Chest Pain/Debbi

Debbi:

Sorry, I forgot to try to address your question about chest pain. It seems to me that you have before stated that you had no coronary artery disease and have never had angina or MI (heart attack). This always puzzles me, as I have seen others post such symptoms. I guessed that it might be coming from intercostal muscles (between the ribs) but I couldn't say without lots of doubts.
Some have posted that they obtained relief from sublingual nitroglycerine. I replied to them "how can that be, since NTG acts by relaxing and dilating coronary arteries". The response to me was that they didn't know how or why it worked, but that it did. I then thought that perhaps it additionally relaxes capillaries and thus supplies more oxygenated blood to muscle cells? Just me trying to guess.
I wish I could remember who posted about chest pain - perhaps they will post something. We could also try a search on this forum for "chest pain". I'll try that.
The other long term NTG is Nitrodur, or a NTG patch, but you might ask your doctor to prescribe sublingual NTG for you to try. I think it is relatively inexpensive, and might work if your pain is just occasional or intermittant.

Pam

I was one of those who mentioned having chest pains. I find i get mine when i try to rush a bit more than a gentle slow walk, the pain is at top of chest left to middle, it goes away when i stop walking after i take a few gentle breaths. I'm going for my blood test tomorrow for other symptoms, like pressure pain back of head and legs aches bruisey feelings for a Platelet check. But.....

I've just got back from a great weekend at Blackpool, Lancashire for those who arn't in UK meeting at leat 50 or more people at our usual chatroom meet. The thing i found was that i did dance quite a bit and felt good, but i had to stop after one or 2 dances, having breaks inbetween, you know what Disco music is like. Well although i felt slightly uncomfortable not used to exercising, because of the chest pain but felt great i never once had chest pain through dancing, now how do you explain that.

Plus i think i found a way of stopping the excrutiating pains i get in my thighs waking me in the night. Turned myself over to lay on my stomach, the pains soon went. Well they've not hurt all day and i've been driving for nearly 6 hours today.. Will try it again probably early hours of morning see what happens.

Pam

I was interested in what you said about sublingual nitroglycerine relaxing and dilating coronary arteries. This caught my attention as I know without a shadow of a doubt that eating MSG was what caused my chest pain and AF. MSG is a vasoconstrictor. So to me it seems that the nitroglycerine would help and that at least some forms of AF is caused by the constricting effects as is migraine etc. And maybe why some people suffer both....

Just thinking


Fran

Fran/ Debbi:
I wish I could remember who posted that they were helped with the chest pain through NTG., but I can't remember and tried to "search" archives but still couldn't find it. Perhaps it was another board.
Fran, your suggestion of a link with migraine headaches picked my curiosity, as I always thought vasodilitation was more responsible for the headache and found this site:

[www.mckinley.uiuc.edu]

which states that it starts out with constriction of blood vessels at the base of the skull and brain stem and eventually causes vasodilitation farther up. If it was the other way around, you could probably remedy it with NTG. Actually, NTG will often cause the user to have a slight headache because of the vasodilitation. Please note though in the article another seritonin connection. You all have a better understanding of brain chemistry than I do, but I thought it was interesting.
Debbi - Have you checked your intake of MSG?

Pam

We carry nitro tablets with us for medical emergencies as EMTS. Nitro is a vasodilator and definetly will cause a pounding headache, especially for those who use it without never haviing used it before, I have witnessed this time and time again.

The big problem I have with nitro tabs is that they typically mask large problems, like why are the cornonary arteries constricting in the first place? Don't get me wrong though, they certainly serve a valuable purpose.

Angina is caused by a lack of oxygen to the heart muscle. If the coronary arteries are blocked or spasming (please note that proper magnesium intake has been shown to stop much of this erraditic spasming) for whatever reason you will sooner or later experience angina and worst cause start to have myocardial infartion (death of heart muscle).

Babs, any type of chest pain after any exertion, especially if it is light warrents a physical by a doctor. I am glad you are going in for testing. It's one thing to be tired after exertion, but an entirely a different story when you are experiencing a pressing, or aching pain in your chest area. Modern medicine has incredible abilities in the diagnostic areas and this is one area that they certainly have locked down for diagnostic. A stress test will show up any abnormalties or blockages in your coronary arteries or any where else. The blood tests will also show indicators of this type of problem.

Please be well, and take care of yourself.

Joe

Hi All
About the chest pain. I was given a nitro patch the last couple of times I was in the hospital. They seemed to help a little. Then when I complained I was still having some discomfort..........the nurse brought me in some nitro sl and after 2 five minutes apart, walah, no more chest pain. They said it was standard procedure on the cardiac floor. I had been in several times before and had not known this.

After leaving the hospital, my doc gave me an RX (I have no other heart problems) and everytime I feel the "pain" coming on, I pop one, two, or three (max). Usually by the 2nd dose, things are okay.

I was warned about head aches, but have never experienced one after a dose. But I always take it sitting down and wait at least 15 minutes before standing.

Debbi:
I have read of the success of SL NTG in afibbers who experience chest pain; and yes, in the absence of CAD. Can't explain how or why it works, I just have read testimonials from those who say it does.
I shouldn't assume that all of us have been checked for CAD after the first episode of afib, but since that is the usual progression; it is usually the diagnostic progression for calling it LAF (in the absence of heart disease).
I certainly agree that anyone who experiences afib needs first to R/O CAD. Joe is correct when saying that even in the absence of CAD, a person can experience spasm (Prinze Metals Angina (sp)). That would also be treated with NTG.
It seems I recal that you have been cleared for CAD by a stress test, or thalium stress test, Debbi?

Pam

Joe,

The type of chest pain i have been getting over a few years, does not come from exertion, i only had to start walking out the door and it would come. Was told i had Angina nearly 3 yrs ago....but after having all the Stress Tests earlier this year it showed no other problems apart from Bundle Brunch ( but i feel that the test should have been done when not on Beta Blockers) i never had Angina....so when i asked one of the Cardologists what can i do, all i got was i would have to live with it as it could be anything. I've seen 3 as they all work as a team.

I have just been for a short walk round to the hosptial and didn't feel any chest pain, think i'll do more disco dancing seems to help better than actual walking to take pain away..but boy my legs hurt

I also had a GT spray when first admitted with Afibs and the sister there told me to use it..... I must admit that when i had pains before then i took it as a matter of course and felt better, but kept getting headaches from it.

Babs

You need to differentiate between angina, caused by "normal" heart problems, and a vascular spasm caused by, for instance, msg, in any of its dozens of forms, or any of the triptophans, used for migraine relief, or etc.

A vascular spasm can cause serious heart damage (or death) and nitroglyerine is the immediate treatment to relieve the spasm. The long term solution is to eliminate whatever is causing the vascular spasm.

Your doc may not give credence to the idea that dietary msg can be the cause of a vascular spasm.

Pam,
Had a thallium stress test done on Oct. 7th, cardio didn't find anything. Am waiting for final results from hospital records to know for sure.