Hi Vicki,
As a matter of fact, about 6 months after the stroke, I started having problems with rapid heart beat and chest pain. I had an echocardiogram and they did think it was PFO. That diagnosis was not determined at the time of the stroke and it was not an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes blockage in a cardiac artery can look the same as PFO on echo. I had an angiogram and what they found was not a PFO but blockage in my artery that had to be repaired with angioplasty (back then they didn't have stints). I was ok after that for 5 years then I had three more arteries that clogged up and caused a heart attack). By then, the use of stints to open blockages had beed developed and I got three. I again was good for 5 more years and ended up getting 3 more stints in 2003. It is difficult to get doctors to consider coronary heart disease in a young person because as they say, you don't present in the same way an older man would. I encourage you to listen to your body and not assume this is just anxiety because a doctor doesn't want to deal with it. Get another doctor. The only way they can 100% tell what is going on is to do an angiogram, which in itself is risky but not as risky as a heart attack. If it is a PFO that needs to be treated, they can go from there in that direction but I would also be sure that it is not blockage. It is not unheard of for a young woman to have it, in fact, it is getting more and more common. If no treatment is necessary then you can relax and not be anxious about it. If it is something that is wrong other than PFO, that can be treated as well. Sometimes if it isn't really severe, they can treat with meds. Either way, don't allow 1 doctor to intimidate you. Before you assume it is anxiety, get at least another opinion.
The good news is Doctors are becoming more educated on heart disease and women and I know you can find one that will take you seriously. Hopefully the doctor you saw is right and it is nothing but anxiety but if there is doubt in your mind, be sure.
My best success with doctors is to have a list of questions ready when I go to the doctor and if he is unable or unwilling to answer ALL of them, I leave and get another doctor. You know your body better than anyone and you deserve some peace of mind on this. PFO's can be serious and so can Coronary Artery Disease.
I hope this helps you. I am not a doctor and I don't mean this as anything more than one patient helping another by sharing my experience. Good Luck to you and keep in touch.
SG