funny feeling in chest - Heart Disorders Message Board

hilery79 · 06-12-2003, 10:54 PM

Hi,
I am a 23f in good shape. Lately I have been having a "funny feeling" in my chest many times throughout the day and it gets a lot worse when I lay down and start to fall asleep at night. It kind of feels like a wave or sinking feeling in my chest. I get an intense feeling of fear along with it when it happens at night. I've felt my pulse when this happens and it almost feels like my heart is skipping a beat or just beating really slow all of a sudden. I also have an anxiety disorder and have had many ekg's lately and they have been normal. Does anyone else have this or know what it could be?

hmay8 · 06-24-2003, 08:34 AM

Hi, I have been having chest pain with exersion. It then spreads to my back and left arm. Soon after, even with rest, I start having really bad dizzy spells. I also have anxiety disorder but I know it isn't that. My doc. ran an EKG and it was normal. He told me since I am a 28 year old it probly was nothing but better be safe than sorry. So I am getting a treadmill test (stress test). He said that the stress test can see things the EKG dosen't. I would request one. I was 21 years old when I started having feelings much like yours. My doc. told me it was a heart murrmer. He said it is not uncommon unless it was huting me. It wasn't but it made me pass out. He just ignored it. Now I am 28 years old and the chest problem is getting worse. I would push for answers. The heart is not something you want to just push aside. Good luck. Let us know what happens.
hmay

1btg · 06-24-2003, 01:42 PM

Hiya Hilery. What you experiencing it's probably premature atrial or ventricular contractions. (PAC'S or PVC'S) They are benign and they are more scary than harmful. Many things can cause these including coffee cold remedies, alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs like beta blockers and other antiarrhythmia drugs [and its weird but antiarrhythmic drugs can make a heart arrhythmia even worse], anxiety and panic attacks. On the panic attacks it is like the chicken-egg thing. It is not clear if panic attacks cause the ectopies or the ectopies cause the panic. ( ectopy its a medical term from the Greek word which means out of place. Out of place or the normal heart beat).
Tell your doctor to refer you to a cardiologist and have a holter monitor for 24-48 hours to see what its going to record. Avoid the stess test because its possible, though rare, to cause you a heart attack on the spot especially if an underline heart condition exists.