Chest Pains

I'd like to suggest you see a counselor, for what might be some anxiety. Moms have a great deal on their plate and you mentioned some ups and downs in the marriage which might be causing stress and ansious thoughts even when you're not thinking so. Perhaps a counselor who specializes in Post Partum Depression, or someone who sees women would be helpful to you to sort thru some highs and lows. Good luck, keep talking with others, that's always helpful, and this isn't something to just ignore.

Go to the ER... chest pains are not something to mess around with, especially in us women. We DO get heart attacks too.

Hi! I recent talked to someone with the same problem and his was cholesterol and another person many years ago told me that it was from dehydration. You can do a lot for your health by eliminating processed foods and staying hydrated on fresh clean water, not sodas or coffee.

One thing for sure, your body is sending you a message. Listen to it. In this society, we usually cover it up with pain medication or something else instead of addressing the issue.

God Bless!

J.

Dear M.

Sadly we have to be our own best advocates when it comes to our healthcare! YOU KNOW your body and you need to listen to it. I would definitely go to a different doc for another opinion. It could be LOTS of things, including muscle spasms or back issues but the important thing is that you get the answers that you need to fully understand what is happening and why. I will bet that your doc is just figuring that you are young and so probably you really aren't having any real health issues instead of listening to you and recognizing your need for appropriate diagnosis. Ask your friends or local hosp. for referrals to other docs.
Be firm!

Prayerfully,
K.C.

Hi there M.,

Just wanted to share some info with you regarding the chest pains. I too, get some chest pains once in a while and boy do they hurt, I was sent to a cardiologist and they found nothing! At first they said they were anxiety attacks, but now they have told me that I have GERD (gastro intestinal reflux disease) basically it is heartburn. So have the doctor go that route see if your having problems with heartburn and/or reflux.

Hope that helps a little.

I went through various forms of pain one of which was in my chest. I suffered from
other forms of pain. I went to the doctor they said the same thing as you. It
took a great deal of research and googling and persistence to find out that I am
allergic to MSG. It is in all the foods you eat. If you really want to feel better than
I suggest you go to www.msgmyth.com. Read and see what many people are
discovering. I no longer suffer from any pain. Doctors don't believe in this. Please do check it out and see if it can help you. Good luck. M. P.

My advice would be to see another doctor. Get another opinion. You know your body best, and if somethings isn't right. I wouldn't mess around with chest pain. Just my thoughts. Let us know how it goes!

It doesn't sound cardiac but women often don't have the typical heart problem symptoms. I would get a second opinion for sure. It's probably just chest wall muscle pain (which can be super painful, as you know), but if you feel something is wrong then don't ignore it w/out a second opinion. If you develop a weird heart beat, can't breathe, the pain doesn't go away or you just feel like something is "wrong"- go to the ER! ALWAYS better safe than sorry- they can do a complete heart work-up right there.

That doesn't sound good. I would get a second opinion for sure! Even if it's not life threatening, SOMETHING is causing this and if it was me I would want to know what that 'something' is! Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Hi! I used to have these exact same pains at your age (I'm 32 now :) and they were written off as heart burn. I had NO IDEA that heart burn could be so strong! I hope that's all it is for you too. Hang in there...mine went away after a few years of getting it like once a month or every other month.

If you feel that your symptoms warrant a visit to a cardiologist then GO! If you need a referral for your insurance let your doctor know that this is really concerning you and you need a referral anyway. If your doc can't determine what is wrong with you he should send you to a cardio. It's his job to help you figure out what's wrong.

Hi M.,

As you can see from what other's have written there are a variety of ailments -- serious and nonserious -- that can cause chest pain. Your doctor is the best person to evaluate this pain. If you feel s/he is not treating you and your instinct tells you something is wrong, seek out another doctor and get a second opinion.

As an alternative, the next time you have pain of the kind you describe, go to the emergency and inform the triage nurse that you are having chest pains radiating to the left. This will trigger an immediate evaluation for a myocardial infarction. The hospital should run and ECG and take blood to evaluate cardiac troponin levels (either I or T -- both tests are equally reliable). Elevated troponin is an indication of heart damage. If the ECG and the troponin do not indicate a heart problem you can at least stop worrying about this aspect.

Did the doctor do any follow up at all? I assume s/he checked regular vital signs (pulse, respiration, blood pressure and probably even ran and ECG, which would be according to protocol for someone with your complaint). Did s/he order any kind of tests? If so, what, and what were the results? Did he tell you what s/he might suspect is causing the pain?

BTW, short pain like you're describing is not likely to be cardiac induced. Cardiac pains of concerned usually last for hours. This sounds more like a muscle spasm in the chest wall. How frequently does this happen? Have you had the pain for a long time? Have you done anything lately that could have cause muscle injury or fatigue? As your kids get bigger and heavier, a sudden lift or twist that wouldn't have bothered you before could cause a minor muscle sprain or tear. When my oldest was three, he was bouncing on my chest while I lay on my back and I was also lifting him up in the air. The next day I started to have chest pains and couldn't breathe. An evaluation in immediate care ruled out a heart problem and the diagnosis was a bruised sternum (breast bone) and muscle sprain. BTW, even though this is what turned out to be the cause of my pain, I am in no way suggesting that this is the cause of yours. Each case has to be evaluated independently.

I hope all turns out to be well!

Could be heartburn which is a sign of allergies. NAET.com for allergy eliminations.

Be well.

N.

It could be something like the heart, or frequently I've seen a hiatal hernia cause chest pain without any digestive symptoms. The hital hernia is often called "The Great Mimic" since it can mimic a heart attack. It can be fixed with surgery or even deep soft tissue work by someone who knows what they are doing. ;) Possibly evena rib could be out of place slightly which in the past has caused stabbing pains when I've taken a deep breath. This will not be significant enough to show up on films, but significant enough to have them put back into place by a chiropractor proficient with rib adjustments.

I had similar symptons when before I had an anxiety attack. You may want totalk to your dr about going on a low dosgae of something like lexapro. It takes a while to get into. Your system though so if you want to see if this is anxiety see if you can get a prescription for the lowest dosage of ativan - 5 mg I think. it usually works within 3o min . Beware though - you can't drive with it if the dosage is higher. Some people use it to help them ggget to sleep. Good luck! And make sure not to over use and keep in touch with your doctor.

I was just hospitalized for similar symptoms. While I was in the ER there were three other people in there with the same symptoms, of all ages. I couldn't see them, but one was a teenage boy, one a woman older than me, and one a younger woman. Did your Dr. do an EKG or any other testing? If not, I would go back, maybe see someone else. I am about twice your age, but I have had these symptoms off an on for years.
Are you under a lot of stress? I was kept for observation and had a complete cardio workup, still have some outpatient follow up to do with the Cardiologist. I had a treadmill test which I did very well on, and to me that is the most telling (indicating that my symptoms are not due to heart disease.) All my other tests including EKG, CAT scan, cholesterol, heart enzymes, etc. were normal too. I actually felt better (stopped having the pains) after the treadmill test, and that happened to me before, about ten years ago. My diet has been fair, but now I am cleaning it up further, and trying to figure out a way to get some exercise back into my very busy routine. I love to walk, but with a baby a dog and a disabled teenager. it is very difficult to find some alone time, and to take all three of them would be chaos. I am considering getting a treadmill and putting it in the garage, for they days when I can't get out. Trying to talk my husband into an evening stroll around the block with everyone, just to get started. I tale a baby aspirin daily and carry them with me everywhere, take a few more if I get the pains. I also do a glass of red wine a day (just one) and they think that is why my cholesterol is so good. I usually have it with dinner or after the kids are in bed. I pray daily to keep my stess in balance. Take care of you.

I went to the ER when this happened to me. Not by choice of course my doc was not available and his office staff said I had to go. I spent 5 hours hooked to an EKG machine of some sort, so that they could tell me I had separated cartelege(sp?) from the ribs during exercise they also noticed an irregular heart rythm. I'm glad I went even though that was a long time for me to be doing nothing.
SO... go see another doc, yours again or the ER or urgent care.
Too risky not to pay attention to your body. Lots of things cause pain, some are serious and some are telling us to take it easy today.

I would like to add you should see another doctor my husband was having chest pains went to docotor 2-3 times even went to the ER by ambulance once from work and they kept telling him it was a panic attack no one ever sent him to a cardiologist about 3 months later he was coaching my sons football game and he had a heart attack he had one 100% closed artery & 2 80% closed had to have two surgeries. He is fine now but I will never take a Dr.'s word if I feel something is wrong. Be persistant until you get an anwswer you feel is correct. I'm not saying it is your heart but you know your body way better then any docotor. Pray that the doctors will have wisdom and you will be at peace with the DX. Good luck

go to a different d. not all drs see the same thing with your systems good luck A. no. hills

Hi M., I have as long as I can remember had similar pains to the ones you spoke of. I describe it as a "bubble" of pain that won't let me take a breath but then eventually I have to take that deep breath and it almost sort of pops the pain bubble, but it hurts as I am taking the breath. Does that sound like your pain as well? It is weird and I have asked Drs over the years and none seem to have any idea what I am talking about. It has never hindered me in any way so I consider it an anomaly of my own personal body. We all have weird things that are our individual bodies issues. However if this is something that started recently and you never had it before then I'm not sure what that's about. I'm certainly no Doctor and not telling you just to ignore it...just sounded so familiar so I thought I'd tell you about my symptoms. Also I have a mild Heart Murmur and have always thought my pain had something to do with that but the Drs all say NO they don't relate. They look at me with the deer in the headlights look when I try to describe the certain pain. Anyway, good luck to you and if you want to contact me for any reason, if this hits home, feel free!

Hi M.,

If you feel that something is not right, it sounds like you need to be more aggressive with your doctor in asking for a referral to a cardiologist.

I have had some heart issues in the past and know that you need to be very proactive in asking for what you want.

Good luck to you!

L.

I agree about going to the ER. They will often investigate medical issues more than a regular doctor. Have them check your gall bladder. My mother had chest pains like that for year, and they did all kinds of cardiac tests, but the tests showed nothing. Then she had an attack in her doctor's office, and her doctor figured out it was her gall bladder. They took it out and problem solved.

I'm 7 months, and this has been happening to me too. The sharp, ripping pain starts in the middle of my chest right on the top of my ribcage, and feels like it's pulling apart (but more on the right side). I researched it before consulting my OB, and many women around this time said that they were experiencing "abdominal stretching". My OB said it was just heartburn, but he couldn't be more wrong - I have acid reflux and I definitely know how heartburn feels!

Hello M.,
I would see in internist. They have much more that they can help you with. My husband has had an internist for the last 15 years. He can run any kind of test to rule out possibilities. You need to see about getting into one of them till you are satisfied with the results. Its your body and feelings. Good luck.
~~D.

I wouldn't ignore what your experiencing. Not because it's something to worry about but because our bodies have a wisdom that communicates with us and I think it is important to listen. Get a 2 and a 3rd and a 4th opinion until someone listens. Do some stretching or yoga (maybe it's a muscle out), see a chiropractor, a acupuncturist, a homeopath. Find someone who will hear you concerns, and take note of what your experiencing, it is important and valid. Whenever the Dr. doesn't have the answer they say it's nothing and pain isn't nothing. If you need a referral to someone who can help I've got referrals. So best of luck to you I wish you well.

when i was in my 20's i started to have that..and i went to see a doc..she checked me and said i have a floppy valve..aka murmur..as soon as i found out what it was i stopped having it as much i think i was relieved and maybe knowing relaxed me and i stopped having the pains so much..also u could have Angina..have u googled your symptoms? i think u should go to a heart specialist...
i was checked by my doc's nurse last year and she asked if i had had a heart attack! ugh! so they sent me to a specialist ..and not only is my heart now strong and healthy there was no mention of the murmur..why?? b/c i workout A LOT..the doc seemed annoyed that they sent me there after the tests..
do u exercise at all?
you could try a blood thinner too like Serrapeptase...
go see another doc..sounds like u might have a heart murmur.
good luck..

D.

Hi M.,

I would definitely get a second or third opinion if necessary. My mom is a hair stylist and one of her clients' husbands was having a similar experience. He went in to his doctor several times and it was dismissed as heartburn or something else. He ended having a heart attack and died before his wife could get him to the hospital. I tell you this not to scare you, but just to be cautious for your sake!

My chest pains are caused by a hiatal hernia; I also have symptoms of gas and bloating. As many of the other responders have pointed out, chest pains can be caused by things other than a heart problem -- hiatal hernia, gall bladder, ulcer, etc. . My advice would be to go to a good internist who should start a battery of tests to find out what is wrong. You should have a STRESS EKG and blood tests to check liver and kidney functions and h-pelori bacteria, then move on to abdominal ultrasound to check gall bladder, then an endoscope (that's the stage my hernia was discovered). At any of those stages you will probably be referred to a specialist. Pain indicates a problem, so be assertive in your health care and find a doctor who will also be assertive in finding out what the cause is. I started having occasional chest pains about 5 years ago, and the stress ekg was normal, so I just put up with it. When I started having upper abdominal pains this year, I had several tests and then the endoscopy which confirmed the hiatal hernia diagnosis. The hernia explains the chest pains, the abdominal distress and my long-term heartburn problems. There's no real "cure", but it is manageable now that I know what's causing the prolems. Had I been more assertive 4 years ago, I could have averted a lot of discomfort. Good luck!

i had these pains in my side chest, too, when i was in my twenties. they're called plurasy(sp). usually get them if direct air hits me like a/c, water cooler or breathe heavy with my mouth open. they went away with age.

Hello, You are very young to have to worry about heart problems. However, even though it isn't that, I would insist on having that ruled out by tests rather than what your doctor "thinks". I am older and had a heart attack. It went on for over 24 hours because my symptoms were not that of a heart attack. I was treated for acid reflux. I would never ignore anything related to my chest again. As I said, it is probably not your heart, but better to rule it out and find out what is causing your pain.
Good luck with this problem.
K. K.

A couple of years ago, I had what sound like the same chest pains that wouldn't go away. I had an EKG (I think?) and also did the running on the treadmill test. Neither showed anything wrong. My doctor said she thought I had Costochondritis.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/costochondritis/DS00626

I never really found out what it was, but the pains eventually went away. It took at least a year though. I think it may have been the stress of 2 little ones, then around 1 and 2 1/2, and not breathing right and taking care of my body. Also, their heads would rest right where it was hurting when they would sit on my lap. My mom said she also had it and to try not to reach up high for things, which I was doing every day to get dishes and put them away.

It was scary to have these chest pains and be told it was nothing serious. I think you should follow your gut instincts and if you think it may be something more serious, follow though on it with your doctor. Good luck and take care!

You don't want to let somthing like chest pain go. You should see another doctor - one who will take you seriously and look into this further. My husband is a physician and this is what he would suggest.

Remember doctors don't always advise wisely so seek out more opinions until you feel comfortable.

Please go to another doctor. Regardless of whether it is your heart or something minor, clearly something is going on. I have the exact same symptoms that J L described. Mine is attributed to my asthma. My left lung tends to flair up more than my right and I often get chest pains shooting through the left side and shoulder. It takes several breaths sometimes to get a nice deep breath in. Do you have any lung issues or asthma? You really need to figure out what is causing the discomfort. Go to a cardiologist and begin to rule things out. Get your lungs checked too. I really hope you get this figured out and I wish you the best.