Question 1

I've been feeling a really strong pulse in my head for the past couple of days, and yesterday I noticed it in my rib area too. It feels like there's an extra heartbeat or something. I've tried to ignore it, but it's so uncomfortable and it's been messing up my sleep. I even woke up with a really fast heart rate today, and it's making me quite anxious. It's like I can't escape this feeling, whether I'm awake or trying to sleep. What should I do to make this go away? Any advice would really help.

Accepted Answer

Based on your symptoms, it sounds like you may be experiencing palpitations. Palpitations can be caused by various factors such as stress, caffeine intake, dehydration, or underlying medical conditions. To help alleviate your symptoms, you can try taking a beta-blocker medication such as Metoprolol at a dose of 25-50mg once daily. Additionally, it is important to stay hydrated, avoid caffeine and alcohol, and practice relaxation techniques to reduce stress. If your symptoms persist or worsen, it is recommended to seek further evaluation from a healthcare professional.

Question 2

I've been dealing with chest pain for the past three months that comes and goes, and it often spreads to my left shoulder, arm, and even my jaw. Sometimes I get dizzy too. I had COVID before, and now I'm also experiencing some breathing issues since last week. I saw a cardiologist, and the ECG, trop test, and chest X-ray all showed nothing unusual. I had an echo and a TMT done today. Can you help me understand what's going on? What could be causing my symptoms if all these tests are normal?

Accepted Answer

Based on your symptoms and the tests you have undergone, it seems like you may be experiencing symptoms of angina or coronary artery disease. Since your ECG, troponin test, chest X-ray, echo, and TMT are normal, it is important to continue monitoring your symptoms and follow up with your cardiologist for further evaluation. In the meantime, you can take medications like Aspirin 75mg once daily to help reduce the risk of heart attack, and medications like Atorvastatin 20mg once daily to manage cholesterol levels. Additionally, Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets can be taken as needed for chest pain relief. It is also important to make lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking (if applicable), and managing stress to improve your overall heart health. If your symptoms persist or worsen, please consult your cardiologist for further evaluation and management.

Question 3

I'm worried about my heart. I've done a bunch of tests like ECG, echo, TMT, and stress echo, and everything's come back normal. But every time I have something like gastric pain or even just diarrhea, I can't shake this fear that I'm having a heart attack. Could this be cardiac anxiety, or is there something else I should worry about? Also, my blood tests were normal except my vitamin D was 13.56 Ngml and B12 was 173.8 ofml. Should I be concerned about those levels?

Accepted Answer

It sounds like you are experiencing significant anxiety about your heart health, despite having normal cardiac test results. This type of anxiety, often referred to as cardiac anxiety or health anxiety, can cause you to worry excessively about having heart problems even when tests repeatedly show that everything is normal. Your low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (13.56 ngmL) and vitamin B12 (173.8 pmolL) should be addressed, as deficiencies in these vitamins can contribute to overall feelings of fatigue and possibly anxiety.

To manage your cardiac anxiety, consider the following steps:
1. Consult a mental health professional: Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be very effective in managing health anxiety.
2. Lifestyle changes: Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and mindfulness or relaxation techniques can help reduce anxiety.
3. Vitamin supplementation: Your healthcare provider can recommend appropriate vitamin D and B12 supplements to address your deficiencies.

Please discuss your anxiety and vitamin deficiencies with your healthcare provider to develop a comprehensive plan for managing your health and anxiety.

I'm getting really out of breath whenever I climb stairs, even though I recently had a stress echo and other tests that came back normal. Could this be related to my heart, or is it just because I don't climb stairs that often? What else could be causing this?

pulmonologist opinion.

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