Months of Chest Pain - Please help

I think you have all ready found what is causing your problem I have had two ulcers in my life one when I was very young did not know that I had it until I got very sick but later when I was about 29 I agreed to participate in a study for a new medicine to protect the stomach because I had had a previous Ulcer but half way through they had to take me out of the study because I started to have pain, part of this hole thing was that I had to have a lot of scopes before I went on the trial medicine and during but when I started having pain they did one early and found that I had a ulcer so they took me out of the study started me on some antibiotics and after a few weeks it went way I had two more scopes to make sure it was gone but the pain would even go into my teeth sometimes into my shoulder this is only what happened to me it wouldn’t hurt to have your doctors look closer also you my want to try some Pepto Bismol when you are here those pains at least you know if’s your digestive System it won’t hurt to try I hope that this helps in someway good luck keep looking if it’s not your stomach then make them get you a good cardiologists to look at everything you have had done

Thank you , right now they haven’t checked for GI issues. Unfortunately my ex primary doesn’t want to do any further testing. I recently switched and she would like for me to do PT and if it doesn’t help they will try other options.

Thank you I will ask my primary maybe to see if this can help.

Good morning Brooke. I could not let your posts go by without a question. Have you been evaluated for endothelial dysfunction? You should look at this. It can trigger cardiac spasms, as well as other spasms throughout your body secondary to ischemia. The spasms come and go. Unfortunately if the cardiac spasm ( large vessels or small) sustains itself long enough, the ischemia can cause heart damage and can be lethal. It’s hard to diagnose, and is very frequently misdiagnosed. It requires specialty cardiology. It can be treated. Good luck!!!

For most of my adult life I had a large hiatal hernia. I am now 75. About a year ago I started to have events of severe pains just below my left rib cage. They were spasm like and caused pain to radiate like an arrow through my body to my back and then across my upper abdomen to the right side. Occasionally the spasm would be in the rib cage around my heart. After a half hour to an hour the pain would totally disappear. The events were not triggered by eating large amounts of food or even any specific food. Sometimes just a drink of water. After many scans, and tests by cardiologists and gastroenterologists that proved negative I was referred to a surgeon that specializes in laproscopic hernia repair.

I had laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair and Toupet 270 degree fundoplication surgery in May of 2020. It was life changing for me! I wish I had been able to do it sooner. First of all the hernia repair corrected a large hernia that was causing all of the pain by allowing my stomach to penetrate my diaphragm. Secondly the Toupet fundoplication (done at the same time) resolved all of my acid reflux problem so that I no longer must take Omeprazole or any type of ant-acid. I eat normally. I have no issues swallowing or burping which can be a problem with a traditional 365 degree nissen fundoplication.

I am very grateful to Dr. Cobb for the time he took to explain everything and answer my questions and for his skillful intervention. https://www.clemson.edu/health-research/faculty/clinical-professors/cobb.html

Perhaps your large hiatal hernia is the problem. I hope you find the cause of your pain and it can be resolved.

Do you need a referral? A lot of insurances don’t need one anymore. I would inform the doctor that you are requesting to go to a cardiologist and if they deny you they will be held responsible. Try to bring someone in the room with you.
I had chest pain, not exactly like yours, but bentyl 20 mg, or a shot in the hospital, worked for me. Good luck.

Hi Brandon, yes you have a type of Gerd, does not matter if you do not eat anything you still get that tight chest radiating arm tightness. I have tried everything from over the counter F d guard which helps a little now and then. There is nothing a Dr can prescribe that works. I was diagnosed at Mayo in Rochester with Funtional Dyspepsia which is a main cause also. The only thing you could ask for is propanol to release the anxiety of it. A lot of us in your same situations take this. I feel bad you are so young. New life style do not smoke, no carbonated drinks , small portions of food..There is no cure, sorry. Ask for propanol and read up on Functional Dyspepsia. Good luck.

Hi @brookeg19, I wanted to check in to see how you are doing and if you’d seen the helpful responses you received from fellow members like @upartist @2longlife @triciapet @lvon and others.

Have you started PT?

Your situation and mine are almost identical except I'm not taking anything for it. My symptoms seem to come and go at times and every time I've been to the doctor for it they tell me my heart sounds fine and they ran an EKG on me ( also good), even time I've had my cholesterol checked they say it's in that perfect zone. I've done everything I can think of to get the symptoms to stop ( I've lost some weight, eat mostly healthy foods, try to keep my stress down) nothings working. I'm 38 right now and have been dealing with this since I was in my mid teens, it almost feels like a full on heart attack at times but I'm still here gripping about having the worlds longest heart attack. I hope you can get your symptoms under control.

Has any doctor suggested a diagnosis of anxiety disorder? The symptoms are pretty classic, especially with all the testing luckily coming back negative. Anxiety can cause physical symptoms and be very disabling. My best to both of you and hope you feel better soon.