Scared of a heart attack even though im so young!

[Michidesu]

Background info.

I am 23 years old and very thin, never had a history of heart problems or bad/high cholesterol.

Lately i've been feeling left arm sensations for the last few hours and they are off and on and sometimes it's pain in random spots on the arm and sometimes it's on the right arm but mostly left. Also been having TONS of gas which for some reason correlates to the arm pain some of the time. If I feel a strong pain in my left arm, I usually have to use the bathroom, but not always. I'm sure it doesn't make sense but im a hypochondriac so of course, right? Anyway chest tightness as well, and some chest pains, though they come and go.

So mostly, I just would like some reassurance that I am NOT going to have a heart attack. I looked it up on a quiz and it said my chances of having cardiovascular problems in the next 30 years is only 2 percent! However, that doesn't calm me down when Im feeling so many sensations! Please help however you can

[bin tenn]

I get it. I was a heart worrier for a long while. I still occasionally wonder if I'm experiencing serious cardiac symptoms, but it's easy to convince myself I'm not. I've had left arm pains along with chest pains. I think they're related to gas, as I've also noticed it happens a lot when gassy. It may just be a nerve or something that gas puts pressure on. Either that, or we IMAGINE arm pain when gassy. Haha. I dunno.

You're twenty-three, thin, and have no personal history of heart problems. I would think your risk is much lower than even 2%. Haha. Do you have family history of early heart problems (before 50-ish years old)? If not, great! If so, I still say you don't need to worry, but you could mention it to your doc, just so they can help you determine if you're at risk in the *future*.

The arm thing could be muscular, but it could also be ulnar nerve entrapment/compression. I notice that sometimes my back is tense, which wraps around to my chest sometimes and also either arm. I also have what my doc and I agree is possibly mild ulnar nerve compression, which is quite common these days. If your arm is bent a lot - on the phone or computer extensively, for example - it's very possible.

[Michidesu]

Thank you so very much! I truly hope that's the case and I wish I knew the secret to convincing myself that im okay :weep: I'll just have to keep reassuring myself how unlikely it is!

Also I've never had any family history of it either. My grandma is obese and about 70 years old and only just recently was told she has slightly high cholesterol! So I KNOW I shouldn't be worried. :doh: Thank you so much again!! I'm glad im not alone!

[bin tenn]

The secret is no secret: it's acceptance. :D Took me a while, but after practicing acceptance, it's easy and no longer takes conscious effort. I just accept that things "are". Heart problems run in my family. I have not-so-great cholesterol numbers. I'm 30, not overweight, but a smoker. My mom had a heart attack in November at 54 years old. No prior history except high cholesterol, she has taken a statin for several years. It was very serious, cardiac arrest, but she's doing well now. Still, I have to accept that, and I just need to take the steps now to reduce my risk and get my numbers in check before I end up in her position in 24 years.

Learn to accept it. You'll be fine!