"Chest Pains" feels like what??

[kevin21]

When they ask if you have or had chest pains doesn anyone know where it would hurt or what it feels like?

I've got a small pain that is toward the middle of my shoulderblades on my back that is affected when I stretch so I don't really think it is heart related?

I've had some left pec muscle pain on and off but that was only this week (psycho symtomatic?).

Do they mean dabilitating pain or a tightness in the chest or what?

We all get aches and pains but I'd hate to say they were all attributed to my heart.

I think I slept screwey a night or 2 ago and wreched my back is why it hurts...

When you guys talk about shortness of breath do you mean while walking around or after climbing the stairs or getting out of bed??

I sometimes get winded when going pretty fast up 1.5 flights of stairs (office building is about 25' above the ground floor so there are a lot of stairs) but it isn't like I can't talk or have to sit down. I partially attribute it to about 5 months of inactivity and fast food consumption.

Just looking for signs and little things that might show me that I am getting closer besides an Echo. How accurate are the Echo's in the first place? Is it the best test for the decision whether it is time or not to cut?

 

[Karlynn]

Kevin - I think chest pain is different for different people and different valve issues. I never had chest pain myself.

Reading your posts describing your activity level, just be aware that you may be decreasing your activity level because of how your valve without realizing it. Sometimes decreased activity can sneak up on you. I'm not surprised you're winded going up stairs with a severe regurg. It may not be due just to the fact that you've been less active. Just something to do a little self-check on every now and then.

 

[hensylee]

Kevin I had a heart attack. It began in the center of my chest and wouldn't go away after taking the nitro 3 times so I went to ER. While there it started in/below my left shoulder blade. They called it GERD, gave me a pill and sent me home. After that my arms were very, very tired. Kinda limp, you know?

I think if you have pain in your jaw, the center of your chest you might want to check it out. However there are lots of different places you can get heart pain. If it persists, let your dr know so he can test.

I had pain a few months ago, called my cardio, they had me come to hospital and did a chemical stress test and found that all was well. I felt better safe than sorry.

 

[Ross]

The funny thing about hearts and chest pain is, sometimes it presents itself as pain and sometimes there are no signs. When my aneurysm let go, I had chest pain unlike anything I've felt and have no desire to feel ever again. Much like a heart attack they say. I've also had pleural effusions or water around the lungs that cause chest pain and make it nearly impossible to breath properly. It's hard to describe chest pain.

Shortness of breath is pretty easy. Just doing minor things that normally wouldn't be of issue all of a sudden are. Going up 5 stairs and being breathless. Taking the garbage out of one room or placing it outside. Are you short of breath laying down? Sitting up? etc. I cannot lay flat on my back and breath. I have to lay on my stomach as even laying on my sides makes breathing difficult for me.

How accurate are echos? Only as good as the technician and Doctor doing and reading them. I don't give a whole lot of credit to them, but think of them more like a quick look with at least moderately accurate measurement.

 

[Marguerite53]

I was always very annoyed at the cardiologsit's not truly addressing what I thought were symptoms. Some doctors are more numbers people, some are more symptom people. I know that when I first met with my surgeon, he would not discuss anything very specific until he had my angiogram results. I had not been told to schedule one yet. It seems that many doctors schedule TEEs also. My only TEE was during surgery. They all seem to have their different practices.

In frustration one day, I asked my cardio, when, in fact, DID she call in the surgeon with my type of condition. It was the best question (and you would think, the most obvious!!) I ever asked, as it led us into a very informative discussion about how SHE "operates". I think that it would be useful for you to discuss this with your doctor this way.

Many here do not seem to ever have symptoms. I had odd chest sensations which are now gone...and I was increasingly out of breath.....as in avoiding stairs because it was embarassing at how slowly I had to go up them.

Press your doctors for more clear answers. That's what they're there for!

Good luck! Marguerite