Long term, unexplained chest pain
Posted , 235 users are following.
Hi all
After struggling with docs for years over this I thought I would turn to the wider world some input. I am a 27 year old, healthy (enough) male who has been getting intermitment, iregular and infrequent chest pains on and off for around 10 years.
During an 'attack' the pain can be quite severe and sharp - I guess a bit like being stabbed. The pain is localised to the left side of my sternum and feels fairly deep (i.e. it cannot be palpated).
Attacks can last anywhere from a few seconds to a day or so, and tend to come in 'clusters' that can be present for up to a week. There can be months between each cluster of attacks (if you get my drift!).
Pain can sometimes be exacerbated when leaning forward, coughing, lying on my side or raising an arm (seems to always vary - and can sometimes not have any stimulators).
During a 'cluster' period and between attacks I can often feel a mild, underlying ache in my chest. This is easy enough to ignore however.
I have had ECGs and chest xrays that have all been fine, and am not affected at all during exercise - I can happily go out and run 10k with ease.
Doctors have in the past rulled out gastro refulx as there was no tenderness on palpation of my stomach area, although I have sometimes thought that attack can follow a big meal and be accompnied by burping (although this may be my mind tricking me).
Muscolskeletal problems have been mentioned, but why would attacks come in clusters and seemingly out of the blue?
I am at a compltete loss and doctors have been no help. My wife is scared that I will just drop dead from a heart attack - and I am struggling to find new ways of reassuring her.
Any help/thoughts/insight/advice would be seriously welcome!
Thanks
20 likes, 457 replies
TerraZvera ji86
Posted
I have read your post, and I must say that almost all of the people who post here have a lot in common when describing their pain and location. This is why I registered for this forum, mine started out of the blue, and it was so horrible that the pain caught me off guard. I am a nurse, and I tend to look at things from the Dr point of view. Objective symptoms, and these are the most important part of trying to diagnose a problem when a patient has been through a series of testing, lab work ,and ultrasound, X rays and scanning.
I have undiagnosed attacks in the upper left quadrant, I was reasonably sure that it was my heart, but everything came back normal, including the stress test and lab's. So ,I was released with the cardiologist telling me that it is not my heart and follow up with my pcp.
Okay, so the horrible pain and attacks that have me praying to God for help have continued.
My objective symptoms are: a very uncomfortable pain that starts in the left arm and moves closer to the sternum ,or middle of my chest. I feel like I'm am short of breath, sometimes it feels like a knot in the esophagus and it is painful and when it comes to an end, I can feel a kind of gurgling. ....now that should be a symptom that a Dr can take and have a direction to look at.
But, I'm now on nitroglycerin tabs, sublingual as needed for chest pain and believe it or not, it works. Even though it is not my heart, nitroglycerin makes the pain stop. So, here is where I'm at. ..just not able to work because of this condition is enough to depress me. I'm sure that with the right Dr, and a lot of prayer ,my problem will be discovered and hopefully my life will be back to a normal state. I know that all of you are suffering and it's disgusting when you are diagnosed with ......anxiety attacks. ? ji86 , I see your post is 3 years old and I hope you have been diagnosed and your problem has been ratified. Let me know if it has not. I will keep you guys updated on what my primary care Dr decides because he's a very smart physician. Take care.
tanya41913 TerraZvera
Posted
Thank You!
Beezer TerraZvera
Posted
TGrove Beezer
Posted
Beezer TGrove
Posted
An invasive angiogram
Often times those of us with the disease do a trial of meds to see if it improves symptoms. Like nitro or other heart meds. Have you had any changes on your ECG's? Any issues with BP or heart rate?
TGrove Beezer
Posted
TerraZvera tanya41913
Posted
Well, I am leaning towards esophageal spasms, or something along that area because of the pain in the center of my chest, but sometimes it radiates to the left but I'm not sure if it's my cardiovascular, heart, system or not .I see where it can cause so much frustrating when the specialist is just guessing at what you have. Folks, just don't give up and like I said in my first post, it's a terrible thing to tell someone who is going through a lot of real pain that it's an anxiety attack. I get a little upset when I know that the attending physician starts to go in that direction with the conversation. So, I'm living with attacks, as I call them , and the nitroglycerin does the job ,it stops in 2 to 3 minutes. I wish the best for all of you and I will be logging in to see what is going on with your pain and suffering. Take care and God bless you.
TerraZvera
Posted
I'm just letting you guys know what has changed in the last several months. My primary care Dr agrees with me, that the terrible pain attacks in my chest are related to the esophagus and he now has me taking isorsobide mononitrate , 30 mg extended release Nitroglycerin tabs. It actually is working well for me, I take one in the morning . I can go through the day without the crushing pain attacks and be very active again. Now, I've had to step up to taking one before bed also because all of a sudden, I began waking up with terrible chest pain and having to take a .4mg nitro tablet 4 to 5 times a night. So, I'm being treated for esophageal spasms, that are not diagnosed, but no attacks of terrible pain in my chest. This is the great part of what I'm telling you guys. The bad part is that I have had a Barium swallow, and it shows everything normal.
I'm not sure if it will stay this way because the body builds up a tolerance, and the strength of the medication will probably have to be increased but, it's nothing short of a miracle for me to go without these attacks, and I'll take it. But, I will tell you that the young Dr's do not even know that nitroglycerin works for other conditions, and fortunately for me, my Dr is older, and since I'm a nurse, he listens to the symptoms and other information that I tell him and makes his decision based on my description of the attacks that I have.
I can only hope that you are able to have a physician who is open minded enough to listen to your description, and work with you to solve your problem. Thanks Folks, just for being here and don't forget that nitroglycerin can be used for different reasons and conditions, God Bless you.
Terra
rahul67955 TerraZvera
Posted
That's so lovely Terra
Happy for you..
lauren02046 ji86
Posted
lauren02046
Posted
These mentioned tests are in addition to what you already had. I've had all of those too.
rahul67955 lauren02046
Posted
I have gone through the same for nearly 16+ years. Believe me I am completely free for the past 5 years. I constantly practising breathing techniques which give me a break from this pain. Looks to be Pshygological rather than physical ailments. I met a pshgologist who offered me a advise to do mindful breathing every time when u feel the paIn and also while waking up from ur bed and also before going bed. Believe me, it will work . I have practised this nearly 3 months constantly after her advise. It was completely gone. Believe me. Hope , it will help everyone here. If u need any advise, pls give a ping.
wayne03427 ji86
Posted
I've also had the same type of chest pain and doctors have given me mri's,ekg's,ex-rays,etc.,none can give me a specific answer,most after multiple visits just Wright it off as chest inflamation,so I gave up,I've been living with it since I was 24,I'm 33 now,it gets worse when I drink,but when I drink it goes away most of the time,it comes and goes but mostly at night when I'm trying to go to sleep,it sucks,if u have any answers please let me know,thank Wayne lyon
gary33953 wayne03427
Posted
rahul67955 wayne03427
Posted
I have gone through the same for nearly 16+ years. Believe me I am completely free for the past 5 years. I constantly practising breathing techniques which give me a break from this pain. Looks to be Pshygological rather than physical ailments. I met a pshgologist who offered me a advise to do mindful breathing every time when u feel the paIn and also while waking up from ur bed and also before going bed. Believe me, it will work . I have practised this nearly 3 months constantly after her advise. It was completely gone. Believe me. Hope , it will help everyone here. If u need any advise, pls give a ping.
rahul67955 gary33953
Posted
I have gone through the same for nearly 16+ years. Believe me I am completely free for the past 5 years. I constantly practising breathing techniques which give me a break from this pain. Looks to be Pshygological rather than physical ailments. I met a pshgologist who offered me a advise to do mindful breathing every time when u feel the paIn and also while waking up from ur bed and also before going bed. Believe me, it will work . I have practised this nearly 3 months constantly after her advise. It was completely gone. Believe me. Hope , it will help everyone here. If u need any advise, pls give a ping.