Dizziness, heart palpitations, chest pain... what could it be?

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?

Gerald Chase4 said:I'm 27 years old. I smoke—averaging about half a pack a day—and I drink a few times a month. I'm 6'3" and 230 lbs, pretty out of shape, and mostly sedentary.
The issues I definitely deal with are digestive problems and spinal issues, specifically in my neck. Neither of my parents, nor their parents or the rest of the family, have any history of cardiovascular disease. However, both of my parents struggle with spinal issues and stomach/digestive problems.
(...)
Basically, do I have any reason to worry?

First off, what kind of stomach issues are we talking about here? You haven't even specified what changes they actually found on your spinal X-ray.
2.Look, you’ve already done plenty of testing (heart echo, EKG, dopplers, spinal X-rays).
Honestly, I don't think you have anything to worry about. The only thing I'd consider adding is a stress test, but only if those chest pains start popping up when you're actually exerting yourself.

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.jpg

And 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.

Gerald Chase4 said:So, you’re telling me these issues are supposed to flare up every single time you exert yourself? Is that the deal here?

My neck X-ray results:

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The X-ray report and the radiologist’s official opinion regarding the colon findings state the following:

Digestive issues aren't just a single thing—they manifest in a dozen different, equally miserable ways. For me, digestion can be an absolute nightmare. After a heavy meal, I’ll actually feel my stomach pulsing. There are times when it feels like my stomach is physically shoving upward against my diaphragm, plus I deal with acid reflux constantly. Then there’s the constipation, and occasionally, I get this lightheadedness because my digestive tract is working so intensely it practically makes my head spin. Sometimes, as the food moves through, I get this sharp stinging or burning sensation right in the middle of my abdomen, and even down low near my bladder—usually right before the heartburn kicks in. A few times now, I’ve had this excruciating pain behind my navel. It’s so intense that I can barely move; it feels like someone drove a literal nail into my gut. It usually lasts a few minutes and only subsides once things finally start moving along. I know I’m being irresponsible by not getting checked out. I keep telling myself I need to schedule some tests, but honestly? The mere thought of a gastroscopy absolutely terrifies me.

More or less, yeah.
As far as your digestion goes, you’re likely looking at Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I’m talking about a functional disorder here—not some organic disease or structural issue, just your gut acting up.
Look, if you want my honest opinion, you need to get on a strict diet and start moving. No excuses. It’s non-negotiable.
During those "attacks," you might want to try sipping on some Gastrolite or even just sticking to a natural remedy like Pepto-Bismol drops. Give it a shot and see if it actually helps settle things down.
Bottom line? I don't see any reason for you all to be stressing out.

So, I’m 26. A few months back, my heart started racing out of nowhere—like, maybe six or seven times total—but it hasn't done that since. I went in for an EKG and everything came back fine. Then they did a Holter monitor, and the doctor just brushed it off as some minor palpitations, nothing major. Even the color Doppler and my blood work were totally normal. But here’s the thing... sometimes I get this chest pain. It usually happens when I’m lying down, like a muscle on the left side of my chest is just tightening up. If I jump out of bed, it goes away immediately. I also deal with these dizzy spells that tend to clear up by the afternoon, and occasionally there's this burning sensation right in the middle of my chest. After the Holter test, they put me on half a Propranolol pill once a day for about 45 days, then told me to stop. Does anyone actually know what these symptoms mean or what's going on with me? Thanks.