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Subject: Re: Diagnosis Roulette Wheel I am a 23 year-old female who has suffered from angina like pain and palpitations for 6 years. I was in perfect health until at age 17, i woke with a racing heartrate of abouot 140. First diagnosis--PAT and given Inderal. Developed chest pains around the same time and have suffered greatly from them. After a thallium stress test, a cardiologist advised catheterization which ended up being normal. EKG's have been routinely o.k. some sinus arrythmis, PVC's, and tachycardia. My MAJOR complaint is the chest pain. It is almost always associated with adrenalin "going off" but not necesarily related to stress. My adrenalin seems to spontaneously release. I feel a rush of pain up towards my chest and a gripping suffocating feeling which comes with every adrenalin "wave" and then releases. From what I have read (and learned from my currently cardiologist)all these symptoms are the exact profile of coronary artery spasm. I have also read that c.a.s. is linked to panic attacks and adrenalin release. NO DOCTOR SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON! They pooh-pooh the idea of spasm for reasons I'm not entirely aware of..... One doctor even went so far as to say, "well, you haven't passed out yet, so it can't be that bad". I'm a magnet for warm bedside manner. I am currently taking Toprol 50mg/o.a.d. Nitro 5g as needed, and xanax .5 as needed. I have tried calcium blockers and they do not help...smoking causes this to greatly increase and I am trying to quit but wary of nicotine patches or gum..(I know that's hilarious) PLease help..it's making me crazy. I do also have MVP. Heather ___ Dear Heather, I really do not know what to say except that your continued smoking is appalling. It not only is contributing to your problems with chest pain, IT IS your major problem and you are not even aware of this. Your chest pain does not sound cardiac (spasm or otherwise) and so I am not surprised that calcium channel blockers and nitro have not helped. My best information for you is to STOP SMOKING and continue to follow regularly with your cardiologist and or primary physician. Good Luck and feel free to write with further questions. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only, actual diagnosis and treatment can only be made by your physicians.
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