Chest pain due to medication

The ECG is likely to be fine unless they actually do it while you are having palpitations and chest pain. I see no reason to automatically blame pred because it certainly isn't the pred that caused my symptoms that are very like what you describe.

Mine were as a result of atrial fibrillation which the cardiologist is sure is due to the autoimmune part of PMR having damaged the electrical system in the heart which governs heart rate. I had 5 years of PMR without pred and during that period was when I first had palpitations - but like everything else it was blamed on my age (at the time 51 for goodness sake!). Eventually it was diagnosed as a result of a drug reaction and once the a/f was treated I realised the little episodes I'd had for so long had gone! It has progressed over the last 6 years - but one of the causes of that had been reducing my pred to a much lower dose as the problem is related to the vasculitis.

My GP in the UK was useless except for one piece of advice which I didn't take and maybe should have done: when you have palpitations and especially with chest pain, call 999 for an ambulance. Paramedics carry an ECG machine and have a better chance of identifying an arrythmia because they get there before it stops. I've been to the ED a couple of times - by the time I got there the symptoms and arrythmia had resolved but there was evidence from the paramedic on one occasion. a/f can lead to a raised CRP (I assume that is what you meant with the reading of 17?).

My experience was similar but not necessarily the same as you. I had chest pain from the onset of PMR and all tests were inconclusive. My physiotherapist said it was due to a rib misalignment and I have been working on that and it has improved greatly.

As for the heart I also had palpitations and discovered caffeinated coffee was the culprit. I now drink decaf. Caffein is also a nono as it leached calcium from your bones.

Just wanted to share this info

Good luck

Sorry I meant to put C-Reactive Protein result was 18 , which is a bit high. I have got the pain in my chest all the time, but it is not a severe pain just uncomfortable, and I am also burpy for want of a better word, so think it is an osophacus problem. (Not sure if that is how you spell it!) I also had another blood test at the same time called a creative kinase with a reading of 273. Not sure what that is though, although my GP said it was OK.

Watch out for the omeprazole. I took it for 5 years for sever back pain. As a result, I was diagnosed with osteopenia. This is because omeprazole shuts down the stomachs production of hydrochloric acid which in turn reduces the absorbsion of calcium. Calcium is the mineral, along with vitamin D, and magnesium which builds and maintains bone density. Best wishes!

I believe it is rare for sarcoidosis to cause pain and stiffness in joints, but have you had symptoms like that before which were attributed to sarcoidosis? You should tell your doctor. Like other autoimmune diseases you are never really "cured" of sarcoidosis although in many people it is completely asymptomatic, depending which body parts are afflicted. I have sarcoidosis, confirmed by biopsy of a enlarged lymph gland when I was in my early thirties, but otherwise completely without symptoms, although much later chest x-rays showed, as they put it in the report, "incidental evidence of old granulomatous disease", of which I had been completely unaware.

If anything, pred treatment would help sarcoidosis symptoms.

Yes, I have previously had sarcoidosis quite a few years ago, and it did affect my legs in that I was unable to walk for several weeks. First found by chest x-ray, and I was on medication for a year. However as I have not heard anything about my chest x-ray this time, I think it must be ok. Feeling a lot better today though which is good. I have stayed at 4mg, but tried splitting the steroids up 2 after breakfast and two after my evening meal. seems to work quite well. Gone back to just the one omeprazole a day now as the pain in my chest, after doubling up on them for about three weeks, is much less. Thanks for all your help!

Still having palpitations, and mild chest pain, so as well as my gastroscopy in a couple of weeks, I will be seeing a cardiologist the following day. Had to stop taking omeprazole for the two weeks before I go for my gastroscopy, but haven't noticed any problems for not taking them. Took my blood pressure at home a couple of days ago whilst I was having palpitations, and it didn't seem too high- it was 141-70 pulse 88.