Yesterday, I started to get a sharp pain on the left side of my chest. It wasn't constant, it was intermitant. Later in the day, I started to have a pain which appeared to be encircle my left elbow area. The chest pain was slightly to the left of my heart, but it did feel similar to the Angina pain. As yet this morning it hasn't returned, but there is a dull ache in that area. Any ideas on what it might be? I have to admit it did worry me last night because it was still there when I went to bed. I used my spray twice but it had no effect on the pain.
bludnut
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bludnut
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Thanks for the advice, but I have not always had great servive from them. I have not had a repeat of the pain today (as yet at 6.20). When I had similar symtems two years ago, my then GP told me it was arthriris, it was actualy Angina.
Totally Agree with you in regards to 111.my son when he was 18 during covid was enlisted as temp staff. No training or qualification needed. You got a couple of hours training on how to use the click through questionnaire. (So knowing the full background) no wonder it doesn't work for us.
I too have a constant ache over my heart area I keep mentioning it to my Cardiology nurse and they keep saying it's maybe vitamin D or Iron deficiency. I know for a fact its not but I will have a blood test on Monday to prove its not. (I take prescribed I vitamin D and Iron) the dull ache is hard to explain but I would say if you're arm was tired and you still kept using it. That ache that comes. And I think that's what's happening to my heart
Hi Jackie, the pain has now stopped, so I have no idea what it was, but I would like to thank all that have given input by replying to my note. Thanks, bludnut
Below link is the NHS guidance regarding chest pain. If you are in any doubt as to whether it is serious and possibly heart related you should get yourself down to A&E. If you ring 111 they will either refer you to your GP or get you blue lighted which is what you can do yourself.
Thanks for taking time to reply, I am pain free up to yet today. My past experience of 111 has not always been good. My heart surgeon did tell me that if after using my spray twice the pain hadn't gone, then I should ring 999. I held off doing that because the pain wasn't as strong as my normal angina pain. I also didn't want to take up time at A&E when there were others in more need than me.
Thanks for your reply. For various reasons I have unfortunately had to visit A&E over the last few years and my observation is whilst there are many who are fully justified in being there, there are certainly many who are not. It's every man or woman for themselves nowadays, or so it seems to me, and the days of worrying about other people are long gone, and if you adopt that view it only works against yourself. So anyone who may have a potential heart condition should not be too concerned about going to A&E, they prioritise incomers at reception, and if you are deemed to have a potential life threatening condition you will be seen over someone who is only there because they have stubbed their toe after a visit to the pub.
Thanks for your input. I have experience of being on a trolley in a corridoor when I fell over a wall and broke some ribs and a bone in my groin. It may be that my generation have a reluctance to call for help, we just don't to want waste doctors time and we put up with it. However when you watch the numerous hospital programmes on tv, there appear to be quite a lot of people who could have been treated at home by using common sense and a few items from first aid kit, if they have one.
That's how it should work but it doesn't. I was taken in with heart attack at 10pm. Troponin test done at 10 next morning and admitted at 2pm for angiogram and stents next morning. Last summer I was blue lighted with a really bad arrhythmia; triaged 5 hours later and saw an actual doctor 24 hours later when I was admitted for 4 days.
bludnut I totally understand where you are coming from. I went to A&E a few weeks ago with chest pains, breathlessness and pain radiating down my arm. Sat waiting for 6 hours then got sent home with "no fault found". No wonder - 6 hours sitting doing noghting, effectively just resting, is enough to calm things down.
But what if it had not calmed down? That's what you need to ask yourself. The staff at A&E would be delighted too see you and save you, than not.
I am glad you have had good service from the 111 service, it is, after all, what we should expect. Unfortunately my experience on the three or four times I have used 111 I have found them to be useless. On the time I had the onset of chest pains they sent me to a GP drop-in centre, who then sent me on to A&E, with me driving in between, and when in A&E they told me I had had a heart attack, and I ended up being admitted for four days. That's why I never recommend them, I just do it myself, and don't bother with them. Perhaps it is one of the NHS post code lottery things , some areas are better than others.
Oh that's awful! I'm not surprised you don't recommend them. You might be right about it being a lottery. I was lucky, on the day of my heart attack it was the 111 clinician that convinced me to take my symptoms seriously and let them send an ambulance or at the very least get someone to take me to A&E.
Since then they've helped me a few times. Not that I've always listened!
I get chest pain daily and they said if it changes when you move it is not heart pain. I go by that and put it down to age and arthritis which the gp tells me I have. Best get it checked but I think when we have any heart trouble we tend to think every twinge is heart and panic!
Hi Zed, When I had an appointment with my GP to ask about the chest pain, he was dismissive and flat refused to get me an xray. He told me my chest pain was just arthritis. I tried to insist a for a scan or xray, he just said 'what do you expect your over 80. I just said that I will have a DNR tattoo on my forehead.
Hi BludnutI had exactly the same yesterday... not a bad pain and intermittent. I've got angina too. I burped a lot in the evening. But we should promise ourselves that if it happens today - we both need 111 or a&e. Take care 🙂
A&E is the best place. 111 will almost certainly send you there anyway. A&E will do an ECG and blood tests for troponin. Their job is to determine if you have had or are having a heart attack.
If you are OK then you need to see a cardiologist who can do other tests like an echocardiogram
Hope the pain has stayed away bludnut, I've been guilty of this myself and left things until the next morning to get in to see gp. if you don't want to ring 111 I would advise 999 or a trip to A&E as everyone else has also advised.Take care.
Then please try to get an appointment with your gp if symptoms occur, I go the gp route, however if ever I got the severity I had the time I had my heart attack I would 999 it this time. Hope things improve for you bludnut and all the best going forward 🤞
Thanks, I did go down the GP route via a telephone chat, and it was her advice to go to A&E. My family were not happy that I didn't go by ambulance, I would have been seen quicker, but as I told them, ambulances are in short supply and were needed for really serious ill patients, not ones just needing a few tests.
I'm surprised they didn't send you themselves to be honest. Sorry to hear such a wait for triage, I know waits are prolonged as was there with my partner past two weekends with different problem. How are you now?
Hi, At the moment I am pain free, just a bit tired after that long experience. My original request to the GP was to ask why I had suffered two anzietey attacks after the three days of pain. The GP thought that they were me worrying about the pains, but it was best to have the tests to be sure..
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