chest pain, nausea and tingling down right arm when walking

[raffa123]

i am 38 year old male with a 20+ year history of gastric reflux. for the past week i have been experiencing nausea, chest pain (middle or right side), and tingling down my arm whenever i walk. it is worse when i walk uphill or carrying a bag. i have seen 3 doctors now, and they dont seem to have a clue, and keep wak\nting to rule out heart disease - however tests reveal that i "in all probability" have a healthy heart and lungs (i am an ex-smoker), and vital signs and bloodwork reinforced this. they now want me to see more heart specialists but seem to be ignoring my long history of stomach issues (reflux, stomach cramps etc). most recently, my doctor gave me a drug that blocks the prouction of sulphuric acid in the stomach.. it has been 2 days now and although my symptoms dont seem to be as bad as they were a couple of days ago, i still experience them. it is not normal o feel this way when you are just taking a walk. i fear that doctors really don't know what they are looking at and ignoring key syptoms (symptoms) - chest pain (right side mostly),right arm tingling down to the fingers, neusea and feeling that i want to vomit. can you tell me what this is?

[selmaS]

Hi....I wish I had the answers for u......do u have IBS?......did ne of the drs suggest ur vagus nerve may be involved?

It is good to rule heart disease out....I had testing done and it is  a relief to know my heart is fine.

Also have ne of ur drs discussed ur diet and lifestyle?....with changes to both u may see more relief to some of ur symptoms.

"selma"

[SurgiMenopause]

I believe the reason the docs are thinking  heart is because of how you are describing your symptoms.  

For example, on mercksource, a com website it says:
"Angina is a type of heart-related chest pain. This pain occurs because your heart is not getting enough blood and oxygen. Angina pain can be similar to the pain of a heart attack.

Angina is called stable angina when your chest pain begins at a predictable level of activity. (For example, when you walk up a steep hill.)"  

An article by Kaiser Permanente states:
"Angina is the term used to describe pain, pressure, heaviness, or numbness
that occurs behind the breastbone or across the chest. It is caused when there
is not enough oxygen reaching the heart muscle. The pain caused by angina may
radiate to the upper back, neck, jaws, shoulders, or arms. It may be brought on by stress or exertion and is relieved by rest and the use of prescribed medications."

It also says: "The pain of a heart attack is usually more severe than angina...." "Other symptoms that may be present include sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, weakness, or indigestion."

On Texas Heart , an org website there is the following question and answer:


"What can I do about my right arm and chest pain?
Whenever my heart rate rises from exercise or even walking, I have numbness, tingling down my right arm and sometimes right chest pains. I have had this for 10 years, but it's been getting really bad the last 2-3 years. I'm a 28 yo male. I have had weight changes in the last 3 years of weight 385 to 300. I thought it was a shoulder or nerve problem, but I've seen 7 doctors with no results.        

submitted by Timothy from Everett, Washington on 7/6/09

Answer:
by Texas Heart Institute cardiologist, Roberto Lufschanowski, MD
Your symptoms do not suggest heart disease.  

One possible cause is the "thoracic outlet syndrome". This can be assessed with simple Doppler studies. It is more common with exercises using the right upper extremity."

I hope they discover the cause of your symptoms!

[raffa123]

A quick follow up -
Turns out this was coronary heart disease. I now have a brand spankin new stent installed and feel 100%. My indigestion has gone away too!

[selmaS]

Congratulations on the stint and the loss of ur indigestion.

It is good to hear u found the root problem and had it taken care of.....it can be frustrating when symptoms overlapp.

I pray u have continued good health
"selma"

[SurgiMenopause]

So glad they got to the root of the problem and you feel so much better!