Chest Pain

Has anyone experienced chest pain after PM surgery? Once a day or so, I will find myself doing "whatever," nothing strenuous... and I will be breathing just fine. Then out of the blue I will have resistance with taking the breath, I have to take small mini breaths to get through it. It feels tight and like pressure or a restriction. It's not painful per say...just strange and awkward and tight. It goes away after those mini breaths I was talking about. I get it an inch or so left of my center ribs-right where my hear would be.

I never had anything like this before....not sure to see a cardiologist or a regular doctor for a chest x-ray. Although I think if anything was wrong they would have seen it on my chest x-ray 2 weeks ago to see if my leads were ok. Not sure.

What are your thoughts?
Thanks,
Wendy

5 Comments

Get It Checked

by ppt - 2009-10-26 10:10:05

After my PM surgery I "hounded" the Drs. That's how we learn and how we feel safe. I suggest you give them a call and make sure all is well. Be safe !!

Better be safe . . .

by Yorker - 2009-10-27 03:10:08

By all means - CALL
If it's panic or not you shouldn't be suffering, and if it is something else, it should be checked out. Sometimes you have to keep hounding the doctors to get heard, but if that's what it takes, so be it. It's you health we're talking about here.

Donna

Chest Pains

by wenditt - 2009-10-27 03:10:52

Hi everyone,
I'm not sure it's panic...not sure what it is. It very well be panic as I am a type-A with a pacemaker that scares me to death! BUT....my gut is saying not panic.

I will be reading a book for example, nothing stressful and it will happen. I know panic attacks can creap up on you at anytime but this goes away too fast. This feels more like a cramp when you have running too much but it's in my chest.

Think I might call the cardio. They will think I am a stalker....but who cares right!

THANK YOU!!

Chest Pain

by SMITTY - 2009-10-27 06:10:04

That is not normal and you should see a doctor.

It could be anything from hyperventilation to a pacemaker lead out of place and letting the pacemaker impulse impinge on a nerve or just a pacemaker impulse going astray and impinging on a nerve or anyone of many things. From what you say, my guess is the biggest danger right now may be your anxiety from not knowing what is going on. And that in itself can be serious.

As for the doctor you should see, see the one that can see you the soonest since you have no way of knowing which one would be the best choice. Either one can probably treat you or send you to a doctor that can take care of your problem.

Good luck,

Smitty

Breathing

by ElectricFrank - 2009-10-27 10:10:35

One of the most common causes of feeling like you can't take a deep breath is failing to exhale completely. Its one of those things that feeds on itself. When we feel anxious and like we can't breath, it is natural to not let out the breath we have. Of course we have to exhale to be able to inhale so things get worse.

I do what I call being Long of Breath. I deliberately take long slow inhale and exhale breaths. Its amazing how quickly the whole thing subsides. I've mentioned before on the forum that I had my implant without anesthesia or anti-anxiety meds. It wasn't that I didn't feel anxious at times, but knowing what to do got me through the surgery easily.

frank

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