Re: Pericarditis

Posted By Mark on May 27, 1999 at 09:50:34
In late March I was diagnosed with pericarditis.  Every few days for the last several weeks I have been getting attacks of horrible sickness.
I can tell the attacks are about to come on because of a specific type of pain on the left side of my chest.  On one occasion the pain started in the middle of the chest.  When this happened in the middle of my chest I had some heart attack types of systems but I did not go to the hospital because I thought it was just pericarditis even though I felt terrible.  Earlier it was a sticking type of pain followed by a sharper pain, this would be followed by a terrible sickness which is hard to describe.  The attacks lately are preceded by a duller type of pain on my left side.  
Is there anything that I can do when I feel one of these attacks coming on?  Are these normal for pericarditis?
I think the attacks are decreasing in severity, but I am not convinced on this point.

[CCF CARDIO MD DLB]

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on May 27, 1999 at 19:47:53
Dear Mark
I am worried by your description of symptoms. I am not sure why you are having such pains, nor would I assume it is pericarditis. It is unusual for pericarditis to recur, though in rare cases it does. You need to be evaluated for coronary artery disease.
I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.
Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.











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