I'm Going To Rip My Heart Out Of My Chest!!

[houswoea]

okay. Seriously. Seriously. I would rather just take it out and get a new one. It hurts. so much. I can deal with a lot... not standing on my own, fine, fainting, fine, everything else, fine! But I can't deal with the chest pain anymore, it hurts so much!! My gp says see the cardio, my cardio says see the gp, they both say don't come back we have no more ideas, and it just hurts so much and I don't know what I'm going to do!!!

I can't deal with this pain anymore!! It hurts and I can't make it stop!!

[Justpots]

The chest pain is my worst symptom. The pain was so bad today as I was driving my kids to the dentist that I was wondering what to do and whether to go to the hospital. Tonight it is bad too! I have never fainted so I can only imagine how bad that is for many POTS sufferers. It is going to be one of those tossing and turning nights trying to ease it. I take a hot water bottle to bed, helps sometimes!

[potsgirl]

I'm so sorry that you're in such pain. I certainly wish there was a secret or something I could tell you to take to overcome it, or at least tame it down a little. Have you been to a specialty clinic yet? Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, etc? That may be a good choice for you if your doctors have nowhere to go anymore and you're still in such pain.

I'm sending soothing thoughts and positive energy your way, and a gentle ((((((hug))))))

Cheers,

Jana

[babettess]

This might sound crazy, but have you had your vitamin D level checked? The lower my vitamin D level was the more chest pain I had. My pain was in the center of my chest around my breast bone-a horrible unrelenting pain. Since I started taking a Vitamin D supplement, my chest pain has almost completely disappeared. When I first started taking it, I could tell the day before it was due because the pain would come back and leave again the day after I took it. My doctor increased my dose and now I only have the pain if I forget a dose. I take 50000 IU twice a week.

I hope you get relief soon and your doctors are able to find out exactly what is causing your pain. I just wanted to share my experience since it was a relatively easy fix.

Babette

[Birdlady]

In addition to vitamin D, I would also get your potassium levels checked especially if you are taking florinef or anything else that will waste potassium. The important thing is that even if the potassium is "normal" but at the bottom of the range, that can be low enough to cause chest pain in some people.

I went to the ER once because I was having this terrible chest pain that would not go away for 2 weeks. Got my electrolytes checked and sure enough my potassium was 3.3! I essentially went to the ER for low potassium.

[lieze]

I wonder if this is angina?

There is treatment for that.

If it wouldn't interfere with your POTS I would ask about whether your doctor thinks you could be having angina.

When I was reading the info on ivabradine it was talking about treatment for stable angina and the fact that people with stable angina have very high heart rates.

We could be getting some of those problems with our POTS.

Something to think about.

[houswoea]

Thanks everybody. Interesting ideas! When this happened the first couple times, my friends dragged me to the ER and they would check my potassium and take an EKG, so I'm assuming that rules out angina or potassium deficiency. I take those Flintstones vitamins... do you think that's enough vitamin d?

I got to mayo on september 8th. I'm hoping they don't just tell me I'm fine too, because then I'd seriously have no idea what to do.

[Birdlady]

Thanks everybody. Interesting ideas! When this happened the first couple times, my friends dragged me to the ER and they would check my potassium and take an EKG, so I'm assuming that rules out angina or potassium deficiency. I take those Flintstones vitamins... do you think that's enough vitamin d?

I got to mayo on september 8th. I'm hoping they don't just tell me I'm fine too, because then I'd seriously have no idea what to do.

Don't assume this. I didn't know my potassium was low until I got the results from the hospital myself a few months later! They didn't even bother telling me they were below range. Doctors are notorious for this stuff as I've had this happen to me more times than I can count. I have to take rx potassium to keep my levels up, so a Flintstone vitamin probably isn't enough if you are low. For vitamin D, it's important to check it first before supplementing. The D3 form is better to take than the D2 form.

[HelpPOTS]

The other day my heart was hurting so bad and had trouble breathing, that I went to the Emergency room. Doc did a Cat-scan of the chest and sent me on my merry way. Although he told me to follow up with my doctor because there was a nodule? in the upper part of my chest. Any ideas? Also siad there was some fluid on both sides...

[HelpPOTS]

a

[houswoea]

Huh... I had a nodule on one of my scans once, but it went away. They said it was just a sign of infection of something and nothing to worry about.

[comfortzone]

Keep on task in getting your answers -- be it Mayo, CC, Vanderbilt - there is always always a new tack to try, a new plan to make, a new face to see ~ truly we are the only ones that limit how much we'll do to get answers..........if we are blessed with insurance & means - a huge blessing that is for those that have it. So I'd try to fight for what you deserve - a happy life with as much clarity on your symptomatology as possible ~ with the best treatment options to improve your quality of life. Yes we get tired, tired and confused, tired and weary of the path .... but the only way to truly lose is to get off the path or give up. So please hang in there - I've said a prayer for your pain to ease......& for answers and solutions.... Best wishes!