HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Chest Pressure (Very noticeable and feel very weird)

Support Forums
>
Heart & Cardiovascular Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/11/2011 7:38 AM (GMT 0)
It's been going on for awhile, I been having these chest pressures here and there, it does not happen often, every few days or just a few times a month, but it's very noticeable. the pressure can happen anytime, anywhere without warning. normally it follows with a minor shortness of breath and felt in the neck. it normally last for about 10 minutes or less, but left a very bad after taste, because I felt very worry and scare when it happens.

I'd been seen a cardiologist for awhile, a few years ago, I had very bad anxiety and been in an out of the hospital due to shortness of breath, chest pressure and chest pain. I had many test done, treadmill, stress test, echo, x-ray, ECG and even the best heart test I can get, the angiogram done. all came back normal according to the doctor. I have hypertension, but it's under control. My anxiety is also been under control for a couple of years already. My stomach is also a problem and been taken anti-acid daily. normally I know when pressure or heart burn that is coming from the stomach, but these pressure is slightly left from the center of my chest which did not seem from the stomach.

has anyone have these problems, should I be worry even after I have all those tests done? but I can help to worry when the pressure is so noticeable. Thank you
Posted 3/11/2011 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
Oh, yes. The good old stomach can and often does mimic heart problems. But make sure you've seen the cardiologist recently first, to make sure it's not really the heart. The bad aftertaste sounds like gastric reflux.

If you go to the GERD forum you can look up in the searchbox all sorts of posts like yours.

It's not always one or the other either. The stomach can trigger the heart and vice versa. I've long had a problem called cardioesophageal reflex (with an E), aka linked angina. When I eat a food trigger I get rapid heartbeats (tachycardia), usually preceeded by my stomach misbehaving.

To find out if you have food triggers, keep a food log/journal. Write down the time, what you eat or drink, and the reactions/symptoms after half an hour, 1 and 2 hours. When you get a list you have to break down the foods into ingredients. For me it wasn't the waffle, it was the maple syrup. Honey was OK. It wasn't the hamburger, it ws the condiments. It wasn't the oatmeal, it ws the brown sugar. I knew I had a problem with gelatin and pork, gravy and stews. I'd always hated onions. When I googled my food list and the words "food allergy" or "food intolerances" I found all my foods on a sulfite sensitivity/intolerance list. Other people may be sensitive to MSG or fruit or just about anything. Start the journal!

Don't expect your doctors to have ever heard of cardioesophageal reflex or linked angina. My cardiologist and gastroenterologist don't believe me. (I couldn't posibly know anything because I'm an old woman, grandma, not an MD, although I do have a degree in Biology.) I started researching scientific papers when this gave me a heart attack in 2006. My heart attack had only a tiny bit of elevated enzymes. It was just a spasm of the LAD coronary artery, but wouldn't stop and needed a stent.
Posted 3/13/2011 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your reply. I understand the pressure could be coming from the stomach, GERD, and eating, but it's not when I eat, it could happen anytime, even before I eat. I am checking with my cardiologist, but there are no test that can identify the exact problem, because every time I go and see him/her, I'm completely fine. I will follow up and be more alert of what I eat and what I did at time of issue. Thanks again.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply