Ongoing centre chest pains, breathleness, upper back pain, been to A&E 3 times in 1 month

[Bighugs88]

Hi 👋
I have spoken to my gp for medical advice. I am just hoping for reassurance, support and if anyone else has or is going through the same thing. I will try to keep this short but a lot has been going on.

Background: 33 yrs female, no high bp, normal cholesterol levels, never smoked, never taken recreational drugs, bmi of 20, active and work part-time as a Midday Assistant. No previous or known heart conditions. Both parents are in their 60s and high high bp, high cholesterol and are on medication (blood thinners). My mum recently has been suffering from breathlessness and chest pain so is under going tests through the NHS relating to Angina.

So from Feb to April I had random pain in my upper left arm which went after a week, then randomly I had a sharp pain right in the centre where my heart is and this pain travelled across my right chest to my shoulder. I couldn't move and had to sit down then after 4 mins the pain went and I was completely fine. This then happened again numerous times after 3 weeks gap. I only started to take this as a serious health concern when on 30/5/2022 in the evening the pain happened again, terrified in quickly went to local A&E they did an ecg which was normal and then said I could go home and a doctor will call u tomorrow. I didn't ask for further testing as I felt fine, but on the same day at night when I was sleeping 10:45pm I wanted to turn and then then pain started again but this time my right shoulder up to my elbow was hurting. Went back to A&E in the car as the ambulance didn't come. They kept me in and did ecg, chest x ray & blood test for inflammation, viruses & tropnin, the results all came back fine. The doctor was surprised I was having these pains since Feb, said it might be costochondritis eventhough my ribs and sternum were not tender or sore. Since 31/5/2022 I have been having continuous dull ache in the centre of my chest (feels like my heart is injured or bruised 😞) I get random sharp chest pains for a few seconds on my left and right side. Having fluttering of the heart which feels like in my throat, breathlessness & upper back pain. When breathing in or laughing my chest hurts at the centre. I was back in A&E 2 days ago and again chest x ray is clear (no inflammation & no swelling of heart), blood tests normal, ecg fine. The doctor tested for blood clotting, haemoglobin & d dimer for clotting all the results are fine so ruled out anaemia & doesn't think clot in lungs.

My anxiety levels have been really high, thinking the worse that I am having an impending heart attack, swelling of heart, blood clot in lungs . I have a 5 years old daughter who has autism and she is my world. Due to hig levels of anxiety I have loss my appetite and have now a sensation that there is a lump in my food pipe and finding it hard to swallow.

My gp finally has referred me to a cardiologist as the rapid access chest clinic do not take female patients under 40 yrs if there is any abnormal result (high bp, abnormal test results from A&E). She has referred me for 24 has ecg and also an ultrasound scan of my abdomen to rule out problems with gall bladder. This might take weeks, but the doctor said if I feel very unwell or unable to keep down liquids then I need to go back to A&E.
I am just so worried that I am going to drop dead, that there is something seriously wrong with my heart. Even typing this now I am getting weird palpitations. Seriously I am not disregarding pain, but if the pain was somewhere else I wouldn't be so worried but as it is my chest area right in the centre I am thinking the worst is going to happen even though 2 different doctors at A&E have reassured me there is no instant danger. Please anyone there for support

@Bighugs88 please Google GERD palpitations

@BorisJohnsonsHair
Thank you, I hope you are feeling better, it is always the wisest thing to get chest pains checked at A&E.i have been 2 times now.
Let's see hopefully will get answers and put my mind hopefully to rest when I get seen by the cardiologist and the 24 ecg monitor. I had various tests done at A&E, but I think once I get further tested regarding my heart this will hopefully put my mind to rest.
Love your user name by the way 😂

@justasking111
Thanks for sending this, I will have a look x

You sound just like me - most likely you have a combination of acid reflux, possibly a mildly strained muscle which you're not allowing to heal by being so stressed, and hypochondria.

Your ECGs, chest x-ray and bloods were fine. That should reassure that it's extremely unlikely something is wrong with your heart.

When I'm stressed I get exactly the symptoms you describe and I too am a hypochondriac so assume it must be the worst. I've nos grown used to identifying the pain from heartburn and yours sounds just like mine. When I worry about it, the pain travels to my arms, back and neck, and the stress also causes palpitations and an increased heart rate.

Try meditation - YouTube can help with this. Or the how to sleep Netflix series. Best of luck, OP.

@Dededot
Thank you for your support 😊it means a lot. I have spoken to gp for medical advice and testing, but it is great to talk and express my feelings on here ad you guys have provided me with moral support. I can get through this and be myself again x

I've had some similar symptoms and have been diagnosed with pectus excavatum. I went to the doctors with chest pain (almost like heavy pressure on the middle of my chest) which had been going on for months and was awful at the beginning which I think now might have been due to a virus. After an ecg and checking my own pulse regularly I have noticed skipped heart beats too which cause the palpitations.

@Usernamenotallowed
How are you feeling now?
What is pectus excavatum? I never heard of this before.
Thank u

I am dropping off the stool sample this morning to my gp surgery to rule out E.coli infection.
It's my birthday tomorrow will be turning 34 yrd old. Seriously but feel like you know what with all these palpitations and making me extra worried. I might ask the gp next week how long will the referral take. Next week Thursday will be exactly 2 weeks. She has referred for the 24hr ecg monitor separately.

Some of the symptoms are heart palpitations, chest pain, dizziness but there are more if you google. I was originally given antibiotics as it started after I had the worst sore throat ever and feeling completely exhausted (early March 2020, would now think that was probably covid) but the chest pain carried on. It happens multiple times a day although I think the severerity of the pain is less but maybe I've just become used to it. They then thought it might be caused by acid reflux so tried omeprazole for a few months but it made no difference. I had chest x-ray, bloods, d-dimer test etc.. none of which showed anything but the pain is real! I also had 2 ECGs which both showed skipped beats although I didn't know that at the time, they just advised me to cut down on coffee even though I only ever have decaf. Eventually got refered to cardiology who did a CT scan which showed sever pectus excavatum and compression of the right ventricle. Still waiting for further appointments although it doesn't appear it's actually something to 'worry' about but the chest pain/discomfort is not pleasant. If i check my own pulse I can feel the skipped beats really easily most of the time the pain occurs too which I find interesting.

@bighugs88 how are you feeling now?

Hi everyone,
I was in A&E on Monday 4/7/2022 as Sunday night I called 111 as the palpitations were happening continuously throughout the day and was coughing as the fluttering sensation would hit my lower throat where my voice box is and I was constantly dizzy like when walking normally I would get dizzy spells and lose my balance like I am falling over and have no energy. Triple 111 advised me to go A&E, they did the ecg which was normal, but was sent to ambulatory care area b as my blood pressure was 109/54 which was low.
So I had bp testing sitting down and then standing up after 3 mins but the difference in my system and dia readings was not significant to be classified as postural hypotension. I had another chest x ray and blood test including complete thyroid check. The doctor explained that my chest x rays are fine she compared all the previous ones I have had done at A&E and said thyroid is fine. She said if I don't receive the 24hr ecg referral by thrusday then it has been 2 weeks since my gp referred me then contact gp surgery to follow this up. I already have an ultrasound scan booked for 23/7/2022 to check abdomen and pelvis.
She said if dizziness gets worse and I am actually sick vomiting then come back. Trying to keep my self busy but my energy levels are so low and feeling nauseous can be so unsettling. She did say that anxiety can play a big role in this, but it's good to be fully assessed for the heart and abdomen to rule out anything serious. I have already lost weight as I am not enjoying my food and the dizziness is like a headrush for a few seconds but I feel so weird and like I am tilting to one side and losing my balance.
I might by the kardia device to record my ecg but not get too obsessed with it, so I can save the ecg and speak to gp or 111 if I am able to record the palpitations occurring. Please guys do send your best wishes feel so down.

My iron level test result was 12.5 so within the normal range for females. 2 doctors said that I am not anaemic but can take multivitamin tablet which has iron and vitamin b12

What was the exact iron / ferritin level? Yours looks to low.

There is a big difference between ok and good. Ok just means not dead when it comes to iron

Just for possible reassurance….cardiac patient here (angina, then heart attack, then unstable angina) and your pains don’t sound cardiac. The ectopic beats are completely normal, we all have them all the time, you just notice them more when you’re focusing on it.

if it were your heart, you would have got progressively worse or suddenly really worse!

the fact that you’re worried about so many ailments shouts health anxiety to me, so it would be worth paying for some CBT if you have money to spend on health. The Kardia thing is a complete con, you would know if you had AF (which is all it can pick up) as you would be very unwell.

@IncessantNameChanger
Sorry my fault I didn't mention the units the measurements are between For women, 11.6 to 15 grams per deciliter. My result was 12.5. The doctor said I don't need prescribed medication for anaemia. However, some medical websites put the starting boundary at 12.
Is there any best iron medication I could take available in uk?

@Bunnyfuller
How are you doing now? You have been through a lot. It's just so many people are saying the kardia device is amazing. I was slightly aware that it only picks up normal rhythm, inconclusive &AF. Is the device able to pick up any changes in rhythm e.g. tachycardia, Atrial flutter etc.
I don't want to spend money on something which will most likely make me more worried.
I have been going through panic attacks where I have been so worried about my heart that when I am sleeping I have woken up with a pounding heart and raised bp and have to calm myself down. I think I need to have CBT or talking therapies. The fear is unimaginable that it consumes my mind majority of the day that I am finding it very difficult to concentrate and enjoy things in my daily routine

The blood test measured was for haemoglobin I don't think they mentioned anything about iron levels or ferrtin. Just said not anaemic and the gp don't want to do routine full blood test 🤔 have been really tired recently and keep nodding off to sleep.

Im surprised they keep doing chest xrays
You need to be very careful with them allowing you to have so many

@NeedToLeaveNow
That has crossed my mind as well 😕i won't be having them again anytime s

*soon
The doctor in ambulatory care was comparing them and there is no change and are all fine. So no more x rays for me even if they tell me to.

Ferritin would be more useful. As you can see mine is within range but a dermatologist told me that at the low end acceptable just means your not dead! You can function but theres nothing left for making hair and nails etc.

She gave me name of tablets with vitamin C I think these ones?
You might find a pregnancy supplement gentler on your system

I have had all these symptoms ever since I had COVID last year.
I just got a chest X-ray and ECG as the pain in my chest, the dizziness and malaise was getting me down so much.

I had all your symptoms earlier this year after having covid. Honestly I had so many blood tests, X-rays and other tests its unbelievable. The doctor’s thought I had pleurisy, pneumonia, costocondritis, blood clots , even infections.

in my case I have long covid. Everyone and I mean everyone said it was anxiety which I knew it wasn’t. To get my diagnosis was a relief. I’m now under the covid clinic and the majority of my symptoms have gone. I hope it’s the same for you. Don’t let people fob you off with saying it’s anxiety.

I haven't read all the posts, but has anyone mentioned a hiatal hernia? I have a sliding one, and it sometimes feels like my diaphragm is stuck on my ribs pulling everything out of position. This affects my digestion and sometimes gives me palpitations. When I first had palpitations, I thought that something was wrong with my heart and I had an ECG, 24-hour monitor, ultrasound, chest x-rays, and they found nothing. Like you, I also had gastritis and nausea. And it gave me pains just below my right ribs, which the doctors thought might be due to gallstones, but the ultrasound and other tests were clear.

The hernia gets worse when I am stressed or sit at my desk or drive for long periods of time. Constipation also makes it worse. Because the stomach valve doesn't close properly after you've eaten, you can get really bad indigestion too.

I'd also ask for H Pylori and SIBO tests, if I were you. You can get these done in private labs if you can't get a referral from your GP. Digestive problems can have all kinds of knock-on effects and can feel like you are having problems with your heart.

I haven’t RTFT but @Bighugs88 have you asked for a 24 holtor monitor. Your symptoms sound a bit similar to mine and I was diagnosed with a tachycardia.