ECG abnormal - Unbearable chest pain,... - British Heart Fou...

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ECG abnormal - Unbearable chest pain, shoulder pain + back pain - Exhausted at rest.

Andy500•

3 months ago•21 Replies

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone is well.

I just wanted to get some advice if possible.

Age - 34 years

Health conditions - Asthma ,eczema, allergies (life threatening), excessive alcohol use (past 7 years, now stopped)

Symptoms

- For the past few months, I have been getting severe chest + shoulder + sometimes back pain on and off. It has been occurring more and more frequently lately.

Last Monday, the pain started to get unbearable. I was exhausted both walking up the road and even exhausted at rest in bed. It actually feels like my heart is clogged up. I also feel disorientated and light headed. I have been taking aspirin (300g) daily since Monday and within 20min the pain goes away.

However, on Thursday the pain was intense and I thought I was going to have a heart attack or stroke. I went to A & E on Friday and explained my symptoms.

ESG showed abnormalities - attached.

The GP there assured me I don't have any acute heart attack risk after ECG + blood tests and told me to exercise more e.g. bench press as he thinks its a muscular issue. I was shocked by this. Without aspirin, the pain is unbearable and I feel like I am going to faint.

I truly feel like without aspirin I will have a heart attack or stroke, unless I have already had a silent heart attack or stroke.

Any advice is highly appreciated.

Many Thanks!

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Andy500

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21 Replies

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3 months ago

the terms of this community do t allow us to diagnose or comment on ECG’s. However, you’ve been reassured by your doctor who assumes this is muscular.

Aspirin isn’t necessarily the right analgesic for you as far as pain is concerned, so a discussion with a dispensing pharmacist might be beneficial for you. Maybe ibuprofen or similar.

Aspirin is prescribed in much smaller doses for heart roubles, to make the blood flow more freely.

You are entitled to a second opinion if you feel your doctor isn’t taking your health seriously, so you can phone your surgery receptionist and ask for a consultation with another doctor in the practice.

Maybe other posters might have other suggestions.

JHutton19943 months ago

Accident and emergency weren't going to take it seriously unless you were having a heart attack or were in active heart failure. You need to follow up with your GP and ask for a referral to cardiology.

bluemoon5723 months ago

According to that EKG report the abnormalities are borderline and thus nonspecific. Perhaps your GP would be willing to book you for a screening treadmill stress test which, if normal, will give you peace of mind that your symptoms are very unlikely to be of cardiac origin.

MilkfairyHeart Star• in reply tobluemoon5723 months ago

People living with some types of angina / ischaemia without obstructed coronary arteries ANOCA/INOCA such as vasospastic angina will usually have normal treadmill tests.

Most tests to for myocardial ischaemia are designed to detect obstructive coronary artery disease rather than ANOCA.

All my tests, stress echo, perfusion MRI were ' normal'.

My functional angiogram using acetylcholine showed spontaneous and acetylcholine induced coronary vasospasms.

bluemoon572• in reply toMilkfairy3 months ago

Good point although Andy500's symptoms don't seem consistent with spasmodic episodes. I suppose a stress test could provoke vasospastic angina though.

MilkfairyHeart Star• in reply tobluemoon5723 months ago

There are still lots of unknowns about vasospastic angina.I can exercise however, if my heartrate goes up over acertain level for too long, I will experience a delayed response of coronary vasospasms later.

I had chest pain after my perfusion MRI, ended up in A&E with ST elevations and depressions on my ECG.

bluemoon572• in reply toMilkfairy3 months ago

What a difficult condition to treat! What are the treatment options? Are daily calcium channel blockers like amlodipine one of them?

bubbatetley• in reply toMilkfairy3 months ago

Hi, Happy New Year! I hope you are bearing up with the heart condition.

Please may I ask what have the Cardiologist done for the Coronary vasospasms?

I am waiting to have the same test done as I too have suspected Mircro Vascular Ischemia.

Consultant has precsribed Bisoporol 1.25mg to help with the chest pain and to lower my high BP.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thank you and take care

Kind regards

Bubba🐧🐧🐧

Andy5003 months ago

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated!

Yes, I understand. I am planning on booking an appointment with my GP tomorrow.

However the main issue is, if I stop taking aspirin (150-300g) even for a day, The chest+shoulder+back pain is SEVERE and I feel exhausted while even in bed and not left the house the whole day.

As I understand, taking aspirin everyday is dangerous due to the side effects and waiting to be referred can take many weeks, so I am unsure what to exactly do about this issue. In addition, I am getting moderate abdomen pain after taking aspirin already.

In addition, I am not sure what the safe dose for daily aspirin is, online says 75-150mg, but obviously due to the side effects, I am cautious.

Even if I ask my GP advice, I am cautious, as my GP always seems unsure and isn't that great. (Planning to change)

MoretonCross• in reply toAndy5003 months ago

Paracetamol? Seems your best bet to me. Not aspirin I think, just my opinion 🤔

Partner20• in reply toAndy5003 months ago

Unfortunately you are already experiencing the common gastric side-effects of regular high-dose aspirin usage. When aspirin is prescribed for regular use stomach protection is usually prescribed alongside for this very reason. Taking a low-dose coated aspirin tablet might help in the short term, but long-term painkiller use should be prescribed and monitored by a medical professional. Before you can discuss this with your GP I would personally try an alternative such as paracetamol to see whether this has the desired effect or whether something other than simple pain relief is needed.

Relying on something which appears to work then having symptoms when you stop can be a vicious circle, sometimes making it difficult to see the wood for the trees and causing unnecessary worry. Do make that GP appointment soon and ask for a cardio referral if possible. Don't wait until a possible change of GP as you will be doing yourself no favours in the meantime. Perhaps another GP at your practice might be easier to approach with your concerns. Even ringing 111 for advice might prove helpful.

Blackknight573 months ago

you would be better staying off aspirin of brufen. Taking some sort of paracetamol based pain killer would be better.

Sharpglo3 months ago

Insist on having an echocardiogram or pay for one yourself.

stevetheadi• in reply toSharpglo3 months ago

Good advice

james1955553 months ago

Hi, There can be many causes for your symptoms, keep Pursuing your GP. Seek pasin killer advice, don't rely on aspirin or you will make more problems for yourself. Do you take any other medications that might have side effects?

Andy5003 months ago

Hi Guys!

Many many Thanks for all these replies.

Last night, I actually felt like I was having a heart attack, it was a squeezing/stabbing pain in my left chest/heart. I first took 150mg aspirin, and the pain subsided a bit, but came back and took another 150mg aspirin - so 300mg aspirin total. I truly have no other choice, I genuinely think I was having a heart attack and had no other option.

The time now is 07:00 - England time. I just went outside for a 10minute walk and I feel exhausted. I am unable to catch my breath. There is no chance I can even run. Last week, I was completely fine, and can walk and run and exercise perfectly. It has been only 12 hours since I took the 300mg aspirin and I can feel the unbearable chest pain starting to return.

I am going to call my GP today, but unsure what to say. Sure, I will tell her all these symptoms, but I am truly unsure, what to request for and what to do in the waiting time towards the referral.

I just googled echocardiogram, is this the gold standard for any cardiac abnormalities and will 100% tell me the reason for all this?

I understand aspirin should not be used long term, but I have no other option.

Lowerfield_no_more• in reply toAndy5003 months ago

This is the NHS guidance about heart attacks

nhs.uk/conditions/heart-att...

And within it, for good reason, there is a recommendation to call 999 if you believe you or indeed anyone else is having a heart attack. Not wait until the following day on the off-chance you might be able to speak with your GP. Because if you do delay you might not actually get to see the following day at all.

My advice to you is to get yourself checked out properly by either the NHS or private medicine, and firstly rely on the expertise and professionalism of trained health professionals to decide what is necessary, not something you have read on Google, or someone has suggested, or your own limited experience of cardiology.

Finally long term use of high dose NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen is not recommended since it plays havoc with your insides and can, amongst other things induce stomach bleeds,as I can vouch fro from personal experience.

Drawforaliving3 months ago

Hi Andy, have a look into pericarditis and myocarditis. I had pericarditis and although it can manifest differently for people your post is ringing a few bells for me.

ahcm3 months ago

Hi Andy,

I agree with Drawforaliving, as soon as I saw your post I thought Pericarditis. I had it a few years ago. It took 4 days of being in hospital in absolute agony before a doctor diagnosed me. I had steroids at first but it kept coming back. It was Colchicine that finally cured me. Good luck.

Knavesmire273 months ago

Hi Andy500. Firstly hats off to you for being so open and so totally honest in your post. Don't underestimate what you have achieved so far. It's a big step to take a look at your life and make a conscious decision to make lifestyle changes. So well done for that. I am so sorry you are struggling, our imagination can take is in directions we don't want to go but once these thoughts get hold it is really hard to let them go. I am not sure what advice I can give you but please know there is a community here who will support you. And don't be afraid to go back to the doctor surgery and explain both the physical and emotional effect it is having on you. I think the two go hand in hand and are as equally important. Take care and good luck

HUModeratorAdministrator3 months ago

Hi Andy500,

The replies to this post have been turned off.

It is important to remember that content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and your doctor. Please avoid making any changes to your medication or advising others to do the same, without speaking to a health professional first.

Many thanks,

HUModerator