Advertising, Marketing, Videography and Connecting Local Businesses with the Community
- LKNConnect & Associates
In 2019, I began to experience dull chest pressure and shortness of breath. I was prone to anxiety attacks due to work-related stress. I underwent blood work, chest X-ray, echocardiogram, and lipid panel testing. All results were completely normal, apart from a slightly elevated cholesterol level. This was not surprising due to my binge eating habit, but it still did not explain the chest pressure and shortness of breath that I was experiencing.
Between 2019 and 2022, I made several trips to the emergency room and urgent care due to my symptoms. The electrocardiograms were always normal. I was certain after these experiences that my heart was not the reason for my symptoms.
In March of 2022, I went to a gastrointestinal doctor once I learned that acid reflux can cause chest pressure and shortness of breath. An abdominal ultrasound showed a slightly enlarged liver which was considered minor. An endoscopy in May would show no abnormalities.
In May of 2022, I was out with my family enjoying a musical when I suddenly began to feel lightheaded and hot. I excused myself to go to the restroom and sat in the stall hoping the episode would pass. It, unfortunately, did not. I left the musical and went home. After an hour had passed, I decided to go to the emergency room. All tests were, once again, normal and I was sent on my way. The episodes were sporadic, or so it seemed at the time, and progressively worsened. An episode would begin with a hot flash and lightheadedness followed by chills. I would also, occasionally, have neurological episodes where I would black out for a moment and then experience a “nerve firing” sensation across my chest. I paid a visit to the neurologist at the end of 2022, but all testing was normal again.
In the next part of my health journey, my symptoms will worsen, and I will begin to understand that normal lab results in a conventional setting do not always dictate health. Stay tuned!
Amanda Taylor has been a resident of the Lake Norman area since 2001. She graduated from Guilford College in Greensboro with a B.S. in Biology and Health Sciences. After college, Amanda worked for a local nutraceutical/pharmaceutical company as a Chemist, Validation Specialist, and Engineer. After ten years of climbing the corporate ladder, Amanda and her husband, Justin, decided to leave corporate life behind and become local business owners. Amanda is currently the owner of Serenity Now Massage Therapy and a co-owner of Waves Entertainment. Amanda has had an interest in holistic health for many years, but this passion increased after dealing with her own health issues which came to a head at the beginning of 2023. Amanda is a current student in the Health Coaching program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She is excited to discuss the importance of focusing on health and wellness in an effort to help others lead a long, joy-filled, high-quality life.
