What exactly is going on?

[jniblick]

I am seventeen years old, male, have hypertension, and weigh 200 pounds. I have been having problems with severe chest pains, shortness of breath, and dizziness. I received a thorough cardiac workup in spring of 2010 after complaining to the doctors of the exact same symptoms as I am now feeling except less severe. They told me that I had slight thickening of the leaflets of my aortic valve, but nothing else. The pains continued on after this point in a similar manner. I did not notice them as much over the summer because moderate to heavy exercise caused the pains and I was not exercising that hard.I have since been to the doctor again on the same complaints and their answer was that I had exercise induced asthma.I have tried two asthma inhalers, one albuterol, and have had no improvement. The Albuterol inhaler actually made the pains worse and brought them on when they weren't there. These pains usually occur after exercise, it does not matter if I exercised indoors or out, or playing high intensity sports, i.e. lacrosse, football, One of my parents, who has some minor medical knowledge is sure that these pains are muscle related or stress related and the other has no idea.The pains are not accompanied by a cough, fever, etc. The pains cannot be replicated by pressing on my chest. The pains do not occur as a direct result of upper body motion. The pains can and will occur at other times including following stress and for no apparent reason at all. The pains have occurred at rest. My heart rate seems normal during episodes. The pain seems to be in the center of my chest in the area around my sternum. The pains are very severe and cause me to grit and clench my teeth. The pains could be best described as an ache. Other symptoms I have had include dizziness, a pounding sensation in that I can FEEL my heart beating, and episodes of very erratic pulse accompanied by a tightness in my chest. These feelings are not linked to stress or fear in that they can occur when I am perfectly calm or happy. Thinking about these episodes neither brings them on or makes them worse.I have not yet seen a pediatric cardiologist. I simply want to have a better understanding of why these things are happening.

[grendslori]

You are writing on a few different boards: I have replied to you on the Pediatric Cardiology Forum as well.

[jniblick]

Would it help if I mentioned that I can be very anxious and even panicking without the pains ever happening and that the pains have never occurred as a result of anxiety and that I'm taking 20 mg of Prozac?

[jniblick]

The main thing I was pondering is whether it might be aortic stenosis, given that the valve was noted as being thickened.

[jniblick]

Yes the hypertension is being treated.

[justin61]

At your age it is very very very unlikely that you have narrowed coronary arteries, the pain however could be caused by a arrythmia or could just be anxiety. You've had a thorough workup and It's probably anxiety related. Is your hypertension being treated?