Chest pain, can't find cause.
Posted , 3 users are following.
So I had a pacemaker put in about ten years ago (approx age 14-15). Although my heart is much more dependent on the pacemaker now than it was then, I've never experienced any chest pains until the last few months. They started as random and short lived pains through the chest and arm area. This led to to make an appointment with my cardiologist in which I had an EKG and lab work done. Pacemaker history "looked good" and test came back good. Now, a few months later, the pains are more frequent, lately lasting all day long or even across multiple days. This led me to go to the ER last night because I was afraid it could be early signs of a heart attack or something else urgent. They ran another EKG and more lab work along with a chest X-ray to make sure lungs and pacemaker looked good. Once again I was told everything looked good. My breaths have also felt shallow off and on so I was worried my heart wasn't getting enough oxygen or something, but they said my oxygen/breathing was at 100%. Occasionally it feels strange swallowing, not painful-just different, a bit harder than usual. Anyways as they tell me they're going to discharge me my chest is actively tight and uncomfortable. Yes, I am relieved they didn't find anything, but at the same time wondering what on earth could be going on. Weather it's related to the pacemaker or heart at all is now in question but something is still causing me to feel this way. Not sure where to look or what to do next...advice or thoughts would be great!
0 likes, 3 replies
DoctorMark TaylorC11
Posted
It seems to me that you may be experiencing muscle cramps due to a weak heart or a chest muscle that isn't playing ball. Heart related pain usually is very hard to pinpoint. Your jaw, back, either arm (mostly left) and central/left chest are usually the case. A lot of heart attacks go by unnoticed being self diagnosed as acid reflux. These in most part aren't fatal. You mentioned you had a pacemaker fitted, would I be right in saying this was to correct an irregular heartbeat? If so then I recommend doing a simple exercise.
Take a base heart rate at rest. Then run on the spot for 30-60 seconds. If you feel tightness increasing in your chest and growing pain stop immediately and rest. Visit the ER and explain you did a basic exercise test and you need medical attention. A normal EKG/ECG may not point out a weak heart so if necessary also ask for a stress test.
I have been suffering from non cardiac chest pain over the past year and I just recently discovered it was a torn pectoral muscle which didn't heal properly. So a stress test will determine whether your ticker is not enjoying it's job or whether it's muscle related.
TaylorC11 DoctorMark
Posted
Thank you DoctorMark, for the quick response. You are correct in your assumption about the pacemaker. I was told fairly recently that i've become dependent on the pacemaker and that there wasn't much of the old heart beat there at all. I will certainly try this test and look into a stress test. I'm nervous about all of the expense but something isn't right and I guess I need to do what I need to do!
lyn1951 TaylorC11
Posted
have they changed the battery in your pacemaker.
Husband was told five years, but he has a different newer pacemaker defib, only installed this last easter, with three leads rather than one, as he too has no natural electrical activity in both his Left Branch Bundle and his Right Branch Bundle, both of these nerve bundle's are what makes you lower part of your heart beat, the ventricles, one makes the blood go to your lungs and the other side to the rest of your body.
He has heart failure and this is a sign as I understand it his heart failure is slowly getting worse.
Dr's are very good at watching him every six months with echo's, MRI's and he's lucky to have one of the top professors taking an interest in his case, he is a public patient in Australia, so lucky the professor has taken his case, apparently he doesn't take many public patients just the interesting ones or so we have been told. Nurses astoinished when he visits my husband when he is in the hospital, another patients in the same room as my husband at easter had been there 3 weeks with the same nominated prof Dr, had never seen him, and he didn't visit him across the room.