Tight chest, short of breath

[MissingTheMissletoe]

Hi, for a few weeks now my chest has felt very tight/heavy. Woke up this morning feeling very short of breath, lightheaded and dizzy and with a pain shooting from the front of my left shoulder to the back and spreading across the top of my chest. Had sudden severe nausea that caused me to vomit then disappeared straight after, not returned. Obviously not having a heart attack (I’m 27), but no appointments available at my surgery for the next 3 weeks and a&e is always extremely busy and you can end up spending a whole day there, plus not really sure this constitutes an emergency?

Any ideas? Getting really fed up with feeling like I’ve constantly ran a marathon. Normally in good health, non smoker, no underlying conditions and no history of respiratory problems in the family. Thanks

[DeadDoorpost]

Chest pain is always an emergency. Straight to a and e

[BeardedMum]

A&E now. It’s not obvious you are not having a heart attack. Hope you feel better soon

[IHaveBrilloHair]

It's an emergency, get help asap.

[CrackOn]

At least call 111 if, like most of us, you're very reluctant to visit A and E.

[Wellmet]

I don't know much about it but have read that heart attacks present very differently in women.

I know a+e is a pain but I think I'd go and get checked.

[Butterflycookie]

A&e now. 111 will want to send and ambulance as the chest pain is radiating to the arm.

[NoSauce]

Ring 111 for advice? Hope you feel better soon.

[MrsKCastle]

Please go and get checked out. A family member had a "bad chest infection" once, which turned out to be a heart attack.

[Klobluchar]

As everyone has said, go to A&E. Better to ‘waste’ an afternoon there and find nothing wrong than the alternative.

[CrackOn]

Hang on, if we suspect a heart attack, surely that's 999 not A and E?! She shouldn't be driving, surely?

[MissingTheMissletoe]

Wow, ok maybe I’m under reacting then! Guess I’ll have to brave the trip, thanks all

[HappyHammy]

Young people can have heart problems and chest problems. It might just be muscular or a hiatus hernia but an ecg and blood test would help. Its better to go to hospital for a check up but dont drive.

[Klobluchar]

Good. Can you get someone to take you there and possibly stay with you?

[Bobbiepin]

Definitely A&E if you feel safe to drive and 999 if not.

[Ember12]

Anxiety?

[ItsJustTheOneSwanActually]

My aunt had similar. She ended up with a pacemaker. Good luck to you, hope it's not serious

[Hemlock2013]

Yes all symptoms are serious and typical of heart problems. Get to a and e and rule it out x

[NoCauseRebel]

Those symptoms (minus the shoulder pain) were exactly what I experienced around 30 seconds before I went into cardiac arrest a few weeks ago.

I already have a life limiting heart condition but the arrest was still unexpected. Fortunately for me I was in hospital and it could be dealt with very quickly, however had I not been I absolutely would never have survived as it took seconds from feeling ill to being unconscious.

And your age guarantees nothing. Remember that footballer who collapsed on a football pitch a few years ago? Iirc he was 22.

[saffy1234]

A&E nurse here this could be anything but chest pain/shoulder pain suggest cardiac arrest/blood clots
Please go now

[saffy1234]

Also the tight chest is worrying.Does the pain intensify on drawing breath

[LauraMipsum]

I went to A&E with similar, it turned out to be costochondritis, but the doctors reassured me that I did absolutely the right thing going in. It is definitely an emergency until you are told otherwise. Hope you're seen quickly.

[Em3978]

Chest pain radiating to the back & left should always be a 999/A&E job. Heart problems don't discriminate by age. :(

[Bunnyfuller]

My heart attack did not feel/seem like a heart attack. The paramedic reading my 12-lead (after nearly having a heart attack) said I was the least ill looking heart attack he’d ever seen.

Mine felt like a burning/pressure feeling around Adam’s apple area, radiating to chest - felt like you do after sprinting as fast as you can for as long as you can. 4 days of that, getting more and more frequent, then I had 2 episodes of diarrhoea (my adrenaline response, instead of puking) and called ambulance. I’m older than you but it’s not like they show it on tv.

[Chartreuser]

OP I hope your are being seen