Question: Three times in the past year I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. Nausea, sweating, chest pains, headache. I had all the heart tests done. This last time I went to the hospital, I told them I was either having a stroke or a heart attack - did heart attack tests - Nothing. I said a stroke because my face on the right side was feeling numb, top of head numb, right ear numb, back of head numb, neck hurt. They didn't do any stroke tests and just said they have no idea what the numbness is from. Two days ago my jaw started to have a dull pain, both sides of my neck have a dull pain, underneath my tongue feels swollen but it isn't, on both sides of my neck those bean shaped thingies...haha...feel like weird. I am 45 year old woman......when I use a heating pad on my neck some of the sensations go away - when I take heating pad off - a few minutes later the weird sensations come back. My neck is not swollen, no sores in my mouth, no sore throat, I have had no injury. At one point I almost scared myself because I thought my air was going to be cut off. I do not and I repeat, I do not have anxiety. I am a very easy going relaxed person and nothing scares me or gets me going. So, I am unsure what is going on and I keep having all these weird symptoms. It's making me crazy.

Well, the first time this happened was last October with the heart attack symptoms. I was a first year teacher and the next day I was going to be observed by the principal. But a few weeks prior to that I felt stabbing heart pains and almost to the point of blacking out. The job I had was only for the year. So, at the end of the year I was let go.

Two weeks later after school let out (middle of XXXXXXX this was), I woke up at 5 am hot, sweaty, heart hurt, and just not feeling myself at all. The ER did all the heart tests and they said it might be anxiety. I then asked do you think it could be peri menopause or meno pause symptoms? The ER Dr. said he didn't know.

I do have a tooth that is infected and needs to be pulled but the dentist and I agree it can be left in until I finish with interviews. I don't want to go on interview with teeth missing. So, he gave me amoxicillian (sp?). I finished that in XXXXXXX before I went to the ER that time. I thought that might be the problem with the facial numbness. But that was a guess.

Last week on Monday I went to the ER again thinking I was having heart attack with the symptoms I said of the numbness in face, neck hurt, jaw hurt. Did all the tests and nothing (except stroke tests). I asked this Dr. (she was a lady the other one was a man) if she thought it might be peri menopause or menopause - she said it could be. They also said I was dehydrated and gave me IV before I left and a prescription for a daily vitamin.

Now, end of last week or so the jaw and neck and mouth feel weird.

I really am a relaxed person. I work out each day, I take bubble baths every weekend, and I take time for myself with reading sitting outside for fresh air. I walk my dog in the forest for a change of scenery. I ride my bike everyday outside for about 20 minutes.

I literally have been to the hospital about 6 times in my entire life and 3 of them were in the past year. Prior to this was when I was 14 and had a compound fracture of my leg. So, for 31 years I didn't go to a hospital for any reason.

I will admit I owe a lot of money in student loans and have no job. But it isn't like they are hounding me for it. It is in repayment with a zero payment.

I think the only stress I might have is the thought of no job. But I have several interviews this week. So, I am a positive person who thinks I will have a job before school starts and if I don't find a teaching job the school I did work at does have a non teaching job that I can take for the year. I also smoke. So at first I thought OMG I have oral cancer - no there are no sores or anything, no swelling. Then I thought maybe TMJ my jaw does pop a little when I open and close it. Maybe I have just gone crazy. I don't know.

Ok, thanks. It does make sense what you are saying.