mega reassurance needed please

[crystalshimmer]

I have posted here before as I have had pain in my rib cage/boobs for the past 2 years Ibuprofen usually takes it away when its bad,but it feels like a nerve type pain. been to an osteopath who said it could be pressure on the soft tissue and it occurs most when I am sitting,either in the car or at the PC.Sometimes its unbearable and goes round my chest area which is frightening.Have been to the breast clinic and am going for a routine mammogram next week.
Anyway,last week my husband and I were on a caravan holiday when he complained of chest pains,dialled 999 and he was taken to hospital suffering from a mild heart attack. My sons took me to stay with my daughter as she only lives 35 miles from the hospital.I have been in agony with the pains in my chest ever since,esp with the journey back and forwards. Even the inbuprofen isnt taking it away ,and in fact it made me ill the other night,and I was on the point of phoning an ambulance for myself,as I thought I was having a heart attack too.I am getting breathless walking up stairs and my stomach is upset as well.Last night I woke at 3 am with pins and needles in both arms,which wouldnt go away until I got up and moved about
This morning i feel terrible. All fluttery inside,blurred vision and slight nausea.Hubby has just phoned to say that if all goes well with his treadmill today,he will get home later. he is coping very well as they have reassured him that with the medication,he should be fine as there is no damage to his heart muscle.
I just feel that I can't cope with all this,and the aches and pains I am having as well are making me worse. I want to believe that it's HA but the pain and pins and needles etc are so real that I am having doubts and trying not to panic.
apologies for the length of this
Jean

[pooh]

Hi Jean

Sorry to hear about your husband and yourself. I really do suggest you get back to the docs and get this explored. I have nerve damage in my neck and it causes my left hand to swell slightly and can generate a lot of pain and if I use it the pain can spread across my chest my back and up my neck. Yes I was carted off once in an ambulance with a suspected heart attack which it wasnt ( I did keep trying to tell them lol). The point I am trying to make is this can flare up worse when i have pretty bad anxiety, although the anxiety can affect it it does have a physical root cause. So get your doc to check it again just to be sure. Oh and i get numbness and pins and needles all down my arm sometimes too. Although theres not much i can do about this condition at least i dont have to worry cause i know exactly what it is.

Let me know how you get on

Pooh xxx

[crystalshimmer]

thanks for replying Pooh. I have been to the docs a few times and was told it was"coming off my back" and just to take ibuprofen Last time i said I didnt want to take it all the time,because of the side effects. he told me to take co-codamol,which I did,but it doesnt really help.One of them sent me for a scan for osteoporosis,but that was clear,and apart from that they havent suggested anything else.I feel I need something for the stress at the moment,but they dont seem keen to prescribe anything.Now I am fretting over the results of the mammogram next week ,on top of all the worry about my husband.
Any stress affects my digestive system,as I get all tensed up and end up with bad pain like trapped wind,sometimes waking me at 3 am with a sharp pain under the centre of my rib cage going round to my back
I suppose old age doesnt come itself,but I wish it would leave all the nasties behind.
Thanks for your help
Take care
Jean

[crystalshimmer]

I had discomfort in my chest walking in to the hospital this afternoon,feels like a bit of food stuck in my oesophagus that wont go away. Accompanied by feeling I need to take deep breaths and am unable to talk while walking
My husband didnt do well on the treadmill and is being transferred to another hospital for an angiogram,so another worry.We had to bring his clothes back and were stuck in a traffic jam,in heavy rain,and it took us 2 hours to travel 55 miles.At least the hospital he is being transferred to is only 25 miles away,and hopefully he will be home tomorrow,unless he needs a stent.I am feeling very anxious tonight,and dont want to go to bed in case I get the pins and needles tonight again.
I will need to get this chest discomfort checked out.Another worry I could do without.This is one occasion when I would be delighted to put it down to HA
It's good to write all this on here,as I dont tell my family all my fears and worries,and I know there are people here who can relate to what i am going through.
jean

[kellie]

Im sorry about your hubbie Jean and i hope he makes a speedy recovery
and is home with you asap
the pain and breathing probs you are talking hun is more than likely related to tense chest muscles that come with being tierd and stressed out.
Your muscles tend to tense when we are not breathing correct ( even though we think we are we aint realy). ive suffered with this on and off and i know how painful it can get. Try to relax take hot baths ( as hot as you can stand it) and lie in it for a while doing some nice deep breathing. when you get out place a hot water bottle on your chest and relax your body. bath every night if you have to. i hope you get some confort for this soon and you feel better.
Also when muscles get to tense they can seas up so this may be what has happened with you at the moment
If you can relax so will your muscles but they need plenty of oxygen and the best way for them to get that is with your breathing
i also found it hard to talk and walk with this and a sitting postion tended to make it worse
mine felt easier when i was lieing down
i hope some of this reasures you and helps you

kellie.xxxxxxxxxxx

[crystalshimmer]

thanks for your reply Kellie. It feels like I have bronchitis,the tightness and discomfort in my chest. I haven't had a chest infection since i stopped smoking 3 years ago,but i do have mild COPD,my lung capacity being on the low side of normal.Its very hard to distinguish pain and discomfort in the chest area,as it could be either lungs or heart.
I will take your advice,as a nice hot bath sounds wonderful right now.
Thanks again,
Jean