Chest Pain & Dull Throbbing

chest pain

by AgentX86 - 2020-10-15 13:18:09

Usually heart issues show up as pain in the shoulder, back, or upper arm. Sure, sometimes chest pain is literally chest pain. A more common problem, particularly since it appears that they've ruled out heart issues is a gastrointestinal problem. Hietal hernia often presents itself as a heart issue, as do gallbladder/gallbladder stones.

It may not be your heart but that doesn't mean that you're crying wolf, just that perhaps you're talking about wolf problems with people who know nothing but bears. See your PCP. He should help you find the cause of your distress.

AgentX86

by arent80 - 2020-10-15 13:21:36

Thank your sir! Your wolf analogy literally made me laugh out loud. I needed that. I am working with my PCP as well but the throbbing in my chest is what concerns me the most. I can really notice my heart beat. It's this odd throbbing sensation. And of course today my back is killing me. You might be right.. Maybe it will be something other than my heart. Either way I've learned a lot from our Healthcare system. It's most certainly not what I thought it would be. Appreciate your comment. Thank you! 

Let us tackle one organ at a time

by Gemita - 2020-10-15 15:14:58

Dear Alejandro,

Let us not move away from the heart otherwise we will lead our doctors down too many different paths.  One organ at a time before we move onto the next.

You say you feel "your heart is either struggling or going to stop".  Yes I can relate to this when I have an arrhythmia.  I also get mid central chest pain (like an ache), chest throbbing, upper back pain, upper inner arm/neck pain with my arrhythmias.  My GP thinks it is angina, but my EP says there is no evidence of heart disease.  However during an arrhythmia my chest pain can be concerning and I believe that poor blood flow during an arrhythmia is the cause of my chest pain since an arrhythmia reduces my heart's ability to pump effectively.  Maybe it is the same for you too ?

Did you speak to your EP about Retrograde conduction/pacemaker mediated tachycardia?   Did he offer any further insights, or offer any attempts to try to overcome your problem which you feel is pacemaker related?  Stay with this Alejandro - you were getting so close.  Don't depart from this now.  

Have you asked for permanent longer term monitoring like the Reveal Linq loop recorder which would certainly not miss a thing and provide a diagnosis I am sure. You would have plenty of opportunity of downloading an event to correlate with your symptoms and you and your doctors could build up a picture of what is going on.  And it would stay in place for three years (battery life).  You could ask for data downloads when you have a particularly symptomatic event.  I do not know whether your insurance would cover you or you could get your doctor to authorize this as a final effort to get to the bottom of your troubles

Gemita :-)

by arent80 - 2020-10-15 15:40:54

Thank you my dear for your wonderful words of wisdom and concern. No they have not mentioned anything about PMT or the Retrograde Conduction. Since turning off the CLS and Accelerometer I've been able to breath better but I still experience the symptoms mentioned in my first message today. They think that since I can breathe better, I am better. This is not the case. I don't believe the VA offers this long term implant monitoring. I'll check with my new cardiologist that I meet next week. He will be the fifth. I'll keep everyone posted. I'm so frustrated I just want this to get under control before my wedding in March of next year. I don't want to feel like I do on that special day!

I can relate

by PacedNRunning - 2020-10-17 04:35:11

I had similar for about 6 mos before I had enough. I was told I was sensitive to pacing. Ok. Great. But I never felt my heart before this darn thing. Come to find out I was in persistent block. I got my pacemaker for intermittent heart block that had slowly become persistent. The issue was my pacemaker was programmed for intermittent block not persistent block. Basically the pacemaker was pacing me late each beat so I felt thump thump thump! Off and on all day!! Finally they changed my settings and wallah no more. I no longer feel pacing. Not sure why you have your pacemaker but ask them to check your Av delays and if they are physiological. I hope you get answers. I felt miserable for months. 

PacedNRunning

by Gemita - 2020-10-17 06:34:30

Would be interested to know what your AV delay is set at now and what it was previously?  Many thanks

PacedNRunning

by arent80 - 2020-10-17 09:56:33

Great input and it sounds exactly like what's happening. I got goosebumps reading this. I have INTERMITTENT heart block and sick sinus syndrome. I can almost bet it's becoming persistent. I know for a fact I have the programmed AV DELAY HYSTERESIS feature set but maybe it's not set correctly. Yesterday wasn't so bad but the week before was AWFUL! Makes me feel like nothing I've ever felt before. My Goodness it's so nice to hear that someone can relate. I will call them Monday and hopefully put this to rest once and for all. I'll be sure to keep everyone posted. Thank you very much for your input. I really appreciate it. 

One year.

by PacedNRunning - 2020-12-21 04:37:50

It was almost exactly one year from when I got my pacemaker when I started having more block. About 18 mos from my first heart block symptom. Over about 6 mos it would happen off and on until it happened anytime I got up. Apparently it progressed really fast. Most do progress overtime so I think my doctor was surprised and didn't know what was going on. I was sensitive to pacing from the beginning but I got I use to it after about 3 mos. but my doctor was stuck on my sensitivity to pacing and not the fact my block got worse. Mainly bc it's not common to progress that fast.