Hi Everyone,

Hoping you can provide some insight to my problem. About 5 years ago when I was 37, I started having pain in my upper back, left side only, which would radiate down my arm and into my hand - sometimes into my jaw as well. I would feel kind of dizzy at some points and "not quite right". No chest pain. This would come during stress or even at times of rest. I went to the ER on numerous occasions where they did the routine heart tests. Said it wasnt heart related. Went to family doctor and insisted on seeing a cardiologist. He felt it wasnt heart related but sent me for a chest x-ray and echo which all came back normal. My family doctor felt it was muscle related and sent me to a physiatrist who said it was the same thing and provided me with stretches to do as well as visit a masseuse.

My job requires most of my day on the computer for 8 hours and then I go home and work a second job in the evening which can be another 2 hours or so on the computer.

Over the past little while, I've noticed this pain coming on more often and more severe. Now out of the blue I get these sharp jabs of pain in my chest, which is followed by the pain in my left shoulder blade, neck and jaw and then down my arm to my hands. It comes at times of rest and with stressful incidents. If I massage the shoulder blade area in my back deeply, it seems to relieve the pain. Stretches help as well. None of this pain comes on from exertion, just stress or "out of the blue". I woke up this morning after a bad dream with my heart pounding, then the pain started again in my shoulder blade and down my arm. The pain is still there as I write this. This has prompted me to make a doctor's appointment but cant get in for 2 days.

I find it all so weird, especially now with the sharp pains in my chest. Do you think this can be heart related or muscle like was diagnosed 5 years ago due to my computer work? I am frightened that it is something more serious now. I am 42, a little overweight, female, had a physical a year ago, all normal, blood pressure is great, good cholesterol a little low but nothing too out of the ordinary.

Your comments are appreciated.

Wow, you sound just like me and I would really be interested to see what people say. I am about to post my story now.

Hopefully we can both get piece of mind from this!

I have ALOT of the same issues you have also. I was told by 3 different cardio's that my heart is fine, its all in my head. It is anxiety. I like you have these problems with or without exertion. The jaw pain has been going on for several months now. It comes when i am really stressed or just sitting watching tv, along with the shoulder pain. I am 34 i do have a family history of heart problems and my cholesterol could be better, i have lost about 35 pounds over the last few months i am of average weight. I would like to know what you find out from your doctor.

Gee. glad to know I"m not the only one out there with this! I went to the doctor yesterday - a different GP this time - who once again felt that it wasnt heart related, more muscular and possibly due to the computer work I do. He ordered the normal battery of tests again - EKG, blood, diabetes, cholesterial, etc. - and then told me to come back and we'll discuss the results and whether any further steps need to be taken. He said he's not dismissing it as a possible heart problem, but thinks it is highly unlikely. Of course he said to go to the ER if my symptoms worsen or become more typical of a heart attack ie. sweating, nausea and the chest pain or fullness.

I dont know - I still hesitant to rule out the heart but I guess we'll see.

Please, do not rule out heart problems. My story is similar but I went thru it for years. I am a 41 year old female and my problem started about 5 years ago. I had all the same symptoms. I knew in my heart (no pun intended) that something was not right. I went for EVERY cardiac test available. I passed them all!! I went thru several stress tests...thalium included. I had echocardiograms. Went to the emergency room several times. I was told by the dr that it was all anxiety and people were getting mad at me! I had seen several specialist...now on to the scary part..On a friday morning I was at a hospital to take care of some other business, when I started having the left arm pain.. they told me to walk over to the emergency room. Long story short, they ran the tests (blood tests...stress test...echo..) and told me I had the heart of a 20 year old. I asked them about an angiogram (cardiac cath) and the dr said (like many drs before him) that I was too young, despite my huge family history of heart disease. I was released from the hospital. I decided to see a different cardiologist, so on Tuesday I was in his office and was having the same symptoms with shortness of breath.. he told me he was going to do the angio that afternoon and called 911 for me directly from his office. Guess what... 90% blockage in my RCA! Because of one dr who decided that I wasnt to young (ha!) my life was saved! That was May 2005. I had 3 cypher stints put in and later in december I had another one put in. This past tuesday I had yet one more stent (only for a 30% block) so now I have a total of 5. What I am having trouble dealing with is the MVP with regurge and skipped beats and small bouts of arrythmia..they are scaring me to the point of depression and immobility. I am always scared of the next arrythmia. I have a 30 day event monitor, which I have kept for 45 days and dont want to give back because its like a safety net for me. Eventually I have to give it back tho. Anyway, I have an appt monday to discuss ablation..but I dont know if that would be wise...any suggestions?? Sorry to have run so long.....but the point of my story is...IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG DO NOT STOP PERSISTING..THE ANGIO IS THE ONLY 100% TEST!!!! Dont worry about the risks they tell you about...its really nothing...I had 5 cardiac caths done since May 2005 and I am fine. Its more risky if you DONT have one done!!! Please dont think I am trying to scare you...I am trying to save your life! God Bless!!

The important message here is that many doctors and health professionals still think of heart disease as a man's problem. If you are a woman, especially pre-menopausal, they think you couldn't have heart disease. They are mistaken.

Coronary artery disease starts in childhood. I read an interview with Dr. Nissen at the Cleveland Clinic, and he remarked how he saw the heart of a supposedly healthy 32 year old woman that was donated for transplant and it had significant plaque deposits. You don't just suddenly go from clear arteries to 70% blockage overnight, you know.

I am 49, pre-menopausal, normal weight, have excellent cholestrol numbers, and I exercise daily. I have no symptoms of heart disease. My risk factor is that my mother had early and severe coronary disease, although I assumed that her problems were the result of her being very obese. I wrongly thought that I would be spared because I ate well and kept my weight down.

My doctor noticed a bruit, or odd sound, in my neck at a recent exam. I had a Doppler ultrasound and I have bilateral blockage in my carotid arteries of about 50%! I was shocked. No doubt my coronary arteries have deposits also.

My point is that women do indeed suffer heart disease and you need to persist in finding out what is causing your symptoms. Try finding a woman cardiologist or one who specializes in treating women.