Slightly off topic: Been suffering for... - Atrial Fibrillati...

Atrial Fibrillation Support

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Slightly off topic

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Been suffering for a week or so with a dull ache in my left shoulder and a tight chest, feel ok, just due to having been told I have AF I now think about all sorts of heart issues,

I'm a little worried now I have angina , last year I had all sorts of tests. Stress test.. Echo.. Bloods etc my EP words were everything was fine and I'm going to live a long life. Wish I'd asked him the lottery numbers now😂

However on my letter to my go he said that I had some depression on one of the leads, however he didn't think it was crucial

I've since read that this depression is a sign of narrowed arteries. So I'm wondering if I should go get checked out

The pain is there pretty much non stop, even resting, even voltarol gel dosent ease it

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12 Replies
BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

It really doesn't sound like angina to me but I'm not an expert. If you have had all the tests including an echo I doubt there is anything to worry about but why not discuss with your GP. I think the pain is much more likely to be something else since angina usually come on with exercise or exertion not all the time. .

in reply toBobD

Thought I'd test this out, just got back from a half hour walk up a nice South Wales valley mountain..... No pain other than the shoulder ache

pottypete1 profile image
pottypete1 in reply to

Probably not the best way to test the water. Go and get a check up at the doctors.

Pete

Finvola profile image
Finvola

My EP told me not to assume any symptoms were heart or drug related but to see my GP to get them checked out.

Pain in the shoulder would set my teeth on edge - there's no escape from it, although alternating heat and cold can give some relief.

Do see your GP and get it seen to.

rosyG profile image
rosyG

I would get this checked out as pain in the left shoulder can be heart related and you sound as if you are breathless too- another symptom it's probably nothing but better to be safe than sorry- pain in the jaw is also relevant. You don't have to have angina in order to have a heart related issue

P0rtnahapp1e profile image
P0rtnahapp1e

Have you had a chest X-ray? My back/shoulder pain was diagnosed as a trapped nerve in my neck by the physio, but was later discovered to be fluid in my lung which my heart could not get rid of and was subsequently causing more damage to the heart muscle. Are your ankles swollen?

grandadbren1 profile image
grandadbren1

I also suffered ache in right shoulder and pain in left chest area around pacemaker site and just below and suspected angina my ep ran nuclear heart scan at rest and under stress and all was fine. A scan in right shoulder revealed wear and tear in joint so all my aches and pains are due to muscular and wear and tear which would be more treatable with Ibruprofen but as we cannot take antiinflamatories on warfarin is more difficult to treat so I use the antiinflamatories creams and my ep says an occasional dose of Ibruprofen would be ok ? My advice is to get all the tests done to rule out the angina and put your mind at rest and you can get on with life without the worry that it maybe angina.

Denise- profile image
Denise-

I have shoulder pain and sometimes tightness in the chest, I think it's caused by anxiety I tend to tense up. I mentioned to my gp who felt it was caused by stress, much better after doing some relaxation sessions, I think we do worry once we are diagnosed much more relaxed since joining this group

I had a stress test, echo, bloods and X-ray done last April and other than the depression on some leads on the exercise test all was good, maybe my EP thinking this was insignificant wasn't the case

I've always had good cholesterol levels, always between 3 and 3.5.

As for swelling, I've recently returned from New York where one foot and ankle would swell in the evening, however I put this down to all the walking

Would something like angina show up on the tests I've already had

Well rang my go and he gave me an appt for the 29th, however had very bad pains yesterday so took myself to a&e

They did ecg, bloods and chest X-ray and said all was fine, just been for another long walk up the mountain, and felt nothing until about half hour after returning and the shoulder and chest ache has started again

I asked about angina and they told me that I would be older and have a few tell tale signs, not sure how true this is

PattiJay profile image
PattiJay in reply to

juggsy75 so you had the actual tests 5 mos ago in April and you said there's damage to the carotid artery, and you feel this pain in should (left?) and chest ache not exactly during exertion...but more AFTER, correct? Some days it doesn't stop. You have an EP appt. for the 29th (which I assume you are keeping, and you should keep) but you went to the ER (I'm from the States so we say Emergency Room or Department) and your labs were good, ECG good and CXR good.

Do you have any specifics on Echo? Do you know what your EF is? (Ejection Fraction) What kind of Heart Device implant do you have? Which leads show depression? Sorry I sound like I'm Sherlock Holmes! I just think you are correct in being persistent and I would be too!

I seriously and most honestly get the same exact symptoms as you! I get Chest pains that feel like the proverbial elephant taking Squatters Rights on my chest and Left shoulder and Back left Scapula. I go to the ER. Cardiac Panel Perfect. BNP perfect. Creatnine Perfect. ECG always abnormal because I have a CRT-D but fine for the circumstance. So all the pain, and nausea and throwing up and weakness and shortness of breath and high HR is chalked up to dehydration and unexplained chest pain, and I get 2 IVs of sodium chloride to rehydrate. This was 2 days ago.

We were in NYC last month as well. My ankles were swollen by the end of the day from the humidity and walking as well. I'm on 40 mg of Lasix so I don't kick into Congestive Heart Failure, which I am diagnosed as having, but haven't had active since last year. I am on 20 meds to keep all my Heart Failure symptoms in Check. But when I get symptoms just like yours, I go to the ER. Just like you.

So I think you did the right thing. One thing also, I had a failed ablation for SVTs in April and I had a Syncope episode of complete collapse (while driving and stopped at a RED LIGHT) and I several in March. So the failed ablation was due to finding out I have AV block, and my EP cranked up my pacemaker to 100%. I also had a Rt. Heart Cath, and Last year I had a regular Left and Rt Heart Cath and I have Non-Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease, so there's a 30% Lesion in my LAD (Left Artery Descending) I'm only saying this because maybe if you haven't already had an angiogram, if you had one in the future it could reveal some reason why you are getting these pains. If you brought it up and your Cardiologist said no, there's not enough evidence for an invasive test, why don't you ask your doctor if you could try Nitroglycerin or what his opinion is of trying it just in case that damaged artery is causing this pain? Nitro will open up all your arteries to maximize blood flow and give you a rush of energy. It's worth a try, all your doctor can do is say NO. I have both the spray and the little pills. Plus I always take TUMS first in case it's just heartburn. I reach for Nitro last if it's still chestpain.

Well sorry if this is too much! I'm just concerned! Cheerio and very best! Keep us all posted! Don't forget to mention the Nitro to the Doc, it's worth a try!

Sorry, I think you've misread my post

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