Chest pain for the last 9 months.

dont give up and dont let them dismiss you... on here one person was bing taken to hospital regularly... for a number of years one a recent visist they were taken to another hospital the doctors there knew the problem and is now getting treatment vascular spasms are not well understood or easy to diagnose and to some iof us on here it seem that most doctors will "overlook" the symptoms in favour of things they can deal with. some doctors know their stuff or are willing to listen do not just put up with it, you will make it worse, but also dont worry too much (also makes it worse) your symptoms are real and the body feels pain for a reason - to tell you to do something about it, get GTN get a course of something like Dilitiziam(sp?) and dont let them push you into accepting your arent unwell.............!! good luck!!!!!  

Yes as Andrew has said don't give up or let them (doctors-specialists) dictate to you. There are doctors out there that know exactly what to look out for when things come back negative, just because your ECG and bloods were normal on one particular day doesn't mean it's going to be the same next episode (not trying to scare you) but merely trying to say that doctors are far to complacent .

I was exactly in the same boat until a week Ago. It all started since this Jan. I had severe chest pain after work out and even I passed out for 30mins. Went to emergency did chest x Ray, echo cardio gram and cardiac stress test. They refereed me to pulmonologist. He did 3 other tests before saying no clue about it. My general physician sent me to GI specialists. She did endoscopy and found minor GI issue. I also went to another pulmonory doctor for second opinion, he did pH tests and barium X Ray tests. He thought it could be due to fungal infection and put me on fluconoazole for 1 mon. 

While all this saga is happening, I was started doing work outs regularly. Every month I had 1 or 2 occurrences of severe chest pain and went to ER 3 times. One time I underwent Cardiac catheterization (angio gram) and found nothing in the tests. 3rd time, at ER employee said don't come to again and recommended  me to go to my physician. I went to another Cardialogist and he said it could be due to weak heart and recommended to start excercise regularly.  

Meanwhile I got lot of bills from doctors offices, labs. I lost interest totally in pursuing it further because of the hassle of going through the bills with out any out come. Luckily I planned for a trip to India during this summer.  My uncle is a oncology surgeon and he looked at all of my medical records and referred me to a GI doctor and cardiologist. GI doctor performed endoscopy one more time though I got it done in US. Found nothing. Cardiologist recommended for cardiac stress test again. During cardiac stress test, I got the chest pain during recovery. They captured the complete EKG during that time. Doctor immediately said it could be Vasospasm. I also under gone CT scan on heart. Went to two other cardiologists. 2 doctors of them are of the opinion that it is because of vasospasm and put me on Nicorandil 5 mg. I have got an appointment with another Cardiologist on mon.

I am extremely astonished the way things moved in India. I left India 17 years ago. I have no clue about what kind of hospitals are available now.  The hospitals are nothing less compared to US. Tests will be done pretty fast. You get to see the doctor right away after waiting 1 or 2 hrs( I always get to wait for an hr in US anyway). You get the lab results immediately and most importantly they give the results to the patient. The prices are extremely cheap and some equipments are more sophisticated than US labs ( at least in my case).

In, India 

- had 2 appointments with GI doctor.

- had 6 appointments with 3 different cardiologists

- 2 tests on blood

- 1 urine tests

- 1 thread mill test

- 1 heart CT scan

- 1 ultra sound on GI

all of them got it done by 5 days and spent around $410.00 (Rs 25,000). That is really impressive. 2 of the cardiologists are UK returned.

i came to India for vacation for 2 weeks. Health check up was not in my plan. I already spent a week on health check. I couldn't meet my mom so far since she is at other place. But I am extremely happy that it got diagnosed finally after 7 months.

I sincerely hope my story helps you in getting to the bottom of your problem.

Totally agree with you Jo, tremendous help, it has taken a load of weight off my mind. weather here in Devon good, but as you say a bit difficult to get my breath, I didn't put it down to weather. learning more.

it's cold down here,I live in Tasmania, it's something like 2 degrees outside, I'm originally from the high country and use to the cold weather but since these spasms have become more frequent I have to compromise and wear a light jumper outside. I haven't ventured outside this morning, I do have to go out but will wait for it to warm up a bit before I do, our top temperature for today is only going to be 9 degrees, although our winters are mild now compared to 30 years ago, we hardly get frosts where it crunches under your feet now, there's snow on our highest mountain in the city but not always during winter, the Highland still get snow. You know I was outside the other day and I could hear a few spring birds chirping away,my mother said she has owl visiting in her back yard as well and she lives in a suburban area as well.

Hi Samuel, I had forgotten you lived there! its one of our two top places we want to move to... the other being New Zealand. But Tasmania has been one of my favourites for a very very long time.........a bit of land to do a smallholding ... bit more self sufficient.... bliss. but would the inner beast be kept at bay? ah well i suspect we will be staying in Cornwall finally getting the health team to work with me so..... but good luck!! keep warm...

  

Hi Andrew,

We have the freshest, cleanest air in the world down here plenty of places to buy a small holding, My partner and I had a 14 acre hobby farm, we moved closer to town because of my spasms and my partner was getting a bit tired of travelling every day to work. There are places that are classed as rural or semi rural closer to town.

With our current Government our health system is failing at a fast rate, someone needs to do something pretty quickly or all will be lost,bit sad really, but the doctors and nurses go above and beyond their call of duty, just like anywhere else we get the cowboy doctors that only look at the simple things and don't give a real thought to what it could be straight up.

Glad to hear your health team is starting to work for you .

hmmmmmmm what are land prices like?

so am i but they still need a bit more training

i know what you mean, its the same the world over though i think too many are spoon fed and cant go looking anymore.........

Depends where you want to settle, land in certain areas are cheap for obvious reasons, the soil needs work or is full of bracken and trees,that sort of land with a reasonable house can go for anywhere between $130,000- $160,000. I was looking at the real estate guide here a few weeks ago with acerage ,no house, but has the potential to build and all services close by.. that was going from around $70,000-$120,000 just for the land, various size acerage, I think the $120,000 had 360 acres (land only)

With established hobby farms anywhere from $200,000 - $350,000. then you have the farmers that have to leave the land due to ill health or  money has dried up, your looking at from 1 million upwards, some do go from $500,000-$750,000. My uncle has to give up the land, he doesn't want to but ill health has forced him to, his land is what we call prime farming land and he has 1.8 million on it with no machinery. Bit sad really I really feel for him he was born and bred where he  is, worked his farm and others all his life since he left school. Just in case you have heard of it it's a place called the Tasman Peninsula, it's the place where your government sent the convicts back in the day

I am Cornish so they werent and aint my Government!  ..... hmmm interesting  yup heard of that area....  i agree it is sad having to give up a way of life.... feel for you both!.darn, wish i hadnt asked.... but thank you very intersting....