| Heart Problems or Stress? How to figure it out?
For the past month, I have seen an increase in my blood pressure, more palpitations and trouble sleeping. In the past, my normal blood pressure would always be 102 over 60. Now I have number of 119 over 85 (or higher) and an annoying pain in my left arm often accompanies the palpitations in my chest and pain in left side of the neck.
What began my worry is that for the past three weeks, I fall asleep at night, then wake up a half hour later with a jolt of palpitations, chest pain and restlessness. Now I know what its like - I stay up awake for 2-3 hours, then eventually can go back to sleep. I only get 4-5 hours a sleep but I am grateful for that.
Looking at that by itself - that could be sleep apnea. My PCP is sending me to a cardiologist later this week to get an echo done and wear a heart monitor. She wants to rule our cardio stuff first.
Side note, I am 36 years old and I have not had my period for over a year and not on BCP. My OBGYN said the sleeplesness and depression like symptoms could be related to my hormones needing to be regulated. She did her own blood test of my levels and my levels look good so that I am not in premenopause. But I am in perimenopause (all women are in that category first all the time while they have their periods and are not going through the change).
My OBGYN wants me to get back on a birth control pill to see if I can get my periods back. I am afraid to take bcp pill until I get this cardio stuff done and ruled out.
These spurts of palpitations and the worry makes me scared and I want to make sure I look at everything. Does anyone have any thoughts or feedback?
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