I am quite anxious and feeling strange to catch my breath sometimes. Is this a heart problem?

Hi doctor,

I recently visited the doctors as I was unable to catch my breath and was feeling strange. The doctor performed a breath test which came back fine. I had an ECG and the doctor said that my ECG showed possible left ventricle enlargement. He then asked me to perform different breathing while he checked me with a stethoscope. He said he could hear no blockages or other problems and that my blood pressure was slightly raised, usually, it is normal. He said that I was suffering from anxiety and had a panic attack. I have suffered from anxiety all my life. When I asked about the enlargement he said my ECG was borderline. I am now worrying excessively about this and whether to have another ECG just to be on the safe side. I am fit, eat a healthy diet and have not drunk since I was in my 20s. I work out regularly since the age of 25 and I am now 40. I had this ECG abroad as I was working away so I am wondering whether to have it checked back home. I sometimes feel like I cannot take deep breaths when I am stressed, but I do not feel this while exercising. I have a very tight left shoulder and my left rib is sore near the top of my left breast near the armpit, like a muscle aches that comes and goes. I am quite an anxious person, worrying about health issues particularly after losing my mother to breast cancer.

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

No, I do not have excessive sweating. I do get palpitations like skipped beats rather than racing when I am lying down or resting sometimes. I always feel them on the left side near my back or neck, never in the right. I do not get chest pain during exercise and just feel like I have pulled a muscle on the left side. The area feels sore when you press it too.