[saumya]

#1018211

This last week I’ve been having severe chest pain with accompanying tachycardia and left arm pain/heaviness. The first time I did deep breathing/biofeedback to slow my heart rate. I thought it might have been due to stress. The second time I called my internist’s office and talked to an RN. She asked me to go to the ER where by heart rate spiked to 120bpm (I’m normally around 80). They sent me home after making sure it wasn’t a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or stroke. In other words, my ECG patterns were normal as were my labs – including my thyroid numbers. The pain has come back but this time with a high bp and normal heart rate. I know that Graves’ comes with tachycardia, but I’m not hypER. And all my thyroid numbers are still within normal range.

Any ideas?

[Bobbi]

#1063277

I would suggest making an appointment with the doctor to talk things over. Persist, in other words, in trying to get some type of rational answer to what is going on. One thing to consider is the possibility that one of the medications you might be taking is causing the problem. You’d need to check with a pharmacist perhaps to see about that. One of my friends was in and out of emergency rooms for months a couple of years ago due to chest pain, racing heart and spiking bp. She was tested for adrenal disorders and lots of other issues. Hence the reason why you need to persist with the doctor. There can be lots of things that could cause this. In my friend’s case, the culprit turned out to be a medication she was taking. Her doctors knew she was on it, but never connected the dots. She only figured it out herself when she was on vacation, ran out of the drug, and the symptoms disappeared. She then checked with her doctors and, sure enough, the medication was on a list of drugs that were known to cause heart issues. She had taken the medication without problems for quite a while before this problem appeared, so do consider your meds.

Good luck. I know this must be scary.

[snelsen]

#1063278

Hi saumya,
I am reviewing what you said in your post just to get it clear in my head. So here goes.

The symptoms you mentioned in your first sentence are definitely worrisome, and the advice to go to the ER was certainly good advice. Chest pain/heaviness and left arm pain/heaviness are definitely two of the classic symptoms of a heart attack, as I am sure you know. But the exams ruled out a P.embolism, heart attack and stroke. You’ve got the work-up from the ER, plus normal labs and normal thyroid studies. But you do have high BP and still experience chest pain.

I suggest that you continue to take and record your BP at different times of the day, but consistent times, so you have that info.
Do you think it is a good idea for you to have a new patient appointment with a cardiologist? That is one thought. As Bobbi suggested, make an appointment with your internist. Perhaps it makes more sense for you to have an appointment with your internist, who knows you, to discuss the chest pain and high BP.
If your are having elevated blood pressures, (like millions of Americans,) discuss with your internist anti-hypertensive meds for this finding. That’s a possibility. Ask if there are other related reasons for chest pain. Give him as much of your information as possible. For instance, is the chest pain associated with breathing? I imagine after he examines you and gathers your new information, he will probably order some further tests. And review your meds with him, but in the meantime, you can drop by a pharmacy to discuss them with a pharmacist.

Regarding stress, if stress and anxiety are part of your world right now, that does increase blood pressure, as i am sure you already know. I wish you success in following through and getting some solutions.
Shirley

[saumya]

#1063279

Hi! Sorry for the delay in replying and a big thank you, Shirley and Bobbi, for the posts. ” title=”Very Happy” /> I monitored my BP and HR over time (and at multiple points within each day) and couldn’t really find a statistical variable that could be controlled (i.e. my HR went up if I stood up).

So I’m just waiting. I’ve brought my concerns to my team multiple times but there’s not a lot they can do right now with my situation being as complex as it is. I’ll keep you updated!

Thanks again,
Saumya

[ShannonW]

#1063280

Hopefully your team of doctors can find out something soon. It’s got to be scary having heart attack symptoms and being told it’s not a heart attack but that they don’t know what is causing it. Have you been more stressed lately or going through a stressful situation? What have your doctor/s advised you to do?

Edited 8/9/12 to remove spam link

[saumya]

#1063281

Hi Shannon,

Yup, it was definitely scary! ” title=”Wink” /> Actually, I don’t think that I was any more stressed out than usual. There really wasn’t anything in particular that my doctors changed… just a lot of monitoring. They thought it might be similar to esophageal spasms — and there’s apparently nothing you can do for that either! ” title=”Very Happy” />

– Saumya

[saumya]

#1063282

Forgot to mention that I later had my TSH drop to undetectable and I didn’t really notice. But my docs dropped my synthroid at that time.

– Saumya

[Ski]

#1063283

I know there is another condition that can cause chest pains which feel somewhat like a heart attack ~ it’s called costochondritis, and I’ve heard some people here mention having it, though not recently. It has to do with the connective tissue between the ribs and sternum. You may want to ask about that, to see if they can check for it, just in case. I know it’s unsettling not knowing, so I hope you have some luck finding out what’s going on!

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