Sharp pains in my heart! Help please!

[FutureNurse2005]

Its been a really long time since I have had these pains, and as of this past weekend, they are back.

When I went to the hospital last summer, they told me it was just heartburn. But I know that it is not heartburn!

I'm wondering what you all think it could be? I want to be able to go back to my Dr with some possibilities written down. I want this taken seriously.

The pains are very sharp and only in the area of my heart. It is difficult to breathe when they are strong. (the pain comes and is with me for hours, then subsides, then starts again)

My husband thinks I may have just pulled a muscle (but that doesnt explain why I've had these pains for about 4 years! I certainly havent been pulling that many muscles, have I?)

I'd really appreciate your help in this.

Thanks :)

[warrior woman]

Get your butt to the ER Pronto!!! Get it checked out. It may be minor, but then again it may not. Do you really want to take that chance??

[cinrn68]

Your pain could be anything from muscle spasms to gallbladder attacks -- either way, you should go get checked out if it's been recurring for that long!! I get pains in that areas as well, but I know it's not cardiac since it changes on inspiration. At the very least, make an appointment with your family doctor for a physical exam.

[zambezi, BSN, RN]

I agree that if they are bothering you, you should make an appointment and see your PCP or urgent care center. It could be so many differnt things. Do the pains feel any different from when you were dx'ed with heartburn?

Before you go, I would write down a couple of things such as:

When does the pain occur? (Night/day/anytime/with exercise/after food/at rest/with inspiration-etc.)

What does it feel like (and be descriptive)? (sharp/throbbing/pressure/with movement/weakness/fatigue/dull, etc)

Does it radiate? Where does it radiate to?

What makes it worse? (Eating/taking deep breaths/exercise...)

What makes it better? (Rest/ntg/hot packs/tylenol/sitting up/tums, etc)

How long has this been occuring?

Be sure to list if you have had any tests previously done (ekgs/scans/and gi workups)

Well, I hope that by now you are feeling better. IF it is your heart, don't mess around with it...it's better to get your pain checked out and have it not be anything than not get checked and have it be something...If you didn't like your last docs recommendations, find another practicioner to go to this time.

[girlfromtx]

mine probably isn't the same as what you are describing, but I have arthritis in my sternum, I think it's called chostrochrondritis, or something like that. It was really severe, and I thought I was having heart problems, until I went to the doctor. It usually pops up when I'm stressed, but just to be on the safe side I would get it checked out by a doctor.

[THEsunnygurl84]

Could be MVP (mitral valve prolapse) I get them whenever I have caffiene. The pain is super sharp and severe and i can barely breathe. Doctor said nothing they can do about it. You should still get it checked out.

[plumrn, BSN, RN]

I had a friend who had painful esophageal spasms. Dr prescribed sl ntg for her and it worked very well. But this was only after everything else was ruled out. Always treat it as heart pain, until it is definitely ruled out. Have you had a heart cath? See the doc again.

[jaimealmostRN]

maybe an Echocardiogram to rule out pericarditis or MVP? I hope you feel better!

[LydiaGreen]

Have you had an EKG with these visits to the ER? I know a woman who was told repeatedly over the course of nine or ten days that her symptoms were a GI problem... they weren't. She had had an MI. I would investigate further until you have a definitve diagnosis that makes sense to you.