Thanks again for your help. Since my appointment is so close, advice was to monitor myself closely and try not to over-exert. Any more severe attacks and 911 myself to the ER.
Hi again ireneo! I have never had an esophageal spasm but I do know by my own experiences (both as a nurse and a patient) that SOB occurs with angina and stays until the the pain from the tightened heart muscle ( blockage or spasms) is relieved by stopping an exertion or taking a vasodiolator like nitro. Cheetoh,take a zantac if you think it's from the digestive track. Zantac will not stop heart angina pain, but nitro COULD relieve the digestive discomfort. My friend, who has since died, had esophageal cancer and experienced discomfort from her tumor with spasms but not with SOB. I can easily get digestive discomfort from my angina-fullness, wanting to burp, but as soon as my SOB is relieved with the added nitro, then my breathing capability and pattern ( no splinting)improves greatly.You know when you can breathe better after an attack. Angina is brought on by an exertion or response for the heart to pump more blood so even stress can bring it on. Cheetoh15, I think the call to your doctor was warranted.Keep your nitro at hand as you state relief which is both from the chest pain and SOB.
Ireneo, that's exactly the question I'm trying to answer with my posting: is there a specific symptom that I am experiencing that will not occur with either the spasm or angina? I don't want to call 911 when I only need a Zantac, nor do I want to mask a greater problem by treating the symptoms.
Joan, thanks for the advice. I haven't experienced anything today, but have a call into the physician's office.
Can either of you describe the difference between esophageal spasms and angina (how they feel)? Or does angina always have SOB with it? From the little I've read about esophageal spasms, they seem to occur when eating, not from exertion. Or do they happen any old time?
Esophageal spasms can mimic angina BUT with your history I'd get back to your doctor asap. Angina from heart can cause chest tightness, chest pain, down the left arm pain, and SHORTNESS of BREATH. Forget the activity. I have angina from non-obstructive big coronaries but have lots of problems with the microvessels of my heart. Go back to doctor before you have a heart attack. Joan.