Chest pain and palpitations -- can I wait for doctor?

about two months ago also, I'd say, I started exercising because I was trying to lose weight. I am overweight -- a 5'2 female 24 years old at about 165 pounds. I noticed sometimes when I exercised, I would get chest pain when I ran, but it would go away when I reverted to walking. It didn't seem to happen everytime, but I just started taking a Motrin everytime before getting on the treadmill.

I have been noticing I've been having heart palpitations for maybe about two months now too, maybe less, maybe more. I can't remember. They began as normal "skipping a beat" types and happened infrequently, and then turned into what felt like flutters and I noticed I began have them pretty frequently. One day at work, I seemed to be having them a lot and it worried me. I felt kind of weak and I was shaking and scared. I didn't feel any chest pain or shortness or breath though so I just went home sick and made an appointment with my doctor.

My doctor set me up with a cardiologist who I will not see for another two weeks. In the meantime, I wore a heart monitor that confirmed palpitations. But I also have been noticing some chest pain and tightness even when I am not working out. It doesn't seem any situation in particular causes it. I especially got chest pain really bad once after I ate Burger King so since that moment, I have been on a vegetarian diet of no saturated fat and no cholesterol and I have been taking an aspirin everyday (sometimes more) because I am so worried.

Some other background: I have Grave's disease, which is hyperthyroid, and I currently take an anti-thyroid med called PTU and a betablocker called Toprol. I did have heart palpitations years ago, but that was when my doctor discovered I was hyperthyroid -- my heart was beating excessively fast.

I don't know if I am being a hypochondriac or cybercondriac, or if I should be really worried. I've been trying to see the cardiologist sooner but there are no earlier appointments for a new patient. Sometimes I think about my symptoms and I worry that I'm going to get a heart attack and die. I can see my neck beating and when I touch it, I can feel the heart beats from anywhere in my neck -- it used to be difficult for me to find the right spot to feel my pulse.

Should I go see someone immediately or will I be OK waiting two weeks? I know I am only 24, but for many years my diet was absolutely horrible -- I used to eat fast food for every meal. I just need to know that I will be OK for a few more weeks or if I need to do something immediately. My fear is dragging me down and I don't know what to do.

Please advise. Thank you.

You stated that you had terrible diet habits? What have you changed? How do you eat now? Do you have an active or more sedintary lifestlye?

I would not wait on anything. Any problem is easier to deal with if you begin as soon as possible. See a different doctor if necessary.

If you are worried (and rightfully so) start making simple changes to your eating habits and lifestyle. This will improve some of your health issues and it will get you moving and making progress. Sometimes your biggest worry can be that nothing is changing for the better. Change something for the better, today, and your mental attitude will improve. Your mental attitude has a lot to do with your body's ability to heal itself. Once you begin moving in a positive direction, keep it up, change something else. The successes that you enjoy will go a long way towards removing some of your stress, which will go a long way towards helping to heal yourself and that will help you to find answers to issues that you can't figure out how to resolve.

Post Edited (guitarmanmarty) : 9/23/2008 6:16:06 PM (GMT-6)