Chest Pain at night/early morning

[Western1234]

Good morning 🙂

I have non ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy affecting both ventricles, which has led onto me having heart failure.

I regularly have what I would call heart pain or chest discomfort. Usually, as the title says, at night or early morning, whilst in bed. Sometimes in the evening. Never on exertion. Quite uncomfortable, occasionally waking me up - like this morning 🙈

Does anyone else experience similar symptoms? I am assuming that it is a symptom of my heart failure. Most times pain is on the left, but today both sides of chest, and between shoulder blades in my back.

(My cardiologist doesn't seem too concerned as I don't have any ischemic heart disease, he says that it is unlikely that I am having heart attack symptoms.)

Being newly diagnosed, I am still being titrated up onto medications, I am wondering if this symptom will improve once I reach optimised (or max tolerated) drug levels?

Does anyone with heart failure have similar sensations/discomfort?

(I will have a chat with my heart failure nurse at my next appointment.)

n.b. Also posted in Heart Failure Support.

Best wishes Western

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hello,

I experience my chestpain at rest and at night.

I usually wake in the mornings with chest pain just before my 8am medication is due.

I live with vasospastic angina which is a type of ischaemic heart disease caused by transient constrictions of the coronary arteries.

Another type of angina without blocked coronary arteries is microvascular angina.

The BHF has this information about microvascular and vasospastic angina.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

[Western1234 in reply to Milkfairy]

Hi Milkfairy ,

Thank you for your reply. Can I ask what does your chest pain feel like?

My pain is more of a heaviness, a sensation, a dull ache rather than a pain. Almost like when, in the past, I had a chest infection, the feeling one might feel after a long coughing episode - that sore ache, if that makes sense?

I have never felt the need to take any pain medication.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Western1234]

Hello,

We all experience our angina in different way, it can be really difficult at times to try and express in words what you feel.

If it what you are feeling doesn't feel normal for you then I suggest you keep a log of your symptoms and discuss these with your doctor.

Perhaps give the BHF helpline a call and speak with one of the cardiac nurses who are very knowledgeable.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

I hope you feel more at ease soon.