congenital heart defect and chest pain

[nerdgirl272]

i have a question. my boyfriend was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect at 19 (is 45 now) but doesnt remember what the defect was. thinks its asd, but not 100% sure.  my question is this, would asd cause chest pain?  once in a while, maybe once every 3 months, we will just be sitting and talking and all of the sudden he just stops. looks terrified and tells me he is having the chest pain.  it doesnt radiate, doesnt cause him to lose his breath or become dizzy.  and he has described the pain as piercing and where he points on his chest that the pain is located is about an inch below his left nipple.  directly below the left nipple. doesnt radiate anywhere.  just in that spot.  any one have any ideas if asd or vsd would cause pain out of nowhere?  is it something to be concerned with?  

thanks for your input!  i appreciate it!!  :D

[nerdgirl272]

Thank you for your input!  Knowing that I have posted this, he has told me that the pain isnt so much piercing as it is squeezing.  Apparently I misunderstood him.  He has informed me that the pain feels like its at the BOTTOM of his heart and that it feels like pressure, only at the bottom of his heart, and then sqeezing, no dizziness, no SOB.  Just unnerved because it happens so suddenly, out of nowhere, for no particular reason.  I will look up ASD AND VSD on the internet.  He says its nothing to worry about, but seeing his age, his diet (it BITES!!) and the fact that the pressure/squeezing has been happening more frequently lately, I am going to look into it.  Thank you again!

Oh!  We have already has the prostate exam discussion and let me tell you, he is more willing to go back to the dentist for that root canal that he has been putting off for a year than he is to go have a prostate exam!!!  LOL  MEN!!  such babies sometimes!!  hahaaha

[ireneo]

I don't know much about ASD but I'm sure you could google it and get tons of info. From what I've read most heart related pain is not a sharp, focused pain like you're describing. Heart pain can be crushing, squeezing, cramping type of ache. You said he was diagnosed at 19 but is 45 now. How long has it been since he's had a full work up? It might be time to get a full physical. He might be in for a treat too (prostate exam - hee-hee) but don't tell him that part.