Chest pain, back pain, arm pain, fast heart rate, tingling in face, tenderness on chest.
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi there,
I am sincerely hoping someone can help me. I have trawled these forums and the internet in it's entirety and i have not found anything that resembles all of the combined symptoms i am having. This is a long read and i am extremely grateful for anyone who takes the time to read and reply.
I'm male, 25, 6'2" and 16st on the button.
The week commencing 10th April i suddenly began to have these very strange sensations up and down my arm whilst at work - they may be painful for some but i would not describe them as particularly painful just very evident. It really rattled me and sent me straight into flight mode - i ran to the toilets, to the car, i could not stop moving. As i'm sure everyone does, i immediately thought heart attack.
It subsided and i generally felt ok for the rest of the week and even forgot about it until Monday 17th April where at around 9:30pm i suddenly fell ill - i was having these strange sensations in my left arm again and this time occassionally in my left leg, i also felt slightly dizzy. It made me vomit from the fear and i only got to sleep that night at around 3am when i physically could not keep my eyes open any longer.
The next day i was having the same symptoms albeit not as bad but this time was experiencing a strange sensation on the left side of my face (tingling/numbness), some low level chest pain and slight blurred vision. After having googled this i was now convinced i was having a stroke. I went to A&E and they so much as laughed at me - too young to have a stroke. They took my bloods and told me everything was ok, they took my blood pressure and told me it was slightly high and i should contact my GP and i was dismissed as all clear.
The next day i saw my GP - he also laughed at me and diagnosed me with Labrynthitis. I believed him to be way out and I should have challenged this at the time but i felt like i should put my faith in him. He prescribed me stemetil and sure enough the dizziness and blurred vision has gone but here i am still having chest pains and sensations in my left arm and occasionally but ever so slightly in my right arm now. I have also now got a bit of upper back 'pain' once again it doesn't hurt but it's evident. The chest pain occurs in the center of my chest, to the left and to the right and if i put pressure on a very specific spot in the centre of my chest there is a slight tenderness. I'm also having what feels like heart palputations or sudden fast heart rate for very short bursts - it's hard to nail as this has never happened before.
I've been trying to convince myself of anxiety - but with no symptoms of it ever having occurred previously in my life and the fact that the arm pains came first i am scepticle of this. These symptoms also seem to occur randomly. Funnily enough when i can get to sleep i sleep like a baby and when i wake up for half an hour i feel perfectly normal until all of these symptoms start coming back. Very perculiar.
This is where i am at at the moment and i am due to have an ecg, blood test and blood pressure test on wednesday. Can anyone share their thoughts or experiences please!
Thank you so much in advance.
1 like, 13 replies
ankit79538 Sam01
Posted
Sam01 ankit79538
Posted
Thanks.
reg1945 Sam01
Posted
Hey Sam, great sympathy. I can identify with this description. I went through all the tests and ultimately hypertension was diagnosed along with a form of hypochondria that responded to beta blockers and a mild sedative. After 40 years I'm convinced I am my own worst enemy having been told innumerous times that being an alpha male has physiological consequences that upset digestive system, heart rythmn, nervous performance, skeletal function, and just about every hormone imaginable
It appears that some people,by virtue of genetics have a dismal outlook unless they confront it head on and control it. I found that everyday stress levels left me a wreck until I started talking about it. And so releasing the pressure... Understanding your reaction to your symptoms, i read that you have a tendency to panic. So maybe . ,,discovering if stress levels in your life are high enough to disturb balances might be a good route to pursue. In any even , good luck with finding a solution. remember if you are still breathing you are very much alive.
Sam01 reg1945
Posted
Thanks for your reply reg - I will take hypertension and anxiety/stress if offered it right now. Naturally the thought process in my mind is eluding me to much worse i.e. imminent heart attack.
I don't feel like a stressed person - since i have had these symptoms definitely but otherwise no. My high blood pressure is hereditary and right now let's say i'm a tad comfortable in my diet and exercise which is probably a factor but at the least i know i can reverse this with hard work.
I feel like i know within myself that it is more serious though. Usually I'm quite a logical person but i am struggling to identify whether this is the case or whether my mind is running away with itself because i think i'm about to croak it! You have significantly relaxed me so thank you and i will update you when i have my results on wednesday.
reg1945 Sam01
Posted
Hi The fact that ypu are feeling more relaxed kinda vindicates my theory
. I'm assuming ypu have already undergone some examination and/ or testing? Of which results were encouraging?I am also wondering if you have engaged in rigourous exercise and contracted the muscular and skeletal condition costochondritis. Characterised by chest wall tenderness and peripheral pain in the upper limbs. This is a low possibility unless you are very active in sport of a contact nature,or have taken a fall upon the thoracic part of your torso.Do let us know the outcome of your investigations.
Good luck
Sam01 reg1945
Posted
I have only had a blood test up and a blood pressure test up until now - it was in A&E so was a 'we'll call you if anything's wrong' type of result. I did not recieve a phone call. The blood pressure i was told was slightly high for my age; i have an ECG, blood test and blood pressure test booked for tomorrow at the doctors and i'm hoping i can get much more information out of them.
It doesn't feel like costochondritis (not that i've had it) - it feels deep within my chest and as far as i'm aware - heart palapatations/sudden fast heart beat aren't symptoms of costochondritis are they? There is one specific point on my chest; on the right side of my sternum may be 6 ribs down that feels tender but it's hard work finding it and it isn't obvious, i'm not even sure it's related.
The most notable feeling i'm having is at random points of the day where i feel like my heart rate suddenly goes into overdrive for a second or two and i have a real funny turn, that'll then continue off and on for a good while at random intervals. When i wake up i'm fine, i go to work and i'm ok and then randomly this will occur at some point during my day. The chest pain and arm pain always come and go randomly and they aren't necessarily always together.
reg1945 Sam01
Posted
The reference to costo was speculation not knowing your lifestyle. The palpitations and strange facial sensations' in my case can be attributed to a sudden sugar intake ..anyone with elevated B.P will have this problem especially if not controlled by drugs....modern diet in some cases can be toxic to sensitive organs.and produce alarming side effects. once again speculation, tomorrow you will rule out heart pathology, and I you have a sharp GP. Will
reg1945
Posted
Sam01 reg1945
Posted
I've most definitely learnt my lesson and i shall be throwing the proverbial book at every doctor i come into contact with tomorrow! Thanks once again.
amb06803 Sam01
Posted
Hey just curious if you ever found out what was going on with you. I am have them the same symptoms. I have 2 ecgs and 2 sets of blood tests says my hearts is fine. but still continued pain.
re86508 Sam01
Posted
Yes!!!!!! I finally found someone having the same symptoms as me! I have gone to the ER and to docs for a couple of months now because i thought I was having heart problems. But after several ekgs blood work and xray docs are telling me it is not my heart. But the pain still persists. I don't usually get chest pain but that left arm aching dull pain is driving me up the wall. I also sometimes get it in my right arm but it is my left arm 90 percent of the time. It appears to be completely random although I have noticed it is worse when I think about it. I just have no clue what it is. I tried to convince myself it is just anxiety but it is hard to believe because the pain although it is not really that painful feels really real. I also suffer from POTS and major depressive disorder but I used to be really healthy. I'm only 22 but only a few years ago I could run a mile in under 6 minutes so it's hard to believe it is my heart. Please message me if you figured out what this could be or if you are still alive lol. thank you.
LionwoodA Sam01
Posted
Hello, (please read this)
I was told by my doctors that all my symptoms can be tied to my spine and that I should accept the pain and was given pain relief medication.
I try to take as less as the possible number of pills through a year, but sometimes the pain is too much. I had similar problems as you since I was 9 years old and I'm 21 now. I went from doctor to doctor, had all tests done...but nothing.
One said that's in my head, other said I had joint inflammation on my chest, other said it is because I have tachycardia and for the last years they say it is because of my bad spine and that there is no help for it and that i should just accept it and live with it.
-I have chest pains that come and go,
-by me is my right hand that gets more pain than the right but there is no set time for when and how long, the pain is dull and comes in wawes,
-when there is the pain, my heartbeat gets crazy,
-I have headaches and sometimes blurred vision (I'm not sure it is tied to this),
-my left-hand gets cramps that for few seconds I can not move my hand,
-at night i cant sleep well because if i move on one side or on my tummy i get pressure/pain in my chest,
-a few times now i got a cramp in my left side of the chest that immobilized my left side of the body for few minutes,
-when I work out for some minutes (like running) my heart goes crazy in just first minutes and the pain (it comes in wawes) just cripples me (you have to know that for 13 years of my life i was top in sports (best in class) but soon everything started to get downhill and i even got afraid to workout because of the pain in my chest and my right hand if I do too many movements with it)
?
But there is one thing I hate the most, and why doctors thought i had joint inflammation, it started at the center of my chest but through years it got to my shoulders and to my side...if I or someone else even a little touches my chest/shoulders i get a dull pain that lasts for few seconds, everone is prohibited to touch me there, my family and exes never understood it, well even i don't, is it in my head for more then 10 yeras now or what is it?
I'm young and the possibility of having the pain as my companion for whole life...it makes me mad, angry, sick, sad...
Do you or anyone have the pain if even a tiny bit of pressure is put on the chest? I just want answers...
maggiemeyers LionwoodA
Posted
Hi there, I have the same symptoms and stumbled across this post after two years of dealing with the same thing. This is, to the T, how I feel. I'm a female who can't have anybody touch my chest, it has gotten so bad that I can't even wear a bra but if I don't, then I feel pressure all the way from the chest to my shoulder blades. As of now, I've had 4 fine heart tests and I'm still convinced it's my heart because of how my heartbeat feels when it happens, or the clamminess that comes from my arm to my hand. I can't stand it and don't know where to turn. Let me know if you have any updates!