Pain just under heart

[Flow]

Pain on the left side just under heart. What could it be? Heart Dr said: "no problems", was given Pariet for acid reflux (GERD) by another Dr after endoscopy result that showed mild to moderate acid reflux, but still feeling pain, it comes and goes, 5 to 10 min pain then 50 min nothing, this continues throughout the day. Could it be from IBS, a condition I have had for over 20 years or lack of exercise? 

[Sheryl]

Neither IBS nor lack of exercise likely to cause this.

 

Gastritis could, though. If it is this, taking antacids like Gaviscon should bring some temporary relief.

 

If it persists suggest seeing the GO doctor again.

 

I am assuming the heart doctor was competent and thorough, and that you have had a stress test. If not, another cardiology consult would be wise.

 

 

 

 

[dddave]

I had the same exact symptoms over the past year.  I did consult a cardiac clinic in Bangkok.  I had an EKG and cardiac MRI,  both of which indicated blockages though the Cardiologist did not think they were severe.  He strongly suggested a stress test and possibly, an Angiogram.   Money was an issue so I waited six months, putting those tests off until I had an opportunity to get to the US where I qualify for free veterans health care.  

I finally got to the US where further testing including a stress test and angiogram revealed 90% blockages in two arteries and 60% in the third...I was a walking time bomb.

I awoke from the angiogram with tubes down my throat  and the news I had required an emergency triple bypass.

Now, two months later, I can easily walk 2 miles a day with significant uphill portions feeling no discomfort whatsoever.

 

OP...Don't mess around as I did getting incomplete or ambiguous information.  Get the necessary testing done to eliminate cardiovascular disease. Yes, it could be acid reflux but do you want to bet your life on that?   Do not use a treadmill unless you KNOW it is safe to do so...not "probably" safe.

I was told in no uncertain terms that I was very lucky to get away with what I did.  I'm a fortunate guy.

Give yourself a break and get a proper diagnosis.

 

[lopburi3]

Quote

I awoke from the angiogram with tubes down my throat  and the news I had required an emergency triple bypass.

For OP:  in most cases you would be awake during an angiogram and if required blockage cleared with expanding insert and perhaps stent(s) inserted while you remain awake.  This was obviously not that simple and an emergency bypass operation was required to replace several sections.  In most cases of such blockage these days stents can be used and only an overnight stay for observation is required.

 

But until you have good cardio check you will not know - these problems often give little indication of being serious unless testing is done in a hospital setting (although chest pain is a wake up call for many - not all of us even have that, or have greater tolerance to pain).

[chiang mai]

Acid reflux and gastritis can be severely painful, it saw me in the ER on one occasion because of the pain, Pariet resolved the problem, it's not a constant pain, more intermittent.

[dddave]

28 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

But until you have good cardio check you will not know - these problems often give little indication of being serious unless testing is done in a hospital setting (although chest pain is a wake up call for many - not all of us even have that, or have greater tolerance to pain)

This is so true.  

One of the reasons I was complacent was my chest discomfort never seemed painful to me, more of a pressure than pain so I thought, how bad can this be? I had Nitroglycerin tablets but never felt the need to use them because the Doctor had said "These are in case you get severe pain" 

One really important indication that may (or may not) occur is chest discomfort at night when you are at rest or sleeping and wake up with it for seemingly no reason.

Another indication of it being serious is when the discomfort radiates into the shoulder, arm or both arms and strangely, the gums.

[impulse]

Rehash of my post in another thread today:

 

I did the same, at one of the big name hospitals in BKK.  EKG 2-4x a year and stress test each year for 3 years running.  Went in on a Friday because I knew something wasn't right.  Doc said no change on the EKG, so we'll see you in 3 months.  I insisted something was wrong and asked for the next level of tests.  

 

As a result, that Monday I had a triple bypass after they found one artery blocked 95% and another blocked 100% (I didn't think that was even possible- apparently it is).  This after the cardio guy gave me a clean bill of health.  Had I gotten reasonable care 3 years earlier, I suspect I would have gotten stents instead of a bypass.

 

Annual checkups are great if you can trust the results.  If they give you a warm fuzzy while something is eating you up from the inside, they're worse than useless.  They're criminal.

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/953674-are-annual-check-ups-just-money-making-for-the-hospitals/#comment-11334480

 

Best of luck to the OP.

Edited November 16, 2016 by impulse

[lopburi3]

Before we scare him too much - he may not have any cardio issues - but always best to check closely as this is something many of us will experience as we age and his other post requesting treadmill suggests he may feel he is out of shape (which cardio blockage can do).  

[Sheryl]

indeed, gastritis can closely mimic the pain of a heart attack or angina - so closely that even experienced ER physicians can't tell the difference until the test results are back in.

 

So entirely possible OP's problem is due to his gastric issues.  BUT must be sure that the cardiac evaluation which gave him a clear bill of health was sufficiently thorough.

 

An EKG can only tell if you are currently having, or have had, a heart attack,. It cannot tell if you are having pain due to insufficient blood flow to the heart and are on the verge of a heart attack. For that, a stress test should be done(if not contraindicated)  and if it indicates any ischemia next stop is usually an angiogram. In people with contraindications to a stress test imaging studies may sometimes be substituted.

 

I should add that the quality of a stress test varies. It is necessary that an experienced cardiologist be conducting it and that they push you far enough to get your heart really pumping - you need to reach your "maximum aerobic capacity".  In stress tests done as part of a routine physical sometimes they fail to do this and are too quick to stop because the patient says they feel tired. I have taken people to see cardiologists with stress test report in hand only to be told the test was worthless because it did not work the heart enough.

 

If OP's cardiac evalauation was not thorough he should at once consult a different cardiologist - if he indicates where he lives, will suggest one.

[impulse]

50 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

I should add that the quality of a stress test varies. It is necessary that an experienced cardiologist be conducting it and that they push you far enough to get your heart really pumping - you need to reach your "maximum aerobic capacity"

 

If that's the case, would it be wise to just forgo the stress test in favor of the imaging?  Is the imaging more reliable and are there caveats there as well?

[1FinickyOne]

It could even be from stress - - I used to get stress pains in my chest when I was in my 30s and in business - when I sold the business i never got them again...

 

STILL - absolutely no reason to fool around and not get your heart fully checked out...