Heart problems- four visits to doctors and no help. Advice?

Question

Okay here's the deal. I've seen a cardiologist twice, had an EKG, an x-ray, walked the treadmill with EKG strapped to me, and consulted over 4 doctors. Everything is NORMAL on me according to the charts.

Since November I've had pains in the chest- sometimes a nagging pain that comes and goes no matter what I am doing, whether ready to sleep or walking. I also have a feeling of the heart turning over or flipping/fluttering is best I can describe it. It's uncomfortable and seems to cause me to lose my breath momentarily. Stress and anxiety have been pointed out, but even in non anxiety moments I have them almost daily.

I am not the most fit person but I am not bad either, in fact am losing weight through walking and good eating habits. I used to drink but quit after these heart problems began. I don't smoke.

I've spent almost $600 for results that tell me "all is normal" and I know they are not, these happen when I'm least expecting it. Any thoughts? Anything similar?

Thanks to everyone for great ideas and thoughts. And to one of the questions, yes i did wear a heart holter for 24 hours- nothing showed up even when I had some of "attacks." Odd huh? I may end up wearing one for a week to find out. I wonder if it coul be a leaky heart valve. I have heard of this.

Answer 1

Your symptoms remind me of what I would experience and try to ignore until I couldn't any longer.

I finally did break down and go to the Dr to face my problems and did all the initial tests and passed every one of them. The Dr's were sure I was normal and that it was just anxiety. My symptoms increased in intensity and frequency. The Dr's still insisted I was imagining it due to my age and because the initial tests found no problems. I insisted that they do more invasive testing and they found a blockage. Put a stent in one of the arteries in my heart but the symptoms didn't stop. I called the Dr's office and told the receptionist and she told me that they had fixed the problem and that I would have to wait to see the Dr in three weeks because they had no open appointments any sooner.

I decided then that the next time the symptoms presented themselves that I was just going to drive the 50 miles to the closest major heart center and go to the emergency room. I did three days later and they admitted me. Two days after that they did another heart catherization and found 5 additional blockages. I ended up having a quadruple bypass soon after.

The reason I am telling you this is to show you that you have to take responsibility for making sure that the Dr's take you seriously. If you are having the symptoms you are describing then there is a problem regardless of what you are being told. It isn't their life that is hanging in the balance, it is yours. Get a new cardiologist and ask him/her to perform a heart catherization. Had I not been insistent that I had a problem I wouldn't be here today.

Good Luck.....

Answer 2

It's possible to have a heart attack at 15, but highly unlikley unless you have a known heart condition. If you were checked out, but still a doctor might request you wear a heart monitor around for a few days to detect any arythmia or any thing else that could be missed. One thing that people get hung up in about anxitety and such is they think that they have to live stressful lives or something must be there. More likley its just emotional resonance and its the little things from all throughout your life, collect like a snow ball, so when the anchor is fired (whatever trigers the attack, maybe you know what its is most likley you don't), it resonates back to all of the old stuff. There's nothing wrong with you, this happens to everyday people with everyday problems. Most likely its an anxiety issue, you get chest pain from a feeling, the shortness of breath is hypervenaltion from the fear, the dizyness is from the hypervenaltion. I used to get this all of the time. For the mean time when it starts the best thing to do is interrupt it. The thing that works for me is taking an ice cube and melting it on my forehead. Sounds silly but it stops it in about a minute ot two. Also you may want to google and learn a nice emotional technique called EFT. Once you are in the state of panic top on the sud spots and it can reduce the symptoms pretty quickly. EFT is easy to learn and is all over the internet, so don't waste your money on any courses on it. If you can't find it email me, I can tell you how to do it in 5 minutes. The key is to discover and neutralize the feelings behin d the anxiety. For me 5-PATH hypnosis was the only thing that worked because I didn't want to stay on Adivan. Just get relaxed and then say to yourself "There's a feeling inside of me that I don't like that has everything to do with this problem". Notice where the feeling pops up and then you have your beginings and feeling to work with.

Answer 3

Interesting---I have had the same type of symptoms you have described. My doctor sent me to a specialist and I did all the tests---nothing, just high blood pressure they say. So I take pills and the blood pressure is still anywhere from 130/60 to 170/90. I admit I do not exercise much but I do try to watch what I am eating. Stress and anxiety have also been pointed out to me because it always "hurts" more and more frequently during those times. I struggle with stairs and sometimes have to sit down after doing even mall type stairs. Hope to come up with some answers soon---before a heart attack happens! Good luck---just thought you should know others hear the same thing from their doctors.

Answer 4

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RE:
Heart problems- four visits to doctors and no help. Advice?
Okay here's the deal. I've seen a cardiologist twice, had an EKG, an x-ray, walked the treadmill with EKG strapped to me, and consulted over 4 doctors. Everything is NORMAL on me according to the charts.

Since November I've had pains in the chest- sometimes a nagging pain that comes...

Answer 5

i can feel your frustration. the only thing i can think of is called autonomic neuropathy. you should read up on it. i don't know if you're diabetic, but if you are, this could possibly be what's happening.
Medical Services | Health Information | Appointments | Education and Research | Jobs | About Autonomic neuropathy

ARTICLE SECTIONS
Introduction
Signs and symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
When to seek medical advice
Screening and diagnosis
Complications
Treatment
Prevention
Self-care
Coping skills


Introduction
Neuropathy is the term for damage to your nerves. Autonomic neuropathy is damage to the nerves that regulate the body functions that you can't control, including the nerves that regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, perspiration and digestion, among other functions. Neuropathies are often due to diabetes, although they also have other causes.

Your nerves transmit messages between your brain and your muscles, blood vessels, skin and internal organs. Autonomic neuropathy results in faulty communication between your brain and the parts of your body that your autonomic nervous system serves.

Signs and symptoms of autonomic neuropathy vary depending on which nerves are affected but can range from dizziness to trouble with digestion and urination to sexual difficulties. Treatment of autonomic neuropathy involves addressing the underlying cause, if possible, and managing the signs and symptoms.


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Apr 13, 2006
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Feb 11, 2007

Answer 6

have you worn a halter monitor at all, this will help diagnose if you are going into and out of atrial fibrillation, which is what it sounds like, i have had several patients tell me the exact moment that their heart "flipped" back into normal sinus rhythm from atrial fib. you should suggest that you know something is wrong and that you would like to try the monitor for at least 24 hours or so. hope this helps. atrial fib is dangerous but you can live in a-fib with the proper meds like coumadin to prevent clots.
good luck
darla RN intensive care unit

Answer 7

It sounds like something is a bit irritated there. Both my folks wore a holder monitor all day. It is a continuous EKG which is set to record when something "funny" happens. Other than that, I don't have any strong insight. Have you increased "B" vitamins? They are crucial for transmission of messages. Nutritional yeast is a good source.

Answer 8

It's always frustrating not to be able to get a hard diagnosis on a problem. Take heart in the fact that negative tests such as you describe mean that you are unlikely to have a life threatening cardiac condition.

Answer 9

i've known someone with similar problems and it was ruled stress. chances are your noticing it more and paying more attention to it and this is keeping you worried. you could always get a second opinion if you have the money. your doing the right thing by creating healthy habits no matter what it is.

Answer 10

go to your doctor and tell him that there is something wrong and you need to find out what it is, or else when you start having those pain go to the Emergency Room at the Hospital. good luck. I hope you find whats wrong.