Thread: Chest pain/heart problems?

Hi Jessica.

I have been a Heart Patient my whole life. I'm almost 57, had experimental Open Heart surgery in 1959. I am not a Dr. but know quite a bit about the Heart.
I have WPWS, ( you can look it up on Google ), but it's basically a "Short Circuit/ extra Circuit " that can make the Heart race over 150. The highest I've been is 217 Beats Per Minute. The only way to truly diagnose WPWS is having an EKG or wearing a Holter Monitor, while it is actually happening. I was 24 when they diagnosed it.

The " Flutters " you are having are most likely PAC's Or PVC's or both combined. Google them also. They are usually not harmful or damaging to the heart, if you have had everything else Heart related Checked out by a Cardiologist . You may want to go back and ask to be put on a Holter Monitor. This is basically a Home EKG . That you wear for 24-72 hours. They put the electrodes on you just like for an EKG in the office. And the Monitor clips on your belt or pants waistband.

It's computer records every heart neat, then they download it and they can Read your EKG. I keep notes when I wear The Holter. What I am doing, if I'm sleeping from 10 pm to 4 am, what I do in the Morning, if I'm walking or running or mopping floors or working. Every hour I make a note in my notepad, it only takes a second to write, Normal things or Exercise ( like walking or climbing stairs ). Since there is a Clock in the monitor, it helps them know what I was doing , when and if any PVC's or PAC's were being recorded.

Now, PVC's and PAC's can be frightening, until you know how to handle them. This meaning to not Panic. You will raise your Heart rate if you panic. You need to avoid that if possible.

Here's some tips that work with me ( mostly )
When you feel the Flutter coming on. Breath, slowly in and slowly out, try to relax, put your mind elsewhere, try not to anticipate the Next Flutter. If you get rapid flutters, I usually Cough, and I mean purposely Cough, deep ones, this makes the Diaphragm, constrict against the Heart's Pressure area, basically squeezing the heart, which helps to Disturb the rhythm and gives the Heart a chance to " refocus " on normal beats.

Caffeine, it is a stimulant, Cut out as much as you can. I used to drink 2 pots of coffee a Day. I now drink one small cup in the Morning, take a large cup to work and sip on it all day, a sip or two every hour or two.
I used to get Chest pains, read up on foods and then I cut out all Soda's and carbonated Drinks. The Carbonation, in some people can cause a Acid Reflux, if you notice when you drink Carbonated sodas fast, You usually Burp. That', which if not released by the Burp, can cause the Heartburn it's because pressure is trapped, Trapped air can be painful. Think of Gas in the stomach, the kind that causes Diarrhea, It's painful, when Churning through the intestines.

Avoid acidic foods, Orange Juice, Tomato's and Sauce, Grapefruits. Coffee, Coke Sodas. If you do eat/ drink them, use them sparely, try to balance out meals with Proteins and Softer Fruits, Banana's , Apples, Melons. Veggies, with lots of Fiber, limit broccoli, cauliflower and Cabbage. As they can produce Gas. ****Remember Trapped Gas, causes pain.****

On the Coke or Cola stuff, I did the home test, took a piece of meat, steak or pork ( raw ) cut a 2 inch square, put it in a plastic bowl ( small ) and covered it with Coke. Within 1 day, that piece of meat was Mush and broken down to where I could break it apart with my fingers. I also did it with Orange Juice and Tomato Juice, same result, except it took much longer.

Last but not Least is Water, Water is needed to Hydrate, Soda's aren't that good at Hydrating, sure they have water in them, but they have allot of Sodium ( salt ) Salt is a Drying Agent. It also elevates Blood pressure, Drink Water, 8 glasses a day, You don't have to Down them, you can Sip on them, but get at least 4 8 oz glasses of Pure Straight water in each 24 hour period, sip on water products the rest of the day. You can Flavor the water, there are healthy products out there like Chrystal Light powder packages. That are light on Salt and Sugar, but have Fiber and Calcium and vitamins.
I Love my Coffee, Have to have it, but I drink Water, one before every meal and one after. The water dilutes any Caffeine or Salts or Sugars, that may cause gasses or fast reaction Heart rates from Stimulation for the Caffeine.

Now I'm not a Health Freak, but after all these years, I have learned, what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat . ( or Drink ) and as the Years have gone by. I have fewer incidents of the Pain in Chest or the Flutters. I'm " supposed " to be on Daily Heart Meds. But don't have Insurance and cannot afford to see my Cardio, So I researched, changed my Diet, pay attention to how my Heart and Body Reacts to " Foods and Drinks '.

And yes.. I still get some Flutters, usually only a few within a 24 hour period. My First thought is irritation, they don't hurt, but they interrupt my feeling of Well Being. I then, think back on what I did to awaken the " Flutter Beast ". Usually it was me having a larger Cup of coffee , or two .. lol
I Breath, deeply, in and out, Cough if necessary and Drink a glass of Ice water .

You are Young and just now learning to pay attention to your Body and what it is Telling YOU ! Trust me.. It will tell you More " Painfully " as you get older if you Ignore the first signs of it " Complaining "..

Google or Search Engine all of your Symptoms, Educate yourself, Don't take in all of The Negative things like Death and Cancer, balance it out with People that have Experienced it, tried it, changed it in a Positive way .