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Original poster

Left chest pains!

32 replies

Happymumoftwo21 · 18/09/2021 09:55

Hi all I have read thread after thread regarding left chest pains and finally decided to start my own.
I’m new to this, as of this morning in fact!
Here goes ….. I’ve had on and off chest pains for a few years. Always sharp stabbing/stinging is the only way I can describe it. Left side pretty much underneath my left boob! The only other symptom I get when they’re happening is feeling hot (think that’s because I’m panicking about the pains)
I’ve been to my GP, called 111, been to A&E and always been told it’s either anxiety or muscular. They’ve done blood tests, checked SATS, checked my chest and done ECG every time (never had the pains whilst having the ECG though)
Thing is I’m never really feeling anxious when they appear and then I’m only anxious because I’m thinking about them.
I’m an anxious person, I do admit that but I don’t suffer with panic attacks.
Earlier this year I had an abnormal smear result, went for check up for that and all turned out ok but I had never felt more anxious than I did then and guess what?? Not one chest pain at that time!
So I just don’t get it. I’m 33 and just think it’s got to be heart related surely? Or not? Please help! What do you think?

OP posts:
Original poster
Happymumoftwo21 · 27/09/2021 19:56

Bump

OP posts:
Bunnyfuller · 27/09/2021 20:53

I’ve had a heart attack, and angina, and it doesn’t sound like cardiac pain (and that’s taking into account all heart pain is different). Mine was a congested feeling in throat, central burning heaviness in chest, weird heavy arms and a couple of episodes of diarrhoea! At that point we called the ambulance.

Also, just because the pains are there during the ecg they would still be able to pick up if there was any ischaemia going on.

IncessantNameChanger · 27/09/2021 20:58

Is it at the surface of your chest?

I get strong stabbing chest pains at the front and I'm sure it's like a trapped nerve. If I do a really deep breath and lift my arm above my head to streach it goes.

Heart pain in woman seems to be more towards the back

Original poster
Happymumoftwo21 · 27/10/2021 20:40

Hi thank you for the reply’s sorry mine is so late!
There’s never really any other symptoms, I’ve just had it happen. It’s my daughters birthday and she has a couple of friends here having a sleepover. Husband has been away for a few days with work and has got back today. So I would probably say it’s been a little bit stressful but not a lot!
It’s there for literally seconds and comes and goes for a few minutes (the most has probably been about 15 mins) but now I’m just sat here waiting for it to happen again!
If I google anything it says any chest pains ring 999 or go to A&E but whenever I have done they have made it clear I don’t need to be there!

OP posts:
Toffeewhirl · 27/10/2021 20:45

I've started getting a pain under my left ribs. It comes and goes. Not bad enough to worry me, but niggling. Sometimes I take paracetamol or ibuprofen, which muffles it. I'm seeing the dr about it tomorrow, so will let you know if I find out what it is. I'm not really worried - more perplexed. And want to check that it's not serious!

Toffeewhirl · 27/10/2021 20:46

Sorry - not tomorrow. Friday.

Toffeewhirl · 27/10/2021 20:47

Wonder if it could be this: www.nhs.uk/conditions/costochondritis/

nocoolnamesleft · 27/10/2021 20:49

You are absolutely right to have been getting checked out properly. However, if nothing is being found, I wonder if it might be precordial catch syndrome?

Cantstopthewaves · 27/10/2021 20:54

My chest pain was right over the heart. Had lots of ECGs and ended up taking myself to A&E more than once convinced it was my heart. It was a sharp, almost electric shock feeling that lasted seconds and every few minutes. Sometimes it would feel like a quick spasm. It would happen one day then I'd be fine for a couple of days and it would start again.
At first I was told it was anxiety but after further investigation I was diagnosed with GERD.

Original poster
Happymumoftwo21 · 27/10/2021 21:26

I have recently been prescribed medication for GERD as I get a bit of reflux every now and again. I don’t normally see any particular pattern but I had a takeaway tonight.
I just keep thinking it’s something they’ve missed like angina? I probably sound crazy on the phone to the GP each time and I sure do feel crazy!

OP posts:
Cantstopthewaves · 27/10/2021 21:43

I was on the phone asking for further tests and putting forward suggestions such as angina that I thought maybe they hadn't thought of.
I spent all of my time researching cardiac diseases/issues. It took over my life.
In the end I had to start and believe the professionals. I'd had numerous tests and seen different doctors.
Give the GERD meds time. They weren't a quick fix in my case but once I stopped worrying there was something wrong with my heart and my anxiety levels dropped I stopped having as many episodes.
It took a while to believe my issue was GERD as I didn't have stomach aches/bowel issues or throat issues. I used to find it difficult to understand how it could be that I just had pains in my heart area and often could have screamed as I felt I couldn't get this across to the docs and thought they weren't listening.

Original poster
Happymumoftwo21 · 27/10/2021 23:17

@Cantstopthewaves completely with you on the researching everything and taking over your life. I think about it even when I haven’t got the pains!
Husband works away a lot and as soon as he’s walked out the door I think I’m going to get them and think the worst situation possible.
Yes I will give the meds a chance to kick in and see how it goes thank you 😊

OP posts:
cosmopolitanplease · 28/10/2021 09:15

This sounds a lot like precordial catch syndrome OP. I've suffered from it sporadically since I was little and as it is always on the left side like you I worried it was my heart. I was so relieved when I read about precordial catch and recognised that was what was happening to me! It's completely harmless.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precordialcatchh_syndrome

TheLeadbetterLife · 28/10/2021 21:54

I get this from time to time - sharp, stabbing pain in left chest, sometimes over the breast, sometimes higher up, but always on the left. It was worse a few years ago when I was going through a very tough time. Had ECG and all was fine.

It happened a bit last night, even though I’m not especially stressed at the moment. I do think it’s partly related to muscle strain - I have an old rotator cuff injury on my left shoulder which is aggravated sometimes, and the pain does radiate to other areas.

Original poster
Happymumoftwo21 · 12/11/2021 10:52

Oh my well, I had another episode of these pains again! Went back to GP who ordered bloods and ECG and chest X-ray. I had my bloods and ECG this morning and in the corner of the reading I noticed it said incomplete right branch block or something along those lines. The nurse just said to make an appointment in a few weeks to discuss results but now I’m panicking! All my others have been normal!

OP posts:
BobaTea · 23/02/2022 12:48

@cosmopolitanplease @nocoolnamesleft, can adults get precordial catch syndrome? Is it less common in adults?

CosmopolitanPlease · 23/02/2022 13:01

Yes, I had it occasionally well into adulthood. I'm 49 now and thinking about it probably haven't experienced it for around ten years. I used to get it maybe once or twice a year I think.

funkythighcollector · 03/03/2022 10:44

Is your heart rate always high? I used to have similar, after many years discovered it was an overactive thyroid causing tachycardia.

Starrr123 · 30/10/2022 15:57

@funkythighcollector what helped yours? Ive been the same , but no answers xx

Original poster
Happymumoftwo21 · 31/10/2022 08:57

Hey all, I haven’t checked back in for a while now!
my chest pains have just randomly stopped, all of a sudden. No idea how or why. But since February of this year they have now been replaced with ectopic beats! I had a coronary ct angiogram back in March and all of my arteries were absolutely fine with no plaque build up and no heart disease.
I’ve had more ECGs and blood tests and visits to A&E with these new symptoms and all came back normal! It is so frustrating!
I had a 24 hour ECG monitor on back in August and thankfully it picked up some of the strange ectopics I have been having but apparently my heart was in sinus rhythm the whole time and nothing to be worried about!
they say that but some days I get lots all day on and off and some days only a couple. My DH has just gone away to work for 3 weeks and hey ho I’ve had lots since he left!! I just can’t win!

OP posts:
omnishambles · 31/10/2022 09:03

I had this OP and it turned out, looking back, to be early peri menopause. I was older than you though.

DorritLittle · 12/05/2023 21:09

I have this too lately. I know this is an old thread, but @Happymumoftwo21 any updates?

Original poster
Happymumoftwo21 · 24/08/2023 22:02

Hi sorry I’ve left this so long before replying. So I continued to have the palpitations up until about Christmas. Then they just stopped one day! Occasionally I will have the odd one that I notice, and then I panic thinking they are starting up again. I take the propranolol I was prescribed everywhere I go, I’ve not used any but I just have to have them in my bag.

OP posts:
Original poster
Happymumoftwo21 · 29/04/2024 21:10

Hi all
i I haven’t been on this thread for a while, my palpitations went away and hadn’t had any at all since then, until today!! They have returned! Why why why???

OP posts:
brighton2272744 · 16/06/2024 17:14

Happymumoftwo21 · 29/04/2024 21:10

Hi all
i I haven’t been on this thread for a while, my palpitations went away and hadn’t had any at all since then, until today!! They have returned! Why why why???

hey how are you now