Chest pain

[FrankHoney]

Had a stent fitted in my LAD 3 months ago after HA. Cardiologist said other than that one blockage my heart was in remarkable condition for a 58 year old. I've never smoked or drank, kept fit since my early teens. My query is I'm still having a dull ache in the right side of my chest, been back to hospital 3 times. They say it's muscular but I go to rehab and it has no effect on the pain. I also sometimes get a sensation of something pulling at the right side of my neck, almost as if pulling a tendon. I'm attempting to make an appointment with my GP but that normally takes 6 weeks. Anyone help with answers or had the same symptoms. It's really getting me down.

[dragonheart]

hello frankhoney I had the same issues stent was fitted due to blood clot like you apart from that no heart damage the symptoms you speak about I have had been check and all well hope this help neck pulling to

[FrankHoney in reply to dragonheart]

Dragon heart, many thanks for the reply. As time passes and I do more research I'm starting to find some answers to the hundreds of questions racing through my mind. I have asked various Dr's when I was in hospital about the ache in my chest but once they've ruled out angina they seem stumped. This forum is excellent and even though I've just joined I've found some answers already. I really appreciate you taking the time to reply to my query. I wish you well. Take care.

[dragonheart in reply to FrankHoney]

take care Frank honey .....all will be well

[Malgail in reply to FrankHoney]

As you say Dr’s do not seem to acknowledge aches & pains after stents have been fitted. It might be because it is the cause of medication, so to them not stent or heart related.

My issues have been daily aches & pains ‘seemingly’ radiating from under my arms ( armpit down to bottom of rib cage ) & shoulders & upper back. I can ‘pull’ muscles & tendons in my shoulders & chest at will ( just stretch a little too far & bang ), the pain only lasts for about a minute but is pretty intense.

When discussing with medical professionals only one answer is offered, ‘anxiety’. I’ve suffered with extensive anxiety for 25 years, but never with these symptoms, but then my GP suggested my chest pain was anxiety 2 weeks before my heart attack, so I guess it is the new ‘you have a virus’ diagnosis.

Sorry that isn’t much help in finding a solution for you, but at least you know your not alone.

[FrankHoney in reply to Malgail]

Hi Malgail. Ha, it seems we have been talking to he same Dr's!. I understand they are only concerned with my physical well-being and to be fair they did a fantastic job, it's just the after effects are driving me mad. This forum has helped enormously. At least I can ask questions and someone is kind enough to reply and make me realise I'm not the only person in the world who has these issues. Thanks for taking the time to reply and I hope you are well. FrankHoney

[Malgail in reply to FrankHoney]

I was having this discussion with my Wife last night strangely & my non-medical & pure fantasy theory is that the stenting procedure is ‘protected’ by Cardiologists as it is seen as revolutionary. I honestly think some of the aches & pains are my body ‘grumbling’ about having 2 foreign objects in it.

But due to procedure being ‘protected’ no Doctor will dare say there are tangible side effects. Now this is the thing, I know that the stents saved my life & given the choice between living & some muscle aches, guess which i’d Choose. But I just want to know that it’s not my heart, just a reaction. The not knowing hurts me more then the pain.

It seems like stenting has the same ‘protected’ status as Statins, WE know they are flipping horrendous, but Doctors don’t want to admit it. But we will put up with them for the sake of life, but just be honest about them.

Just a theory (rant). 😆

[FrankHoney in reply to Malgail]

Malgail, I suspect to some degree you are right. Like everything nowadays it comes down to money. How much pressure are Dr's under to save the NHS ongoing costs, how much can the big pharma companies make, how much can the govt tax. I feel the same as you. If they told me, this will save you having another HA but you will suffer aches and pains, I would accept that's the price for still being here. It's just difficult when they don't tell you and you wander about in this constant state of fear. In any case I wish you good health. Take care. FrankHoney.

[Mcgume]

Hi FrankHoney. I am also 3 mths post stent with apparently no other heart problems after a HA. No damage and no other blockages but I too have chest pains that I can't understand. I am sick of the muscular theory.!!! I am now concluding that it is a combination of hyper sensitivity and the damned medication. I have decided that I have to think this way to stop myself thinking I am having another HA every day. Somehow we have to get on with our life without the worry and burden of the aches and pains that we did not notice before

[FrankHoney in reply to Mcgume]

Mcgume

I think you are spot on. I go to the re-hab gym twice a week and also walk 4/5 miles a day. The more I speak to people on the forum the more I think it's the medication. Hoping when I see my Dr she will listen and help. Thanks for the reassurance, take care. FrankHoney.

[Maisie2014 in reply to FrankHoney]

Hi FrankHoney. I’m 13 weeks post HA and stent. What do the cardiac team say? I don’t get pains but I am prevented from doing too much even though I am used to exercise. They notice more than you think at your rehab. They noticed something about me this week and decided to refer me to clinical psychologist.

[FrankHoney in reply to Maisie2014]

Hi Maisie2014

I have no problems with the fitness. I'm able to run for 3 miles or I can cycle 15 miles without issue. I usually get a pain in my right pectoral muscle about an hour after I stop exercising. It stays sometimes for a day or two but sometimes lasts all week. It's not angina as the gtn spray does nothing other than give me a headache!. I thought it's was a pulled muscle but that doesn't last three months. The re-hab nurses and the hospital Dr's are stumped. My conclusions are that it's the tablets. I'm on Atorvastatin which apparently can cause these symptoms. I'm also on 1.25mg of bisoprolol, though before the HA my resting heartbeat was between 48 and 50 BPM. Now it's between 38 and 44 BPM!. My BP is running around 100/65 and sometimes it's as low as 89/58. I'm on the lowest dose of ramipril so I want to speak with my Dr with a view to maybe changing the statin to a different make and also stopping the bisoprolol as I don't think I need it. The less meds I have to take the better for my system I feel. I'm not depressed about the HA, just angry after all these years of trying to keep myself fit and cheat my family history ( father and 4 of his 6 brothers all died of HA at age 60/62). Of the two remaining, both had HA's same age as me (58). One died last year at 77 after two strokes, the other is still going at 87 (he's the only one, who like me, never smoked or drank and kept fit, so he's my inspiration. :). Maybe the clinical psychologist is the person to speak to. At least I can have a rant and they won't be offended. My poor wife has been a rock for me but it's not fair on her when all I want to do is get things off my chest (no pun intended, lol). Take care Maisie 2014 and as they say in the ads, "it's good to talk!".

[Plumbtorre]

Hi Frank

I had what my doctor thought was a chest infection. A week later when I was out of breath just getting up from the sofa I called an ambulance. The paramedics told me I had had a heart attack and I was admitted to hospital. Within 3 hours I had been given 4 bags of blood and felt a bit better . After an ultrasound I saw a senior cardiologist who told me my heart was in exactly the condition he would expect for a man of 65. I was reassured. However I returned to Spain and saw the doctors here who immediately put me to the top of their lists and within 2 months they had found and fixed my internal blood leaks . Give me an angiography and based on that did a triple bypass and replacement mitral valve.

Specialist do not always know what they are talking about. If you still have problems KEEP GOING AND SEE AS MANY DOCTORS AND SPECIALUSTS AS YOU NEED TO TO FIND THE PROBLEM . You know your body better than them

Good luck