Angina???

[H998]

I have been suffering from weird heart episodes for years, I get a lot of fluttering and flipping and palpitations which I've always put down to having an under active Thyroid. On top of that, I've had an awful thing that feels like someone is squeezing my heart, I can feel it coming and I have to brace myself for it as its so painful, its as though the squeezing gets tighter and tighter until it almost becomes unbearable and I feel like I'm going to black out, then it's as though the grip is released and the pain stops, I always feel weird afterwards and short of breath. It only ever happens when I am laid in bed or watching the Tv late at night, never when I exercise or work. It's happened for as long as I can remember but seems to be more frequently now, I'm 52 and also have fibromyalgia although eh doc is now questioning this and suggested it may be something else, had blood test this past week for possible mast cell over reaction (or something like that?!). I haven't mentioned the heart thing to the doctor ever because I've always had other things to deal with but my parents are worried as it recently happened at their house when we all had a late night with a glass of wine, I've noticed that its always when I have stayed up late and often when I've had a glass of wine or a small amount of marijuana. Having decided to google it today, it sounds very much like Vascular Angina, the only thing is the intense pain passes literally within 10 seconds, as soon as the grip is released, whereas it says episodes last at least 5 minutes. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? Thanks.

[Palpman]

I have recently started getting the same issue.It also feels like an invisible hand is squeezing my heart and is accompanied by a sharp pain lasting a few seconds to 30 seconds.

Sometimes I only get a sharp pain with dizziness and breathlessness.

I can climb stairs and walk on the flat without getting this but it normally happens when hunching over while working or even trying my shoelaces.

I'm not too sure what it is but hang in there.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello H998

I live with vasospastic angina.

When I have a coronary vasospasm, it feels like someone is wringing my heart in their hands, as though they are squeezing water out of a cloth.

These episodes last for quite sometime, getting longer and stronger. Always longer than 10 minutes sometimes up to an hour.

Then they stop.

Most of my angina is at rest and it often wakes me in the night.

I will also experience chest pain on exertion when I am in a unstable phase which usually means I need to be admitted to hospital.

The BHF has this information about vasospastic and microvascular angina. These are types of non obstructive coronary artery disease NOCAD also known as Angina non obstructive coronary arteries ANOCA.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo....

I suggest you discuss your symptoms with your GP.

[H998 in reply to Milkfairy]

Thanks for your reply, yes, thats what it feels like for me, the pain is excruciating but only for about ten seconds and then it subsides and the squeezing feeling is gone but afterwards I feel out of breath and struggle to climb the stairs. If it happens when I'm already in bed and laid down it seems to hurt even more. I often feel quite sick afterwards and clammy but the squeezing and intense pain is literally only for about ten seconds, I also feel as though I am going to pass out just before the squeezing stops. It has started to happen more than once at a time though, the last episode it happened twice in about 5 minutes. I am regularly short of breath and the doc has tried me on inhalers which have had no effect and steroids to open my airways as I've been having trouble singing lately and thats my job. I will take your advice and speak to the doctor because I do think something is going on, I'm never stressed or upset when it happens, usually at my most relaxed which is weird.

[Larneybuds]

Hi.....I wouldn't ' Google '. Read information from reliable health sources or better still, get medical advice. I assumed my palpitations and other things that were happening were due to an under functioning thyroid.....long story but was diagnosed with severe mitral valve regurgitation. Advice and support on this forum is always fantastic but I am sure many would agree that you should seek further medical advice . Good luck and i hope you're get some answers to at least put your mind at ease