chest pain at least once a week w/ no answers yet! 49 years old --help please

[pegzie]

I am a 49 year old female and I started having chest pains in Nov. of 2006.  The first time I had my husband call an ambulance because I thought I was having a heart attack.  I went to the hospital and they hooked me up to all kinds of things and said that everything looked ok...Since then I have been to the hospital once again and no luck...I have had a stress test with cardiolite and the cardioligist said that it looked ok...
Here are my symptoms:  Chest pain that comes on fast...pain in my left arm..the pains last from 15 to 30 minutes..the pain is very intense--almost debilitating...the doctor gave me nitroquick to try when I have these pains and it does kick the pain quickly...I have had about 7 of these "spells" since November.

Please give me any advice you can...

Thanks

Also I'm NOT over weight..b/p. is around 112/68..colestor. 230

[toneman76]

I can relate, I started having the pains you describe in Feb 05 and went to the ER to get checked out. They kept me over night and ran all the same tests, all normal. but the pains continued. I had another cardiac workup with the same tests again in Mar 06, again all normal. The only difference is that I have never been given nitro, my pains are not denbilitating. I am also 49 but am a male about 50 pounds overweight with contolled blood pressure (110/70) and colesterol (151).

It is frustrating as I still have pain. I ended up seeing a Rhuematologist who diagosed me with RA and the chest pain ended being inflamed intercostal joints due to the RA.

All chest pain needs to be checked out, it's just not worth the chance so I would continue to seek medical attention when you have these spells. Remember, nitro will also stop the pain caused by spasms in your esophogus as the same nerve branch is affected. Also, most cardiac pain is brought on by exertion. Do your spells come on at rest of with exertion?

Tony

[pegzie]

thanks for responding...

I have no pattern of the onset..mostly in the evening when I'm not really doing anything..

I did break my arm in May of 06 and had to have 2 plates and 10 screws put in my wrist.  Lower back pain.  Broken coller bone (dirt bike--yee haa).  So I have had some trama to the old bod!  I do seem to feel real full in the stomach area when this comes on...but no pain the the stomach.  I was put on an acid reflux med.  but I never had any trouble with that before.  And I still had the episodes when on it.

Thanks again
pegzie

[anacyde]

If it is not cardiac, esophageal spasms will also respond to nitro, and the symptoms are almost impossible to differentiate from cardiac without actually seeing you hooked up to equipment as symptoms occur (but you were).  Are you being treated for or have you seen a doctor about any digestive problems?  Does this pain come on out of nowhere, during activity, following activity, during stress, after spicy foods?  Any patterns?  Keep a close eye on those things, and make sure you get answers.  Pain isn't ever without cause.  It may not be your heart, but something hurts.