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Original poster

Tight chest and fluttery heart.. what on earth could this be?

133 replies

nonotquite · 25/12/2021 21:41

For the last couple of days, in the evenings especially, I've been having a really painful tight chest. It feels like someone is sitting right on top of it / putting an immense amount of pressure on the top of my chest.

I have also had a strange fluttery feeling in my heart.. I don't know if this even makes sense!! It feels like I'm skipping a beat / catches me off guard and is just awful and really unsettling. I'm sat here as I write this and am hyper aware of the way my heartbeat feels, it just doesn't feel right.

I did have the Moderna booster around 2 weeks ago. Could it be this..? I feel terrified it's something worse.

I do suffer with anxiety but this is definitely not anxiety driven, I know the difference and usually get a bad tummy ache / pain with anxiety. I don't know what to do! It feels like I have to take a really deep breath to try and re regulate my heart rate 😣

OP posts:
ThesecondLEM · 25/12/2021 23:15

@Friendviv1987 as a cardiac nurse you should know better than to be offering diagnosis, let alone over the Internet.

Please get checked out Op, it could actually be anxiety and getting checked and having anything sinister ruled out will help. But I am not a Dr and even if I were I would not attempt to diagnose based on an online thread.

Benjispruce5 · 25/12/2021 23:19

The pressure is the worrying thing. Palpitations are common but pressure sounds like it needs to be checked.

Original poster
nonotquite · 25/12/2021 23:21

I've been passed onto a clinician, they will be calling me (hopefully) within the hour, if not an ambulance is dispatched. I feel so silly 😞

OP posts:
AlternativePerspective · 25/12/2021 23:22

OP, for chest pain it should be 999 not 111.

But you really shouldn’t be seeking help from the internet because everyone will give you their own experience from the “it’ll be fine,” to the “my cousin’s mother’s brother-in-law had this and then dropped dead.”

Only a qualified (in the real world) doctor can give you reassurance. They can do an ECG which takes around 30 seconds and will give them an accurate idea of what your heart is doing, and then they can take it from there.

DaisyNGO · 25/12/2021 23:24

@nonotquite

I've been passed onto a clinician, they will be calling me (hopefully) within the hour, if not an ambulance is dispatched. I feel so silly 😞
Nothing silly, the definition of common sense in fact.

You say you are 24. I had VTC at that age and they said it wasn't uncommon. Just rested for three weeks and all was fine Flowers

AlternativePerspective · 25/12/2021 23:24

And even if an ambulance is dispatched that doesn’t necessarily mean they will take you to hospital if your ECG and SATS etc check out ok.

PriamFarrl · 25/12/2021 23:25

I had that when I was in very early pregnancy. You say your period is due in a few days. Could you be pregnant?

Goofbawl · 25/12/2021 23:29

Hope you’re ok OP. DH had this recently after the Moderna booster. He’d had it all day and the asked for help in the evening. I went to do 111 online and it said if you feel like a weight is on your chest, call 999. I did and they escalated the call pretty quickly and we had an ambulance here within an hour.
We’d gone all day trying to pass it off as nothing, and it did turn out to be nothing but ambulance service didn’t mess around with those symptoms. Don’t be afraid to call 999 if it’s continuing.

pigsDOfly · 25/12/2021 23:30

Pleased to see you're getting some advice from the proper people OP. You should never ignore chest pains

No one on here can diagnosed what's happening to you whatever qualifications they claim to have.

endofagain · 25/12/2021 23:31

Tightness in chest, painful breathing, feeling a crushing sensation in chest, palpitations. I would say those symptoms definitely need a medical assessment, including an ECG. It is irresponsible to suggest anything less over the internet IMO.

nanbread · 25/12/2021 23:32

Myocarditis / pericarditis both potential side effects of the vaccine. Worth getting checked out.

Lex345 · 25/12/2021 23:45

You have done the right thing seeking medical attention OP. Please don't panic if 111 want to see you in person to do some basic observations, it will be difficult for them to know what is happening without these. I would not even attempt a diagnosis on an internet forum, no one here can say with certainty what is going on without a lot more information. You are in the best possible hands now and the operator will have triaged you based on severity of symptoms at the point of contact-if these change or get worse, you need to phone back.

Hope you feel better soon OP.

Busybee5000 · 25/12/2021 23:47

I had this exactly 2 weeks after my Pfizer booster. I even Googled was it linked to booster as it was awful. I also suffer from anxiety and unfortunately this last week has been awful with worry about will we won't we get to visit vulnerable family at Christmas and other covid realted issues ,so I can't tell that the anxiety has done yet. However the bad crushing feeling has lifted.

FriendshipsAreHardForMe · 25/12/2021 23:52

@Friendviv1987

As a cardiac nurse I think it is probably anxiety.If the problem continues get an ecg .X
😳 this is the worst advice. Are you really a cardiac nurse??!!

Of course OP should be seeking medical help with this immediately.

OP - don't feel embarrassed. They are triaging you and if they deem an ambulance is necessary, then it's necessary. NEVER feel bad for getting medical advice, that's what it's there for. Good luck x

OutdoorHousePlant · 25/12/2021 23:56

Don't feel silly. I was early 30s with similar heavy chest pain, palpitations and pain radiating into my neck and shoulders. I spent a week on the critical cardiac unit with what turned out to be myopericarditis. I then had recurrent pericarditis. I now have minor heart damage but it could have been much worse. Worth getting checked out. Good luck!

Electriq · 26/12/2021 00:01

Iron deficiency

Electriq · 26/12/2021 00:02

Hope all is ok for you 💐

OhLittleBoreOfWhabylon · 26/12/2021 00:02

@Friendviv1987

As a cardiac nurse I think it is probably anxiety.If the problem continues get an ecg .X
I don't believe you. No cardiac nurse would post such dangerous "advice". If you are a Registered Nurse then I'm sure you'll be happy to provide your name and PIN to MNHQ.

Palpitations can be due to a variety of causes. Palpitations with chest pain and/or breathing problems always needs urgent investigation - 999 or 111 - irrespective of what the cause might or might not be.

Nowayoutonlydown · 26/12/2021 00:03

Please don't worry that you're creating a drama, in these situations it's always best to have it checked out.
I worked for NHS 111, one of the things they do worry about is the feeling you say you're having in your chest, though in training they likened the tightness to having a weight on your chest or a belt tightened around it.

I've been in A&E with dodgy chest pains and flutters and all manner of similar complaints, always turned out to just be my anxiety, but that's the problem, anxiety symptoms can mimic life threatening heart problems, so always, always seek proper medical help.

Fingers crossed it turns out to be nothing sinister, but please do get proper medical advice to be certain.

Houseofvelour · 26/12/2021 00:07

I hope they get to the bottom of it for you OP.
Don't feel silly at all. You have every right to a dr when you need one.

ForTheLoveOfSleep · 26/12/2021 00:12

OP I had very similar symptoms back in November. I was lucky to get an emergency appointment with a paramedic at my gp surgery as it was a weekday. I was sent straight to the hospital by them. Skipped A&E and went through to AMU and was admitted for 7 days with a BP of 210/118 and have been diagnosed with a resulting heart condition.

I am 33, healthy and have no previous health conditions. Please get checked.

Original poster
nonotquite · 26/12/2021 00:30

Well the clinician called and the ambulance would be 3.5 hours minimum due to delays apparently. They asked if I could get myself there but then also advised I can't drive, and DP has had too much to drink throughout the day.

I am going to try and go to sleep and see how I go, but will go if anything persists. Maybe via taxi.

OP posts:
Houseofvelour · 26/12/2021 00:32

@nonotquite

Well the clinician called and the ambulance would be 3.5 hours minimum due to delays apparently. They asked if I could get myself there but then also advised I can't drive, and DP has had too much to drink throughout the day.

I am going to try and go to sleep and see how I go, but will go if anything persists. Maybe via taxi.

Honestly, I'd just book a taxi and go now. God forbid it does get worse in the night, you could be waiting hours to be seen so might as well get there as soon as possible.
Throckmorton · 26/12/2021 00:52

Dear God, get a cab - what if it's not anxiety but a heart attack?!

DustyMaiden · 26/12/2021 00:54

My neighbour was the same. She didn’t go to hospital. A few days later she died.
I hope that does scare you, go to the hospital.

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