Went to ER, Had Lots of Pain!

[Warfarinking]

Hey all, I got my aortic valve replaced on July 12th of 2010 at the age of 21 for a mechanical one. So, I am now on 6mg of Warfarin and 25mg of Metropolol. About a week ago i was feeling some pain and discomfort around my heart area which within an hour or so transffered on over to the top of my stomach/bottom of chest. So i was in the ER laying down hurting a lot ( worse pain I've ever felt) and it also felt like It was hard to breath. After a few tests it turned out it was some severe heart burn/muscle spasm now this is the first time it has happened to me an I'm afrad of it happening again. The Dr at the ER let me know about some over the counter medicine that can help with this, would anyone know what it might be? Now i know there are tons of heart burn medications out there but I'm sure there are some that might not
mix well with Warfarin/Metropolol. Please, if anyone knows let me know! I really never want to experience pain like that again. Thank you

 

[texasmike]

A hiatal hernia will cause pain like that, but please have it checked out by your cardiologist. If it is some acid reflux regurgitation, the ER probably recommended Prilosec OTC, but before you take that check it out with your heart doctor.

 

[Warfarinking]

Hey texasmike, thanks for the prompt reply! My DR knows that I went to the ER and asked me what had happen, I then explained it all to him and left it as that. So, my question is, there is nothing I can possibly take that can help me with the pain without having to get ahold of my DR?


edit: Also, for stomach aches could I take Pepto Bismol?

 

[Lynlw]

I agree with Tex, they probably suggested prilosec. That helps with heart burn and reflux, often they tell you to take it for 14 days,(once a day) its isn't like a tums or pepto that you take when it starts to hurt. You can buy it with out a script. I Don't know if it reacts with your meds, but you can do a search.

 

[Freddie]

I was told to use Zantac 150 when needed. There seemed to be no interaction with Metropolol or warfarin, at least that is what I was told by my surgeon during my early days of recovery.
This stuff works in about 20 to 30 minutes.

Take Care

 

[Luana]

Probably would be a good idea to check the drug here.

 

[Warfarinking]

thanks everyone, I think i'm going to go ahead and take some Pepto-Bismol Oral Suspension and see if it helps this stomach pain I've been having today!

I checked if Pepto-Bismol mixed well with Metropolol and Warfarin and it seems fine, only thing that came up was this:

"METOPROLOL (in Metoprolol Tablets) may interact with BISMUTH SUBSALICYLATE (in Pepto-Bismol Oral Suspension)

Bismuth subsalicylate blocks the production of chemicals known as prostaglandins. Certain types of prostaglandins cause the muscles inside of blood vessels to relax (also referred to as "vasodilation") and promote the elimination of sodium and water by the kidneys, both of which lead to a decrease in blood pressure. Although it does not seem to directly alter the blood pressure-lowering ability of metoprolol, bismuth subsalicylate may lessen the overall benefit of using metoprolol because of its effect on the prostaglandins. Your doctor may want to monitor your blood pressure if bismuth subsalicylate and metoprolol are taken together on a regular basis. If you are experiencing problems, your doctor may consider adjusting the dose of bismuth subsalicylate.Discuss this potential interaction with your healthcare provider at your next appointment, or sooner if you think you are having problems.

This interaction is poorly documented and is considered moderate in severity."

 

[Freddie]

Maybe you should have phoned the pharmacy before taking the Pepto

 

[CATDOG]

Well that kind of IS an interaction. The other 2 choices above would be probably be better choices. Check with the pharmacist.

 

[johnp]

yep I had that too. Went to the ER as well. In my case it seemed related to the meds I was taking on an empty stomach.

 

[CATDOG]

How often/when do you have to take the metroprolol? The warfarin? If they are only once a day, and perhaps quite a while ago today, then maybe negligible interaction with only the one dose of pepto tonight, but seriously, go to the drug store for something better tomorrow. Pepto is only temporary help at best. Prilosec is more of a longer-term solution, but not necessarily a quick fix.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hey all, I got my aortic valve replaced on July 12th of 2010 at the age of 21 for a mechanical one. So, I am now on 6mg of Warfarin and 25mg of Metropolol. About a week ago i was feeling some pain and discomfort around my heart area which within an hour or so transffered on over to the top of my stomach/bottom of chest. So i was in the ER laying down hurting a lot ( worse pain I've ever felt) and it also felt like It was hard to breath. After a few tests it turned out it was some severe heart burn/muscle spasm now this is the first time it has happened to me an I'm afrad of it happening again. The Dr at the ER let me know about some over the counter medicine that can help with this, would anyone know what it might be? Now i know there are tons of heart burn medications out there but I'm sure there are some that might not
mix well with Warfarin/Metropolol. Please, if anyone knows let me know! I really never want to experience pain like that again. Thank you

There are several types of OTC medications for treating Heartburn, ranging from mild to fairly powerful.
Typical antacids such as Tums, Rolaids, etc. DO interact with Coumadin / Warfarin and should not be taken with 2 hours of each other.

With that much discomfort from possible / probably Reflux, it would be wise for you to be evaluated by a GastroEnterologist to determine the Root Cause. IF you have a damaged / mal-functionion Lower Esophageal Sphincter, you will probably need long term medication such as a Proton-Pump-Inhibitor (PPI) e.g. Nexium, Prilosec (generic form is Furosemeide) or something a bit less powerful such as Pepcid (generic form is Famotidine) or one of the many OTC products.

Bottom Line: You really should get evaluated by a GastroEnterologist to check your digestive system and to learn more about Reflux, it's triggers (caffeine, nicotine, alcohol?, peppermint, etc.) and how to use diet and life-style changes (avoid Tight Pants/Belt, raise the head of your bed, etc.) to prevent future episodes.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Paleowoman]

I have a hiatus hernia which causes steady pain high in chest and heart area and kind of radiates into the jaw - what sets it off is generally related to something I've eaten. Dietary changes certainly help...in fact I don't take meds for it anymore as dietary changes have virtually eliminated it except for occasional spasms.

Another thing which can cause extreme pain and interferes with breathing is Precordial catch syndrome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precordial_catch_syndrome This is more usual in young people - but adults can get it. I used to get it right up until my early 30's.

I think these things should definitely be investigated by your doctor.

 

[Warfarinking]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Im overwhelmed to see so many helping hands! I actually had some pain around my stomach yesterday that lasted about 10hours...I found myself burping a lot and walking would just make the pain worse so I just took some pepto and slept till the morning. I called my DR about taking the pepto bismol since the back of the
bottle mentioned somethin about notifying your DR If you were on blood thinners. Soon after he gave me the ok I took two full cups of it (the one that comes with the pepto), one around 8pm and since it was hard to sleep through the pain I went on and took a second dose at 2am~ which did the trick. I also found myself throwing up a bit in the middle of the night, thankful it's all gone now and I can go ahead and attend class. I find it kind of odd that this is going on I've never had problems like these and I have no idea what's triggering them! I see my DR again in April so I will be letting him know in detail more about it. Thanks everyone I really do appreciate all these great comments!

 

[Warfarinking]

I told my INR DR about the pain I was feeling in my stomach area and she recommended Mylanta (replacement for Pepto-bismol), what do you guys think? I don't see my Cardiologist DR till April 28th and I feel like my stomach is starting to hurt once again.

 

[KristyW]

No Pepto! You have a mechanical valve right? Pepto (BISMUTH SUBSALICYLATE) is very close to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). Us mechanical valvers are not supposed to take aspirin unless directed by our doctors (low dose, enteric coated). If you are experiencing stomach issues, aspirin and compounds like it are NOT to be taken as they are extremely hard on the stomach and esophogeal linings and can exacerbate any possible ulcer. Time for you to throw out the pepto Call your Dr or cardio and follow what they recommend.

 

[Bryan B]

Probably would be a good idea to check the drug here.

I was going to say the same thing as Luana. You can go online and check drug interactions for just about any drug on the market. I have mild acid reflux and take Zantac 150mg twice a day, but there are stronger meds out there now for people with worse reflux problems. It is really a good idea to check any medication you take (OTC or prescribed) for interactions with the other meds you are taking, and obviously...if you are not sure check with your doctor.