Dr Sanjay Gupta - Why it's not ok to wait and see if chest pain goes away

[jeanjeannie50]

This is why:

youtube.com/watch?v=j5K3TVG...(Not working as expected?)

[Nugger]

I’ve had 4 bouts of afib, the last was from February 2018-July 2018, with a heart rate of 120/140 & never had any chest pain, just wondering how many people out there have had chest pain when in afib ?

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Nugger]

Yes, think I've read on here of a few that get chest pain with their AF. That's a good question, should they call for an ambulance too?

[Nugger in reply to jeanjeannie50]

It’s the first thing they ask at the A & E but never had any personality!

[Goosebumps]

Ok. So I get a lot of chest discomfort. Persistent slow AFib, HR rarely over 90. If u go to A&E complaining of chest pains, as I have 3 times in the last few months, they check for a heart attack, which it isn't, and send you home.

My cardiologist has me on the programme of tests, already done the echo, nuclear perfusion scan, nothing conclusive. I've got a CT angiogram next week, which apparently is harder to do when in AFib.

But nothing I have read on this forum indicates that AFib causes chest pains, so after seeing this video I'm petrified that the AFib is hiding a more serious problem that they won't be able to find.

[CDreamer in reply to Goosebumps]

I know a few people with pain (angina) with AF but the point is - you have been checked out & are continuing to be checked and so far nothing found! No matter how many times that happens - get it checked. Tedious but being sent home is good news.

The take home is don’t just assume it’s ok - get it checked out - & great reassurance if all comes back clear!

[LaceyLady]

When I had my episode, I’d had a pain round the shoulder blade. I thought it was a pulled muscle after a swim. Later that evening I’d felt off, thought it was my SVT. Went to bed not feeling good, woke up early hrs still not well, felt tightness/pressure in my chest, no pain. HR rate was high. Next - paramedics and carted off.

[jeanjeannie50]

It's often described as a tight feeling in the chest isn't it, or sometimes like a great weight on the chest. We all think it won't happen to us, but it sounds like you were one of the unlucky ones.

[CDreamer in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Also worth mentioning that symptoms of heart attack in women can be different & often doesn’t present as chest pain/pressure.

[mariah222]

Thanks for bringing this info to my attention Jeanjeanie. I don't have chest pain but do have AF and heart valve damage and having just watched Dr Gupta's post would get myself to A&E without all the shall I, shan't I dithering that I may otherwise have done. Very helpful.

[irene75359]

Well, I learned something today - the finer detail of what is happening when one has a heart attack. My first and second episodes of AFib were very symptomatic, I had chest/back pain on both occasions. But, it didn't occur to me for one minute that it might be to do with my heart. The first, I thought I had acute indigestion, and the second I thought I had pulled a muscle in my back/chest. I was arrogant enough to think that nothing heart-related could affect me, I was far too fit and healthy(!) Bizarrely I wasn't aware of my heart racing until midway through the second episode, but I was very clammy and pale. At my subsequent echo cardiogram (after being diagnosed by my GP during the episode) my heart was more or less normal.

But now, over four years down the line, if I had chest pain, I would have it checked out; I am not overly anxious but am much more aware of my body and its functioning. Thank you Jean.

[Auriculaire]

This is a dificult one for me. I started getting chest pain in 2011 -sometimes dull and heavy sometimes sharp. Doc sent me to cardiologist - all ok but as my father died of a heart attack aged 40 told I had to return for checkup every 2 years. One of my worst floxing symptoms is cartilage degeneration in the ribs and though to start off with this mainly manifested itself as pain in lower ribs and mainly at the side it has probably spread to affect the sternum. It causes a sort of costochondritis. Costo is well known in A&E as it is the biggest cause of non heart chest pain. The pain it causes mimics heart attack pain. I have had this dozens of times over the last 9 years. The anxiety of it often produces a slightly faster heart rate and sweating. But it always goes away. When I had my first afib attack they did an echo - normal. My ECGs when I visit my cardiologist are always normal. But every time it comes the niggle is there- is this time different ? So far I have never gone to A&E with it. I would be going several times a week when it is really bad. I suppose there is a tiny possibility that over the years I have had lots of tiny heart attacks but surely this would show . Maybe I should get another echo the next time I visit cardiologist.