Concerned about my heart

[Seattle_Stranger]

Greetings BL'ers.

I want to get a general set of tests done on my heart just to make sure everything looks good, but I don't know what to ask for. I have some causes for concern, one of them being that my 32 year old generally healthy (to my knowledge) cousin died from a very sudden heart attack/failure about a year and a half ago, and I will be turning 32 soon. I also drink a fair amount of white wine daily, I use kratom daily, I smoke cannabis daily, nootropics almost daily, take some amino acids like taurine almost daily, strong coffee daily, and occasionally dabble in other things (nothing regularly aside from the aforementioned items). I jog at least once a week, and I will really push myself to get my heart going, and never have any kind of discomfort or do I ever feel limited, or like it's beating too fast/hard. However, as of a couple years ago, I started getting this seemingly random mild pressure/pain in my chest. It's not always right over my heart, but it often is. It's enough to this point to start worrying me.

So, for a person like me, what tests would you recommend I get?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Foreigner]

The first thing they'll do is send you for a standard ECG. These last a very short time, five minutes or less. I don't find them very revealing or accurate unless the person has a very severe or noticeable heart problem.

You should ask instead that your doctor request a test that involves a 24 hour holter monitor that you wear. Then you'll get a very detailed readout of your heart activity while you're at rest, doing tasks, stressed, etc.

I can tell you right away, based on your lifestyle, you need to supplement with magnesium pronto. Topical magnesium "oil" is the best route, rubbed on the thin skin of the forearms or just all over the body after you get out of the shower. For oral supplements, magnesium gluconate is the best balance between absorbability and ease of tracking down in stores. If you like taking baths, then dissolving 1-2 cups of epsom salts into bath water will help too.

For a lot of people, magnesium supplementation is enough to fix chest tightness and irregular heart beat. Most people are deficient and not getting enough in their daily food intake. I would go this route first, actually. If a 24/7 monitor finds you have a heart irregularity that warrants concern, your doctor will likely put you on beta blockers as a first line treatment. These suppress the heart but don't resolve the underlying cause. Magnesium does.

 

[CFC]

I'd also ask for an echocardiogram to investigate visually the heart, valves and major arteries.

 

[Seattle_Stranger]

That is super helpful, thank you! I actually do take a magnesium supplement nearly every morning (when I remember), and I can't say whether it helps or not. Now that I think about it, I've forgotten the past several days (I've been ridiculously busy) and the chest feelings have been significantly more frequent, it's actually what prompted me to make this post. I will take the magnesium right now so I don't forget.

I'm also very interested in the 24 hour test thing. Is it expensive without insurance? That would definitely give me an indication of whether or not my daily activities are affecting my heart health.

Thank you so much for the help, this definitely has provided some direction.

 

[LandsUnknown]

Just trust that the doctors will know what they're doing. Hopefully, it's just anxiety and nothing is wrong with your heart. If not, then it's probably going to be a very good thing that you're catching it early by going now. Of course, hopefully it's just anxiety. I've kind of had similar sensations on occasion but they've been very minor but also have some minor anxiety issues so I've kind of assumed that's all it is. Same as you, I don't do much drug wise..... just my addy script and drink like a fish at night..... and do LSA seeds or whatever psychedelic I can get my hands on from whoever, wherever perhaps every month or two on average. No daily hard drug use though. Maybe I should get checked out as well though, idk? But definitely a good thing that you're checking this out and definitely follow you're doctor's orders if God forbid anything is wrong. If anything were wrong, it's definitely a good thing that you went to the doctor now as opposed to later that's for sure.

 

[thujone]

So, for a person like me, what tests would you recommend I get?

a blood test, as cholesterol imbalance is a common cause of heart attacks at a young age