Chest Pains And Cardiac Mri

[Gemma]

Hi everyone! I have a question about cardiac MRI or MRA. I have been experiencing some chast pains everyday for past month or so. Before it was only like couple of times per week. I got off midodrine and started Flurinef and the pains decreased a little, but still experience them. Does anyone know if midodrine can cause more chest pains? And if it does what does it mean? Also, i asked my cardio doc to do cardiac MRI for me but she says that to know for sure if I have any blockages and thats why I have pains would be to do catherization CT scan. I dont really want to do any of that because of the risk factors and do not want to do CT scan because just recently had one done at ER, a chest CT scan, so that would be too much radiation. However, she doesnt want to send me for an MRI becuase says that it will show only limited information and this is not an apropriate test to do. Any advise one this issue. I had so far, regular stress test, echo stress test, like 10 EKGs, 2 echos, all results are normal. I am 31 years old and they tell me that if my stress test is negative my likelyhood of having a cardiac problem is less then 1 percent. She does consider doing catherization or ct scan as an option, but doesnt want to do mri. I am trying to argue that with her, becuase everywhere online it says that cardia mri or mra does show if there is any blockage in the arteries. All these cardio docs tell me it is not my heart, but I am so sared everytime I expirience the pain and feel like I should be going to hospital everytime, and I have been there like 8 times before for chest pains and found nothing. Any advise on this issue please. Thank you everyone!!!

[derekliz]

I was having the same kind of pains....er visits and all normal. When in the er, I insisted that they do more tests so they did a calcium score (which came back 0) and a CT angiogram which came back normal. I was told it was a gi issue. Long story short, my previous pcp told me that pain from the gi area can radiate and feel like heart pains amd wanted me to try Gaviscon or Mylanta when I was having the pains....I did and sure enough....it helped. Went to a GI dr for testing and turns out that I have reflux (not typical heartburn pain) and Barretts Esophagus.

Hope all will be ok

Liz

[Freaked]

I get a fair amount of chest pain/discomfort. Unlike you my cardiologist didn't even do a stress test cos I'd had one six years ago for chest pain while running, and I had to push for a ct angiogram. I'd also had a chest ct, but I looked up how dangerous cts are and apparently you have to get like 30 to increase your cancer risk significantly. The scan was apparently clear but I really had to get one cos of my lifelong history of pains - I was afraid I had congenital artery abnormalities. It's always a risk/benefit weigh up but the scan does offer some peace of mind about some things. I personally wouldn't risk the cath though unless there were indications for it.

[Gemma]

Hi freaked, so you saying ct scan is less dangerous then catherization? I am just so against ctscan because of radiation, thats why i wanted to do an mri, but my doc says that mri will not show any blockages. So, she is saying if i worry that much do a ct scan or catherization. I read that ct scan is like 50 or more xrays, which is a lot of radiation.

[andybonse]

The ct scan is the best non invasive way to see blockages,

I have the EXACT issue, but when I exercise on the floor I dont get the pain at all, so I put it down to POTS.

I've had, Ecgs, stress ecg, echo, cardiac mri/mra, 24 hour ecg, bloods all normal. Im 22 and was offered the ct if I really really wanted but they didnt want me to have it. Now I exercise on the floor I know its not heart blockages as position would not effect it.

However, if it bothers you so much, ct scan is a good way and the radiation is worth it if your going to be constantly thinking about it for the rest of your life.

[corina]

My cardio insisted on doing a heart cat so I had one. No blockages were found, just a low pressure in left chamber. A few years after that I was told by my ANS doc that's typical in POTS. I was glad to have had the heart cat so that I didn't have to worry about blockages. Hope you will find the answrs you need Emma!

[andybonse]

a 31 year old female is at low risk of heart disease.

family history? smoking? obese? etc.. all factors to be considered.

But again, if you get chest pain and your cardio suggests a ct scan, get it done. Better than waking up in hospital needing surgery or not waking up at all.

[Gemma]

Hi andybonse,

How did you convince our doc to do mri/mra for heart. I aksed for it and at first she said ok, but then ordered wrong test, not cardiac but regular chest mri. I called radiology department and they said she needs to submit more info to do cardiac one. Today i spoke to her and now she is telling me that cardiac mri will not show anything, like it will not show if there are blockages anywhere in the coronary arteries. She said that she would either do catherization or ct scan to see for sure. I still asked her mri but she keeps on telling me there is no point. I think she screwed up something when initialy ordered a wrong test and probably either insurance doesnt approve it or something else. So, i wounder how your cardiologist agreed to do the test and did he say that it will show if there are any blockages.

[andybonse]

I live in the UK and paid private, but could of done it free but would of been a longer wait.

I did the MRA to check my coronaries are in the right place as you can be born with them in the wrong place and cause angina.

It wont check for blockages, there are special ways to try but only done in studies,

I would opt for ct angiogram if I thought it may be blockages, its non invasive and accurate.

[Gemma]

I really dont want ct scan because i just had one done for my chest 3 month ago and now another one, too much radiation. But I know that catherization is even more invasive. The problem is that all other doctors do not want me to do any of those tests, they do not see a concern. But she is saying since i keep complaining about my pains for so long and all other tests are normal next step would be catherization. I aksed her for other options but her reply was that she risk her reputation and would do that test to make sure. So after these words, i dont even think i trust her anymore. She is only 39 yrs, which is very young for cardio doc, so i am thinking maybe she is just afraid and want to cover herself. I saw other 2 cardio docs and they said it would be crazy to do cath or ct scan for me.

[vemee]

I often get chest pains when working on something especially when lifting. These are substernal and last long after I stop the activity. I know that they are not sore muscles. In January during one of these episodes I thought I was having a heart attack. Went to the doctor and was tested with a nuclear stress test and an echo stress test. Everything was normal. I had a catherization years ago and that was normal. When I went to my pots specialist I told him about the pains. He gave me an autonomic test where you blow into a tube (I forgot the name of it, maybe valvsalva ) and my bp dropped dramatically. He said that when I strain I have an autonomic reaction which drops my blood pressure which reduces the flow of blood to my heart. Yesterday I picked up a dog food bag and sure enough it felt like the life went right out of me. I was nauseas, some palpitations and just a little pressure, this lasted half a day. Other times I can do the same activity and have no problems.

[Gemma]

Hi everyone. Wow I am suprised so many people here had catherization done. I am really scared to do it after reading all the risk factors of it. I will consult with another doctor probably.