Bad chest pain, shortness of breath, light-headedness --- On and off since last Thurs

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ManiaStar

Senior Member
Nov 14, 2015
381
29
28
#1
Last Thurs, I woke up, went to work as usual. About 40 min into being there, I felt the onset of a strong flare-up coming on and I knew it was going to be a bad one.The pain started in just my shoulders/arms and hands but then went into my chest and I was experiencing lots of pain, shortness of breath and light-headedness. It lasted all day --- and then throughout the weekend, it was on and off but the more I move, the more I feel it. It's scary.

Before you tell me to go to the hospital, let me just say, back in 2006/2007, I had very similar symptoms. I put it off for about 2 weeks, then gave in and went to see the cardiologist. He ran several tests on me including a stress test and ekg and all came out normal. He then sent me to a pulmonologist, who, ran more tests on me but again, everything came out normal. He then gave me this Advair thing to use and, I only used it for a few days bc it actually made my shortness of breath and chest pains worse back then. The doctors couldn't give me anything else for the pain or shortness of brreath but, within about a month and a half, as fast as it came, it disappeared and I was fine.

On and off since 2013, I have been getting chest pains w/ flare-ups but, what i've bene feeling since Thurs, is the first time I've felt "this" in 10 years
 
C

Coffeegirl

Guest
#2
Sending prayers.
 
H

heydrewbert

Guest
#3
Will pray, for sure. I'm not a doctor but your symtpoms are the same one that me and most people with anxiety disorders have. I usually have shortness of breath, chest pain and dizziness before a full blown panic attack. Thats why theyve never been able to diagnose you, the same problem i had. You poor thing, i hope and pray it leaves! Maybe lowere your stress for a few days.
 
P

Pahan

Guest
#4
God bless you
 
M

Miri

Guest
#5
Could be angina, could be irregular heart beat - that's hard to detect it usually
involves wearing a monitor while going about your every day life, to see what is
going on.

A neighbour of ours had both with similar symptons, he has had a pace maker
fitted it just involved an overnight stay in hospital and is doing great. When his
heartbeat becomes irregular this pace maker kicks in and sets his heart back to
a normal beat.

Could be stress which causes shortness of breath or a panic attack but it doesn't
cause pain in your shoulder and arms. I know you said don't tell me to go
to the doctor, but you really do need to go to the doctor especially while it's fresh
and recent.

Praying that this will be resolved for you.
 

RickyZ

Senior Member
Sep 20, 2012
9,635
787
113
#6
Last Thurs, I woke up, went to work as usual. About 40 min into being there, I felt the onset of a strong flare-up coming on and I knew it was going to be a bad one.The pain started in just my shoulders/arms and hands but then went into my chest and I was experiencing lots of pain, shortness of breath and light-headedness. It lasted all day --- and then throughout the weekend, it was on and off but the more I move, the more I feel it. It's scary.

Before you tell me to go to the hospital, let me just say, back in 2006/2007, I had very similar symptoms. I put it off for about 2 weeks, then gave in and went to see the cardiologist. He ran several tests on me including a stress test and ekg and all came out normal. He then sent me to a pulmonologist, who, ran more tests on me but again, everything came out normal. He then gave me this Advair thing to use and, I only used it for a few days bc it actually made my shortness of breath and chest pains worse back then. The doctors couldn't give me anything else for the pain or shortness of brreath but, within about a month and a half, as fast as it came, it disappeared and I was fine.

On and off since 2013, I have been getting chest pains w/ flare-ups but, what i've bene feeling since Thurs, is the first time I've felt "this" in 10 years
The doctors couldn't find anything in 2006/2007, so you haven't been to one since for this?

I pray for health and wisdom for you.
 

levi85

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2013
8,578
2,180
113
#7
Lord we pray for Maniastar, let all these leave, and let Maniastar have a good health. Lord please bless and your name be glorified, in Jesus name, Amen!
 

ManiaStar

Senior Member
Nov 14, 2015
381
29
28
#8
The doctors couldn't find anything in 2006/2007, so you haven't been to one since for this?

I pray for health and wisdom for you.
Because 2006/2007 the symptoms only lasted for about a month and a half then it disappeared completely and it came back in 2013 but only sometimes when I was experiencing flare-ups with my medical condition. When the flare ups ended, so did the chest pain but this is totally different. What started last Thursday I thought was a flare up but the pain only stayed in my arms and shoulders thurs and fri then went away but the pain in my chest mainly persisted.

Last night, I had 2 glasses of oj. Usually nothing happens but within 5 min of finishing it, I had extremely bad chest pains, shortness of breath and felt very light headed. That feeling lasted about 15-20 min then it faded and although I still had slight chest pains, the other symptoms disappeared.

Usually about 20-45 min after waking up in the morning I begin to feel it again
 

ManiaStar

Senior Member
Nov 14, 2015
381
29
28
#9
Will pray, for sure. I'm not a doctor but your symtpoms are the same one that me and most people with anxiety disorders have. I usually have shortness of breath, chest pain and dizziness before a full blown panic attack. Thats why theyve never been able to diagnose you, the same problem i had. You poor thing, i hope and pray it leaves! Maybe lowere your stress for a few days.
When u get these attacks, do u have anything you can take or do to get rid of them? Do these last for more then a day? I don't understand what causes them. I'm not under a lot of stress right now even though 1 thing is bothering me but still can't see it causing this.
 
H

heydrewbert

Guest
#10
When u get these attacks, do u have anything you can take or do to get rid of them? Do these last for more then a day? I don't understand what causes them. I'm not under a lot of stress right now even though 1 thing is bothering me but still can't see it causing this.
Im suprises the doctors didnt bring this up to you. Usually, with all those symptoms together the first thing they would say is anxiety. There are a lot of meds for anxiety related problems but be cautious. Its so hard to really determine a cause for anxiety. If i were you, id just start reading up on anxiety disorders and the synptoms and try and see if you see a pattern. Because it is very hard to diagnose those symptoms, it could be a ton of diffdrent things.

im just saying though. Those are the big 3 of anxiety.
 
M

Miri

Guest
#11
You don't normally get pain in your hands, shoulder and arms with anxiety attacks.

You must go to see your doctor urgently, I don't wish to scare you but not all
heart attacks are full blown crippling pain falling on floor attacks. Not all heart attacks
affect old people.

There are varying degrees of heart attacks, some are very minor but they still cause
parts of the heart to due off as the blood supply gets interrupted. I have a friend who
got what he thought was indigestion and arm pain. Then he started to get breathless which
gradually got worse until at last his wife pursuaded him to see a doctor.

It turned out the pain earlier had been a heart attack and he has now lost about 20% heart
function. The breathless he had been getting since then was his heart struggling to work
as efficiently as it should.

As I mentioned earlier it could also be angina or irregular heat beat, it could also be any
number of other things, asthma, over active thyroid, a nutrition deficiency etc.

If you go to your doctor and they cannot find a cause, then you have lost nothing. However if you
don't go to your doctor and it's something serious, then you risk causing more problems.

I understand your request for prayer but there is absolutely nothing wrong with going to
your doctor.
 
K

kittycat7

Guest
#12
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
 
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
2,972
113
#13
if you just 'cut' sugar, salt' caffeine, this would be a great start...
 
1

1LonelyKnight

Guest
#14
if you just 'cut' sugar, salt' caffeine, this would be a great start...
Both dietary and lifestyle issues need to be addressed (for us all). Allergies should also be considered and mean removing food combos for weeks to verify. Environmental allergies from shampoo and fragrances to laundry detergent and the air we breathe need to be considered as do the "pollutions" of the internet, tv, radio and etc as well as toxic people and circumstances. Some demons only driven out by prayer and fasting - have posted on this in other threads. That said medical history including family is important and is to be taken seriously. The petitioners prayer for advice and encouragement are now in effect. Take it to the contemplative and meditative prayer also. May you get well as you seek godly counsel and heed sound advice.
 
M

Miri

Guest
#15
if you just 'cut' sugar, salt' caffeine, this would be a great start...
Thats good advice, a lot of people underestimate how much they effect you.
We went to decaf tea and coffee last year the difference was amazing.
 

ManiaStar

Senior Member
Nov 14, 2015
381
29
28
#16
Well, I went to see my neurologist on Tues. She did a full observation of me, different tests and what not. I told her about the chest pain with the pain in my arms and shortness of breath as well. Asked her what she thought it could be and if she thought it could be panic attacks and she said no bc the symptoms i have don't coincide w/ them.

She spent an hour w/ me to go over my other medical problem and funny enough, she said she doesn't believe that I have spasticity at all which my previous neurologist told me I had and kept me to that for 20 years but, she believes it's something else bc the tests she did on me, said none of them point to spasticity even tho I do have pain associated w/ that problem. She said she'd contact my previous neurologist and have all the medical records and tests forwarded to her.

She asked me, if need be, would I be willing to get more tests done including more MRI's, a nerve test and possibly a spinal tap.

But, she started me on some medication which is the same medication I was on for 9 yrs before it stopped working. She is starting me off w/ 30mg a day, or 3 pills a day. Funny thing though, 2 days after I started those pills, the pain in my chest started to decrease and yesterday, was the first time in a week, that I basically had 0 pain, I still slightly feel it but, its not nearly like it was. Today, same thing. Barely there so, I'm wondering if this medication has been helping me w/ the pain in my chest?? It hasn't done anything yet for the pain in my legs/hands yet but, this is an extremely low dosage.

When I stopped the pills back in 2007, I had been taking up to 21 pills a day.

This doctor is going to increase the dosage of these pills each week and I'll be around 30mg at the end of 4 weeks so I'm hoping they'll start to work.
 
M

Miri

Guest
#17
Lord we continue to pray for the OP that you will ease this pain completely
and give wisdom to her and the medical staff. Allow her to move on with her life
and not be hindered by illness or any disability.

Amen