I'm a 56 year old slim and very fit female. I work out for around 40 minutes every day. Until the 'attack' I had a week ago. I do suffer intermittently from SVT but it doesn't bother me as doesn't tend to happen with exercise. However, last week I was on a long haul flight and as the plane left the ground I had the most excruciating pain behind my breast bone like a burning ball and crushing. It lasted several minutes before gradually wearing off. It was like nothing I'd ever felt before and I really thought that was it! I was nauseous and light headed for around 45 minutes afterwards. I had an empty seat next to me and so just put the arm rest up and lay down. The following day on my return home, I went to the GP who was most concernwd. ecg showed ST depression and suggested ischemia. Troponin test negative. I have been referred to the rapid access chest pain clinic. I can't really believe I could have anything wrong though. Any similar experiences? It just seems unreal.
Firstly, I am, or rather was, a mechanic, not a cardiologist, so please excuse my few words of possible reassurance for until you get a cardiologist to see you. When I read what you wrote I right away thought, Angina and indeed, looking up causes of ST depression, partially blocked arteries can cause this, and so your pain. The thing I understand with Angina though, is that it tends to be worst when you are pushing your heart, then the restricted arteries cannot get enough blood to your heart, hence the pain, I presume though that as you are "very fit", you push your heart at times yet never felt this before? In which case there is something known as Prinz Metals Angina or Variant Angina, what this is, is your Autonomic Nervous System over reacting to anxiety or stress, such as being on an aeroplane maybe?, so unlike Angina caused by a blockage that hurts when you push your heart, Prinzmetal angina tends to be more when you are at rest and stressed, I get it sometimes. It is caused by vasospasm, a narrowing of the coronary arteries due to contraction of the smooth muscle tissue in the vessel walls. Just as your Autonomic Nervous System constricts the arteries in your legs when you stand up to stop gravity pulling all the blood away from your head, it can also constrict the arteries in your heart, therefore causing the same symptoms as a physical blockage from Coronary Artery Disease, but without there being anything at all wrong with your heart.
Heartburn or acid reflux can give you a pain like that or even mimic a heart attack. Or after lugging luggage around the airport: Costochondritis is an inflammation of the cartilage in the rib cage. The condition usually affects the cartilage where the upper ribs attach to the breastbone, or sternum, an area known as the costosternal joint or costosternal junction.
Chest pain caused by costochondritis can range from mild to severe. Mild cases may only cause your chest to feel tender to touch or some pain when you push on the area of your chest cartilage.
Were you given a d-dimer blood test? I was thinking maybe you could have a pulmonary embolism or emboli, particularly as you were on a long haul flight. Are you taking any hormonal medication?
She said the flight had just taken off.
sorry I didn't read it properly. One of the reasons I mentioned it though was because Sally was getting SVTs which is a symptom and she is in her 50s which could mean she is on HRT which can be a cause. You can live with PEs for a while without knowing you have them.
Thanks, Peter. That sounds very much like it could be he cause.t I'm frequent flayer and love it though. So no anxiety regarding that. But I have been under lot of emotional stress.
I don't know why my old user name has come up. This is Sally, lol.
Thanks. No, not given that. But only just taking off.
Yes, I am on HRT. (this is Sally. For some reason my old username hashas come up)
I would recommend asking for a d-dimer blood test just to be on the safe side because of the HRT. Do you ever have any issues with your breathing or an annoying cough that comes and goes?
Yes I have had n on off cough for years. I put it down to a post nasal drip. I see the specialist ext Tuesday so will ask about it.
well good luck, I really hope its nothing serious.