Re: Chest pains - reversible?

[Guest guest]

Hello Callista,

If you are having chest pains, then IMO you need to see the doc and get it checked out. - Perhaps it is really just stress related muscle spasms or indigestion - but it may be angina, and you can't take a chance with your heart.

An ECG - preferably an exercise ECG- , an echocardiogram or an angiogram may provide some answers. You can't afford to ignore chest pains, even if you suspect rightly that they may be related to Hypothyroidism. Perhaps your appointment with an Endo could be brought forward?

Best wishes,

[Guest guest]

Where exactly is the pain? Does it start just under the front of your

collar bone and then seem to go up the side of your neck? Is your arm

affected? Do you have a pins - and - needles sensation in your arm /

hand / fingers?

Any or all of these and it might be Angina, that's Latin for 'heart

pain' and happens when your body gets stressed or you over produce

adrenaline. I inherited angina from my mother, (cheers mom!!) and

although extremely scary at times it is easily treated and will improve

(or even disappear if its caused by the thyroid) with proper treatment.

As has been said a simple ECG or a Thalium scan will tell your doctor

for sure what the problem is.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thank you for your reply,

You have hit a few nails on the head about my fears. I have had the exercise ECG

done a

couple years ago as I had similar pains and that revealed nothing and the nurse

was

amazed how unfit I was - yes I have fibromyalgia, get over it - and then the

cardiologist

said that the next step could be the angiogram and I had a panic attack as he

told me

about it and burst into tears. I am soooo bad with doctors and medical

procedures, I am

sort of phobic, and so I am stressing about this, thinking it could be angina,

and thinking

about the angiogram and getting uneasy and stressing more and getting tearful. I

feel so

silly...

And then I go to the doctors and I am treated as a hypochondriac. So I don't

know what to

do and I am terrified. I doubt they would move my endo forward as my blood

results were

" normal " (TSH: 2.14 mu/l (range 0.35 - 4.5) - Free T3: 3.9 pmol/L (range 3.9 -

6.8) and

Free T4: 15.6 pmol/L (range 11 - 26)) so it is obviously all in my head. *sigh*

As I said, I have to go to the GP because I can't do much work being this tired

and keeping

the hours I am currently keeping with the insomnia, so I suppose I really should

mention

the chest pains, but I am so scared.

Why do I have to be such a wuss...

Callista xx

[Guest guest]

>

> Where exactly is the pain? Does it start just under the front of your

> collar bone and then seem to go up the side of your neck? Is your arm

> affected? Do you have a pins - and - needles sensation in your arm /

> hand / fingers?

Ah no, it's not like that. At the moment, it feels like inside my chest on the

left side, behind

my left breast. It doesn't hurt in my collar bone or up my neck or down my arm

but tends to

extend over my shoulder. But I am so tense and so tired and overworried, it is a

bit of a

vicious circle.

When I got the pains after meals and with exercise, it was the air in my lungs

that hurt, it was

as if my windpipe and lungs hurt.

Callista xx

[Guest guest]

Hi callista

In case you are experiencing Angina, be sure to take an aspirin every morning as this helps in stopping any forming of clots that might cause a full blown heart attack. Please see your doctor as a matter of urgency as we all know, the sooner you get a diagnosis the sooner you can be treated and the sooner you will be pain free. It may not be Angina, there are many, many causes of chest pain, but we all are aware that any pain in the chest causes us to think "heart attack". I get severe indigestion at times and although I fully recognise the pain, each time I take an aspirin before any other medication to ease the indigestion.

Your doctor will, first and foremost, refer you to a specialist where they will do an 'exercise ECG'. You need to get this done right now. They cannot diagnose Angina when you are not having an attack, so it's important that you get to your GP immediately. If it isn't an angina attack, then they will find out what it is.

Please don't stress yourself, just remember that treating Angina is relatively painless and easy and usually involves putting a tablet under your tongue to dissolve. Let us know what your doctor says, and please don't wait for the 3 weeks until you see your specialist.

Luv - Sheila

-- In thyroid treatment , "callista" <sabby@...> wrote:>> > >> > Where exactly is the pain? Does it start just under the front of your > > collar bone and then seem to go up the side of your neck? Is your arm > > affected? Do you have a pins - and - needles sensation in your arm / > > hand / fingers?> > Ah no, it's not like that. At the moment, it feels like inside my chest on the left side, behind > my left breast. It doesn't hurt in my collar bone or up my neck or down my arm but tends to > extend over my shoulder. But I am so tense and so tired and overworried, it is a bit of a > vicious circle.> > When I got the pains after meals and with exercise, it was the air in my lungs that hurt, it was > as if my windpipe and lungs hurt. > > Callista xx>

[Guest guest]

Hi Callista,

Your blood results are nowhere near 'normal' most people with

hypothyroidism only feel well when their tsh is under 1 so don't think

it is all in your head. Angina can by caused by hypothyroidism. As for

the possible angina, you do need this to be looked into. In the

meantime there are things you can do. Did you look at the list of

symptoms ie pain down the arm up the throat etc? if you are feeling

any of those call your doctor (or NHS direct and let them decide if

you need to see your doctor.) Don't eat huge meals. Rest for 20 mins

after a meal before you do any walking.

Can someone come with you to the doctor's? Sometimes it is good to

have another person there to remember what the doctor said and to give

you moral support. If you need a test, have it, you only get one

life. Know that you have support here too.

Behind all the names here are people who will be concerned about you,

so let us know how you got on.

Kind regards nna

>

> Hi ,

>

> Thank you for your reply,

>

> You have hit a few nails on the head about my fears. I have had the

exercise ECG done a

> couple years ago as I had similar pains and that revealed nothing

and the nurse was

> amazed how unfit I was - yes I have fibromyalgia, get over it - and

then the cardiologist

> said that the next step could be the angiogram and I had a panic

attack as he told me

> about it and burst into tears. I am soooo bad with doctors and

medical procedures, I am

> sort of phobic, and so I am stressing about this, thinking it could

be angina, and thinking

> about the angiogram and getting uneasy and stressing more and

getting tearful. I feel so

> silly...

>

> And then I go to the doctors and I am treated as a hypochondriac. So

I don't know what to

> do and I am terrified. I doubt they would move my endo forward as my

blood results were

> " normal " (TSH: 2.14 mu/l (range 0.35 - 4.5) - Free T3: 3.9 pmol/L

(range 3.9 - 6.8) and

> Free T4: 15.6 pmol/L (range 11 - 26)) so it is obviously all in my

head. *sigh*

>

> As I said, I have to go to the GP because I can't do much work being

this tired and keeping

> the hours I am currently keeping with the insomnia, so I suppose I

really should mention

> the chest pains, but I am so scared.

>

> Why do I have to be such a wuss...

>

> Callista xx

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Callista,

From the way you describe your pain it is likely to be caused by anxiety (and very likely thyroid probs). I know it's no good assuring you that there is nothing to worry about the medical procedures - when you are phobic you can't help it - you stress..... even if you *know* there is nothing to worry about. There is no need to feel silly. It is nothing you can just switch off. - and I am sure you are not a hypochondriac. Looking at those figures you posted..... they are low. The FT3 is on the very bottom of the norm range, and therefore your cells are not receiving enough of the hormone to function normally, and your FT4 is near the bottom of the range too. No wonder your body isn't working as it should and you get the 'domino effect' ... one 'domino' brings another down when it falls....

However - even though the chest pains you are experiencing are likely to be caused by your body being deprived of thyroxine, it needs to be checked. If it were angina, the treatment is very easy and effective. There is no point in suffering in silence. At least chest pain is something that all doctors take extremely seriously. They can't - and won't - ignore it. Nor will they dare to tell you you are faking it. - So - deep breaths (that really helps) and off you go to see you GP. You are not a wuss - you are a woman with chest pains, and doctors have a duty to care. If it turns out to be "nothing" ... then at least you will be re-assured and you can wait the 3 weeks until you see the endo.

Dunno if it helps you - but when I am scared of something I know I have to do (like having my teeth drilled), I take a few deep breaths, and then I pretend to mentally "remove" my mind from my body. Then my "mind" tells my "body" to go and do it. I know it sounds bonkers, but it works for me and it removes the fear <G>

love,

[Guest guest]

It could still be angina, good idea already been said is to take an

aspirin every morning, you need 75mg (?) tablets and they will help

your circulation too.