2 posts shown.
vividsailor7 said:1. What kind of stomach issues are we talking about here? You didn't mention what specifically showed up on your spinal X-ray.
2. You’ve already run quite a few tests (heart echo, EKG, dopplers, spinal X-ray).
Honestly, I don't think you have much to worry about. Maybe an exercise stress test would be worth considering if those chest pains only pop up when you're exerting yourself.
But those symptoms should show up whenever you're being active, right?
My cervical spine X-ray:
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/1538/snc00150p.jpgAnd here is the official reading from the X-ray:
The cervical spine X-rays show normal alignment and healthy bone structures. There is likely some fusion of the vertebral bodies and transverse processes at C3-C4, with minimal differentiation of the intervertebral spaces. All other vertebral bodies and intervertebral spaces appear normal.
As for the digestive stuff, it hits me in different ways. Sometimes digestion just feels heavy. My stomach starts pulsing after a big meal, and I get this sensation like my stomach is pushing up against my diaphragm from below. Acid reflux is pretty frequent, and I deal with constipation sometimes too. Like I mentioned before, I occasionally feel a bit dizzy when my digestive tract is working overtime. Sometimes, once my stomach is finishing up a meal, I get this mild stinging or burning sensation in the middle of my abdomen and down low, near the bladder area (which is usually when the acid reflux kicks in). A few times, the area just inside my belly button has been so incredibly painful—like someone drove a nail straight into me—that I couldn't even move. It lasts a few minutes and seems to subside once things start moving along. I know I'm being irresponsible by not getting checked out, and I keep telling myself to go, but the mere thought of a gastroscopy absolutely terrifies me.
I'm 27. I smoke about half a pack a day, drink a few times a month, stand 6'3", weigh 230 lbs, and honestly, my fitness is pretty poor since I spend most of my time sitting.
My main issues are digestion and my spine, specifically my neck. Neither of my parents or my grandparents have any history of heart disease, though both of my parents deal with spinal issues and stomach/digestive problems.
- Sometimes I feel a strong pounding—not necessarily a racing heart, but more like a pulsing sensation in my abdomen or lower back (especially if I lean against a wall). It seems more noticeable when I'm tired or after a big meal.
- Occasionally, even after just a little exertion, I feel my heart race (that's when I really notice it). Should I blame my lack of fitness and extra weight for that?
- Over the last few years, I've had intermittent chest pains, but they've never been accompanied by shortness of breath. Just uncomfortable sharp pains of varying intensity and duration—never lasting too long. I've felt those stabs a couple of times after long walks (I walk quite a bit), and that’s what scares me the most.
- For the past few years, I've also had these strange, incredibly intense dizzy spells. It feels more like my brain is "buzzing." The sensation is actually terrifying, even if it's brief. Sometimes I wonder if my digestive issues are triggering the dizziness (is that even possible?).
It only happened once where it lasted about thirty minutes; lying on my side helped, and then I headed to the ER for the tests I'll list under section 3.
Here is everything I've had checked out:
1.) I check my blood pressure quite often; it usually sits around 120-130 over 80-90, with a pulse between 60 and 80.
2.) Back in the summer of 2009, I had an EKG and an echocardiogram. A respected cardiologist reviewed them and said my heart was perfectly healthy. Since then, I've had two more EKGs, and they were always fine.
3.) After that intense dizzy spell (about a year ago), the ER did some routine checks and told me nothing was dangerous, but suggested I get my neck checked. I had an X-ray of my cervical spine the next day, which showed some changes (which I can definitely feel), but a color Doppler of my neck vessels came back completely normal.
4.) Earlier this year, I went for a color Doppler on my lower extremities because of a bulging vein on my shin, and the results were totally clear.
Finally, I want to start exercising and getting in shape, but I'm a little nervous. Should I get more testing done first? Would a stress test be necessary (or would a doctor have suggested one if needed)? And are results from two years ago still relevant?
Is it right to link these weird dizzy spells to my neck issues or stomach problems, or could they be tied to something else, something more serious?
Basically, do I have any reason to worry?