caroti artery inflammation

[kmxwl]

Today, I saw my PCP. I work for him. word to the wise, if you dont want to be ignored, for weeks and weeks, find a PCP that you do not work for.  Now, I wake up day before yesterday with a brutally painful neck. the left side. I swear  I was fevered, and I thought, it mimicked the mumps, now who in 2009 gets the mumps? *laff*  anyway..... I saw one of the 8 docotors I work for yesterday, because my doctor was out.  I had what he called a blocked salivary gland.  As if  I accepted that, I was given a zpak and told to suck on lemon candy to increase spit production.  I have worked here for 8 years. and I never was as p* off in my life.  Today I saw my doctor.  I have according to him, after he listened to me, and felt my neck up on side and down the other, I told him you can not feel what you are looking for, then I tilted my head back, and bam, I look like a NFL football player with this over enlarged neck.... he gasped ., he actually gasped outloud, and said you know what this is?  I rolled my eyes... sure I know what it is... I just wanted you to rub on my neck.....   GAAAAHhh  of course   I dont.  He began.. "this is an inflammed carotiod artery, ideopathic disorder.....after all these thousands spent in learning,he spits out idoepathic. Im 36 healthy, low cholesterol, oddly low triglyceride levels. and I eat a bag of chips a day *laff*  anyways.... DONT IGNORE THE SMALLEST SYPTOM!!! is my point.  my plans are seeing a cardiologist because of the family history.  just because.
BUT!!  within of a week of this horrible pain, I did notice a popping, or clicking sensation if you will in my back in the t-spine right about mayb T-3 or T 4 ?  in the middle.  It didnt hurt, but it was the most annoying sensation that I have ever felt.  healthy inside, I am, but am having serious degenerative joints, and cartilage issues, I need a right knee replacement due to arthritis, and my left knee is going, and my l-5 is shot all to heck.  so i am living ther low life. but in adult terms, dealing with everything else, this neck pain is a b***tch.  so.... my post was pointless, to some, comical for others, and maybe informative for the one or two.  but I guess I can let you know what kind of fit I have to pitch on the medical community...... and if someone else has a DX anything near what mine might be  lemme know....
    thanks!  karen

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Thanks for writing to the forum!
You have had a very tough time for sure! Well repeated cath procedures can cause damage to arteries and inflammation too. I would suggest you take another opinion before any other procedure. You are not accepting the stent well for some reason. At times the position of the block is such that a stent cannot be successfully placed. The option then is bypass surgery. The pain could be due to inflammation of the arteries. Femoral block may not be the answer. You may need to take antibiotics by the IV route. Please consult another cardiologist with your cath and angiography reports.
Hope this helps. Do let me know if there is any thing else and keep me posted. Take care!

[spacecadet1963]

please help!!!!!! I have had eight heart caths to replace one stent. i have had major bleed outs and my second cath i threw up a plastic piece out of my belly. I also had a major bleed out that time this doctor that did this surgery wasn't my regular doctor my doctor was on vaction when they said that my newly placed stent was recloged and they rushed me into surgery the next day i threw up the plastic and the surgeon came in that morning he literly was punching me in the gut and my friend told him to take his hands off of me.But i have not been the same since then. And i have had 6 more caths since and my heart stopped and had to be revived. But my question is i have been having really bad pain in my grion and in my artieries in my chest and my heart hurts and in both arms and in my legs any where you can get a pulse and shortness of breath. my family doctor thinks that they injured a nerve i had a femoral nerve block done on monday 6/22/09 that didn't give me any relife and they want to redo it. first should i get it redone  and second has anyone else had as many caths as i have and third do they have the same pains in their arteries as i do. And if the ansewer is yes what have you done to at least get some relife from it . i also have had tia's my heart was beating 280 beats a minuet. Can some one help me find the ansewers to any of my questions. thank you for your time. Sincerly; Redeena

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

The symptoms are suggestive of carotidynia. Carotidynia usually refers to neck pain arising from the carotid artery in the anterior cervical triangle. Pain in the carotid artery may be caused by various pathologic processes, such as arteritis, dissection of the carotid artery, thrombosis, aneurysm, or direct trauma to the artery.

If your doctor who has examined the neck is suspecting carotidynia or carotid artery inflammation,then you should get a MRI neck or MRA of the carotid artery to confirm the diagnosis.

Hope it helps.Take care and regards.