What is Chest Pain?

[Abbanabba]

I feel chest pressure (or maybe it's a dull ache without throb) that subsides after a while--maybe a half hour?--of laying down or stretching out in the recliner. It feels like if I don't get my bra off my chest is going to burst..

Wow - that's exactly the feeling I've been having the last few months - and often I will go take my bra off, which seems to help a little. I too was wondering if it was something more sinister than just a tight strap, although it wouldn't seem to make sense that the same bra would seem fine one day and incredibly restricting the next. I've also had days where I feel like my whole chest is constricted (like having a huge bear hug, or someone laying their full weight on you) and it's just hard to breathe easily full stop.

I tend to just sit it out and do some deep breathing exercises until it goes away. Sometimes laying down with my arms above my head also helps - it seems to "open" things up and let the the air through easier.


Cheers
Anna : )

 

[Guest]

*chuckles*

Oh man...I guess I messed up this thread, didn't I? PJ...my sincerest apologies....

To answer your Q, PJ, nope...don't think so. I've never lived in SF...and I've never worked in Chicago.... Any idea whereabouts in Elgin the person lived? [More off subject: Those of you in Chicagoland and have access to any of the local news stations...no, I don't know the guy who was murdered, but the kidnapping took place 2 blocks away from our house....]


Betty....no worries, my dear . I just thought that statement was a wee bit humorous. Hope I didn't embarrass you at all...that wasn't the intention....

*sighs*

Braless would be nice....

*grins devilishly*

 

[Rebecca]

Hi P.J.,

I am from Saginaw MI and now lived in GA. I have trouble with my systolic pressure. When it always was 140 to 170 I was having chest pains, chest pressure (full chest), I felt like I had a bowling ball on my chest and total fatigued. For almost two years my chest has felt normal with the right drugs and a lot of prayer. I do feel tired on days when it?s 103/63. My doctor wants it low so my heart doesn?t have to work as hard. When my chest felt full I also felt that I could not take deep breaths and at night when I got home I would take my bra off and lay down. Ten years ago I was moderate aortic regurgitation. Just had other echo and I?m moderate /severe. In 6 months I go in for another echo.

 

[bvdr]

Cort, you know it would take a lot more than that to embarass me.

Ladies....you don't think we should add another selection on the poll regarding valve problems?.............Bras?

 

[hayden]

Cort, you know it would take a lot more than that to embarass me.

Ladies....you don't think we should add another selection on the poll regarding valve problems?.............Bras?

after having being a EMT for 20 years and teaching CPR for 10 years, chest pain is accompied with sweating, sick at your stomach and pain in the left arm.........

other than that i think you women just have your back brace (bra) on too tight!!

 

[PJmomrunner]

*chuckles*

Oh man...I guess I messed up this thread, didn't I? PJ...my sincerest apologies....

To answer your Q, PJ, nope...don't think so. I've never lived in SF...and I've never worked in Chicago.... Any idea whereabouts in Elgin the person lived? [More off subject: Those of you in Chicagoland and have access to any of the local news stations...no, I don't know the guy who was murdered, but the kidnapping took place 2 blocks away from our house....]


Betty....no worries, my dear . I just thought that statement was a wee bit humorous. Hope I didn't embarrass you at all...that wasn't the intention....

*sighs*

Braless would be nice....

*grins devilishly*

It all seems on point to me! No, I don't know where he lived. Why was daddy a philanderer?

 

[PJmomrunner]

Hi P.J.,

I am from Saginaw MI and now lived in GA. I have trouble with my systolic pressure. When it always was 140 to 170 I was having chest pains, chest pressure (full chest), I felt like I had a bowling ball on my chest and total fatigued. For almost two years my chest has felt normal with the right drugs and a lot of prayer. I do feel tired on days when it?s 103/63. My doctor wants it low so my heart doesn?t have to work as hard. When my chest felt full I also felt that I could not take deep breaths and at night when I got home I would take my bra off and lay down. Ten years ago I was moderate aortic regurgitation. Just had other echo and I?m moderate /severe. In 6 months I go in for another echo.

I know that, in general, one cannot feels one's blood pressure (hence the "silent killer" description) but before I was on a beta blocker if I felt chest pressure my BP was always high. Now I feel pressure even though it's not high. My best guess is that it's more of a structural fatigue thing. I spent a lot of time on by feet today and I feel it. Somehow I think my aorta and maybe my heart muscle too just get tired--ache in the muscle itself. I don't know...

 

[Guest]

Cort, you know it would take a lot more than that to embarass me.

*grins*

Yes, I do .


And...PJ...I don't understand your Q about Daddy being a philanderer...?

*shrugs*

Sorry .

 

[Marguerite53]

Similar complaints

Similar complaints

Hi. I too experience most of what has been described here. Still in moderate AS with BAV. Waiting, waiting.....

The reason I'm dropping in is about the GERD and Stress comments. For me, now that I've changed my diet and have much MUCH less stress, the lump in my throat and stabbing chest pains have gone away. Plus I began BP meds. Which of the changes actually alleviated my symptoms, I'll never know. And now I'm adding a new annoying symptom -- PVC's.

But! What I wanted to suggest was what I know has made a diifference for me. I've cut out lots of carbs. The really carb/sugary ones -- white breads (most bread and cake or flour like things -- gone!), white rice, overprocessed cereals, bananas, potatoes, carrots. I was hoping to lose weight ( ha!) but instead, my digestive system has improved immeasurably. My GP thought the symptoms might be gastro related, and in fact, they seem to have been.

South Beach diet (I'm not on it, but the book has a lot of good info) talks alot about the high sugar index carbs. Glucose index. Maybe it's just my metabolism, but maybe it would be useful to try to avoid some of those kinds of foods.

An interesting thread -- thanks for starting it. Sounds like many of us women would like to harken back to the "burn the bra" days. Heaven knows I would!!

Marguerite

 

[PJmomrunner]

*grins*

Yes, I do .


And...PJ...I don't understand your Q about Daddy being a philanderer...?

*shrugs*

Sorry .

Bad Joke. You asked if I knew where Mr. Lamp lived. I was implying that you wanted to know where he lived in case perhaps his mom was a neighbor daddy might've visited--you know, 'cuz you two look alike.

 

[PJmomrunner]

Hi. I too experience most of what has been described here. Still in moderate AS with BAV. Waiting, waiting.....

The reason I'm dropping in is about the GERD and Stress comments. For me, now that I've changed my diet and have much MUCH less stress, the lump in my throat and stabbing chest pains have gone away. Plus I began BP meds. Which of the changes actually alleviated my symptoms, I'll never know. And now I'm adding a new annoying symptom -- PVC's.

But! What I wanted to suggest was what I know has made a diifference for me. I've cut out lots of carbs. The really carb/sugary ones -- white breads (most bread and cake or flour like things -- gone!), white rice, overprocessed cereals, bananas, potatoes, carrots. I was hoping to lose weight ( ha!) but instead, my digestive system has improved immeasurably. My GP thought the symptoms might be gastro related, and in fact, they seem to have been.

South Beach diet (I'm not on it, but the book has a lot of good info) talks alot about the high sugar index carbs. Glucose index. Maybe it's just my metabolism, but maybe it would be useful to try to avoid some of those kinds of foods.

An interesting thread -- thanks for starting it. Sounds like many of us women would like to harken back to the "burn the bra" days. Heaven knows I would!!

Marguerite

I'm on the Ornish diet--low(almost no)fat, vegetarian. I also limit sodium to about 1500mg/day. It's not high in protein like South Beach, but it's about as low in "bad carbs" as possible.

It is nice to know there would be a bonfire if we decided to burn the bras!

 

[Guest]

Bad Joke. You asked if I knew where Mr. Lamp lived. I was implying that you wanted to know where he lived in case perhaps his mom was a neighbor daddy might've visited--you know, 'cuz you two look alike.

*scratches chin*

Hmmm....alrighty....

 

[KimC]

Cardiogenic Pain

Cardiogenic Pain

Betty, Marguerite --

Because I'm a "WISE" woman, i.e., study participant in the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation study funded by the NHLB, I'm asked a standard set of angina-related questions each month. (I'm taking a study med to see if it reduces my symptoms over a period of 16 weeks).

To evaluate the cardiogenic pain, the researcher asks where I experience the "chest" pain, (I typically experience it "traveling" in the left side of my neck, jaw, under my left breast or upper arm and sometimes in the center of my chest with pressure);

-- what triggers it, (prolonged moderate exertion or extreme emotional stress ... I rarely wake up with the pain). The trigger point question has sub-levels such as, "do you experience chest pain when walking across the room, walking up a flight of stairs, carrying groceries or playing sports ..."

-- how long does it last and what relieves it, (can last up to 10 minutes, rest or nitro always relieves it but nitro relieves it faster);

What I've learned is that "valvers" can experience chest pain after lifting heavy objects because it puts pressure on the brachial artery leading to the aorta and heart.

I've been told to rest for 10 minutes after experiencing the pain, then continue whatever I was doing. In contrast, if someone with atherosclerosis has a known blockage, then stopping the activity that triggered the pain is appropriate.

I've also been told that if rest or nitro doesn't relieve the pain or pressure after 10 mins, then calling 911 is OK. I've never had to do this, thank God.

Hope this helps.

Best,

 

[PJmomrunner]

*scratches chin*

Hmmm....alrighty....

Okay...REALLY bad joke. I'm sorry.

 

[PJmomrunner]

Betty, Marguerite --

Because I'm a "WISE" woman, i.e., study participant in the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation study funded by the NHLB, I'm asked a standard set of angina-related questions each month. (I'm taking a study med to see if it reduces my symptoms over a period of 16 weeks).

To evaluate the cardiogenic pain, the researcher asks where I experience the "chest" pain, (I typically experience it "traveling" in the left side of my neck, jaw, under my left breast or upper arm and sometimes in the center of my chest with pressure);

-- what triggers it, (prolonged moderate exertion or extreme emotional stress ... I rarely wake up with the pain). The trigger point question has sub-levels such as, "do you experience chest pain when walking across the room, walking up a flight of stairs, carrying groceries or playing sports ..."

-- how long does it last and what relieves it, (can last up to 10 minutes, rest or nitro always relieves it but nitro relieves it faster);

What I've learned is that "valvers" can experience chest pain after lifting heavy objects because it puts pressure on the brachial artery leading to the aorta and heart.

I've been told to rest for 10 minutes after experiencing the pain, then continue whatever I was doing. In contrast, if someone with atherosclerosis has a known blockage, then stopping the activity that triggered the pain is appropriate.

I've also been told that if rest or nitro doesn't relieve the pain or pressure after 10 mins, then calling 911 is OK. I've never had to do this, thank God.

Hope this helps.

Best,

Your triggers are precisely mine as well, but I only get the pressure type pain. All of this discussion has served me very well to decide that I do in fact have "chest pain".

 

[Mary]

Kim,
Your information about the brachial artery is very interesting. It helps explain why, when I stop what I'm doing, the feeling of pressure goes away.
I'm glad that you're participating in the study, because we all might receive answers to our questions through your experience.
Thanks Kim!
Mary

 

[Ross]

And...PJ...I don't understand your Q about Daddy being a philanderer...?

Did some ask for me?

Oh yeah, +1 for Hayden!

 

[Rebecca]

Kim,

In the past I have experience chest pains after lifting heavy objects. I try not to lift anything heavy. I do low impact aerobics, but I never push my self. About three years ago I read the book "The King of Hearts". I found it at the library. It?s about the pioneers of open heart surgery. Before there was heart surgery children with heart disease were told to take it easy. In the book they tried to bleed large dogs to do surgery before there was a heart lung machine. I?m still in the waiting room.

 

[Marguerite53]

Thanks, Kim.

Thanks, Kim.

Kim. That description fits me also. I have significantly cut down on my stress level (the annoying heart arrythmias were like the straw that broke the camel's back......they are/were driving me crazy) and noticed that the angina as you describe it is virtually gone. I do not experience it with exercise at all (though I don't really push myself that hard). I do experience it with lifting (the first realization at the top of the stairs 3 years ago with my 85 year old father after we had hauled up a very heavy trunk and were both breathing so hard that we fell into hysterical laughter and then were hacking and wheezing like two old cronies!! I really felt the radiating sensation then. A very funny moment, but it did get my attention!)

Here's a new, rather odd question. When I lean over, say, to get something under a bed, or vacuum a low place, I get a very odd pressure sensation in my ears. It's as if I'm ascending in an airplane. And then there is a little squeal in my ears, or a very high hum. As soon as I right myself it disappears. Am I going nuts? Any thoughts?

Thanks again PJ..., for starting this thread. It continues to be quite helpful.

Marguerite

 

[bvdr]

Here's a new, rather odd question. When I lean over, say, to get something under a bed, or vacuum a low place, I get a very odd pressure sensation in my ears. It's as if I'm ascending in an airplane. And then there is a little squeal in my ears, or a very high hum. As soon as I right myself it disappears. Am I going nuts? Any thoughts?

Thanks again for starting this thread. It continues to be quite helpful.

Marguerite

Marguerite, I don't think you are going nuts at all. I know I used to feel like my head might pop off because of all the increased pressure in my head when I would bend forward. I know others here have experienced the same thing. I had mentioned it to my surgeon and he said it wasn't the first time he had had a patient describe it that way.