Felt like a heart attack!! Gastritis?? - Digestive Disorders Message Board

bananarama · 11-22-2007, 06:41 AM

Hi! Ok, so on Sunday, I was in church after fighting off a headache all week long. I had been having horrible dizzy spells, a migraine, and hot flashes. I also had had a fever for a couple of days. Well, I was feeling a bit better on Sunday, when all of a sudden I had the most awful chest pain in my life. I have no idea what caused it. I couldn't breathe, and I was rushed to the hospital. Well, at the hospital and in the ambulance they said that it was not my heart (I am only 21 years old, BTW). They ran several tests. They said that they were totally guessing, but that it was most likely gastritis or heartburn. I had an endoscopy last December that did show chronic mild gastritis. And I do have GERD. But neither of them have ever made me feel like that. What could this have been? Do you think it was heartburn?? Uggh. I just don't want it to happen again. They gave me Dilaudid and Percocet in the hospital which got rid of the migraine (it was good to go until today when I am getting another one). Thanks for any advice you can give!!
Daisy

marnb77 · 11-22-2007, 01:52 PM

Hi daisy!
I'm so sorry that happened to you. Sounds like it could have been bad heartburn. I don't know much about gastritis, but I'm glad you're ok.
Just saying hi...
xx

bananarama · 11-22-2007, 02:02 PM

Thanks! I really wish I could know for sure what it was. I don't want it to come again, that's for sure. Hope you are having a great Thanksgiving!

flowergirl2day · 11-22-2007, 09:23 PM

Daisy,

you've started a new med recently. I wonder if you are still taking it. Could you be experiencing its side-effects? Some medications affect the heart. I've had heart pain from the meds. Same thing can happen when withdrawing abruptly from certain medications, such as calcium channel blockers, beta blockers and a few others. I had that happen also.

I also had the kind of pain you mention. Only once, in the left chest. The worst pain ever. I was certain I was dying. (I am lucky I didn't.) I should have gone to the ER and didn't. Too bad.

What tests did they do in the ER? Was your pain in the middle of the chest? I too would like to know how to tell heart attack pain from a heartburn pain. Most people just experience one or the other (unfortunately).
Daisy, you are too young for this. I think you should contact your doctors at Mayo. You might need more testing and you know you can trust them. I wish I could help. I hope someone on this board can tell us how to differentiate between the two types of pain. Or, perhaps, describe what reflux pain feels like.

flowergirl

bananarama · 11-23-2007, 07:45 AM

Hi Flowergirl!!
The pain was in my middle chest. It was localized to that spot, but then there would be all of a sudden shooting pain throughtout my chest that lasted for only a couple of seconds. It was absolutely miserable. I have been put on so many new meds lately it isn't even funny. I was put on a new medication on Friday, and the chest pain was on Sunday. If those are related, then it would mean that the chest pain and the migraine were not related. I have had reflux for years, but never that severe, and I didn't eat anything out of the ordinary, or that should have given me reflux. I really don't understand. I am glad that there have been no repeats. I am still taking the Depakote that was prescribed. I really have noo clue what to do about it. That's a good idea about calling Mayo and seeing what they think. It was one of the scariest events of my life. I am so tired of going to doctors, and really tired of going to the ER. I have been there 9 times this year, 5 by ambulance. My roomate thinks it is because I am addicted to narcotics, because it is like once a month I go, and they give me narcotics (Dilaudid), and then I am okay for another month. I doubt that very seriously. She said the withdrawal symptoms could show up in wierd ways. I really doubt that I am addicted to anything, but she wants me to call a rehab place and see what they say. I don't know what to think. Thanks for your advice. Sorry that you have been through something similar. Not fun at all. I can totally smpathize. In the ER, they did EKGs, a chest xray, blood work, and a CT scan of my head. They tried to give me fluids through my IV, but the IV had to go into a wierd spot and wouldn't flow. WHen they put any meds into it, they had to bend my arm in some really wierd horrible position to even get it to go in. The paramedics had tried 3 times to get teh IV in, and finally the nurse at the hospital had to do it there. Uggh. Ok, well, I am going ot get going. Hopefully I can get answers soon. Thank you so much!!!
Daisy