Have you ever taken nitroglycerin for the pain and it improved? That should be an indicator there really is something wrong with the heart.

My boyfriend was hospitalized with chest pain last weekend - symptoms simliar to yours, all test were normal (ultrasound, x-ray, blood test and EKG) and he is only 31 so at first they tried to tell him he had indigestion but when the nitroglycerin took away the symptoms immediately they took him more serious.

His stress test is Friday and he worries like you that all the tests won't show anything but I still say with chest and left shoulder pain like you describe it's better safe than sorry. Especially since you said it is gradually getting worse.

How are you feeling today?

I strongly concur with the others that you really should get to a doc to be checked over again...chest pain is just something that we DO NOT MESS WITH!

Here are a few links for information:

Chest Pain: http://health.yahoo.com/health/encyclopedia/003079/0.html

Heart: http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/023623.html

Difficulty Breathing: http://health.yahoo.com/health/encyclopedia/003075/0.html

I basically ignored most of my symptoms for many, many years until the chest pain hit all of a sudden and hit hard.

So, my answer is not only based on my own experiences, but from reading countless articles about LD and heart conditions...and from also having been married to someone who's heart condition was caused by lyme.

I am sure you are quite aware of what standard heart trouble symptoms consist of. But, you should also be aware that many heart troubles are limited in symptoms.

YES, lyme can cause many heart pain-type symptoms that come and go, and are really not that big of a deal.
But, lyme can also cause many heart troubles that ARE a big deal!!!

NOW, having said that...again...
WE DO NOT MESS WITH CHEST PAIN!!!

It is always best to go in and have things looked over if you are concerned.

Some important considerations:
Is this pain new or different?
Are you having other symptoms- nausea, sweating, and/or dizziness?

Call a doc...and...PLEASE err on the side of caution.

My best,
Melanie

well in 1993 they ran all kind of test because I was so fatigued, sore body and flu like the test came back H-pylorie. was great for a year they treated with 2000mg of antibiotics for 10 days.
It finally returned and by 1999 I could hardly climb steps ended up with surgery on both knees same flu feelings,fatigue retested for h-pylorie neg Elisa neg but a very very low thyroid problem after months of trying to regulate it they finally DX with Fibromyaglia. still having them chest pains that seem to come with stress.

Finally 2003 after much research and new testing I was DX with chronic Lyme arthritis My LLMD also has Lyme plus he mother died from complication of h-pylorie.He ran an echocardigram and they found damage to my left ventricle, Also the best thing which helped my attack was CEASE FIRE. So I feel these chest pains are related to lyme you know them little bugger hide out and set up camp in organs,joints and brain. Been on antibiotics since jan 2003 knees are great my biggest problem is my burning hands and soles of my feet and fatigue. sorry about the long response but I know most of you have traveled this road. Dee Pa

I agree with everyone that you need to go to the ER while you're having chest pain------always.

Know before you go that Docs do not take women (especially young ones) seriously when they complain of chest pain!! Tell them what you told us re: symptoms.

However, they'll probably take you a bit more serious in the ER.

In fact, the symptoms of a heart attack in a woman usually are very different than a man.

(Some women are just very tired & don't feel well.) Eventually, an old heart attack shows up on a test------ yet they never knew before that they ever had one.

I'm not saying you're having a heart attack at all. It could be one of a million things. I'm just saying all chest pain must be checked out.

If it comes down to it, tell them you're not leaving until an EKG & some blood work are done to rule out a heart attack or another obvious heart problem. The nitroglycerine trial sounds great.

Check on your insurance, you may only have to pay $100 deductible at the ER & the rest is paid at 100%.

It's not that I'm putting money before your health, but you should get fast, thorough care at the ER-----rather than waiting 2 weeks for an appointment when you don't have any pain.