never had heart worries before

[cofo]

hi all
i have HA but have never experienced worries about my heart. so i don't have any real info and i know better than to google.
if i can muster up the courage, i will make an appt to see my PCP, just for peace of mind, and because it's probably past time anyway. i need to see about my cholestoral. i haven't had that tested.
about 2 weeks ago, i could not sleep. my chest and back were burning/tight. i was so uncomfortable. it kept me up for hours. tossing and turning. i chalked that up to trapped gas(i had eaten black beans with dinner). i kinda feel like it has never left really. i still kinda feel that way.
about a week ago, i woke myself up with a gasp/snore. I have never snored in my life, but the past couple of months i have woken myself up 2-3 times. i noticed my head was tilted way back the first couple of times it happened, so i just chalked it up to that. but this last time, i got kinda concerned. maybe i have sleep apnea or something. that made me wonder about my heart. i also have had a flutter in my neck over the past few months, that feels weird. it's happened a few times.
then i've noticed that my chest is tight, alot. and i have this burn inbetween my shoulder blades, pretty much all the time, and sometimes in my shoulder joint. i also get this weird pain in my left arm, on the inside running down my tricep area. these are all super duper mild.
i play tennis regularly. that's the only exercise i get. and since the end of november i have had to take a big break. normally i'd play 3-4 times a week, but i had tennis elbow and took some time off for rest. i played once last week, and felt fine. but i played on friday, and my chest felt tight. i stopped and drank water and slowed my pace after that. it was really cold out, if that matters.
but since then, i have felt chest tightness, the constant "thing" between my shoulder blades and the twinge in my arm.
yesterday, i could feel my heart beat very strongly in my neck, and could see it on my chest.


so. i'm 53, i'm a very petite person(my whole family is small boned and "tiny") 5' tall and very skinny. i am actually a little underweight because i've been on the anxiety diet as i call it(see other threads of mine and you'll know why).anyway, i'm trying to gain weight.
i had a test 10 years ago on my heart before a surgery and (ultrasound?stress test?)all was fine. but that was 10 years ago.

i have never been in good shape cardiovasularly. i don't do any cardio except for tennis and i am out of breath alot! but i love it.

so, i have taken my pulse and my bp. and they are normal. if my heart rate and blood pressure are normal, what are the chances that this would be anything to do with my heart?

i'm seriously trying not to just turn this into another anxiety. i know i probably just need to go see my dr. but in the meantime....

---------- Post added at 14:44 ---------- Previous post was at 12:03 ----------

bueller?

do my "pains" seem heart related?

[cofo]

73 views and no replies.
not sure what to make of that.

i don't think i'm having a heart attack, i'm sure heart attack pains are not "super duper mild". but does heart disease feel like this?

i can't get into my dr for a checkup for a while...so, i'll just need to sit with it.

[nomorepanic]

They are not all "real" people reading it.

[cofo]

They are not all "real" people reading it.

oh.

can we move it to the HA forum? people know me there and i feel like it's not getting any attention here.

[Aaahhfreakout]

I always suggest going to the doctor first.

Since the symptoms are constant, a quick ECG can rule out a lot of things in one visit.

Also, very slim people being able to see their heart beat is quite common.

Anyhow, hope it goes well when see the doctor.

[cofo]

well, i've been feeling a little less anxious about the heart stuff, and am trying to decide if i want to go to my regular dr or to the cardio(i've seen one before years ago, so i could probably get in). any thoughts on that?

but this morning, i got out of bed, peed, put on sweatpants, coughed and sniffed(i do this every morning)a little bit(2-3 times) and felt kinda short of breath.i feel kinda congested in the mornings, probably allergies. anyway i took my hr and it was 119. resting my hr is usually 65-75.

that seems kinda high for just doing normal stuff.
no?

[cofo]

i haven't gotten to the dr yet. i'm actually kind of avoiding it. but i'm also trying to decide which dr(i haven't been to a PCP in years).

in the meantime, i posted yesterday about a high hr in the morning. it was fine all day.
today, i took my hr after i got out of bed, peed, put on sweatpants(didn't need to cough today). it was 107. it's normal now. my chest feels normal(unless i start focusing on it)
anyway, playing tennis is my life. i cannot do without it. it's my therapy. it's my joy.
and i have a chance to play today. and i'm scared. i haven't played since last friday, when i felt the "chest pain".

so, i'm going to play. i hope i don't die.

[Aaahhfreakout]

If you have the option and it's not a problem, then I'd go to the cardiologist as you'd definitely get a 12 lead ECG there and possibly some other tests. Anything sinister could be ruled out very quickly.

Also, I find that unconscious anxiety can make my pulse increase 10 to 15 BPM in the few seconds I measure it. I know this as I was hooked up to an ECG at the time, didn't feel anxious and yet my heartrate increased significantly. I also find that my heart becomes sensitised with recent anxiety, so it increases much faster and to higher BPM from the same movements or stress.

If you are feeling up to tennis, though, it's probably not too bad overall I guess.