From: jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond)
Subject: Re: Chest pain
Date: Sat, 03 Oct 92 05:41:32 GMT
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.


>I hope someone can give me some insight to my problem.  Last year (Apr 91) I 
>had a very sharp pain in my chest.  I was driving and had to pull over.  It 
>didn't last very long. After that I had pain throughout my chest area, but 
>never as sharp as that first one.  I finally went to a "local" doctor who 
>hooked me up to an EKG or ECG and monitored my heart.  He also sent me for an 
>upper GI and x-rays of my stomach!  When I went back for the results, he said 
>he forgot to order x-rays of my chest (which was what hurt!!) and that I would 
>need to go back.  Since I had already spent over $500 and missed work 3-4 times
>for his appointments, I just didn't go back.  He never told me one single thing
>about what was or could be wrong with me.  He did mention stress but I have 
>these pains during relaxing times too.  

>I am still having these pains, sometimes worse than others, after over a year
>later.  I am 27, no history of heart trouble before, haven't found anything 
>specifically that brings on these pains (like at similiar time of day or 
>activity), and I'm female.  I'm not sure what other info to tell.  The pains 
>are in different areas of my chest, not just around the heart area.  Sometimes 
>pains are on left side, sometimes on right side near heart area, and sometimes 
>pains feel like they are under my rib cage on either side.

>Do you have any idea what could be causing these pains in my chest?  
>Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I've had two periods of extreme stress in my life.  Both times I suffered the
classic symptoms of a heart attack.  Biting pain under my sternum, pain in
my left arm, occasional dizziness and lightheadedness.  Both times I went
to a cardiac specialist for a workup.  Got to run the treadmill (stress
EKG), blood work and all the other stuff they do.  No problem. My ticker is as
sound as ever.  Upon the recommendation of the cardiologist, I visited
an internist.  He did the old borescope down the gullet trick and a few
other things that weren't too pleasant.  The ultimate diagnosis was 
chest muscle spasms irritated/irritating by/to a hyedal (sp) hernia.

A touch of Valium broke the stress cycle (worrying about one's health
means more stress, etc) and "cured" the symptoms.  Milder symptoms still 
return when I'm stressed.  I asked the cardiologist how I would ever 
recognize a heart attack. He told me I was one of the unlucky ones who 
probably could not.

My recommendation would be to visit a cardiac specialist and have the 
workup done in order to rule out heart problems.  The stress test is 
rough and unnerving, particularly when you see 'em roll in a crash cart
with your name on it.  But if your problem is stress-related, you 
are reenforcing it worrying about the pain.  Get an answer.  Assuming you 
pass that test, find out how to reduce the stress.  A career change did it 
for me.  Whatever you do, don't ignore it.  A heart attack
is a slothful and very undignified way to die.

John
-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |Interested in high performance mobility?  
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