Is there a doctor in the house?

[Cognisant]

My mother was born with a atrial septal defect, its been treated and she's fine now.

About a year ago I started having pains that seemed to move around my circulatory system, for example first my left leg would ache, then the right leg, then my right arm, left arm, etc. Aches and pains can be caused by any number of things so I didn't see a doctor about it, I wasn't in worthwhile pain and it wasn't affecting my daily activities, the pain would also disappear for weeks/month at a time.

Recently I've been getting an ache in the left side of my chest, again not much pain at all, it's generally in my armpit but can also occur over my heart, my left shoulder and my back on the left side. I don't get dizzy, it doesn't really seem related to exercise, although it seems to be brought on by insufficient sleep, excessive caffeine and stress.

How can I tell the difference between mild anxiety related pain and something that's actually serious?

I know if I go to a GP he'll either dismiss it or send me to a specialist and as a child I used to have palpitation attacks, some of them quite severe, but the specialists who checked me out then never found anything, sure my heart-rate is a little fast but I was born premature and I'm no athlete so it's not abnormally fast.

 

[Jennywocky]

Well, no doctors have volunteered so you are stuck with my rambling. Sorry about that.
　
Wow. Sorry you have been having these issues. My mother does have atrial fib which she has been trying to treat for some years (she's in her 70's now), and I suspect I might have picked it up too due to what feels like the "racing heart" symptom... but it also comes at a time in my life where I don't get sufficient sleep, have a decent amount of caffeine in system, etc. Kind of similar to you.

In my 20's, I remember occasionally getting sharp stabbing pains in my chest area that seemed to be tied to high exertions (tennis), which was very concerning; but it ended up just being muscle spasms and went away when treated. When tissue isn't getting enough oxygen, I think it can result in a seize-up and/or shooting pain, for example. Reading the atrial septal defect page, it sounds like some of these issues can result in inadequate amounts of oxygen being carried throughout the body... but I'm not a doctor obviously.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrial_septal_defect

You're kinda stuck unfortunately. The GP can't probably do shit, while you say you were already examined by specialists and see it as a waste of time. Well, what other options are there beside winging it, then? Aside from hearing other possible syndromes you might be able to experiment with OTC meds or routines to see if they work?

Note that some things with atrial defects might not show up early (since the problems accumulate over time). So it could be possible if enough time passes for me to become apparent.

 

[Cognisant]

Hmm I should probably get some private health insurance now while there's apparently nothing wrong with me so when the time comes to upgrade to an artificial heart it's not going to cost me a proverbial arm and a leg, of course an artificial arm & leg would just be a bonus for me

The pain isn't really that bad, it's enough to notice but not enough to make me stop whatever I'm doing, it could just be a damaged muscle since my job often involves putting 5-10kg boxes on a shelf that I can only reach with my fingertips. But I mainly lift with my right arm (my right) so it's strange that the pain is on the left side, although sometimes I'll drop a box and catch it again before it hits the ground, I think it goes without saying that I occasionally have lower back pain but that too goes away with rest.

 

[Jennywocky]

Hmm I should probably get some private health insurance now while there's apparently nothing wrong with me so when the time comes to upgrade to an artificial heart it's not going to cost me a proverbial arm and a leg, of course an artificial arm & leg would just be a bonus for me

it's always better to have it before you need it.

The pain isn't really that bad, it's enough to notice but not enough to make me stop whatever I'm doing, it could just be a damaged muscle since my job often involves putting 5-10kg boxes on a shelf that I can only reach with my fingertips. But I mainly lift with my right arm (my right) so it's strange that the pain is on the left side, although sometimes I'll drop a box and catch it again before it hits the ground, I think it goes without saying that I occasionally have lower back pain but that too goes away with rest.

Complete side issue, but aging brings pain. I know you're not that old yet, but it's pretty surprising how I felt little pain in teens and 20's and then in my 30's and 40's it's like every day is a new exploration of twinges and flares of little pain I did not know existed. Blech. It's annoying, although I also laugh at it.

 

[Polaris]

I'm not a doctor, and I would be cautious with self-diagnosis, but your symptoms seem similar to those of a friend of mine who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Yeah, I know it's one of those mysterious diseases that are very difficult to diagnose because there is no tissue or joint damage or inflammation; just weird, random pain that comes and goes. There is no cure, and it does not show up on any kind of scans. It seems to be affecting people with high stress/anxiety/depression who also have physically demanding work. It also seems to affect people who are not physically active.

I would still go and get an examination if you haven't had one for a while, particularly if there are heart problems in the family.

I have had rather unsettling palpitations since quite a young age. I ended up going to a heart specialist and he said there was nothing wrong with my heart, but I should cut down on caffeine and manage stress better. Then my father died of a massive heart attack, and it turns out he was never diagnosed with any heart issues even though he went to see his GP regularly. When he was brought to hospital after collapsing in his own home, they did not even check for heart related issues (he was 74). So, just because there is no diagnosis it doesn't exclude possibilities. You kind of have to push the issue with certain practitioners because they may be reluctant to "over-treat" patients. I am going to get myself thoroughly checked out for these reasons.

This article is quite interesting. It kind of states the obvious to some degree but the referenced research is worth having a look at.

 

[StevenM]

I guess I'll follow line, and be sure to state I'm not a doctor either.

Just wanted to add that I frequently get chest pains as well. I had tons of tests on my heart, including stress test, and everything checks out fine.

So I guess for me, it's either acid reflux/ GERD. Or perhaps it's anxiety. Muscle spasms. Or something funky with my lungs. I'm not sure.

The pain can sometimes get pretty damn bad, with dizzyness, confusion, out of breath, and the pain spreads to back and shoulders. Lasts about half an hour.

Since you stated they are brought on by insufficient sleep, caffeine and stress, it might be anxiety.

Usually the best thing is to get a couple of tests done.

Some things I've learned recently:

- Heart attacks often don't have warning signs at all.
- If you can pinpoint the pain to a specific location, it's most likely not anything to do with the heart.

 

[computerhxr]

Not a doctor. I grew up with chrinic pain and health issues that doctors always failed to treat.

Your spine is connected to everything. It's possible that you could benefit from a chiropractor that practices the Gonstead method. No joke, your nerves in your spine can shift pain and cause tons of health issues.

Yoga, meditation, and eating more raw veggies is good for your overall health.

I would also recommend making a fruit smoothie daily if you can afford it. I have been doing 2 parts frozen strawberries, 1 part frozen blueberries, a few scoops of Greek yogurt (the fatty kind), and then fill up the spaces between the frozen fruit with apple juice (real kind, not 100% juice).

You should stretch and exercise a bit every hour. Doesn't have to be extreme but it reduces arthritis and body aches.

I hope this helps! Doctors like to prescribe drugs that cover up pain. If it's severe go for it but always try to improve your overall health using a holistic approach at the same time.

 

[Bluehalite]

I’d recommend getting genetic testing because you can take it to your doctor and show the results. Try Genomeitall.com for genetic testing. Or Biio.com or Sequencing.com or https://www.invitae.com

Costchondritis can feel like pains, it’s when little bubbles get stuck between bones or walls of lungs. It makes the chest hurt.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/costochondritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371175

Or you may have a deficiency of something. Aches can be muscles need minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium, D, or PQQ.

If something is fleeting and goes away in a few hours
I’d note it and dismiss it. If a pain lasts more than a day, I’d make Dr appt.
If you worry it’s your heart then go in and get it checked.