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[buddscreekman]

I'm hoping someone here can help my wife. She's seen a dr.,and collectively,we cannot figure out what is wrong with her.

For the past two days,she is having these "attacks"..she will usually start having upper abdominal pain,followed/preceded by a cough. Cough ALWAYS happens during these attacks. This pain then becomes chest pain that is like a band crushing her,upper abdominal pain continuing. Pain goes into her back,between her shoulder blades.It all continues simultaneously. Then comes the throat pain. This is not like a sore throat,reflux-y stinging. This is a feeling of pressure she says feels like a hand closing around her throat. She keeps coughing intermittently. Ready for the real stumper? It then goes into her face. Always on the right side - she says it is a feeling of pain/pressure in her sinuses as well as in her nose and cheek.

First attack of this was yesterday - she swore she was having a heart attack. So naturally,she refused to go to the hospital. Went to the dr. today and had an EKG...all normal. Tonight,she has another one of these attacks.

Couple other interesting factors - she feels it is related somehow to eating/being hungry. She describes a feeling of intense hunger pain,yet feels food will make it worse. This happened once on an empty stomach,once full. She also refuses to bend over during these attacks as she says she wants to stay as straight as possible - she says bending forward will make it worse. When it ends,after about 20-30 minutes start to finish,she is usually shaken up and says her head hurts. The coughing goes away with the pain.

Doc says it almost certainly isn't cardiac,that the ekg would have shown something if she had had a minor heart attack even after the fact,and to just let them know if it happens again. Well,second time in as many days...we'll be calling back in the morning. Any guesses? It's the facial and back involvement throwing us all.

[lmor]

I am not a doctor, but I have heard that reflux can casue pain in chest, throat, jaw, and ears. Try a pepcid; it might help. I hope you wife feels better soon.

[twinoaks207 (Premo)]

Originally Posted by buddscreekman

I'm hoping someone here can help my wife. She's seen a dr.,and collectively,we cannot figure out what is wrong with her.

For the past two days,she is having these "attacks"..she will usually start having upper abdominal pain,followed/preceded by a cough. Cough ALWAYS happens during these attacks. This pain then becomes chest pain that is like a band crushing her,upper abdominal pain continuing. Pain goes into her back,between her shoulder blades.It all continues simultaneously. Then comes the throat pain. This is not like a sore throat,reflux-y stinging. This is a feeling of pressure she says feels like a hand closing around her throat. She keeps coughing intermittently. Ready for the real stumper? It then goes into her face. Always on the right side - she says it is a feeling of pain/pressure in her sinuses as well as in her nose and cheek.

First attack of this was yesterday - she swore she was having a heart attack. So naturally,she refused to go to the hospital. Went to the dr. today and had an EKG...all normal. Tonight,she has another one of these attacks.

Couple other interesting factors - she feels it is related somehow to eating/being hungry. She describes a feeling of intense hunger pain,yet feels food will make it worse. This happened once on an empty stomach,once full. She also refuses to bend over during these attacks as she says she wants to stay as straight as possible - she says bending forward will make it worse. When it ends,after about 20-30 minutes start to finish,she is usually shaken up and says her head hurts. The coughing goes away with the pain.

Doc says it almost certainly isn't cardiac,that the ekg would have shown something if she had had a minor heart attack even after the fact,and to just let them know if it happens again. Well,second time in as many days...we'll be calling back in the morning. Any guesses? It's the facial and back involvement throwing us all.

Not to be Captain Obvious or anything but it really might be very helpful in diagnosing this problem if she goes to the ER while it is happening! There may be something that can be picked up by testing at the time that it is happening, that is not showing up when it is not happening.

[Retrodeb54]

Hiatal Hernia? ...

[buddscreekman]

Originally Posted by twinoaks207

Not to be Captain Obvious or anything but it really might be very helpful in diagnosing this problem if she goes to the ER while it is happening! There may be something that can be picked up by testing at the time that it is happening, that is not showing up when it is not happening.

The episodes last about a half hour. 25 minute drive to the e.r.,plus waiting around - no way to catch it. It's pretty unpredictable.

[buddscreekman]

Originally Posted by lmor

I am not a doctor, but I have heard that reflux can casue pain in chest, throat, jaw, and ears. Try a pepcid; it might help. I hope you wife feels better soon.

I have heard that too - but when we mentioned that to the dr. she said no to it being in the face/ears. Said that was essentially "in her head",and from the stress of being worried.

[buddscreekman]

Originally Posted by Retrodeb54

Hiatal Hernia? ...

Googled it...most everything I read said they are for the most part not symptomatic.

[jazz lady (Premo)]

I'm no doctor and don't pretend to be one but that sounds an awful lot like a gallbladder attack. I'm surprised that isn't one of the first things the doctor checked on, if nothing else to rule it out.

[Pete]

I suspect esophageal spasms. Does she feel like food gets "caught" or any difficulty swallowing when eating? Does she have to drink plenty of liquid to get food down at mealtime? Have them write me a consult. In the meantime have them do an upper GI- barium swallow and try to trigger an attack while they are viewing.

I prescribe nitroglycerin tabs 5mg, no more than 3 per day

Dr. Pete

[RoseRed (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Pete

I suspect esophageal spasms. Does she feel like food gets "caught" or any difficulty swallowing when eating? Does she have to drink plenty of liquid to get food down at mealtime? Have them write me a consult. In the meantime have them do an upper GI- barium swallow and try to trigger an attack while they are viewing.

I prescribe nitroglycerin tabs 5mg, no more than 3 per day

Dr. Pete

:bow: