1. < Digestive Health

Months of Chest Pain - Please help

Posted by capt209 @capt209, Nov 19, 2017

Hello all,

My name is Brandon and I'm a 34 year old male. I'm excited to get signed up on here and hopeful this may help my anxiety which is through the roof! I have been through ongoing chest pain for the past 4 months. The pain started off as a pinch on the left side of chest. It evolved into a pinch and pressure onto the right side of chest. It would be nearly daily, but didn't really get worse after meals or doing a lot of exercising. The pain then started radiating to my shoulders and sometimes into my arms but rarely. Now, it radiates into my jaw occasionally. I get a wierd fluttering in my chest occasionally when I lay down, but when i sit up and get doing stuff I don't realize it much. Now the chest pain mainly feels like pressure in my chest snd i get occsssional sharp pains on the lower portion of my ribs and sometimes on each side of my sternum. What could this be?

Here's what all I've had done....
CT scan of heart and heart echo - found i have a slightly dialated aerota at the base that they will monitor yearly. I also have a bicuspid aerota valve with moderate regurgitation. Cardiologist does not think my heart is causing the pains. I have no blockages at all and they aren't concerned at all of a heart attack.

I was scoped and found i have a moderate to large hiatal hernia and esophagitas. They also did a manometry test and found I was having esophogas spasms. I am set to have a bravo test this week to see if acid reflux might be the cause. I bet that will show that is the case because I've had acid reflux since my late teens / early 20s.

During my CT scan, they saw a slightly enlarged lymphnode...which i think was on the right side of my chest. They said they would recheck that in 6 months. I had a cold or infection during that test and had some congestion and they say that may of been the reason for that.

I have been on a proton pump inhibitor, zantac and tums as needed but i haven't really noticed much of an improvement on them, if at all.

I have back problems and a neck injury as well. They also think that may be the cause of the chest pain. I had an MRI which did not show any nerve compression but I am constantly battling neck and back pain, sometimes severe.

Any help would be appreciated,

Thanks all,
Brandon

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

jeanette527 | @jeanette527 | Mar 9, 2020
In reply to @amm97 "I’m 22 years old and have been having chest pain for the last 5 months. This..." + (show)
@amm97

I’m 22 years old and have been having chest pain for the last 5 months. This pain happens all the time, it’s a shrap stabbing crampy feeling. It starts in the center of my left chest and goes under my left breast. Along with the chest pain I have high rate (100-140). I have had multiple tests done including ekg, blood work, ct of abdomen, mri of chest, kidney ultrasound, echo and stress test, holter monitor. All these have come back normal and we are reaching a point where we don’t know what else to do. I’ve been put on different meds and they haven’t worked. They ruled out anxiety or stress as I have pain all day every day. I need help!!

Jump to this post

Perhaps you could ask about esaphagol spasms. Several times I thought I was having a heat attack bit tests showed I did not. My neighbor had similar and they told her in emergency it was a spasm. As I thought about it thinking of the way it came and went, I am pretty sure that is what I was experienced. It is just a thought for you to think about.

REPLY
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Mar 9, 2020
In reply to @amm97 "I’m 22 years old and have been having chest pain for the last 5 months. This..." + (show)
@amm97

I’m 22 years old and have been having chest pain for the last 5 months. This pain happens all the time, it’s a shrap stabbing crampy feeling. It starts in the center of my left chest and goes under my left breast. Along with the chest pain I have high rate (100-140). I have had multiple tests done including ekg, blood work, ct of abdomen, mri of chest, kidney ultrasound, echo and stress test, holter monitor. All these have come back normal and we are reaching a point where we don’t know what else to do. I’ve been put on different meds and they haven’t worked. They ruled out anxiety or stress as I have pain all day every day. I need help!!

Jump to this post

Hello @jeanette527, your post to @amm97 was interesting. I did some searching on Mayo Clinic's website and found this information about esophageal spasms. Here is the link, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/esophageal-spasms/symptoms-causes/syc-20372250

@amm97, you might want to read the link and see how it fits your symptoms.

REPLY
jeanette527 | @jeanette527 | Mar 9, 2020
In reply to @amm97 "I’m 22 years old and have been having chest pain for the last 5 months. This..." + (show)
@amm97

I’m 22 years old and have been having chest pain for the last 5 months. This pain happens all the time, it’s a shrap stabbing crampy feeling. It starts in the center of my left chest and goes under my left breast. Along with the chest pain I have high rate (100-140). I have had multiple tests done including ekg, blood work, ct of abdomen, mri of chest, kidney ultrasound, echo and stress test, holter monitor. All these have come back normal and we are reaching a point where we don’t know what else to do. I’ve been put on different meds and they haven’t worked. They ruled out anxiety or stress as I have pain all day every day. I need help!!

Jump to this post

Thank you. That was interesting. I have had them about three times in 15 years. I could tell it was a spasm the way it relaxed as it went away, the pain disappeared immediately when it relaxed. it lasted about 15 minutes and at night. They are very painful

REPLY
ZeeGee | @fourof5zs | Mar 9, 2020
In reply to @amm97 "I’m 22 years old and have been having chest pain for the last 5 months. This..." + (show)
@amm97

I’m 22 years old and have been having chest pain for the last 5 months. This pain happens all the time, it’s a shrap stabbing crampy feeling. It starts in the center of my left chest and goes under my left breast. Along with the chest pain I have high rate (100-140). I have had multiple tests done including ekg, blood work, ct of abdomen, mri of chest, kidney ultrasound, echo and stress test, holter monitor. All these have come back normal and we are reaching a point where we don’t know what else to do. I’ve been put on different meds and they haven’t worked. They ruled out anxiety or stress as I have pain all day every day. I need help!!

Jump to this post

@amm97 Esophageal spasms could be your problem.. usually happens in older people though. Mine were diagnosed through a barium swallow test. Other test are mentioned in the link Teresa mentioned. I have two places where there are spasms.. just beyond the back of my throat and where the esophagus meets the stomach. Sometimes Zofran for nausea helps and sometimes valium helps. Sometimes they just have to pass with time. It seems if I try to do something physical.. like the the laundry .. when having the spasms that the spasms get stronger. Valium seems to help the most when the pain is strongest. I take a pill and lie down on my side and try to relax and usually within an hour or so things are better.

A hiatal hernia can cause similar pain, but that would show up in the ct scan you had. If you have not seen one I would suggest you see a gastroenterologist since heart problems have been ruled out.

ZeeGee

REPLY
amm97 | @amm97 | Mar 9, 2020

I’m 22 years old and have been having chest pain for the last 5 months. This pain happens all the time, it’s a shrap stabbing crampy feeling. It starts in the center of my left chest and goes under my left breast. Along with the chest pain I have high rate (100-140). I have had multiple tests done including ekg, blood work, ct of abdomen, mri of chest, kidney ultrasound, echo and stress test, holter monitor. All these have come back normal and we are reaching a point where we don’t know what else to do. I’ve been put on different meds and they haven’t worked. They ruled out anxiety or stress as I have pain all day every day. I need help!!

REPLY
8 replies
russellbeard | @russellbeard | Mar 9, 2020

Hello all! I am still having chest pains. The pain is in my chest more to the left side down my arm up my neck and now into my shoulder blades. Just had a heart cath and the doctor said he hopes his arteries are as clear as mine. This is getting very aggravating and painful. I go to see a neurologist and have an MRI in two weeks. I’ve been dealing with this for three years and it’s gradually worsened.

REPLY
ken82 | @ken82 | Mar 10, 2020

You should see a GI Doctor too... stomach and GI gas can send all sorts of messages..

REPLY
baz10 | @baz10 | Mar 10, 2020

Having similar issues recently, the primary care physician ordered x-rays of shoulder and back and they showed problems with the left rotator cuff and scoliosis of my spine. Was told that when one has scoliosis, the spine will pull to one side and therefore the ribs will hurt. With the rotator cuff issue, it will also cause pain in the neck. I have been going to physical therapy to help with the pain. Not saying this is your problem but it sure helped me. BAZ

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Mar 10, 2020
In reply to @baz10 "Having similar issues recently, the primary care physician ordered x-rays of shoulder and back and they..." + (show)
@baz10

Having similar issues recently, the primary care physician ordered x-rays of shoulder and back and they showed problems with the left rotator cuff and scoliosis of my spine. Was told that when one has scoliosis, the spine will pull to one side and therefore the ribs will hurt. With the rotator cuff issue, it will also cause pain in the neck. I have been going to physical therapy to help with the pain. Not saying this is your problem but it sure helped me. BAZ

Jump to this post

@baz10 I appreciate you sharing your experience. It seems like there can be a lot of reasons for chest pain, other than the heart. It is always good to know about these other conditions.

REPLY
baz10 | @baz10 | Mar 10, 2020

That is so true.Am currently wearing a holter monitor for 30 days, and tomorrow will go have an echo stress treadmill to rule out other things, AFib as well Have a heart syndrome called LGL which may have been present since birth, but over the years (45) have done well with a beta blocker to keep the heart rate down. Am able to do most anything..So many symptoms over-lap so it is good to get checked out. Take care.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.