new> but can you ladies share your stories of heart disease.

Hi, I have been on the lupus site only because I have had a positive ANA and they the docs think I have an autoimmune disease. No diagnosis yet. But I have read up on symptoms women have. I am 49 and my sister and mother have a history of a heart attack and strokes. I have been strugglin with feeling sick in my stomach, but mostly having an ache from behind my left breast into my back.  I have asthma but that is under control. I have a small nodule on my right lung and now they have found a small cyst on the right side of my thyroid. I have had an achy pain from my neck down through my esophogus into my stomach for a few months now. My voice gets raspy. My gastro doc said it's not because of acid reflux, the barium swollow showed some, but it's not causing this. I have a sick ache across my back most all the time. I get fluttering in my chest at night when I lay down or even during the day and it doesn't have to be a stressful situation.  I get short of breath, but I am using my asthma meds like I am supposed to. I had felt good for a month around Christmas and was breathing great. but still short of breath when going up a slight up grade or stairs. Or even just playing with my dog or great nieces and nephew. I was to the family doc this week, I am seeing the gastro doc on monday to see if he will do a colonoscopy and endoscope.  But the family doctor said and this is the funny part. If they don't find anything on there, then he will talk to the heart doc and see about getting me a catherization.   He even told me he had a 47 yr.old man who had a stress test and last week he had a heart attack. So why wait to check this out then. HMMMMM  could it be that I am a woman? 

I thought, well if you suspect heart problems why are you letting it go. I even told him what ever needs to be done to find out what is going on, I will do it. I have been off work going on three weeks now and no progress.

 I am sorry, I am not a hyperchondriac, but I am tired of being sick. But I would appreciate testimonies from other women around my age. I know woman are so very different from men when it comes to heart symptoms. And my mother was sick in her stomach and had sweats when she had her heart attack.  I would greatly appreciate what ever you share.

Deb

 hi mum, i am58, and have always been healthy, although my cholesteral has been rising since about the age of 45. well, i do not want to bore you with the deatails, what i would say is you have nothing to loose by getting an angiogram, i swear to you i practically had to beg for one, they did not think there was a problem, but i noticed i felt a little short of breath,, well they had to put two stents in and i have coronary artery disease, so if i were you with your history, i would not drag my heels, and like i said you will know for sure and can get on with your life one way or the other.  forget those waste of time stress tests, they said i was in better condidtion than 60% of women in my age group. so go figure     also i want to add that what i originally insisted on was a test that shows if you have calcium build up, well most insurance doesn't pay for that, at least they did not two years ago when this happend, but i got it anyway and it said i was at 90% risk of having a coronary event, so thats when i insisted on an angiogram,, go get one.  i also have the back ache you describe, and several of your other issues, i would say 50% is caused by anxiety.well that is my 10 cents.

 I had a heart attack when I was 58 I had most of the things you are talking about my back and breast and left shoulder hurt so bad I just thought it ras just part of getting old  I wish I would have gone to the Dr when this all started it left me with some serious problems I now have a valve leaking thy did put a ring on it but it still leaks a little then I had to have a 5 bypass and 2 stints so anyway I would not wait around if I were you Thank God I have good Drs and the prayers of many people and I am still able to drive my car and work part time

  God bless you and go get help befor it is too late   Gin

Gin, the sad part is the doctor isn't checking the heart out. He is waiting till the gastro doc asses me.   I am seriously thinking about trying another ER. I tried last week and didn't get anywhere.  I have gone through that so many times with doctors over the years. That if I was a man, they would have done something right away.

Thank you

Not trying to be sarcastic and please don't take it that way. But how am I to go for the test if the doctor doesn't set it up. I was told he will wait till the gastro doc acesses me and then go from there.  I already did go to an ER to get some help and I was told that if I didn't have a stroke or a heart attack or was in an accident, the doctor there could not help me. I was told that doctor is only on one day a month.  But I can't waste any more money to try going to the ER and get sent home without feeling like I am a depressed woman.  I had told that doctor what was going on and he didn't want to treat me for anything. I even told him I would like some relief of the pain throughout my torso.

 So DREAMGIRL I don't know what to do. I could try another ER maybe.  I was so sick last night I had pain and burning across my chest into my arm and then in the forearm too. I just felt so sick.  I am only on previcid right now becasue of getting severe diarrea from plaquenil or the lexapro.  I tried the donatol yesterday and the aciphex and that didn't help.

So I guess I wait till something happens or see what the gastro doc says on Monday.  I do go for a pelvic ultrasound on Monday to rule out any gyno problems.  Or maybe a heart attack will take me to the ER or then again maybe it will take me somewhere else.  Sad to say.

Thank you for the encouragement though. I do appreciate it. 

Thank you hope.  I am up at 3 am and hurt from my chest into my stomach.   I haven't had problems with swelling in my feet and hands for quite some time now for I was alway on the cold side and even yesterday being in the 80's here, I was content with a long sleeve tee shirt. But now I have some swelling in my feet and hands, not a great deal but I had this before when I had discomfort in my chest. I had taken an herbal formula before for it and it helped, but now with my stomach feeling so bad and sick I should take it.  It had some pretty interesting things in it.  Stuff from my fridge. Like horseradish, garlic, applecider vinegar, ginger,  white onion, cayenne pepper. But cayenne helps the heart. But can't chance it with my stomach.  My legs were swollen back in the summer, and I also had this pain in my chest and arm, but stomach was ok.  So the next morning the swelling was gone and I didn't have as much pain in my chest.  I also have a hawthorneberry syrup that I used to take under my tongue like nitro.  I used some yesterday and it helpe take away the hard pain in my chest.  I told my husband and he is thinking too it's heart related now.

 I will be very frank with the gastro on Monday, he is very nice and listens.  He is the one who ordered an ultrasound of my thyroid when no one else would do it.  He felt my throat symptoms were not due to acid reflux.  yeah, I have problems with my throat not knowing to swollow saliva sometimes.  I do have a cyst on my thyroid and lung.  And the rheumy said about me having an abnormal chest x-ray.  I was able to have one of those done yesterday afte I insisted getting one.

  OH, I have been told this pain from the left side of my chest into my back is muscle related. And the achey pain in my bicept  is from that. Muscles can do that they said. 

So hope,  I will have to wait till Monday after seeing the gastro doc. Then I am ancipating waiting to have a colonoscopy and endoscope for about a month or two, that's if he orders them.  Then if it doesn't show anything, the family doctor may talk to the heart specialist about doing a cath. ( his exact words were, try to talk him into doing it.)  After him saying he really isn't sure it's not heart. 

Why do women have to suffer so and fight so to try to get the care they need.  They do certain tests and then if nothing shows up, it's all in our heads. Woman go to the doctor to try to feel better so we can get on with our lives. And I read an article in a doctors office that women are so in tune with their bodies, doctors need to listen to them and take them seriously, we know when there is something wrong.  yeah it was in my family doctors waiting room.  This article said we are so in tune with our bodies, we know when something is out of sync

  I have been doing a little shopping on line just to do something fun. I know I shouldn't be doing it since I am not working and paying out all these doctors co pay and meds and then the tests co pay will come rolling in. Plus we have a deductible since the company started a new insurance April 1.  But one of my hobbies was to stop at the junk stores, my word for stores who have all kinds of things to look at just for fun). But I can't even do that right now.

   And in the spring I am at a greenhouses everday after work on the way home. ( i work 1/2 days) And we have so many mennonite greenhouses in my area and they have so many wonderful things to choose from.  My hobby is my gardens and planting. My neighbor and good friend called and asked what is wrong. She saw that I haven't been out working in the beds and hasn't seen boxes of plants sitting out waiting to be planted.   I can't do that do that right now. I have weeds higher then my waist. So the thing that helps me theraputically, I can't do.   So I shopped on line a little. Not much. but need to do something.   I read a little. But cooking and baking is also my hobby too.  'When I am sick though and bake, it never turns out very good.  I need to make some woopie pies for my daughter in laws college graduation (gobs for those not in PA) and I am afraid to because of them not turning out right.  My adult kids say, if your hearts not in it, it doesn't taste good.  Interesting analagy huh?

Well I should try to eat something to take a pain pill. and try to get back to sleep.  PLus my husband is snoring and he needs to get up at 4:30 to go to work.

Thanks again.

hi debimum,i do know how u r feeling as regards doctors dissmissing u,my doc is the same wen i told him my symptoms he straight away wanted to give me antideppresents,now i may suffer anxiety,tho even this hasent been diagnosed.....but i insisted on him refering me to a therapist,i think he was just trying to get me out.....so today igo for a ECG....ur symptoms do sound like anxiety tho im not a doctor and with ur family history i would definitly push for heart works....i do hope u get some help as worry is not a good thing....feel free to email me....let us know how u go x

I have told the doctors I am short of breath. I have asthma and it's not anything like asthma  I take my meds faithfully and I started with shortness of breath a year ago.  Where i work I have to walk a 1/4 mile to get the entrance of the building. When I started I was glad because I would get more excersize. After a year and a half of working there, I noticed I was out of breath when I got to the door of the bulding. I was more short of breath going up stairs and playing with my dog and my litte great nieces and newphew. I couldn't carry my nephew who is 2 and weighs 15-20 poungs.  I my chest and back would hurt and was so out of breath.  My thighs would ache till I got up stairs or into my building.  So thing started going down hill and I didn't do anything different then the year before.  I even saw the lung doctor and he didn't do anything but a lung function test which I knew what it said before and it was the same this time.  I had a stress test done and the cardio doc said it was fine after flipping two pages of many  very quickly. I saw the family doc after for the same pain in the chest under ther breast into my back and arm and he said he isn't convinced that it's not heart related because he had a 70 year old man who had a stress test done one day and was told everything looks fine and that night he died. There was another patient of the GP a lady who did live. And just last week when I spoke to the GP he said he isn't convinced it isnt' heart and that if gastro orders colon testing and things if nothing shows up then , THEN, he will talk to the heart doc. 

     I am very surprised the GP isn't on top of this, only because he is working with my daugther who had negligence from an orthopedic doc who the GP wouldn't not allow him to see my daughter in the hospital. She was bitten by a dog and had a bone infection that the doctor wouldn't order an MRI after I had asked and my daughter had asked the same visit.  He just said it needs to take it's course.  a week later, the therapist said something isn't right and the GP ordered an MRI, hmmmm she was seeing another doctor for this and he ordered it.)  But anyway the same day the family doc called and said she needs to be in the hospital, she saw the ortho doc and he said everything was fine.

After a year now and all the problems she has and she won't be able to work or use her arm normally, she only has 15 % strength in it. They are going after that doctor. She has RSD from this all and other problems. 

So yeah, I don't know why the GP isn't on top of my problems.  So if there would be heart problems I know what to say to him now. 

And can only someone have heart problems if they have a heart attack?  I thought symptoms build up over time and then it can lead to a heart attack.  Isn't shortness of breath and fatigue and dizziness part of those symptoms?  Sounds like you have to have a heart attack before they check things out from some of the things I have read on here.

Linda

thank you. I am not looking for attention or want anything wrong with me. This time of year is very special to me.  I anticipate working in my flower beds and my pond every year.  I always had trouble staying away from the greenhouses even if there was hardly anything left in them.  I could always find something to plant and someplace to dig up to put it there.  It's kind of theraputic for me.  And this is the time of year, that usually gets me going and having more energy.  I do not like house work, but when I can work out in my flower beds it's just so enjoyable. 

 I have not the energy nor the desire this year.  I see all the weeds growing up around my perienals that most of them I got at the mountains with my sister in law and the ones from friends who needed to thin theirs out. It's kind of like a friendship garden. Nothing very special when you look at it only I know the history behind it.  I could go on but will stop whinning about not being able to go do that right now. 

    The pain in the chest is still there, the ache in my bicept is still there, I did not throw up today and kept some food down.  So I will ask the doctor about an echocardiogram, since the gastrologist is such a caring person I will ask him monday when I go I am sure he will help with that one.   I have lost hope in my family doctor. I know he has been a bit frustrated too, but I feel he could have ordered some things to rule them out or made an appt. with the heart doc so we could rule that out.  I am thinking he feels I am just depressed. While I know how I can feel when I am down emotionally, I never stop working or not be able to work around my house.  They don't understand women know their bodies. I know when I am sick and when I feel down. I am down because of the medical field not pursuing things.   It's just so sad when your a woman after 40, doctors feel it's all hormonal and that it will go away.  But if your a man and going though things, they are on top of things right away.   Or if your an older person or a child. 

You said about commercials, how many ones do we hear of that we are to talk to our doctors when something is wrong, they stress woman to tell their doctors about chest pain or other things they think could be heart.  If doctors won't listen what then. ...........  

I am 49, years ago they used to be able to put someone in the hospital when they are as sick as I have been and work on finding out what is wrong. Sadly the insurances are in control now and people suffer.  So many loose their jobs because of doctors dragging things out.  Then it's like dominos for a family, the husband /wife looses their job, they are still sick, they have medical bills, then it starts coming between them, divorce is sometimes the answer to the one who isn't sick.  Just not right.. 

I am going to be more adement(?) monday.  If I don't get help I will go to the other ER in the City. 

I know how you feel. I had been going to the doctor for chest pains for a few years. I have COPD now but it started out with asthma, infections things like that so they always chalked it up to chest wall pain. I started having the palputations over a year ago I mean daily. Finally they did a 30 day event monitor on me and one night i went into ventricular fibluation for 8 seconds. I was admitted into the hospital that night and was there 10 days. They were going to do a pacemaker but couldn't recreate it by shocking me. They did a EP study. I have ventricular tachycardia and my medical insurance was taken away so I didn't get to follow up with my cardiologist and now I go to the local health dept for meds but they are so limited on what they can do. It felt like a long palputation so every time I feel that now I think I'm going to die. I have anxiety, fibro and other things so I can't tell when it's my heart or something else. I'm always scared. I used to think sometimes things would be better off if I did die but now that almost happened I found out I want to live more than anything eventhough I don't know how I'll survive with all this pain and suffering. Please if you feel like something is going wrong with your heart go to the hospital even if they won't listen to you. There is always the day when they do find out what is wrong and you don't want to wait at home to long.

 I AM SORRY TO HEAR YOUR APPT WITH THE GASTRO WAS A BUST. BUT I AM NOT SURPRISED AS THEY REALLY DO NOT KNOW about HEART HEALTH THAT MUCH.  MUM, JUST TELL YOUR GP YOU WANT TO SEE A CARDIOLOGIST. YOU MUST HAVE SO SO INSURANCE, OR YOU COULD JUST MAKE YOUR OWN APPOINTMENT, YOU WOULD THINK WITH ALL THE DOUGH IT COSTS FOR MEDICAL INSURANCE YOU COULD JUST GO WHERE YOU NEED TO. HOPE TO SEE YOU TONITE ON THE CHAT, I WILL BE THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. BYE FOR NOW.

 geez mum, if your chest pain is that bad that sounds really frightening, all i can offer is a prayer up for you tonite.  please post after your dr. visit on thursday. i will be out of town til sunday evening we are goiong on a harley road trip.  i missed you at the chat room last evening, sorry you did not make it . bye for now

Hi deb,  I am so sorry your having such a hard time finding answers...Hang in there

(((hugs)))

Elisha