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Are My Pains Really Due to Angina?

by thermal_dave, Feb 25, 2008 06:10AM
I have been diagnosed with partially blocked heart arteries, and am waiting for a triple by-pass operation. My symptoms are not typical of angina though as I get no chest pain, only a stitch-like pain across both shoulders when I walk any distance, which is relieved by rest, and often by burping. I don't get shortage of breath, and the nitro spray I was given has no effect. This pain prevents me from getting much exercise, which caused me to go to the doctor in the first place, and I originally thought it was due to my hiatus hernia. I have had an stress tests and angiogram, and the doctors say I do need the operation, but I am worried that I will  but still experience these pains afterwards because they are not due to angina, but my hiatus hernia. My doctors are not sure why burping helps relieve the pain. Am I having a type of angina?
Many thanks.
Member Comments (2)

by thermal_dave, May 25, 2008 11:21AM
To: Follow up
Just in case anyone ever reads this because they have the same symptoms... I have now had my CABG operation, and have started to take exercise, and the pains I talked about in my first mail have not re-occured.  My symptoms were very unusual in that even the surgeon who is top in his field in the UK was unsure whether the pains I was experiencing (like cramp across my shoulders when I walked more than about 100yds), were due to atypical angina or to my hiatus hernia, because when I rested I would burp a couple of times and the pain would go away..only to resume if I carried on walking.  It was fortunate that my doctor sent me for heart tests 'just in case'. As I mentioned in my original mail, the usual anti-angina meds did not work at all (spray or drugs), there was no shortage of breath with the pains, and they were never in my chest when I walked. However not only did I need a quadrupal bypass in the end, but the surgeon found evidence of a previous minor heart attack which was probably disguised by the 'heartburn' of the hiatus hernia. Hiatus hernia can confuse symptoms and cause complacency, so take care.

by dawn56, May 25, 2008 11:49AM
To: thermal dave
Well done for getting through the by-pass, i had a triple in 1991.The smae thing happened to me ,we thought it was indigestion because i am female and was only 32 yrs old at the time and on there insistance for me to have more tests and angioplasty it was discovered that i have heart disease hence the by-pass.Once again well done and heres to a good and speedy recovery.Take your time and take care
  Dawn
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