atypical chest pain

Posted By donna on June 06, 1998 at 20:19:35:







I am a 50 year old female with a very strange chest pain. Some sx are very
typcial of angina, some very atypical. It occurred for the first time when
I was 20 years old shoveling snow.( I had also been thrown from a bucking
horse onto my right shoulder several weeks previously, if that is significant)
The pain was quick and sharp radiating from the front of my neck to the
back just over my shoulder blades. Since then it occurs irregularly but
increasingly as I get older.
The pain is greatly provoked by heavy meals, cold wind and high elevations (making me
(but not emotional exitement) making me very suspicious of coronary pain. I am a
nurse so I am very aware of the paramenters of the problem.
I can feel it coming on usually with a sense of tightness in my chest
and right shoulder.
The pain will be quick( less than2 seconds) but the tightness continues. I
have had EKG's, a treadmill test while I was pregnant 12 years ago,
and a ultrasound but they are all negative.Docs have never come up with an
explanation but it restricts my activities so that I would like to find out.
My family history is remarkable for my mother having significant CV problems.
she is 72 and has had 2 bypasses, but was a chain smoker all her life.
My father is 83 and in good health except for mild hyptn.6 sibs healthy.
I have never smoked and have no other significant health history other than
congenitally low cholinesterase and a lung function of 70% predicted for
no known reason.
This problem affects my life greatly...I am afraid to go into the cold,
into a cold wind or any elevation because of the pain. With the
pain I do have occasional rhythm irregularites. There is no sweating or
nausea. The pain has occurred twice while I was just bending over.