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Avatar universal

Chest Pain, Nausea, Shortness of breath, shoulder pain, arm pian....

I am a 37 year old male in good physical shape. I have on and off in the past year had chest pains. I recently went to the ER because it had become severe and in fact scared me. I woke again this morning at 2am my chest was very tight I could not get a deep full breath, pain in my right shoulder, dizzy, light headed, nausea, and sweating with the A/c on. The pain and shortness of breath are still with as I write. When i went to the ER last weekend the EKG was normal, blood work said my heart enzymes were fine. chest x-rays fine... Can I be having artery issues as this runs deep in my family? Would clogged artries cause these symtoms?

I have to admit i am scared. I have never smoked. Do ot drink. Eat well. My father is having severe problems with clogged arties now, as did my grandfather. My grandfather had his first heart attack at 35 and then again at 37  and 5 more between the ages of 65 and 75, my grandfathers brother died of a heart attack as did my great grand father. My own fathers troubles are with his arteries and circulation.... Please if anyone can give advise I needed it... thank you..
16 Responses
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Avatar universal
...my question too Brat...what in the Earth anthony did not start a new post?:(
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
what your biggest problem is from what little info you give is the "i do smoke" part.  do your baby a favor and quit.  if you are able to get to a doctor, explain how you feel, he may order you some tests to help determine the actual physical problem.  ERs are a great tool for actual heart attacks, but not to diagnosis conditions.  ERs are not designed to be a general clinic.

and offhand, why did you choose to pick an old dead post and tag on this question?  seems odd.
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Avatar universal
well 6 months ago i had these sharp pains i picked up my son to put him in bed when i put him down .my body locked up with pain short breaths, i thought i was going to die next day went to the ER was there for 4 hours said i was ok just caused by stress sent me home. now i have that pain again i cant cough it hurts to much cant bend over or pick nothing up i am 30yrs i do smoke whatz wrong with me
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129317 tn?1189755821
Thanks for answering Bips question so thoroughly.  I'm new to the patient-to-patient forum myself, and went through a lot of the recent posts and wondered why some were so critical of Jack54......now I get it.  To start off with, I'm not from Alabama and have never gone by or been known as Jack (LOL).  His response to Ireneo was quite and unneccessarily sharp, considering she was stating something that was quite nice.  And as you mentioned, having read Jack54's other posts, he sounds very pleasant and that would seem to be quite out of character.  But as a newbie, I won't take on previous problems with others and hope very much that you all get this resolved one way or the other.  Thank you all for your comments.....I've been a frequent follower of the doctor-to-patient forum, but have already gotten as much comfort/info from this site.  Take care!
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154765 tn?1237247944
bip
Im glad you take cared of yourself.  I learned you have one body and you need to take care of it no one else can. Eat healthy, execercise, don't smoke, ( I should stop smoking) try everything to prevent it. After my dad died believe me I was scared of it happen to me. Everytime I feel chest pains I go right to the doctors and it's my anxiety but I don't agnore it. Im glad you saved your life and you didn't agnore it. I think if my dad went and didn't agnore it he would be alive today it was 13 years ago but Im still sad!!!
Take care....
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214864 tn?1229715239
Bip, I had one heart attack in 2003. I have been in and out of hospitals since then. 5 stents and 9 cardiac catheterizations. Each stent represents coming close to another heart attack.

I have an inherited condition called hyperlipidemia (super high cholesterol and triglycerides) and can't tolerate statins. Dr. Krasuski at the CC, told me that my cholesterol was going to kill me. He prescribed Lescol, the weakest of the statins. I haven't tried it yet, but will.

Off to Denver for 11 or 12 days. Take care of yourself,

Jack
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214864 tn?1229715239
So sorry to hear this Bip. Is it a wonder that heart disease (heart attacks) are the #1 killer of women and men? The "medical system" requires that you take responsibility for yourself. I cannot stress this enough for peeps posting here with chest pain.

I hate to sound like a preacher or know-it-all, but I have paid the price for this knowledge, in that you have to listen to your own body and know when it is time to act. I have rode in more than a few ambulances. Each time it saved my life. I have avoided 5 probably massive heart attacks.

Angina is not hard to distinguish. It is probably a pain you have never experienced. It is saying "my tubes are stopped up" so please see a cardiologist, or take 2 aspirin and call 911., before you have a heart attack.

Women experience angina different than men most times I think. Study up on these symptoms ladies :)  (lots of nausea and vague pains like an ache in the arm or shoulder)

Be wise,

Jack
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154765 tn?1237247944
bip
Take care of yourself!!! Thank you so much!!!
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154765 tn?1237247944
bip
I agree... It's a warning my dad had a warning for 3 months and he didn't do anything and had a massive heart attack....
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154765 tn?1237247944
bip
Im lost what is going on? I read the post from you to jack
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216258 tn?1189755827
maggiemag
6/7/2007
C1 . Hi Jack, how ya doing? How are the grandkids? Hope you finally get fixed.
Jack54
6/7/2007
C2 Maggiemag Thanks for the well wishes Maggie. Though I think you have the wrong Jack54, lol. I don't have children so I can't have grandchildren :) You are the RN, right? How are you? Fine I hope.

Jack
viennaustria
6/7/2007
C3 . We remember you from your last life Jack.
ireneo
6/7/2007
C4 . Caution: what if?. . . .
va_tony
6/7/2007
C5 Jack54 Aren't you the same Jack that used to post on the HeartCenterOnline CAD board under the aliases pilgrim, OKD, okydokey, dixierocks, etc.?
Flycaster305
6/7/2007
C6 Jack54 I'm glad to hear from you, Jack. You and I indeed are sort of becoming 'posture children of stents'.

I got stent #6 and #7 the same day as you had your procedure. It was necessary for me to have cataract surgery, one eye May 2, the other eye May 16. I was cleared to work out a week after the second eye was fixed, and I experienced extreme SOB on a X-trainer at the fitness center. I knew what that meant, went directly to the Cardiologist who put me into a stress test which I flunked. I had two 85% blockages in the RDA that were given stents, and it was found that restinosis is occuring in my LAD stents, they were cleaned as best that they could be cleared. (These were non-medicated stents, by the way; my medicated stents show zero blockage).

I'm told I'm no longer a stent candidate because of the resinosis and there is no room left given my twisted heart arteries, it's bypass next. Nuts. I'm told to expect bypass soon, and I'm asked to continue to work out to help determine when that will happen. I intend to continue to work out as best I can and keep my heart as healthy as possible. I'm very fortunate, I have a Cardiologist who is part of a teaching hospital team and head of Cardiology at a heart trauma Hospital center and am getting wonderful advice/service.

It is indeed good to hear from you, and look forward to your posts, and wish you hearth-health, and glad you are OK. Your advice to the person who had the cath was on the money!
Jack54
6/7/2007
C7 Flycaster305 Well, overall your news isn't too good because of the procedure that you are waiting on. I guess that is all I have to look forward to myself, and that is if I am lucky :) Geeze we have both seen them starting to walk, after CABG down the hallways. I have not once seen anything but fatigue and bewilderment on their faces. I don't know but it disturbs me.

Cataracts...I have them also, but they are not "ripe". Wow, stuff just starts falling off of us as we age :) I missed my ophthalmologist's appointment to go to Cleveland. Maybe I can see him in a month or two.

Sorry to hear of the stent limit....My better half asked me about that the other night. I had no answer. You'll be fine I really hope. We shouldn't be worrying about it. Lets enjoy everything, lol.

Take care,

Jack
jim62
6/7/2007
C8 Jack Hmmmmm. You had a wife and a daughter and a grandboy before, as I recall. Perhaps all your many and varied heart problems have affected your memory capabilities...Really good to see you back up to speed, though.
Jack54
6/8/2007
C9 Austria, Vatony I have never heard of the web site mentioned. I have always heard that it's a small world, but in this case I don't think it's as small as you think, lol.

As far as I know, this is the only life that I have had. I would like to have a chance at a longer life. That is why I come here.

I am glad to meet you, even under these weirdest of conditions. I haven't the slightest idea why I am being confused with someone else. Maggie, above, has asked about my grandchildren. This is all very strange.

I have addressed this oddity for the last time. If you meet your friend, you should try Maggie's approach in greeting him. The point blank not too friendly approach is lacking good character.
ireneo
6/8/2007
C10 . The similarities are almost frightening I'm sorry to say. But it's very possible there's more than one "jack" in Alabama with multiple stents and CHF. Whatever and however, I'd prefer to let old jack RIP. This jack seems quite pleasant. Let's just take it from here and now. (I know. . .I'm an idealist and softy)
Jack54
6/8/2007
C11 . Lady who or whom are you talking to? Do you realize just how rude you are being? Is this the twilight zone? Let Jack RIP? I have only trid to be nice to you. Maybe I shouldn't have called you Irene? Are you insane?

Ok, the similarities are almost frightening I'm sorry to say. But it's very possible there's more than one "ireneo" in Timbucktu with multiple stents and CHF. Whatever and however, I'd prefer to let old ireneo RIP. This ireneo seems quite pleasant. Let's just take it from here and now. (I know. . .I'm an idealist and softy)

How does that make you feel?


viennaustria
6/8/2007
C12 . you know Jack you did fool my once, but you cant no more...you are just as Jack ,Okidoky..etc...as I am Vienna V. Vee Zsa Zsa your old HCO friend...sorry we came here and spoiling your time.....just you to know non of us from HCO can believe you are not our Jack.

Why did you do itJack? When you 'died' I so hoped IT WAS NOT TRUE, but I believed it was....

I think even Flycaster 305 might be you...
Jack54
6/8/2007
C13 . This is all so unreal. Goodbye nutty Austria!
jim62
6/8/2007
C14 Jack This is not unreal, Jack. What was unreal was you coming onto the hcol board (as your wife), reporting that you had blown your brains out. What a mess that must have been. Yep, there were a few that believed you, a few that were unsure, and many that were pretty sure it was a hoax. Given your track record on hcol, nothing could really be a surprise. Who could forget you striking out at your "friends" in a drunken rage? Drunk or not, there's really not a place for that, or a need for it on a message board that's meant to help people with real heart problems.

I have no clue as to if you really have any heart issues or not. There seem to have been many different stories. Maybe you just enjoy building people up with your wonderful advice and good will, and then slamming them back to earth with a drunken rampage. Remember how we were all invited by you to "kiss ********** , etc. ? Really cool, dude. And how about all those threats? "I've got a gun" etc ? Yes Jack, you really made us all feel good.

Your reply to Ireneo is just how you used to start it off. Someone hurt your feelings, or just didn't seem to care. Then it's all downhill from there. Go find your bottle and show these nedhelp folks how it's done by an honest- to -goodness scammer.
ireneo
6/8/2007
C15 Jack I was talking to the folks who were wondering about you. Further up I did a brief msg about Caution: what if? My concern was if you are simply you and not the other Jack we knew, you could be unjustly criticized. When you were "Goldie" there was no problem. When you took on the screen name of Jack from Alabama, well, that triggered a very bad reaction in some because our old Jack left a legacy of anger and pain. Plus the news that he had apparently committed suicide is why I said let the old Jack RIP (rest in peace). You, on the other hand, are quite pleasant. That's not an insult is it? I understand written msgs leave out a lot of intent and feelings but I was trying to head off this very thing.




6/8/2007
C16 All The situation is not so unreal. There are so many similarities between Jack54 and the HCOL Jack that many of us naturally question whether it is him (I'm 95% certain it is).

For example, The HCOL Jack also went by the name Andy (as Goldie54 calls himself) besides Jack. He's intelligent, very knowledgeable about CAD and procedures, was an advocate of patients' medical rights (note Jack54 was quick to point out in "I'm worried about my cousin" federal law regarding access to medical treatment even if you can't afford it). Both are from Alabama and use the same dialect and abbreviations (G_D, y'all) and generally construct questions and replies in the same way. Personalities are very similar. Medical problems and treatment received are nearly identical (CAD and stents). The HCOL Jack is now 54 years old. The HCOL Jack is basically a good egg willing to help others but has a Hyde side to his Jekell-Hyde personality (namely liquor and a psychiatric condition which sets him off on wild rants against other posters) and can be very disruptive (many who post on these boards are emotionally and physically fragile and don't need sudden and unprovoked confrontation). The HCOL Jack was also very defensive. Note Jack's reply here to Ireneo. She was basically saying, let's forget about the old Jack and accept the new one for what he appears to be. Instead, he twists her words around as though she were saying that he should drop dead (RIP). I myself asked a simple question, basically 'are you Jack from HCOL'. That's a natural and non-confrontational question that someone from another board would logically ask if they recognize someone. His reply (a typical Jack dig): "If you meet your friend, you should try Maggie's approach in greeting him. The point blank not too friendly approach is lacking good character". It's ironic he talks about character since he faked a suicide on HCOL and upset many people there (and here he lies when he denies his HCOL past). He also admits multiple alaises here. How many more does he have besides Jack54 and Goldie54?

Be warned. Don't develop an emotional bond with this character. He'll turn on you when you least expect it and scar you emotionally.

Tony

.............................................................
Jack post is missing I had no time to save it . This all above was deleted.
  
Jack said he forgives us. He said he is not that Jack we are all think he is.
We know he is Jack  our old friend from HCO

I edited out the sentence that was most likely the reason these posts were deleted by the moderator......the one that starts ..kiss **********
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Avatar universal
What Vienna (hi V!)was trying to get across is that Jack is a  friend who used to post on a message board on Heartcenteronline (HCOL), who had someone post for him that he had shot himself and died.  This was a number of months ago and now he surfaces on this board.  Many from HCOL post on this board and are very upset.  He is a very troubled individual at times and acts normally at other times.  It will all pass soon enough!  Not to worry!
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214864 tn?1229715239
Take good care of all of our friends:)  Thanks for the kindness :) See you in about 12 days.

Best wishes for your good health,

Jack
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216258 tn?1189755827
  You should apologize for us , not sure we would accept it, some might , some not but it is not the point. The point is your conscience.

Don't you have remorse at all?

How can you make peace inside yourself if your frame of mind unscrupulous

What kind of man you are Jack? No sin is big enough to get forgiveness but one must admit what he did.

  YOU MADE FOOL OF US.
  
  Good for those who didnt believe that you killed yourself and that your wife were actually you to whom we foolishly paid  our deepest sympathy even most of those who didnt believe, but just in case. You were very good. It was pretty believable  play.
   You paid back.
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214864 tn?1229715239
See a cardio and get a stress test soon!. They did hardly anything for you at the ER. They should have put you in a room and scheduled a stress test and cath if needed. EKGs are a dime a dozen. They were looking for a heart attack in progress, or one maybe in the past with the EKG.

They set you up to croak because your body is warning you that you have a coronary artery blockage that is about to happen. The enzyme test is positive only if you are having a heart attack. They did not tell or warn you about the future.

If you think that you are having a heart attack take 2 adult aspirin and call 911. Better safe than sorry.
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154765 tn?1237247944
bip
I would  make a appoitment with a cardiologist so you can get a full cardio work up since it runs in your family and it would ease your mind. It could be a sign of blockages but  you will never know until you see a cardiologist.  Go get it checked just in case.

Good Luck!!!!
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