I have been an ulcer patient for many years, take 30mgs of Prevacid daily and recently started taking carafate again. I have been to the ER twice this week. I am experiencing chest pain, chest pressure, weakness, some intermitent breathlessness. EKG normal, Cardiac enzymes are normal. Doc wants to do a stress test next week..tho he says he doesn't really think it is my heart..I am a 41 y/o female. Can you have chest pain for a week and it be your heart? Can you have normal ekg's and enzymes and it still be heart related? I don't want to have testing that isn't needed...but am tiring of this pain and pressure...any input would be greatly appreciated.
I did something I probably shouldn't have... I got some hydracodone (sp) I took 2, the pain, burning, pressure is better...don't know if that is important or not...wasn't given anything for pain at the er.

[This message has been edited by texldybrd (edited 06-14-2003).]

Three years ago I checked with Dr because of chest pain, shortness of breath, numb sensation in arms and was sent to cardiologist. Ekg was normal, cardiac enzymes normal, and was given stress test that afternoon which was extremely abnormal. Had angiogram done the next morning and was found to have one artery 98% blocked, and several 50-60% blocked. Stent was placed in 98% blockage and felt better immediatly.

Jump ahead to this past Easter. After three days of increasing discomfort in the chest, I went to ER. Again EGR normal, cardiac enzymes normal. Because of past CAD history they admitted me for observation. Two days later a thalium stress test revealed basically nothing, but because of a drastic decrease in BP following test, they decided to do angiogram the following day. This time it showed all arteries had some blockage, but not enough to do anything at this time. They told me that I should not be experiencing any discomfort, and send me back to Internal medicine. Dr. there told me he thought it may be GERD, and put me on Nexium. I took it for one month, however I was positive that was not the problem. I had no indigestion, no heart burn (or at least not in my mind), and thought he was on the wrong track.
Now five weeks later and two Dr calls later I am feeling pretty good. Maybe he was right. So I guess in summation, what you are experiencing could be either heart related, or GERD, or maybe something else. My advice,,,check out the heart, and it that is ruled out, check gastro intestinal, and hopefully you will get an answer.

Hope this answered your question, if not, post another message. GOOD LUCK

Thanks for your response...I am very embarrassed by my 2 trips to the er...but hearing what happened to you...I feel better knowing that I am not over-reacting to the symptoms...I see the cardio on wednesday for a cardio-lite (sp) stress test...
Thanks again...