2 days without crushing chest pain after 26 years

[kickysnana]

I had undiagnosed Lyme Disease from 1974-1990. It triggered MS. The heart pains started about 1983 and I dutifully tried to get a diagnosis but all the tests said that my heart and stuff was just fine therefore it must be stress creating phantom pain. So I stopped complaining and lived with it.

In Dec 2008 I actually passed out but I had nobody to see to my disabled aunt so I tried to get a diagnosis by outpatient but still no test caught it. I promised if it got that bad again I would dial 911. On Tuesday it did. They did the tests but this time a paramedic observed and one time a PT person had and they actually listened and decided that the lining of my arteries were dysfunctional and spasmning shut and cutting off oxygen and probably not just to my heart. They documented the extreme muscle weakness too. I kept saying over the years that phantom pain did not leave you debilitated to that extent.

I am on 24 hour nitro tablets and a couple other things that calm the lining and for two days I have not had the crushing chest pain.

Perhaps I will emerge from curmudgeon to activist again. Who knows?

[murielm99]

1. I am happy for you!

It's no fun to be misdiagnosed for years on end.

[mopinko]

2. you know, i was talking to a doctor the other day, socially, not in the office,

he was telling me about his oddyssey through the medical system, and i was shocked to hear that it was about as bad as mine.
he hadn't slept with his wife in over 10 years because of his snoring. he had had 3 sleep studies, which all said he didn't have apnea, he was just snoring. loudly. they were desperate to do something about it, so he had that palette trimming surgery, which is supposed to be one of the most painful surgeries out there. no good. did not help at all.
he tried again with the sleep doc, who said, did anyone offer you a cpap? i don't have apnea. no, they work for extreme snoring also. got his cpap, sleeping like a baby, everybody happy.

moral of the story is that you just have to keep trying. keep finding new docs if the old ones wont help. sometimes just bugging the old doc helps too. if you keep coming in, they keep digging for something to do for you.

glad you are getting some relief.

[kickysnana]

3. Thanks for the additional info...

[Left coast liberal]

4. Wow, good for you. Best of luck! NT