chestpain, shortness of breath, claudication in legs - Heart Disorders Message Board

roro · 03-20-2008, 03:44 PM

I get episodes of shortness of breath and chestpain I have been having for about a year now. reg dr said its costrochondritis.

this past couple months i get pains in my legs too. i have to lie down and put my feet up on pillows and after a while it goes away.

these episodes come on with exertion, upright posture (sitting, standin or walking around, without being able to put feet up) and after eating meals.

i get so exhausted I start sweating profusely sometimes and really feel like I am going to pass out.

the ER is useless, because by the time i get seen it has passed.

cardio work-up about 5 years ago showed mild mitral valve regurgitation, i was diagnosed with orhtostatic hypotension and autonomic dysfunction, i had very low blood pressure, was thin, and dehydrated a lot.

then a year after that I was hospitalized with heart failure, pericarditis. after that I gained weight, had fluid retention and higher blood pressure, and was on HCTZ for a while.

i lost weight, and was not too bad for a while. then this past year has been bad. they are not anxiety attacks, xanax does not help at all for it. pain medicine helps with the chest pain tho, hence the costrochondritis diagnosis.

i use dto get pounding palpatations as well, but am on toprol, and its helping with that, but not the other symptoms. I also have thyroid problems, untreated, multinodular goiter, tests all over the place, negative antibodies. also have lyme disease and being treated with antibiotics for that

but now with the claudication and episodes after exertion or meals I am getting worrried. i had a stress test a few weeks ago and i go to the cardiologist next week. during the stress test I miraculously felt fine. i didn't even sweat, was able to walk, the only abnormal thing was my blood pressure dropped with the walking instead of going up. arterial duplex showed mild oclusive disease, multilevel plaques, but the dr said its not affecting blood flow.

do the episodes sound like heart block? what should I ask the cardiologist next week? I am thinking I need some kind of monitor so I can have it on long term and it can "catch" one of these episodes

btw, my cholesterol is good, about 152, i don't smoke, bp is a little high but not too bad around 140/100 to 120/70, tirglycerides and blood sugar are good

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Beefsteak · 03-30-2008, 06:35 AM

Hi,
He's one reply at least.

Heart block can be checked pretty quickly - I think an ECG should do it.
Better still a 24-hr ECG holter might provide more information in your case since you are saying it's intermittent. The problem is ppl's behaviour changes when they have a monitor on.

If your Dr says it's costrochondritis and not heart pain then I would believe him, although what you describe does seem odd.

It's back to square one and I think the place to start is your diet. If necessary get a diet supplement to make sure you are getting enough nutrients, but get sufficient bulk too to keep your system moving along. Drink enough water, but if you are thin get a supplement drink with energy. Why are you so thin? We all need some fat. Try nuts and good oils in your cooking and with salads. Too many people cut out fat altogether when our bodies need it. Good fat is fine. If you are still thin I would like to see you build yourself up a bit. If you are not thin then make sure its good food you eat.

Your blood pressure can be a highly variable thing. Taking Toprol with a low blood pressure does not seem a good idea. No doubt these are things that have been and gone, but you need to be taking the right medication at the right time. Check your blood pressure yourself and you will get a feel for the best best range that suits you. BP too low can cause problems too. It sure does with me.

Medication can also cause a lot more side effects and problems than many of us imagine. It pays to regularly review your medication, and to look for side effects. Cut out any unnecessary meds. Try the fortnight off/fortnight on method - but check with your GP first in case its an essential drug.

You mention smoking by saying you don't smoke. That is a self-denial sort of answer. DID you smoke and for how long is what you should be asking? Same goes for your cholesterol history. Remember we are talking about what happened in your arteries and body over many years. BP, the same. So be tough and say what you DID do that might have contributed to your condition.

Remember it's you who pays, and it's NOT you that has to do the diagnosis. Get another opinion if your present GP can't sort you out.

Just a few thoughts and ideas to keep the post moving for you.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.