing and if the medic is pointing you in the opposite direction i would heed it.  I don't know if he/she has the ability on the ship to draw blood for a quick test to check your clotting factor or not but again if you aren't in the higher risk group at your age i would relax a little and try to modify those things i have listed above.  Most people don't realize that there is so much that we can do for ourselves that will minimize risk factors before seeing a doctor.  If it were my body i would probably take my index finger and press it between the ribs in the area that you felt that sharp pain and if it becomes an ouch type of moment or hurts it may just be a muscle issue and if you are on a ship and your duties include heavy physical effort you may have it...good luck to you Bobby but at this juncunture w. the lack of symtoms i would probably be in the no worries stage altho chest pain in always suspect for one thing or another.....