This is gonna be a big post.
I deal with pretty frequent chest pain, chest pressure, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, circulation issues (cold knees, feet), lightheadedness, among the plethora of others. I started experiencing these around late 2020, maybe a little earlier in the year.
They are all pretty predictable, sleep deprivation brings them out more often, certain substances almost always bring them out (my ADD meds always give me shortness of breath, and sometimes lightheadedness associated with that shortness of breath state. Coffee gives me the circulation stuff). Things like changing position after being in one for a long time, such as waking up in the morning, always make my heart feel really weird, no pain, but just this indescribable feeling in my chest that something is not quite working right, pain in my left arm that'll linger for a few seconds and then go away, pins and needles in my back for some reason.
The chest pain is usually pretty random, and I don't get it nearly as much anymore, but it does still happen from time to time.
I tolerate exercise just fine, these things hardly ever occur with exercise. It's actually when it seems like my ticker is working the least I tend to get these things.
Anyway, with all these things, you'd expect to just be able to go to a doctor or cardiologist and have a clear diagnosis, right? ... unfortunately not.
I have been through the ringer why cardiologists, I have done holters, stress tests, echocardiograms, and nothing.
I was told I just have anxiety. God I wish it was just anxiety... I have zero problems with anxiety. I don't deal with panic attacks, when my symptoms happen, I'm not panicking or scared, just annoyed. I'm pretty much the opposite of anxious with most things.
When my symptoms happen, there was no build up or thought that led to it. They're pretty predictable in other ways. Had coffee, chest pressure, no sleep, chest pressure, took my Vyvanse, shortness of breath, get up from my bed, my chest feeling weird is this bizarre nonspecific way I can't really describe. It's just not anxiety. But, I did go through and try the SSRIs, maybe it was some weird subconscious anxiety... nope, same thing but now I have a med I have to take everyday or I get dizzy. lol.
It's been coming up on two years since it all started. I still have no answers. I have gone to a few cardiologists, just hand waved as anxiety. My GP has tried helping but she's kinda at a loss too. Am I looking in the wrong area? Is it circulation related? I dunno.
All of these have gotten better over time though, it's not as life impairing as it used to be, back when it was all unpredictable and much more frequent. But, as I've started taking my ADD meds again, it's become very apparent the issues still need to be dealt with, I just can't take it without experiencing symptoms. But I just don't know what to do. I have my first appointment with my GP in quite a number of months, and I'm gonna bring this up. But, I'm just scared, I'm going down this rabbit hole once again to be spat out the other end with hundreds of dollars in bills, and still no answers. I don't know what approach to take.
Though I doubt anyone will actually read all this, much less have any clue what exactly my problem is, I'm gonna ask, do you guys experience anything like this? What is your diagnosis? How did you obtain it? Any suggestions or ideas for me? I very much appreciate it!