chest pains what causes this??

Ok, after researching food issues, I had a whole day yesterday of intermittent chest pains (on left side). These do NOT appear after exercise (have worked out very hard for past month and never, ever get any chest pains) and instead seem to come completely out of the blue,last about 30 seconds, then completely go away, then come back in about 15 minutes. Did not have any during the afternoon but sure did last night. I did not go to ER as otherwise I felt fine, no sweating/nausea/left arm/jaw pain and I figured they'd just hook me up and tell me I was fine again.

I have read about the vagus nerve getting irritated or something. Exactly how does this happen? Is this a food thing? An exercise (I was out working on fences during the afternoon previous) thing? A medication thing? does it mean my GERD meds aren't working?? How do I avoid this?? I had chest xrays, blood work, and a stress test (no echo). I would have thought a MVP would show up on at least on of those but maybe not?

I did call my GI doc, explained the situation to his nurse but did not hear back.

Up until yesterday, I had been feeling much better, not perfect but a ton better. Now I am frustrated again.

i had chest pains too. i called them "tugs" and they were scary. i went to a cardio and he dismissed it as anxiety. ativan helps.

Lila - Do your chest pains come within a couple hours of eating? Do you happen to notice tachycardia with the "pains?" I get this when I eat something to which I am sensitive/allergic/trigger.

Try keeping a notebook of what you eat and when the symptoms appear, and describe the symptoms. Check your heart rate. Note how long the symptoms last.

Yesterday I had chest pain and rapid heart rate after eating an English muffin with butter and strawberry jam. I know I have a sulfite sensitivity and assume the jam had bottled lemon juice and/or cheap beet sugar, both of which are sulfited. I had to chew up an aspirin and a Beta Blocker to get the heart to slow down, and it took over three hours. I would have gone to the ER, but a tree had taken down high tension lnes across our lane. I did 4-wheel my truck across a field to my son's house and called my doctor. By the time I got there I felt good enough to stay.

Is it like a cramping feeling? Like the food just stopped moving and started to swell up?
Did your eyes feel like it your vision was fading around the edges like you were going to black out as the pain increased, then suddenly it stopped?
If so, it's your HH getting food stuck for a little bit.

Joy

Sounds to me like you might be having esophageal spasms, triggered by reflux. The times you get the pain seem to correspond to times when your esophagus is being exposed to acid (i.e. after meals and at night).

It doesn't sound much like a heart problem to me, so that seems less likely to be the source of the pain.

Lila,

Good Morning and I am sorry all this is happening when your ready to go off on vacation.

Chest pain from esophageal disorders is usually precipitated by eating of food, or by lying down after eating, and it may be relieved by antacids. Often it is accompanied by heartburn and difficulty swallowing (dysphagia). Unlike angina pectoris, which typically radiates across the upper and mid chest, esophageal pain tends to be located at the lower end of the sternum (breastbone) and radiates to the epigastrium. Certain kinds of food more characteristically produce esophageal pain. These include alcohol, spicy food, Mexican food, and coffee. Unlike angina, which tends to last less than 5-10 minutes, esophageal pain may last for hours and fluctuate in intensity.
Chronic gallbladder disease may produce recurring lower chest and upper abdominal chest pain.

I am glad you are going to the clinic today. I do hope they have some insight into what may be the cause of your chest pains.

Gentle Hugs,

Kitt

I had those for about 5 months it would stop for about a week and then start up again out of nowhere... It felt like radiating pain that would start on my right side and vibrate to my back,sort of felt like something was stuck like a golf ball maneuvering itself through an undersized hose..If I drank water it would stop for a minute or two then come back.I would take a prevacid and an hour later it would start to subside.i went and did all the test from a barium swallow,abdominal ultrasound,ECG...blood work...All they found was a HH and acid reflux..basically what I have been suffering from for 20 years,nothing new.IMO,it's a mixture of of anxiety and HH along with the acid reflux. Think about it... you're about to go on vacation and that would add up to the anxiety.Try some .05 Clonazepam...I did and it really helped.Take only when needed.

Hi Kitt
thanks!
went to the clinic, another ekg (normal)
urgent care doc thinks e spasms

no idea what is triggering them
suggested doubling up on prevacid (up to 30mg/day)
and a heart med called Cardezem or something

supposedly lowers my blood pressure and relaxes the esophagus
I have low BP anyway so not sure about that

But I do have plenty of anxiety (leaving my animals...HUGE anxiety, can't begin to tell you!

A friend suggested a take a slug of mylanta when they come on...haven't done that yet

But, am very scared about foods now...no more "research" for the moment

and am trying to arrange how to get back from the hinterlands where I'm going if I get an "attack"

my husband is not happy with that but I know I will not behappy if I get these things on vacation

thanks again for all the help!

hope you're doing ok!!


Lila

Lila,

I understand your anxieties and especially about leaving your animals. I am very fortunate that my daughter owns a dog boarding kennels so I know we can take our sweet dog over there whenever we need to. Our dog really is owned by my daughter but she gave him up to me for my own mental health therapy dog. :)

Cardizem is called a calcium channel blocker. It works by relaxing blood vessels in the body and heart so blood can flow more easily. This effect lowers blood pressure. Cardizem may also lower your heart rate.

Side effects according the the web site for this medicaiton state : Dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, nausea, flushing, and headache may occur.

I like that you are making a plan for what to do if you find yourself in a position where you need to "get home".

I am sending you good vibes and hope all goes well for you.

As for me, I am pretty darn good right now and I take everything one day at a time.

Gentle Hugs,

Kitt