Chest Discomfort with Abnormal EKG

[missessippy]

Hello!

Thank you for taking time to read my question

On several occasions over the past 11 years I have been hospitalized due to chest discomfort, abnormal ekg.  The first instance showed significant changes on the echo, but quickly cleared up after the dr. put me on steroids for pain.  After 2 days on steroids, was given a heart cath that showed normal.  They sent me home and said nothing was wrong, but S-T changes occurred at rest and the T-wave inverted at rest during stress test.  The pain in my chest never completely went away and about 6 months later became worrisome and I went to the doctor.  Again I was hospitalized with S-T changes, kept in the hospital over night and then sent home.  No tests were run.  I have continued to have the chest discomfort.  Sometimes worse than others.  In 2003 I awoke in the early morning with nausea and sweating.  While going to the bathroom I passed out.  When I came to, my heart rhythm was all over the place.  My sister took me to the emergency room where they immediately saw a-fib.  After about 2-3 hours they were able to convert me with medications.  They sent me home with beta blockers.  After about 6 months my dr. took me off the beta blockers and I did ok for a while, although I've continued to have chest pains that increase in intensity at times.  Over the years I had a couple of other episodes of a-fib, but I did not go to the hospital, I just used a lot of relaxation techniques and on one occasion used phenergan to make me sleep and it cleared up the a-fib.  A few days ago I went to the doctor because of a different chest discomfort.  This one was less pain and more pressure and was in the middle of my chest between my breasts.  I had been dealing with it for 5 days and wanted to get something to get rid of the pain.  My current doctor did an ekg which showed an inverted T wave.  She suggested I go to the hospital so I could have tests run.  I did, they ran blood tests, kept me over night and sent me home.  The following day I had a stress test and isotope scan.  Both showed normal pumping and no blockages in the heart.  

Can anyone help me figure this out?  Or at least tell me where I should go to figure it out?  Even though the typical tests are negative, maybe I need different test?  There is clearly something causing me discomfort and abnormal stress on my heart.  Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.  

P.S. My father was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy at age 54.  Thank you.

[ChatterAlly]

My EKG never come back normal anymore, but then it is not so abnormal that it warrants attention.  I have no idea what they mean by that.  I aksed what the Echo showed, but again, she wouldn't give me any idea and I didn't hang around long enough to find out.  I went left the hospital AMA.  Don't do that, that because I do not have a good answer as to why I am having these spasms. It is hard when they can't seem to find out what is wrong, but you know something is wrong! Pain is an indication that something is wrong.  I will be waiting to see another post from you soon and see that you get an answer.  Please let us know what you find out next.  Take care, Ally

[missessippy]

Hi Ally!  Thank you for responding.  Yes it's very frustrating!  The pain has changed a bit over the years.  The first episode was excruciating!  It was like a knife in my chest and made it very difficult to breathe.  That pain never completely went away, but it did diminish to more of a nagging pain.  It not really terribly painful anymore (only occasionally), but it's more of a squeezing type pain.  The discomfort I had the last time I went to the hospital was heavy pressure in the middle of my chest and occasionally had a faint burning sensation(not the reflux type burning but more of like a pinched nerve).  I don't know if that is anymore helpful to you, but hopefully it is.  

I have been convinced for some time that I've been having spasms, but the doctors tell me that it couldn't be because I don't have an elevated S T segment.  Do you know if your EKG showed elevated S T?  If not, was the EKG or were any of the tests helpful in getting your diagnosis?  I can't seem to convince any of the doctors that it's not my esophagus.  So to make everyone feel better, I'm having endoscopy and colonoscopy.  Not only am I frustrated, but I'm broke now, too.

Thank you again for your reply.  I hope you are doing better and are more comfortable.  

[ChatterAlly]

I have CAD & PAD. In 2004 I had the first of 2 or 3 heart attacks. (Long story there, so I am not going into that).  The first 2 confirmed heart attacks, I had a burning ache that radiated up to my cheekbones and down both arms.  Both times the tests showed only small blockages. (Not sure if the vessels are too small or the blockages are. Didn't ask) I have had 9 heart caths because of chest pains. I have gone to the ER I can't remember how many times now.  But this past April, I was having the same chest pains I had with my heart attacks for days.  I had gotten to the point that I didn't want to go back to the hospital because they always sent me home after a few tests and put me on different types of meds. But in April I could stand it no more.  Everyone in the ER treatment room was convinced I was having a heart attack, but the tests didn't show that.  While in ICU that night I was able to convince the nurse the heart monitor was going crazy everytime I had a chest pain.  She at first told me it was just "junk"  That I had moved. When I persisted, she took a closer look and saw that I was having vasospasms.  (Coronary artery spasms)  These have subsided for the most part because they were diagnosed and I was treated with the proper medicine. I am now taking a calcium channel blocker.  You don't describe the type pain you are having outside of pressure. Can you describe the pain a bit more?  I now how frustrating this can be.  Ally