Question: I have been having severe anxiety, and decreased quality of life due to new symptoms that started summer of 2018. After a fall I began to experience
chest discomfort (pressure) and constant cracking, popping in my ribs and back. I feel short of breath often, but have no cardiac or pulmonary problems (i've had stress echo,
holter monitor, ekg, ct angiogram, chest xrays, blood tests, pft was excellent). The stress echo showed mild pulmonary
hypertension, but according to my doctors it should be asymptomatic. Recently, I've been experiencing palpitations when I lean to the left to pick something up, bend over to pick something up, or while doing situps. I've also noticed that occasionally I can make this feeling occur when i press directly over my sternum 4 or 5 ribs down. It feels like a electric jolt sometimes, and others feels like a heart palpitation. I've also experienced increased
dizziness upon standing as well as dizziness when using the pull-up bar. In addition I have issues speaking loud enough for friends and family to hear, due to hoarse voice. ENT has found no reason for the
hoarseness as well as GI doctor (endoscopy, barium swallow). I have had occasional ringing in my ears, as well as light and sound sensitivity, and some dizziness. My question is whether or not something neurologically is going on? I have read that
vagus nerve problems can explain some of my symptoms, but what are your thoughts? The only abnormal results I've had on blood work are slightly
elevated liver enzymes, which have seemed to be correlated with my symptoms (high when feeling bad, low when feeling good). Other than that everything is normal. I am the first to agree with Docs who think I just have anxiety, but I can't explain the palpatation or electric jolt feeling in my rib cage, or the near syncope when I'm not having any anxiety symptoms.