Chest Pains Won't Go Away!

[Burnsy1973]

I wrote a post a few days ago, after a heart episode (severe pains that were very symptomatic of a heart attack, followed by angina type pains) that is apparently 'musculoskeletal' in nature. Yea right, cos muscles heal in 36 hours as we all know.

Since leaving hospital, I'm continuously having periods of light headedness and palpitations. These could be anxiety I guess but as I don't feel the usual symptoms of anxiety, I'm not so sure.

Also, I've had this strange, stitch like pain, high up in my chest that comes and goes. Exertion definitely makes the pain increase. Today it became worse though, after going to a football match.

Has anyone else had this kind of thing?

Cheers.

[iandeare]

I had a more, or less, constant pain in the sternum, as if someone was poking me, for over six months. Reported this to every Dr. I saw, and presented twice to A&E . Requested my BP meds changed because of a persistent cough (a known side effect) and my chest pain vanished!

[Burnsy1973 in reply to iandeare]

I've had no cough. No cold. No illness of any kind. Just this loan since the 'heart episode and the bouts of light headedness/feeling I'm about to black out.

I'm now back in A & E

[Cariad-y-Mor in reply to Burnsy1973]

Hi @Burnsy1973. Given the symptoms you descibe in your post it sounds to me that A&E is the best place for you to be. Don't be fobbed off. You clearly don't think your pain is musculoskeletol and I am a great believer in listening to your gut. I am not medically qualified but we are always told to get to hospital if we have chest pain.....or black out. I hope you get some answers and get sorted. Good luck.

[iandeare]

Dry ticklish cough (not cold, although a chest infection exasperated my symptoms) is a well known, and listed side effect from both Ramiprill (on then) and Losartin (on now). Chest pain is not apparently known, or listed. However periods of lightheadedness could be related to other blood pressure issues that need to be checked out. I also had a couple of BP incidents, not apparently related to chest pain, but time has appeared to settle these

[stevejb1810]

Based purely on my own experience, I’m going to suggest that if the heart doctors you saw first time jaround suggested musculoskeletal then that is probably what it is. It does not mean a muscle strain necessarily. I had severe chest pain that was down to an issue in my neck. It gave same symptoms as angina and made it very hard to breathe. If I stopped what I was doing (it came on playing golf) for about 10 minutes, it went away and it might not return for days. Physio sorted it for many years before I needed cervical disc surgery about 3 years ago. So, not all severe chest pain is cardiac. It just might really be musculoskeletal .

[Rob6868 in reply to stevejb1810]

Its funny as I just read your reply to the guy with chest pain.

My cardiologist has said it could be muscularsketetal because I told him I have two discs out in my neck that where never dealt with even though they gave me an MRI scan 4 years ago

Probably because I have two discs out in my spine and that became the focus over the years.

So I'm getting same pain as that guy but I'm not convincedmine is muscular either because it was never an issue before I had Real Angina issues in march

[AG2002]

I had a similar experience with tiredness and palpitations followed by severe pain and then shooting pains in my back, ribs, into my armpits. A&E did a CT scan for kidney stones then concluded it was probably muscular and sent me off with 5 days of anti inflammatories. After seeing my GP he believes it could be a viral inflammation of the heart. It is still under investigation with ECG showing irregular heart rate. Diagnosis seems to be a case of ruling everything else out first so it is a slow process. Might be worth considering myocarditis, pericarditis and endocarditis. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

[Curlyanne in reply to AG2002]

Hello, I have just joined this forum and read your post. I was wondering, what was the outcome of your investigations. I am asking as I was admitted to hospital two weeks ago for investigations which are leading towards a diagnosis of myocarditis. Echo cardio gram showed damage to left ventricular but CT and angiogram showed my arteries are clear. I’m hoping for a diagnosis soon so I know what I am dealing with.

[AG2002 in reply to Curlyanne]

My experience probably isn't going to help I'm afraid. Following this I had ongoing episodes of lightheadedness and near feints, problems with balance,coordination fatigue and then a variety of neurological symptoms which have slightly sidelined other investigations. Ended up having a brain scan which thankfully was clear but now waiting on an appointment with a neurologist which is likely to be a 4 month wait. It is unclear if the problems are brain to heart, heart to brain or two separate things. As such many months on and I have not had a formal diagnosis of any sort yet.

On the positive front the heart has stablised considerably from where it was but I do still get occasional unexplained drops/pauses in heart rate to 20s/30s followed by sharp rises and some of my other symptoms persist. I am finally getting to see a cardiologist in August. It all seems to take an age (palipations started October last year). Looking back I would say have patience and rest if you need to. It is easy to feel incredibly vunerable but try to find a way to relax and not to worry excessively as this will only exacerbate the situation. I know it is easily said! Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Curlyanne in reply to AG2002]

Thank you so much for your response. So sorry to hear about your ongoing problems. I really do hope things resolve for you. You are a strong person, something we need to be I think to come out the other end of this in one piece!

[AG2002 in reply to Curlyanne]

Absolutely. I think the hardest thing is that there is a lack information and support and generally only symptomatic treatment along with a "wait and see what happens" approach in my experience. I think you also have to have realistic expectations in terms of recovery time. I think I was probably in denial on this for a while. I wish you a good recovery.

[Burnsy1973]

Thanks people.

It turns out that I now have pleuricy in my left side. I say 'now' because I'm still not convinced that my heart attack/angina symptoms weren't just that and something they may have missed.

David.

[jimmyq]

As regards football, it was on the BBC News this morning that watching football can cause heart attacks. Strangely, the risk increases more if your team win.

[stevejb1810 in reply to jimmyq]

WBA supporters are safe then 😁

[Burnsy1973]

I'm a Leeds fan. I'm safe.