Pericarditis

[Esme2348]

I was at A & E, 3 weeks ago thinking I was having a heart attack due to chest pain. They did all the usual tests, bloods, ECG, ultra sound etc.

Been diagnosed with pericarditis. And Benen prescribed colchicine for it. I’m getting all kinds of issues now such as reflux in my throat, stomach pain, chest pain that moves to the arm, and lots of dizziness.

I’m petrified that I’m still having a heart attack every time the symptoms flare up.

Has anyone else had this condition and these symptoms? Could it be the side effects that I’m experiencing too from the medication?

I’m a fit 43 year old, that runs 40 miles a week and doesn’t smoke! Still can’t believe it his is happening

[HolTed]

Hi,

I currently have pericarditis and myocarditis - also aged 43. I also presented like having a heart attack in early September. Since then I have a few episodes of mild pain down my left arm and up into my jaw. It was mild and the doctor said I’ll probably have some angina over next few weeks.

I don’t get any reflux at all. The colchicine affects my bowels (tmi) a little bit. It can cause nausea and diarrhea in some people.

Hope this helps

X

[Alohelani_unlocked in reply to HolTed]

I have idiopathic recurrent pericarditis. I have fluid buildup between heart wall muscle and membrane sack. I was placed on Arcalyst injections which controlled the inflammation a lot. The doc says it’s an autoimmune disorder. I can’t take the Arcalyst anymore as it caused my triglycerides to be dangerously high , over 550! While treatment I was told to not get my heart rate above 100. Well I turned into a bored couch potato. The colechicine is a problem for me since I have sensitivities to anti inflammatory medication so I can only take it sparingly. Colechicine has some bad side effects… see Wikipedia. So I only take it when I absolutely must for the searing pain. Depending on which country you are in you might look into Arcalyst or one of its cousins. It helped me immensely with the pain and pericarditis. Good Luck!!

[fishonabike]

⁹I'm sorry to hear that you are having such a rough time

a couple of points: were you given any advice about rest and avoiding exercise? these basic steps to allowing your heart to recover from the effects of this inflammatory condition

have you been prescribed omeprazole, lansoprazole or any medication to protect your stomach? Colchicine, is a Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatry Drug (NSAID), and these are known to irritate the stomach and cause reflux and other issues

the chest pain you describe could be a sign that your heart is struggling to function effectively, which it will do if it has not recovered from the pericarditis - if the pain continues please stop whatever you are doing, rest and get medical advice if it dies not clear up within 10-15 minutes

you could do a search in this group for other posts on Peri and Myocarditis, these may have helpful info for you in the responses

I hope you start to feel better soon