Pericarditis Pain

[AlibaliM]

Hi all,

I’m new to all this. I got a diagnosis of angina after cardio stress test and 2 days later had a small heart attack. This was followed by having 2 angiograms and 2 stents put in. All this in the last 4 weeks. I still have severe pain in the middle of my chest, which has now been diagnosed as pericarditis. I have been given colochine. 5 days in and still no relief along with paracetamol and brufen. Anyone else experiencing this? How long did it take to improve? It is so debilitating and feel it’s stopping my road to recovery.

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

This may not be much help, but I was kind of diagnosed with pericarditis, after angiogrammes etc. The diagnosis was a bit uncertain, so may not relate to your experience well.

The chest pain was much more severe than I’d ever had before... and I have had 3 small heart attacks, nine stents and lots of investigations. But there was no pain like it. Only relieved by oramorph, and sitting bolt upright, night and day. Eventually they found some evidence from an echo, of pericarditis, or that the heart wall was a bit ‘inflamed’ I think was the word.

It faded after 2-3 weeks, and hasn’t returned at all. To be really accurate they seemed a bit uncertain if it was pericarditis at all.

A very helpful Cardiac nurse told me he Has seen such chest pain after the heart has been ‘messed about with’.

Hopefully yours will settle down, or you’ll find out more about it all, and get down to the important job of getting on with your life!

[AlibaliM in reply to Kristin1812]

Thanks for your reply. Pain is easing slightly. I’m going for an echo next week to see if inflammation is still there. Will update afterwards

[Kristin1812 Heart Star in reply to AlibaliM]

Let us know how you get on. Good it’s easing!

[AlibaliM in reply to Kristin1812]

I had my echo yesterday and all appears okay, no fluid. Nurse said she could not tell me if there was any inflammation and that I should continue with pain relief until it settles. I do feel it is getting better slowly but when I exert myself in any way I get discomfort in chest and between my shoulder blades. Hopefully it eases in time.