Chest Pain

[Fiddlchik]

Hey all - Long story as short as I can make it... dx with POTS last June, have been doing better in that I can work and function pretty well, though I still have bad days, as we all do. Lately (as in the past few monts_, I've had a big increase is chest pain. It feels like pinching right over my heart - left breast area, you get the idea. Sort of like a mild charley horse in my chest, then a residual ache. It doesn't seem to happen when I'm active - I can do yoga without it flaring up, but then sometimes I'm just sitting there or driving and OW!! It doesnt' feel like heartburn (I've had that in the past).

I have had an echo, several EKG's, worn the holter monitor, had a couple stress tests - all negative. I'm now scheduled for an angiogram, but my cardio has pretty much admitted that he doesn't know what's going on. I like him and all, and he seems competent - just has no idea.

I'm not asking for dx from anyone out there, just if anyone has had a similar experience with these kinds of pains, and what they turned out to be. I like to proactive in my car (thank goodness, otherwise I'd still be taking epilepsy medication.. but that's another story..) so I'm doing all the research I can.

BTW - I'm 25, and my only illness is POTS - aside from that, I'm apparently healthy as a horse. A horse with chest pain, that is.

Thanks everyone,

alana.

[juliegee]

Hi Alana,

Yep, I've had some pretty strong chest pain, too and I'm in excellent shape cardiovascularly- is that a word? After good EKG's and echo's, my internist said not to worry. No explanation for the pain except that it is a symptom of POTS. Just another something to live with. Occasionally, I get a different chest pain, where it hurts to breathe in. When this happens, I take a Singulair and it goes away immediately. That must be allergy related. Thought I'd mention that in case something similiar is happening with you.

Julie

[lthomas521]

My doctors (who is also a nephrologist) said that in my case, the pain comes from the heart "beating on empty chambers." In other words, the heart doesn't get a chance to refill properly between beats, because the blood isn't getting back to the heart fast enough. (I'd already had an echo, etc.)

If so, then the answer is to expand your blood volume more and wear waist-high compression stockings. Maybe a beta blocker to slow your heart rate will help with this.

[pat57]

well, might sound odd, but. If you wear an underwire bra. Ditch it, and see if you get better.

[kmpower]

I get pain in my left chest only at rest and I figured out finally that it is my posture and muscle habits. I am right-handed, but I do a lot of things with my left hand so the left muscles are strong. But I had a left shoulder injury years ago and I thought there was no residual problem once it healed. It turns out some of the muscles are tighter in my left pect area after that injury and when I slump and am still they pull a bit.

I move around and I forget about it until it happens again the next time.

Empty chamber pains? I never heard of that, but it makes sense that there would be a strain of some kind from that abnormality.

OLL

[JenniferInOhio]

I, too, have had many episodes of chest pain. Before I was diagnosed with POTS, I had been to the ER for chest pain many times over an 8 year span thinking I was having a heart attack. I've had tons of ekg's done as well as echocardiograms, a stress test, and holter tests.

Now, instead of panicking, I try to remind myself that none of my chest pain episodes have been anything significant and I am still here.

I don't have any solutions, just wanted you to know that I have been there many a time.

[SunsetParadise49]

well, might sound odd, but. If you wear an underwire bra. Ditch it, and see if you get better.

That's not odd at all...I have noticed that my chest pain and chest tightness acts up more when I'm wearing an underwire bra.

[MightyMouse]

I was having pleuritic pain (inflamation of the plura--lining of the chest)...and also having nerve pain from a irritated nerve root in my neck and upper back. A nerve study (emg) showed problems--and the pluresy was diagnosed based on history of inflamation, pneumonia, asthma...and occasional ability to hear the "rubs" that the plura makes when it gets stuck to itself.

If you've not been checked by a neurologist for the pain, that might be one to at least check off your "to do" list--I didn't have pain with movement or following exercise, but I did hurt more in the mornings, likely from my spine getting out alignment whilst sleeping.

Sounds like you've certainly ruled out the worst possibilities, like heart attack or blockage.

Nina