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My 70 yr old husband wakes up in the night with severe chest pain mostly starting around 3:00 a.m. and continues through around 10:00 a.m. But can pop up any time. Sometimes he does quick short panting to help ease the pain. He moans with pain. This has been going on for over five months. He saw his physician and ekg checks out fine. He was told if it continues just go to the emergency room for a stress test. Next step was a Covid test which was negative. He quit smoking over 20 yrs ago. He is very active and not overweight. We feel helpless and think perhaps pain is stress. Any ideas what this could be? Or where we should turn?

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Sounds like perhaps he's having an anxiety attack. I'm no Dr., but I would look into that. Best wishes.
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Rosemaria Dec 2020
Thank you. Yes lots of anxiety this yr. Hopefully next year is better for all of us.
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This is definitely a question not for us on the forum, but for your husband's doctor. We have a much loved member on Forum whose husband had pain that was more or less ignored by medical and about which they had to insist and pursue medical attention. He recently had a Triple Bypass and is recovering well. You need to be certain your husband gets complete followup now by his medical doctors. Don't take no for an answer. 34 years ago I was told that an olive pit size node under my arm was "nothing to worry about". I finally insisted it be removed. It was adenocarcinoma spread out from breast to lymph nodes. Do not take no for an answer....follow through until you GET an answer. Says this old long retired RN.
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Rosemaria Dec 2020
Thank you, l need to make him or should say demand him follow up.
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You need answers NOW. Your husband's doctor should have referred him to a cardiologist.

Your husband is having chest pains and he needs to know why.

My husband went through this and ended up having a triple bypass surgery. He had a heart attack.

Don't wait.
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AlvaDeer Dec 2020
Absolutely, ABSOLUTELY agree with you, Hailey.
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Just to add to the chorus of "go see a cardiologist". My husband was discovered to have a large aortic aneurysm that was about to burst. His EKG, upon admission to the hospital was quite normal.

An EKG tells you SOME things about your heart, but there can be a LOT wrong and still have a normal EKG.
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Rosemaria Dec 2020
I didn’t know that. Thank you so so much.
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My 62 y/o husband was told for over 3 months that 'nothing was wrong with him' after a few ekgs, a stress test, an overnight stay in the hospital, blood tests galore, an echo-cardiogram and all sorts of things. His chest pain was labeled 'uncontrolled angina' which is DANGEROUS, because it happens at REST, like your DH's pain is happening, and he was given nitroglycerin tablets to take during an episode. My daughter is a cardiac RN and was pushing for 3 months for DH to have a heart catheter to actually SEE if he had a heart blockage, but no, there wasn't enough 'empirical evidence' to warrant such an 'invasive' and EXPENSIVE procedure. Until he had 4 angina episodes in 1 day and took 4 nitroglycerin tablets. He called the cardiologist who said GET TO THE ER NOW. He was given the heart catheter that day and they found 3 blocked arteries, one known as The Widow Maker; one at 90% blockage, one at 70% and one at 60%. 2 days later he was given a triple bypass surgery to save his life. The doctors were stunned that he hadn't died before the surgery.

My husband is not overweight and had an outdoor job where he was active. He too stopped smoking about 15 years ago, and gave up sugar and coffee 5 years ago. All his tests were normal, too.........the only thing that was abnormal was constant chest pain.

Please get your DH to the ER or to the cardiologist and be very firm about getting to the bottom of what's going on. It's THAT important.

Good luck!
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Rosemaria Dec 2020
Thank you for sharing your journey. This isn’t easy and such helpful information from you. Thanks again.
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I have been struggling with chest pain and tachycardia for the last 6+ months. I did have a complete cardiac workup prior to and following cancer last year. My HEART is fine, acc to the drs, but my stress levels are out of control. The irregular heartbeat is due to stress and anxiety.

Trying to control stress levels right now is near to impossible. I wake up with a pounding heart--sometimes it's 2-3 hours before things settle down.

I have done some things to deal with the stress, as I cannot control everything, but people who are energy vampires don't get a minute of my time. I haven't spoken to my MIL for 10 months and yesterday was her b-day and trying to explain to my SIL WHY Dh and I would BOTH be absent from the drive by party was impossible. 10 minutes with MIL puts me in a terrible state--which I find ridiculous and frustrating.

After COVID settles down I will have to go in for more intensive testing, but my doc is pretty sure (after the testing I HAVE had) that this is all stress related.

Even with his assurance, I so hate the feeling of the impending rapid heartbeat--I've always been an anxious critter and I am less able to handle stress and anxiety the older I get.
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lealonnie1 Dec 2020
Seems to me when the doctors don't have an answer, they always blame stress. And covid or no covid, intensive testing should be done with heart related issues otherwise we're going to have more deaths from NOT going to the doctor because of fear of contracting 'covid' then from covid itself!
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Rosemaria, in some cases chest pain can be caused by indigestion. Ask the doctor if it is ok for hubby to take Gas-X or Tums. If that seems to help, then the doctor can do further testing.
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All good answers. But I have one more. Hiatal hernia.

"Hiatal hernia symptoms include nausea, burping, acid reflux, and burning or pain in the esophagus or stomach. These symptoms can mimic other health issues like heartburn or heart attack.Aug 5, 2019"

My Dad suffered from one of these, eventually being operated on. To help relieve the discomfort, he used a wedge under his pillows so he would not be flat in bed.
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AlvaDeer Dec 2020
Great advice, JoAnn.
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