not the usual central chest pain

[Manhattan1]

morning all😊.. just a wee question.. had a nagging headache this morning… felt nauseous and hot.. took my bp a couple of times 190/95.. then pain on the left above left breast.. this lasted about an hour.. took gtn which lowered bp for about 10 mins then raised again to 159/90.. chest pain seems to have settled for now..bp seems to have got back to normal.. as i’ve mentioned a few times on previous occasions Cardiologist said my mild atherosclerosis isn’t serious enough to cause angina.. also slight pain at top of left arm which only lasted less than a minute… anyone else experienced anything similar?.. and if so.. if the symptoms reappeared later on the sane day.. did you take any action?…. sorry for the epistle like question 😂 was considering calling 111 but i know they’re busy and feel a bit stupid now that things seem back to normal

[Tos92]

Hi Manhattan1

The safer thing to do is call 111. Your blood pressure remains high from what I can see despite the pain subsiding. Is there any way you can check your heart rate (HR) during these episodes?

I experience consistent chest pain throughout the day; however, I have a congenital heart defect and vasospastic angina so I can usually determine when the pain needs attention. I do not suffer with high blood pressure; however, my HR is sometimes elevated during these episodes.

The rule with the GTN spray is that you administer 1-2 puffs under the tongue every 5 minutes for the first 15 minutes (up to 3 times). If the pain hasn’t subsided, it’s usually a trip to the hospital to have bloods investigated and ECG checked.

[Manhattan1 in reply to Tos92]

hi Tos… HR seemed ok.. saw it on bpmonitor and apple watch.. the thing that concerned me most was the high bp, clammy feeling and nausea plus pain on left side above breadt.. everything seems to have settled down but if it comes back i’ll phone 111 or 999 .. thanks

[Tos92 in reply to Manhattan1]

If it’s not your usual pain, and it’s a new pain, especially with pain on the left hand side of your chest with the nausea and sweating, it might be safer to skip 111 altogether and call 999. When I had my NSTEMI abroad, although the ambulance got there in about 10 minutes of calling them, my ECG and HR was normal. It was only until my bloods were checked that they found raised troponin levels. Women usually present differently to men when having a heart attack.

I hope you feel better soon and there’s nothing to worry about.

[Manhattan1 in reply to Tos92]

hi again Tos.. one other thing i noticed .. the PI.. perfusion?.. got as high as 3.0 then fell down below 2.0.. i don’t know if that’s of any relevance

[Tos92 in reply to Manhattan1]

Manhattan1 I’ve queried this with my GP and they don’t seem to give it any significance. I believe it indicates the strength of your pulse. 2.0 and 3.0 are considered a normal range. I believe if your PI drops to 0.4% or less, that’s when it indicates that there could be an underlying heart condition which requires further investigation.

[Manhattan1 in reply to Tos92]

thanks😊

[Valentina98]

Hey Manhattan

I'd definitely call 111 for advice, maybe try the GTN again but I'd try taking some gaviscon just in case it's that. I've had pains before I found it was ingestion.

V x

[jeanjeannie50]

Never mind considering calling the 111 no. for advice, you should have done that. If I'd been you with your symptoms I would have been dialling 999.

Please, if this happens again then call for help, pain in the chest, feeling nauseous and hot are sure signs you needed medical help. Yes, ambulances and medical staff are all busy but not for something that could relate to the heart - you now that thing that keeps us alive!

Sending you a big healing hug, these episodes are scary aren't they!

Jean

[Manhattan1 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

thanks Jean.. it seems to have settled down now.. to be honest i would have been embarrassed if an ambulance had come out and the symptoms had disappeared.. but will definitely seek help if it happens again today.. many thanks

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

"Cardiologist said my mild atherosclerosis isn’t serious enough to cause angina."

I am afraid your Cardiologist needs to update their knowledge about non obstructive coronary artery disease.

I know you have mentioned that another Cardiologist thought you might have microvascular angina.

Many members of this forum have unobstructed coronary arteries however they live with microvascular or vasospastic angina and have even experienced a heart attack.

I agree with the good advice of the others.

Please do contact 111 or 999 for further advice.

[Manhattan1 in reply to Milkfairy]

thanks as always milkfairy😊.. seems to have settled down for the moment.. BP still a bit moving between normal and higher than normal.. honestly will contact 111 or 999 if the symptoms i had earlier come back.. as we all know the majority of people here get embarrassed if they have to get help.. taken to A&E and ecg is normal.. only thing i can probably guarantee is that my troponin will be raised but not enough to signal HA.. highest troponin in the past was 12 or 13

[Hrty]

I was told off in no uncertain terms by the Drs and Nurses when I apologised for "wasting their time" after I went back to be checked out a few weeks after my HA. I was told not to take any risks at all with my heart and that I must not hesitate to go and be checked if experiencing anything untoward. With the symptoms you described I wouldn't have hesitated. I bet they'd much rather check us out and give us the all clear than be fighting to save us. Sorry to be melodramatic but I'm firmly in the "if in any doubt, get checked out" club. Take care and all the best.

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Women actually do feel ' typical ' chest pain and it's more predictive of a possible heart attack.

Women tend to experience other symptoms and as soon as they mention these extra symptoms, health professionals seem to ignore the women's chest pain.

Women may also use different terms like saying their bra feels too tight rather than chest thightness.

There is also an acknowledged biological bias too.

bhf.org.uk/what-we-do/news-...

ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161...

[Manhattan1 in reply to Milkfairy]

ohh just read that.. i suffer from hypertension and type 2 diabetes.. plus ckd stage 3, asthma plus the usual CHD and a couple of other things… didn’t realise that hypertension and type 2 diabetes increased the chance of a HA

[Manhattan1]

called 111 45 mins ago.. 20min wait.. transferred to nurse ‘not too concerned about BP’.. advised to go to A&E.. explained to her that chest pain no longer there and i know there’s a 9hr wait st FVRH .. only 8min drive away.. she sensed i didn’t really want to go up there.. especially as chest pan had subsided… she advised she would get out of hours doc to call me… waiting for his call👍

[Manhattan1]

ohhh and she told me if chest pain came back to call 999

[Manhattan1]

still waiting lol

[Manhattan1]

ok.. received a phone call from out of hours doc at 10pm last night.. told to skip A&E and go straight to Clinical assessment ward… ecg done.. doc said looked ok.. bloods and d diner for clots done.. troponin was 12.. 2nd troponin was ok👍.. no clots either.. x-ray showed my usual fat pads.. other than that ok.. got home at 4am.. oh. bp taken at hospital 185/90.. no concern unless my vision gets impaired.. i start bleeding or i collapse😂..

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Manhattan1]

Good to hear that you have been seen.Not the best way to spend the night though!

Perhaps make an appointment with your GP and ask for a review by your Cardiologist?

I hope you manage to get some rest today.

[Manhattan1 in reply to Milkfairy]

hi Milkfairy😊.. bp seems back to normal this morning… i didn’t even ask what might’ve caused the high raise of bp when talking to the doc last night.. still can’t believe that lol.. problem regarding asking for a cardiology review ? i was signed off from cardiology in May 2021.. but he did give advice at the time that if i did get chest pain that didn’t subside to call 999

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Manhattan1]

It's not great that you have such a struggle to be seen by a Cardiologist!

[Manhattan1 in reply to Milkfairy]

que sera sera lol… i’m lucky FVRH is about an 8min drive from home… 3 mins from here to hit motorway.. 3mins on motorway then 2 mins to A&E entrance… a lot more convenient than it probably is to other people throughout the Country to access their nearest hospital