CHEST PAINS

[ChiariMSwithPOTS]

Hi Everyone,

I haven't been on this message board for a while. Life, as it does sometimes, gets hectic. One of my lasts posts I mentioned that my doctor was weaning me off Clonidine, because he thought it was the cause of the Clonidine. Well, I was off Clonidine for about 3 months and my phlebitis didn't change. So I went back to him and my BP was up and my HR was up, so he's like, "Time to go back on the Clonidine." And I agreed, because it's no fun to have your heart racing and I felt more comfortable on the Clonidine. Now, to the vent at hand, since I started Clonidine again, the last two days, especially today, like a half dozen times, I've gotten chest pain!!! I mean pain that makes you say, "WOAH!" and it's very uncomfortable. I don't know if this is because I'm adjusting to the medicine again or not. I think I remember back when I first started on it, that it happened a few times like that. I mean we all have chest pain from time to time, even when I wasn't on any meds, and it's a royal pain, because your first instinct is to grab your chest, LOL, it does look a little funny to see that from someone else's perspective. But it's only quick pains, so you know you're not having a heart attack, but still! It's so annoying. Has anyone found any quick fixes for chest pains or have experienced chest pain while starting on a medicine for the first few days? Let me know I'm not alone. I need you guys. Thank you in advance for the responses.

[morgan617]

My chest pain is from various things, so I have to do different things for it.

For instance, when it's esophageal, and it gets bad enough, I will take a levsin. It has to be pretty bad though, because it gives me the trots.

For muscular pain I find doing my own little accupressure works. Since I have fibro, i know where the trigger points are and will apply pressure there and it usually helps.

There are times, though, I have no idea what kind of chest pain I am having. I don't like that one, it bugs me. I just wait it out, because I have no idea what to do for it.

Do you use the patch or the pills? The patch is released more evenly and slowly so you don't the spike from it that you could with the pill. Other than that, I just don't know. Hope it gets better soon though! morgan

Edited January 9, 2006 by morgan617

[Guest Belinda]

I get the most horrendous chest pain and some things I have found to help are moist heat (like rice packs heated in microwave).. I too get different kinds of chest pain esophageal and just chest pain that I have no idea where it comes from..because it is never been heart related as many times as I have had ekg's and nothing really shows up.

Yes this can be very frustrating, it has been a major symptom for me for about a year along with s.o.b.

and when you go to Er all they are worried about is that it isn't cardiac then look at you dumb like why are you in there.

[persephone]

I've been so badly affected by this that my GP thought I was having an angina attack- at the ripe old age of 23! No one has ever bothered to find out exactly what causes my pain. It's worse when my pulse is irregular- I feel the ectopic beats a lot, but on rare occasions they are excruciating- like my heart has been squeezed really tight and is throbbing in pain. That sends pain right through to my back like someone has run a spear through me from between by breasts. I hate that. It makes me feel dire.

My GP says there's a rare type of angina that can affect young people and is caused by spasm rather than blockage- which coincides a lot with what I experience.

My Cardiologist says the Ehlers Danlos causes this pain. He did a scan when I was rushed in last time and was looking to see if my aorta was ok- apparently it's more common for the aorta to rupture in EDS folks. But my scans are ok (thank goodness). I've been offered no other explanations; told it's just another POTS/Persephone thing.

The only thing I can suggest is kick butt codeine stuff. I usually just have to stone myself with the strongest painkillers I can find.

[biatecki]

Ive had dysautonomia/POTS for 5 years now and have daily severe chest pain that no-one has ever given a reasonable explanation for . Both times I tried Clonidine my chest pain got worse.I have still to find a medication that helps.The pain is heavy and crushing and acts like Angina but I have clear Coronary Arteries so no-one takes it seriously....

Margaret

[mom4cem]

Hi,

I also have esophageal type chest pains and chest pains that I don't where they come from and of course, good old chest tightness. That last one can happen from anxiety, heart racing or just all on its own.

[yogini]

I think chest pains are "just" a symptom of POTS. You can have them even though your EKG, echo, etc. are normal. I definitely get them sometimes. They were bad when my POTS first started, then they went away for several months once I got on atenolol. They have started again since I have reduced my atenolol, but they aren't as bad as they used to be. Scary, though I know!

[Gena]

I get chest pains often. Only on my left side. My heart muscle actually hurts sometimes...feels like it's squeezing very hard, as someone else on this thread mentioned.

I also have pain where my chest area joins my arm pit and often into my left arm. Often feels like I'm having a heart attack.

My cardio at Mayo explained the theory why POTS patients get chest/heart pain and I'm having too much brain fog right now to remember it exactly...something about the heart and a substance/chemical that's released which is the same as that of someone having a heart attack and this substance can cause the chest pain. It was something like that anyway. I'll have to ask him again next time I talk to him.

The scary part for me is that I just never know whether to try and ignore it and not panic or if this is REALLY it and I'm having the BIG ONE!! After the pain passes, I am thankful that I didn't go to the ER, but I just never know whether it's serious or not. Very frustrating!!

Gena

[ChiariMSwithPOTS]

THANK YOU ALL FOR RESPONDING!!!!

DOCTOR IS WEANING ME OFF CLONIDINE. IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S THE CASE THIS TIME, OR IT'S A GOOD GUESS. I TOOK ALL OF YOUR SUGGESTIONS.

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR RESPONSES!!!

[Sunfish]

i don't have much to add but just wanted to say that it's good to "see" you drop by. and i'm glad that you've talked to your doc.

the worst chest pain i've had is actually when i'm really bradycardic...including a hospitalization when my HR wouldn't come out of the low 30s....it was NOT fun. i get other chest pains that feel more like cramps here & there, and definitely heartburn (which is distinctly different for me) but the brady pain was the worst...

lastly, i don't want to overdramatize things and we all know or own bodies the best (or at least try to) but more importantly for others down the line, new folks, etc. (more so than those that necessarily are already familiar with various chest pain) i do want to reiterate that one should never automatically assume that chest pain of a new size/shape/form is "just POTS". okay...done with my "see your doctor" rant.

melissa