Unexplained chest pains

[MrsG16]

Anyone experience chest pains after their stroke?

I no know that not every ailment will be linked to stroke recovery but thought I would ask you knowledgeable lot as once again I have been left with no answers.

I am 13 weeks post stroke.

Today I have been experiencing chest pains (waves of pain and tightness) with numbness and tingling down my left arm.

After a 7 hour stint in A&E, an ECG, 2 lots of bloods, a chest xray they eventually ruled out a heart attack.

They sent me away with an apology that they could not offer a diagnosis and to return if symptoms get worse. They could only give possible causes suggesting that it could simply be my body still recovering from the stroke or perhaps the anxiety and exhaustion of the fatigue itself. I have been recommended complete rest for a few days to see how I go and to speak to my gp at my upcoming appointment about an ecg monitor to wear for 24 hours.

Has anyone else had anything similar?

[Bobbi]

@MrsG16

I have actually experienced full blown heart attacks from one of which I had to be brought back from wherever it is that death takes us.

Despite being continually asked by medical professionals I did not experience any pain on any of the occasions.

I did feel an overwhelming dread, and it seemed like my heart wasn’t beating at all. I knew something was horribly wrong. At the hospital it was recognised as a heart attack.

I was treated with clot busting drugs administered by a pair of syringe drivers and after a week I was sent home.

During the weekend it started again and I was taken to hospital for a second time to go through clot busting again.

It seemed I had a huge clot in my heart. I was treated as an outpatient with Warfarin for a few months and was eventually declared fit again. That was 25 years ago.

Four years ago I had a stroke. I now live with reduced mobility.

These are all extremely frightening horrible experiences. They are not easily forgotten. It is not nice to be reminded of one’s mortality.

As days goes by and the ordinary affairs of life return to the fore then balance does return and it gets easier to continue.

I feel I just have to

keep on keepin on

[MrsG16]

Sorry to hear you had to experience that. It must have been absolutely terrifying. Pleased to know you are doing a lot better. You have a great mindset Bobbi.

I was terrified yesterday obviously thinking the worst straight away. I slept a solid 10 hours last night which is the most Iv slept since my stroke happened! Still have pins and needles down my arm but so far no more chest pain.

I think if anything my body is just warning me I have pushed it too far and worried about too much lately and it’s time to just rest.

Thank you

Natalie

[Bobbi]

@MrsG16

As time goes by you will get the measure of things as they stand after your stroke.
You are in a predicament.
There will be change, some only apparent after a long time has passed. Your body and brain will continually be repairing themselves. To do this they need you to be fit, rested and for want of a better word, relaxed.
You need to keep as active as you comfortably can, consume a healthy diet, take regular rest, remain relaxed and at peace.
As you realise what you are going through is a process you will find that things will and do improve.
We are all on slightly different courses and moving forward at different rates but we have much in common.
Stay in touch with others in this same predicament. We can be of use to one another. This forum is an excellent place to learn, stay in contact and share your journey.

keep on keepin on

[wolfie]

I get chest pains/aches which I put down to anxiety or heartburn, don’t get tightness though. I can be disconcerting at times, but I just let it ride. I have been tested and came back ok. I did look up heart attack signs, and I didn’t have those. As for numbness and tingling down my left arm, that just seems to come and go as part of post stroke life.

Interestingly enough, both my parents died of a heart attack at the age I am now!

[Bobbi]

@wolfie

It’s so easy to find things to worry about isn’t it?

. . . and if you’re not worrying about something, is that a sign you need to be worried?

[IreneFC]

@MrsG16 I suffer chest pain now and again after my stroke but did nothing about it. It was just little twinges. I had a useless GP anyway. But quite a few people who had stroke suffered similar. Have a great day

[harimanjaro]

I had some chest pains after my TIA, they gradually cleared as my anxiety levels dropped. Due to a history of men in my family dropping dead at about my age I saw a cardiologist about them, his response was similar to what others have said here: a heart attack is a very different beast and if you’re having one you know about it.

Having said all that, if you have any doubts see your doctor. Better to be safe…

[Mrs5K]

If they have ruled out a heart attack then it is possible that it is anxiety related. You have described that you are going through a lot of stress at the moment & that probably isn’t helping.

Rest up loads & see if your pains ease atvall. If not go back to the dr/hospital & get them to check you over again.

[EmeraldEyes]

I’ll tell you my little ditty, only because you’ve been thoroughly checked out anyway.

25 years ago, I was a new mum and we were moving into a new home. So the day we moved in was busy busy busy, lunch on the run consisted of a cheese sandwich…big mistake.

That day I got a pain in my chest which gradually got worse and worse, with all the symptoms you had, left arm tingles, numbness, laying down made it worse, like a weight on my chest. I do have heart murmur, had it all my life, so by this point I told my hubby I think I might be having a heart attack, call the ambulance. Scarred the nappy off him

The paramedics did all the usual checks, had me sit up, we all chatted even had a bit of a laugh, learnt the guy we’d bought the house from was the head of the ambulance service in our area. And then they asked me how I was feeling now. Turns out it was bout of severe indigestion, believe it or not. But the worry and stress of new baby, new house, the worry of how my hubby would cope if I was having a heart attack, it all just compounded the issue bringing on all these symptoms. By the time the crew left I was starting to feel a little more normal as well extremely relieved it was nothing more dire.

I learnt my lesson and my hubby is always quick to remind me of that day if he thinks I’m overdoing it.

It frequently stems from a brain-gut communication issue so it could be related to your stroke, as well as stress, or lifestyle factors. Management focuses on diet, lifestyle changes, and medication to manage symptoms like excess acid, wind/bloating.

So no, I haven’t experienced since my stroke but I have experienced it

Lorraine

[EmeraldEyes]

These are all symptoms of anxiety, the combinations of which vary among individuals. Combine them with some of the indigestion symptoms of earlier, which is preventing proper food digestion becomes a vicious cycle :

The key to reducing your worry and anxiety is distraction. Think of something else, do something else. Night time is bad enough for worries creeping in, if you can’t banish them while you lay there in bed then get up and do something to divert your thoughts. Much easier to do that during the day without the risk of disturbing anyone. The majority of your will be out of your control to fix, prevent or avoid, other than keeping up with your meds, getting exercise and rest etc. So the only thing to do is to keep on distracting yourself until your brain gets used to not worrying about them again. It takes time and persistence but it does work for some. Some even stop reading about anything stroke related to achieve that. Being hold up at home due to bad weather, inactivity, isolating yourself, often exacerbates anxiety. You make yourself your own worst enemy. And it’s more common than you’d think, particularly in the elderly and disabled.

Lorraine

[love]

After my Tia about 6 week I woke up with chest i couldn’t get comfy went to hospital and they said it was anxiety. Luckily I haven’t had it again.

[MrsG16]

Thank you all.

I think it is probably only natural for stroke survivors to worry excessively over these kind of things which in turn makes us worse.

I have had a few chest pains, arm tingling and numbness and an awful headache since but Iv slept quite a bit which I think has definitely helped me be more relaxed about it. I have suffered with anxiety for years and did used to get panic attacks but it was nothing like this which I why I had to get checked out.

Thank you all and enjoy your day

[MattJC]

Hello there @MrsG16

It was a gremlin in my life unfortunately, both before and post-stroke.

I did not have a heart attack from specialist Cardiac surgeon employed by NHS (3 times, 1 before and 2 after), yet I cannot up’s my insurance on my life because the private Cardiac Surgoen said I had.

So, I don’t know but my hunch is it’s one of those things.

M