20 year old - heart burn or heart attack?

Posted , 3 users are following.

I am a 20 year old female. I have had problems with acid reflux since I was a child. I take Prevacid twice daily, as well as Tums but I still get heartburn. A week ago, I noticed I suddenly started sweating excessively. I felt weak and groggy. This persisted throughout the week until a couple days ago. I felt a sudden stabbing pain in my sternum and left rib cage, and a pain radiating throughout my chest (tums didn't help). It went away about 30 minutes later. Since then I've been feeling extremely weak and fatigued. (I also have an anxiety disorder so I tend to dwell on health related things). I woke up at around 5 am this morning sweating and clutching my chest due to a burning/pressure feeling, again, on the left side. Could it be possible that I've suffered a heart attack? Or does this sound like heart burn? I've had all sorts of tests within the last 6 months such as ECG, stress test, chest X-ray, and holter monitors which all came back negative for heart disease. I have been rather sedentary for the last 2 months and my diet has been very poor.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    hi rrnd4.

    A heart attack is not a shap or burning pain. They say a heart attack feels like an elehant sitting on your chest. If your ECG and X- rays comes back negative then theres nothing wrong with your heart. I also get sharp chest pains and sometimes its a burning pain. The pain elevates into my neck just under my jaw and sometimes into my arms. When I do have pain I usually take painkillers like 2 panados or 2 painamol. I also struggle with shortness of breath and very dizzy sometimes. About a week ago I went for a gastroscopy to check insite my stomach and they took a sample. I usually take about 2 weeks before I get the results so hopefully they found something. If it comes back negative then I dont know what to do anymore. I hope someone can get a diagnosis for what we have bcause I cant go on like this. Its affecting my work and my sleep. If I get an awnser I will post it and hopefully it works for you too..

  • Posted

    I am a 24 year old white male from South Africa and Ive had the pain for about 4 months now
  • Posted

    It could be a heart attack. Be carefull and go for a second ECG .if there's not  any St segment  or Q wave changes,  Then take daily aspirin 81 mg  qhs and dilantin. Modify your phyisical activity and start a cardiac rehab program. 

    Dr. Aidin 

  • Posted

    Hi

    With experiance, probabaly is a bad case of heart burn, if it was an heart attack, you probably be in hospital, saying that, it could of been angina. Surprised though, mainly because of your age, unless it is genetic.

    Have you got immediate family that as problems with their heart ?

    Unfortunately, not all heart problems show up on tests, unless it is happening to you at the time they are doing the tests.

    Try not to worry, ( easier said than done ), as being stressed out can give you slight chest pains.

    I would, next time you get bad chest pains, phone for an ambulance, better safe than sorry.

    Let us know how you get on.

    Kev

    • Posted

      Thank you for your response! Nobody in my family has had heart problems. I have an anxiety disorder, and I'm a total hypochondriac so I tend to jump to the worst possible scenario when I have any sort of pain or feel unwell. I'm seeing my GP tomorrow, hoping it's just a really bad case of heart burn. Unlike heart conditions, bad heart burn runs in my family, usually stemming back to galbladder issues
    • Posted

      Not all of angina's or heart attacks end in hospital.  Some forms of heart attacks are even silent ! And just can be found by ECG or CT angio or by holtor monitoring.

      in medicone , one might not be optimistic , since this can be fatal . 

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