dogfacetunaman
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- Aug 31, 2020
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Started about a month ago...noticed a twitching/fluttering in my left armpit when draping it over the couch one night just relaxing. Then I started noticing it every night in the same position because that's my end of the night relax position while watching tv. Didn't think much of it then, but of course it progressed. I planted the HA seed in my head that maybe something was wrong with my heart. The progression transitioned to spasms, that's the best way I can describe it. They aren't constant or multiples, usually just one and done. It almost feels like somebody has the butt of their palm under my nipple closer to my armpit and quickly gives it like a pound or two of pressure, a shove if you will. Very short lived, very little pressure...no pain, no shortness of breath, no classic signs of anything dangerous. They definitely seem to be more frequent when I have a stressful day ahead of me (anticipatory symptoms), so I'm definitely not abandoning the idea that it is psychosomatic or HA, I've been through this WAY too many times in the past to not recognize the classic signs, even when they manifest differently.
So I tried my best to live my life and not focus on the spasms. Set up a cardiology appointment that was 3 weeks out and was OK for a few days. Then on one particularly stressful day they became more frequent (one every 5 minutes) and the pressure/force went up a pound or two, still no pain or anything. So I said, what the hell I'll go to the ER just in case. Was calm the whole 2 hours I was there...BP and HR were excellent even for me (BP is often high 150/85 when at the docs, usually 120/78 at home, HR is never an issue)...I was handling it well surprisingly. Chest Xrays, blood work, EKG, monitor all showed nothing even though I had about 4-5 spasms while there, so they told me just to follow up with my Cardiologist. I've never seen one before so he asked a bunch of normal questions, didn't seem concerned and gave me the Holter monitor to wear. I pushed the button maybe 5-6 times, but had an otherwise uneventful 2 days of wearing it, and sent the thing back in the mail. It's been 3 weeks and the only thing I heard from them was a call to schedule a follow-up and Echo. I asked about the monitor results and they said they'd discuss them at the appointment.
In those 3 weeks thought I've been trying my best to pin-point anything that may be causing the symptoms. I noticed in the last few days that if I lean down and pick up anything with my left arm extended (my kid, tying my shoes, driving with my left arm extended, leaning my arm over a couch like when all this first started, etc), a spasm will happen immediately, sometimes followed up by a few more 5-10 minutes later. I can now force them to happen...I don't know if that's a good or bad thing but my logic is telling me that is a good thing. If it was a true heart emergency, I doubt one particular motion would set it off. One issue is that they will often occur seemingly out of nowhere when it's very possible I didn't do anything with an extended arm, but it's mentally draining to focus on every body movement so it's also very possible I actually did do one of those movements and didn't even know it. Also, this hyper-focusing on my chest makes it very tense all day I'll admit, so that can be causing it too.
I'm not here to ask for medical advice, I know better than that. I have the cardio follow-up this week so I'll see what they say.
I guess I'm not really sure why I posted this today...my health anxiety creeps up about once/twice a year on average and I guess this is my newest thing. I always thought heart anxiety would be the worst one to get but I'm handling it surprisingly well IMO, although my poor wife would disagree.
I guess I was wondering if anyone else has ever had something similar, and then found out it was something like a nerve issue which is where my mind has been going lately. Particularly since it started a few days, maybe a week, after I had a mild cold that left me with a very stiff neck for 3-4 days. I guess I should've mentioned that earlier.
Thanks for reading and my apologies for not being very active on this site.
So I tried my best to live my life and not focus on the spasms. Set up a cardiology appointment that was 3 weeks out and was OK for a few days. Then on one particularly stressful day they became more frequent (one every 5 minutes) and the pressure/force went up a pound or two, still no pain or anything. So I said, what the hell I'll go to the ER just in case. Was calm the whole 2 hours I was there...BP and HR were excellent even for me (BP is often high 150/85 when at the docs, usually 120/78 at home, HR is never an issue)...I was handling it well surprisingly. Chest Xrays, blood work, EKG, monitor all showed nothing even though I had about 4-5 spasms while there, so they told me just to follow up with my Cardiologist. I've never seen one before so he asked a bunch of normal questions, didn't seem concerned and gave me the Holter monitor to wear. I pushed the button maybe 5-6 times, but had an otherwise uneventful 2 days of wearing it, and sent the thing back in the mail. It's been 3 weeks and the only thing I heard from them was a call to schedule a follow-up and Echo. I asked about the monitor results and they said they'd discuss them at the appointment.
In those 3 weeks thought I've been trying my best to pin-point anything that may be causing the symptoms. I noticed in the last few days that if I lean down and pick up anything with my left arm extended (my kid, tying my shoes, driving with my left arm extended, leaning my arm over a couch like when all this first started, etc), a spasm will happen immediately, sometimes followed up by a few more 5-10 minutes later. I can now force them to happen...I don't know if that's a good or bad thing but my logic is telling me that is a good thing. If it was a true heart emergency, I doubt one particular motion would set it off. One issue is that they will often occur seemingly out of nowhere when it's very possible I didn't do anything with an extended arm, but it's mentally draining to focus on every body movement so it's also very possible I actually did do one of those movements and didn't even know it. Also, this hyper-focusing on my chest makes it very tense all day I'll admit, so that can be causing it too.
I'm not here to ask for medical advice, I know better than that. I have the cardio follow-up this week so I'll see what they say.
I guess I'm not really sure why I posted this today...my health anxiety creeps up about once/twice a year on average and I guess this is my newest thing. I always thought heart anxiety would be the worst one to get but I'm handling it surprisingly well IMO, although my poor wife would disagree.
I guess I was wondering if anyone else has ever had something similar, and then found out it was something like a nerve issue which is where my mind has been going lately. Particularly since it started a few days, maybe a week, after I had a mild cold that left me with a very stiff neck for 3-4 days. I guess I should've mentioned that earlier.
Thanks for reading and my apologies for not being very active on this site.