Chest pain

[avcalv]

Hi I've been having chest ,arm,and jaw pain for a while .short sharp pain that's gone in a few seconds. I had a valve replaced 5yrs,ago n a pacemaker fitted too. Anyway I went to AnE with these pains they done bloods an ecg and a chest xray was told all normal .They said they don't no what's causing it. But to go back if it gets any worse I think they put it down to anxiety. I'm sat worring and wondering what to do next as the pains ate still here on a daily bases...

[bantam12]

Chest, arm and jaw pain should ring alarm bells so you need to go back for further tests ! Maybe angina type pain but it needs proper diagnosis.

[avcalv in reply to bantam12]

Thanks , hospital we're not overly concerned as the pain wasn't a crushing type of pain when I told them it was a pinching /stabbing kind they brushed it off as anxiety. So not really sure what to do

[Bevvy]

You need to go to gp, make them aware and get any suitably referrals and tests. A&E is for emergencies and quite rightly they gave you rudimentary tests which you passed. They won’t do further and more detailed tests because that isn’t what they are there for. Please contact gp surgery and ask for an urgent appointment to discuss situation.

[avcalv in reply to Bevvy]

Thanks for your reply , but you would think with my history of heart issues the gp way takes to long , and the gp would more than likely tell me to go to the hospital if I had chest pains

[Bevvy in reply to avcalv]

Are you in uk? If so unless you are under consultant then you have no alternative but to go to gp for tests and onward referrals. How long have you been feeling unwell for? Hospital will do exactly what done before and another time might pick something up but if this is a long term issue then more tests are required.

Obviously if you feel any worse then you need to contact 111 or go straight to A&E.

[avcalv in reply to Bevvy]

Yes I'm in the UK and I am under a consultant but at a different hospital (due to moving house a few yrs back) getting an appointment with my consultant is likely getting the preverbial blood from a stone. My annual review is still a few months away I've asked for an earlier date but fully booked as I expected. I will try the gp but I'm sure they will say go to AnE if you have chest pains . This has been an issue for a couple of weeks and it's not getting any better...im not getting pain when exerting myself it's mainly at rest ..thanks for your replies

[Bevvy in reply to avcalv]

Don’t assume what your gp will advise. At the very least they may be able to arrange earlier consultant appointment. If not then I suggest you contact PALS at your hospital and explain why you need an earlier consultant appointment, and again they may be able to organise an earlier appointment.

[avcalv in reply to Bevvy]

Thanks again for your reply..My symptoms have been goin on for a week /10days I will try the gp route on Monday but I'm sure they'll say go to hospital ...if so I'll be back to square 1

[Bevvy in reply to avcalv]

So just say you have already been to hospital/A&E once and had tests that were all clear.

[mtse]

Keep a record of when you eat and when pain occurs and what you was at the time. You had a blood test which would check for heart attack, heart failure, and infection; ECG that checks rhythm, and X-ray which checks for blood clots, artierties and calcification but did you have a echocardiogram which checks structure and how well valve is working? Probably there is no point doing a stress test since you have a pace maker but you could ask for that. Do you get out of breath or experience any other symptoms or do you have edema (fluid) any where? Problem with cardiovascular disease is it's progressive so more calcification and inflammation builds up over time unless life style is changed and that means the heart walls get stiffer and the heart and works harder to pump blood which causes thickening of the walls and that makes it less efficient (a vicious cycle). There is also MRI and angiogram that could be done to check for blockages.

[avcalv in reply to mtse]

Hi thanks for the reply, I have no swelling of the ankles or feet I had an echo last year and consultant said valve was working satisfactorily can't have angiogram due being on warfarin I'm really not sure where to go with this as someone said if I go back to aN e they will do the same tests again as its an emergency department and the are the rudimentary tests ...So I'm not sure what to do

[mtse]

If the pains last more than 15 minutes then go to A&E. Go see the GP with he record of when pain happens and if anything triggers it and how long episodes last for etc. They can for example give you additional medication, increase;/decrease dosages, they could contact your consultant for advice if they think it is serious; and then see what they say at then consultation. I had similar problem, I was under a consultant and in-between the 6 month review, I developed addition symptoms. I wrote a letter to my GP and to the consultant and GP replied and reduced one of my medications which helped. The consultant didn't reply but I they are so busy I didn't ready expect him to reply.

[etheral]

You need an emergency Echocardiogram and contrast CT.Sry can't help with NHS beaurocracy, but if you walked into my ER these w[old be high priority, etheral

[avcalv in reply to etheral]

Thanks for your reply.Can you have CT with contrast if on warfarin ? And as you used the phrase ER room I take it your based is the US ? Otherwise I'd pay your practice a visit

[Tourk]

Several years ago I went to a&e with similar symptoms. I've got a spinal injury so any used to shooting pains in strange places. These where far to similar to heart attack for comfort so thought it best to have it checked out. Turns out it wasa growth on the top of my spine ( sorry can't remember what it's called) that was pressing on my nerves. Nothing they can do about it so have had to get used to it.One side of my face went numb there again same thing though I have got some feeling back after 4 years.

I can understand your concerns especially after haveing heart problems before. You certainly did the right thing to get it checked.

It maybe that you have a similar growth it's not always picked up straight away. Or it could be just one of those things we get every so often to make life interesting lol